What is the primary difference between Chinese and European maritime explorations?

The two places had very different motivations for exploration, with Europe looking for territory and wealth, and the Chinese searching to establish the power of their country. Different technologies were used, the Chinese boats and navigation techniques being much more advanced.

Why is a Chinese ship called a junk?

It entered the Malay and Chinese languages by the 15th century, when a Chinese word list identifies it as a Malay word for ship. The origin of the word “junk” in the English language can be traced to the Portuguese word junco, which is rendered from the Arabic word j-n-k (جنك).

What were the ships of Zheng He’s fleet like?

If recorded accounts are taken as factual, Zheng He’s treasure ships were mammoth in size with nine masts and four decks, capable of accommodating more than 500 passengers, as well as a massive amount of cargo.

What is a Chinese boat called?

A sampan is a relatively flat-bottomed Chinese and Malay wooden boat. Some sampans include a small shelter on board and may be used as a permanent habitation on inland waters. Sampans are generally used for transportation in coastal areas or rivers and are often used as traditional fishing boats.

Why were the maritime voyages of China and Europe different?

What accounts for these differences? Chinese exploration was undertaken by an enormous fleet composed of several hundred large ships, while European explorations were undertaken by expeditions made up of a handful of small ships.

How was China more centralized than Europe?

Political centralization allowed China to avoid wasteful interstate competition and thereby enjoy faster economic and population growth during peacetime. However, the presence of multiple states to protect different parts of the continent meant that Europe was relatively more robust to negative shocks.

What is a two masted sailing boat called?

Schooner A fore-and-aft rigged sailing vessel having at least two masts, with a foremast that is usually smaller than the other masts. Yawl A 2-masted, fore-and-aft-rigged sailing vessel similar to the ketch but having a smaller mizzenmast (or jigger) stepped abaft the rudderpost. Also called a “dandy”.

What were the different kinds of Chinese ships?

The ship types in service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) include aircraft carriers, submarines, (both nuclear and conventional), amphibious transport docks, landing ships, tank, landing ships, medium, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, missile boats, submarine chasers, gunboats, mine countermeasures …

What was Zheng He ship called?

A Chinese treasure ship (simplified Chinese: 宝船; traditional Chinese: 寶船; pinyin: bǎochuán, literally “gem ship”) is a type of large wooden ship in the fleet of admiral Zheng He, who led seven voyages during the early 15th-century Ming dynasty.

In what ways were European maritime voyages in the fifteenth century different from Chinese maritime voyages in the same century What accounted for these differences?

The main difference between European and Chinese maritime voyaging was size. The European voyages consisted of 3-4 ships and carrying around 100 people, while Zheng He’s Chinese fleet consisted of hundreds of ships carrying a crew in the thousands.

How was China different from Western Europe?

Europe and China had different levels of rain and temperature. Europe had an uneven climate with Western Europe having more rainfall compared to Eastern Europe which had warmer temperatures. Whereas China had a much wetter and warmer climate, as a result of this they chose to specialize in rice production.

What was the difference between the experiences of Europe and China?

The difference between the experiences of Europe and China were economic and cultural rather than technological. As the voyages of Cheng Ho demonstrate, the Chinese certainly possessed the maritime technology and expertise to undertake long voyages of discovery.

Why do Chinese ships sail so well in the ocean?

These give the sail better aerodynamics and allow reducing the sail area for different wind conditions. Chinese ships also developped many other features before the west, for example: the stern mounted rudder, multiple masts, water-tight hull sections and the magnetic compass.

Why were ancient Chinese ships divided into watertight compartments?

The ships’ hulls were divided into watertight compartments to give them strength, an invention that the Chinese had perfected by the end of the twelfth century. They also featured balanced rudders which gave them gave additional stability and facilitated steering.

What is the difference between European colonization and Chinese colonization?

Unlike the European nations whose voyages of discovery gained rapid momentum in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Chinese were not interested in colonization. The difference between the experiences of Europe and China were economic and cultural rather than technological.