Ma Huan
Ma Huan (Chinese马 欢, style name ( zì ) Zōngdào (宗 道), born in the county Huiji (会稽), today Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province ) was a Muslim traveler, and translator who Admiral Zheng He on three of his seven voyages in the Western oceans accompanied ( on the 4th, 6th and 7th trip).
On the expedition of the years 1413-1415 he visited Champa, Java, Sumatra, Palembang, Siam, Cochin and Hormuz.
On the expedition of the years 1421-1422 he visited Malacca, Aru, Sumatra, Ceylon, Cochin, Calicut, Hormuz and Zufar.
On the expedition of the years 1431-1433 he visited Bengal, Chittagong, Sonargaon, gaur and Calicut. From Calicut out he was ( as a Muslim) sent by Admiral Zheng He as an emissary to Mecca.
During his expeditions took Ma Huan of geography, politics, weather, environment, economy, local customs and traditions, and even of punishments for criminals note. After his return from the first trip, he began a book about his expedition to write the first draft to 1416 was done. He expanded and changed his design during his later expeditions, the final version was ready by 1451. The title of the book was Yingyai Shenglan (瀛 涯 胜 览) ( in Mills ' eng translation: The Overall Survey of the Ocean 's Shores, translated as: . Miracles of the seas ).
In the Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, the work was often printed, there were handwritten copies. The last authentic text of the printed edition was published by the Chinese historian Feng Chengjun (冯承钧). A newer edition, which is based on hand-written editions of the Ming Dynasty, was recently published by Ocean Publishing House in China. There is an English translation of JVG Mills for the Hakluyt Society in 1970, which was reprinted from The White Lotus Press, Bangkok 1997. Mills ' translation based on the output of Feng Chengjun.
The Yingyai is Shenglan viewed by sinologist world as a basic source for the history of maritime mingzeitlichen Forschungsexpeditonen, the history of Southeast Asia and the history of India.
The following scholars have about Ma Huan research: Jan Duyvendak JL, Friedrich Hirth, Paul Pelliot, Feng Chengjun, Xiang Da (向 达).
One of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea is named after him.
- Jilu huibian纪录 汇编
- Feng Chengjun (冯承钧): Yingyai Shenglan jiaozhu (瀛 涯 胜 览 校 注), Zhonghua Shuju (中华书局) 1955