Even if that were questioned by Zheng Baochuan, was still the world's leading giant ship.
[Navigational technology]
According to "Zheng He and navigational map", Zheng and the use of sea lanes needle (24/48 azimuth compass navigation) led by the combination of the foreign stars of (Celestial Navigation), at the time the most advanced maritime navigation technology. Zheng He's fleet, with compass navigation during the day and at night while watching with Xingdoushan and water ways to maintain directional compass heading. Because of freshwater storage vessel, vessel stability, and issues such as anti-Shen and made a reasonable solution, it can Zheng He's fleet in the "days to Hongtao, waves like mountains" sinister conditions, "high Yun-Fan Zhang, day and night Chi-sing, "rare accident. Day by agreement and the hoisting of flag-waving colored, composition corresponding Qiyu. Lanterns at night to reflect navigation, poor visibility encountered fog rain, with Tunglochuan, speakers and Luo Xiao also used communication links.
Zheng He embodies navigational technology, mainly in three aspects:
1, astronomy, navigation technology
China can be observed very early moon and stars of position and ship position. Zheng He and his fleet has been sailing the astronomical positioning and navigation compass combined with the application, the determination of vessel position and improve the precision of the course, people said, "led by the stars of . "with" Star board led by the "observation positioning method and through days of the height of the ship to determine location, direction, set route. this technology represents that era celestial navigation in the world advanced level.
2, and the navigational technology
Zheng He to the text of sailing skills, knowledge on marine science and maritime Photograph shows based on the use of the navigational compass, log device, Sounder, and other navigational equipment, in accordance with the charts, needles road record books to ensure that the ship's voyage line. navigational determine navigation lines, called Needle Road, compass error of not more than 2.5.
3, "Zheng He and navigational map"
"Zheng He and navigational map" to be handed down, thanks to the late author of Mao Ming-yuan included in the "Wubei Chi". Image with a scroll shape, income "Wubei Chi"-instead of books, since the right and left, Figure 20 Page, a total of 40, the last of the "foreigners led by the star map" 2. charts documented in more than 530 names, of which there are 300 domain names, the East African coast with the farthest 16. marked the city, island, marine signs, beaches, reefs, mountains and sea routes, etc.. which clearly indicate the Nansha Islands (10000 Health Shitang Islands), Xisha Islands (Shitang), in the Pratas Islands (the Star Shitang), the Government in 1947 to the Ministry of the Interior Zheng He named the South China Sea, and other various reefs to commemorate the great navigator.
"Zheng He and navigational map" is the world's oldest existing navigational Atlas. With the same period of the plan the most representative of Western Beitelanhai compared map, "Zheng navigational map" Drawing a wide range of rich content, although Mathematical precision than its low, but practicality than Beitelanhai Fig. Needham in the United Kingdom, "the history of Chinese science," a book: China on the accuracy of navigational charts, Mills (Mills) Blagdon ( Blagdon) has made a careful study, the two of them are familiar with the coastline of the entire Malay Peninsula, and they chart the accuracy of China made a high appraisal.