The story of Zhang Qian.
In BC 139, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent Zhang Qian to Yue. His mission is to help the people in this area resist the invaders. Zhang Qian was imprisoned by Huns for 1 1 year, but after his release, he went to explore western China. His travel route passes through Afghanistan. No one had been so far west of China at that time. So, Zhang Qian brought back to the emperor the news that China first heard about Indian, Middle East and European countries.
Zhang Qian was the first China man to cross Afghanistan. Later, China merchants took silk and jade articles, climbed mountains and crossed the Gobi Desert along the route from Zhang Qian to northwest China. This route was later called "Silk Road".
The story of Xuanzang
Xuanzang is a monk who went to India, the birthplace of Buddhism, to learn Buddhist scriptures. He started from China, and his journey lasted 16 years, reaching 64,000 kilometers, passing through Afghanistan, Kashmir and northern India. His trip was secret, because the emperor at that time did not allow China people to travel abroad.
Xuanzang was in distress many times during his journey. Danger comes from bad weather and high mountains. Xuanzang was almost killed by an arrow while drinking spring water. Later, he was imprisoned in the kingdom of Taksila in northern India. He almost froze to death in order to escape.
Gucci Man-Xu Xiake
Xu Hongzu (1586- 164 1), nicknamed Xia Ke, was an outstanding geographer and traveler in Ming Dynasty. Xu Xiake loved the landscape of China all his life. In the old feudal era, he overcame unimaginable difficulties and began to travel around the world at the age of 22.
Magellan, Ferdinand, a famous Portuguese navigator and explorer, sailed to Portugal (1505 ~ 15 12) and Spain (1519 ~152/kloc) successively. Start from Spain, bypass South America, find strait of magellan, and then cross the Pacific Ocean. Although he was killed in the Philippines, his ship continued to sail west and returned to Spain, completing its first round-the-world voyage. Considered to be the first person to sail around the world.
Born into a noble family, Magellan joined the Portuguese navy to fight in India in 1505. Although Portugal won the battles on the east coast of Africa and the west coast of India, broke the Muslim forces in the Indian Ocean and seized the control point of maritime trade from the Arabs, it failed to control Malacca and its achievements were not perfect. So at 15 1 1, he participated in the invasion of Malacca. The wealth of the East flows into the ports of the western world through Malacca, and Portugal holds the key to the Malaysian seaport because it controls the Straits of Malacca. But we still need to explore the spice islands and the Moluccas, which will generate wealth. So I made a reconnaissance voyage at15112. After arriving in Banda Island, 15 12 returned to Lisbon with a batch of spices. The following year, I joined the army to attack the Moroccan fortress Assam, and I was disabled for life because of the injury. 15 14 After returning to China, the king called twice to ask for a promotion and increase the annuity, but both were rejected.
15 17 Magellan went to Spain with the cosmologist Farrero, giving up Portuguese nationality and becoming King Charles I of Spain. 15 18 became the captain of the expedition fleet to open a new route for Spain to the Moluccas. Magellan was sure that he could find a channel from the Atlantic Ocean to the South China Sea. 1565438+ The fleet set sail on September 20th, 2009, with 270 sailors from 9 countries. Arrived in Tenerife on September 26th, 654381October 3rd, and continued sailing to Brazil. Anchored off the coast of Guinea. 1 October 29th, 165438+ sailed to 27 leagues southwest of Cape St. Augustine (1about 5 kilometers). After bypassing Cabofrieu, the fleet arrived in Rio de Janeiro Bay on February 13. Arrived in port St. Julian in March of the following year.
After suppressing the rebellion initiated by Spanish captains, 1520 left Sanlian Port on August 24th, and the fleet continued southward. 10 year1October 24th, when it bypassed Notre Dame, it entered the strait they were looking for at 52 degrees 50 minutes south latitude (later named after Magellan). When we reached the western end of Xia Tao, there were only three ships left in the fleet. 65438+ entered the "South China Sea" on1October 28th. Back to the sea area, it was calm and called "Pacific Ocean". Suffering from hunger, the crew made a great voyage across the Pacific Ocean with the help of the Peruvian current and under Magellan's ruthless decision.
The fleet of 65438+February 18 sailed northwest from the coast of Chile, and did not see land until152165438+1October 24, probably PuCapka in Tuamoto Islands. On February 13, it crossed the equator at 158 degrees west longitude, and landed on Guam in Mariana Islands for the first time on March 6, getting fresh food for the first time in 99 days. Set sail on March 9, heading southwest. Later, he landed in massawa (today's Philippine Islands) and found the first Spanish ally in the Pacific Ocean. On Cebu Island, the local rulers and their officials converted to Catholicism. Less than two months later, on April 27, Magellan was killed while fighting with the locals on the island of Maketan. After Magellan's death, only two ships went to Damocka, and only the Victoria returned to Spain under the command of Elcano on September 1522. Survivors include another 17 Europeans and 4 Indians. Elcano returned to the Atlantic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean around the Cape of Good Hope, proving that the earth is round.
Magellan's outstanding contribution lies not in the voyage around the world itself, but in his bold belief and excellent control of this cause. He was the first person to cross the Pacific Ocean from east to west. It took him more than three months' voyage to change the popular concept at that time: it only takes a few days to reach East India by boat from the New World to the west. The practice of Magellan's fleet sailing around the world proved that the earth is a round body. No matter from west to east or from east to west, there is no doubt that it can go back to its original place once it goes around our planet. This will always be an indelible great feat in human history.