Under orders of the Ming Emperor , Yongle, Zheng He led seven expeditions to the Indian Ocean between 1405 and 1433, which are collectively referred to as 'Zheng He to the Western Ocean.' The Treasure Ship of Zheng He was the flagship of his expedition, but the actual size and the style of it are uncertain and often debated. The model in front of you is based on the expertise and research of mainland experts, Chen Yanhang and others. It is believed the treasure boat had a sharp-bottom, nine masts and 12 sails. Some believe the boat`s length was 140 meters, but other scholars believe a wooden ship of this size was impossible at the time and estimate a more reasonable length would have been 60 meters.

Zheng He`s fleet also included escort boats and supply boats. In total, there were more than 200 ships and more than 28,000 people aboard them on every expedition.

Zheng He`s expeditions facilitated frequent communication between Southeast Asia and China and, as a result, had a lasting historical and cultural impact.