The pillar contains the Chinese names for the countries Zheng He visited. In all, Zheng He made seven wondrous voyages of discovery between 1405 and 1433. His achievements show that China had the ships and navigational skills to explore the world. Mysteriously, China did not follow up on these voyages. The Chinese destroyed their ocean going ships and halted further expeditions.
China has a very old seafaring tradition.
Chinese ships had sailed to India as early as the Han Dynasty. Chinese sailors had an important invention to help them-the compass. By the Song era, sailors had taken it up. Watertight compartments below decks kept the ship from sinking. Some boats were armor plated for protection.