鄭和下西洋與西方新航路開辟的比較

鄭和下西洋與西方新航路開辟的比較明代航海家鄭和出使“西洋”,前后七次，訪問了三十幾個國家和地區(qū)，為中外經(jīng)濟文化交流、中國與亞非人民的友好關(guān)系史，揭開了新的一頁。鄭和率領(lǐng)的龐大船隊，就其活動的性質(zhì)看，既不是一般的商船隊，也不是一般的外交使團，而是封建統(tǒng)治者組織的具有朝廷貿(mào)易商隊和外交使團雙重性質(zhì)的船隊。鄭和船隊每到一處，都了解各國的物產(chǎn)，并且有目的地用以物易物的方式同這些國家進行和平貿(mào)易。船隊所買的東西，除了一些藥材外，多是奢侈品和觀賞物。這反映了鄭和船隊所進行的貿(mào)易，主要是為封建帝王和官僚貴族服務(wù)的。當時，中國以先進的手工業(yè)品換取各國的土特產(chǎn)品，是平等自愿的交易；這同后來到東方的西方殖民者的名為交易，實為拐騙、欺詐、劫掠、燒殺的海盜行為，是完全不同的。鄭和船隊七次出使，每到一處，都宣讀明朝皇帝的書信詔諭，贈送禮物，表示愿意建立友好關(guān)系。它的主觀目的，雖是宣揚大明帝國的國威，招徠各國使臣朝貢，擴大海外貿(mào)易，增加朝廷在對外貿(mào)易上的收入，并換取封建統(tǒng)治者所需要的各種奢侈品，但客觀上加強了中國與亞非各國人民的經(jīng)濟文化交流和友好往來，使中國的先進文化更多地傳播到亞非各地，也使亞非各地的土特產(chǎn)品，特別是藥材等傳到了中國。這對各國人民，顯然都是有益的。因此，鄭和船隊的出使，為中國與南海和印度洋地區(qū)的經(jīng)濟文化交流和各國人民的友誼作出了貢獻。然而，我們應(yīng)當看到，鄭和遠航與西方人開辟新航路的結(jié)局，卻有著截然不同的后果。鄭和下西洋的航?；顒与m然聲勢浩大，但明成祖和鄭和死后不久，中國船隊便絕跡于印度洋和阿拉伯海，中國的航海事業(yè)突然中斷了，這使得中國與西洋各國業(yè)已建立起來的聯(lián)系戛然而止。從此，中國人傳統(tǒng)的海外貿(mào)易市場逐漸被歐洲人所占據(jù)，并最終退出了正在醞釀形成中的世界性市場。相反，哥倫布和達·伽馬開辟新航路后，在西歐激起了遠洋航海的熱潮。在中國，作為國家的政治任務(wù)，鄭和下西洋對于中國的經(jīng)濟的刺激作用微乎其微。而在西方，東方的商品和航海貿(mào)易的利潤直接加速了資本主義的原始積累。歐洲人對美洲的新開發(fā)，繞過非洲的航行，給新興的資產(chǎn)階級開辟了新的活動場所，從而揭開了資本原始積累的序幕。從這一點來看，哥倫布等人的航?；顒?，對于西歐乃在世界歷史的發(fā)展，產(chǎn)生了深遠的影響，這是先前的鄭和下西洋所無法比擬的。在鄭和下西洋之前，中國經(jīng)濟特別是東部沿海地區(qū)經(jīng)濟結(jié)構(gòu)的轉(zhuǎn)型，已出現(xiàn)了符合世界歷史潮流的新趨向。然而，隨著鄭和下西洋活動的終止，中國政府將自己與當時正在形成的世界市場隔絕開來。而新航路的開辟，為西歐新興的資產(chǎn)階級開辟了新的活動場所，使歐洲商路和貿(mào)易中心從地中海區(qū)域轉(zhuǎn)移到大西洋沿岸，歐洲人在海外廣闊的領(lǐng)域里建立了眾多的殖民地，從而為西歐資本主義的原始積累創(chuàng)造了條件。大量的黃金，白銀流入歐洲，引起“價格革命”——金銀貶價，使得物價上漲，而“價格革命”則是資本原始積累的重要因素之一，它加速了西歐封建制度的解體和資本主義關(guān)系的發(fā)展。在我看來，鄭和下西洋是中國統(tǒng)治者宣揚國威的一種活動，而西方殖民者卻是掠奪財富的目的。兩者出發(fā)點不同，結(jié)果不同。鄭和下西洋對世界的影響較小。ZhengHeAtlanticandwesternnewrouteopenscomparisonMingDynastynavigatorZhengHeisonamissionto"western",aroundseventimes,visitedthirtycountriesandregions,forChineseandforeigneconomicandculturalexchangesbetweenChinaandAfrica,thefriendlyrelationbetweenthepeopleofhistory,hasopenedanewpage.ZhengHeledalargefleet,onitsactivitiestothenature,isneitherageneralmerchantfleet,northegeneraldiplomaticcorps,butthefeudalrulerstissuewiththetradecaravansanddiplomaticmissionstothedualnatureofthefleet.ZhengHefleetateach,areawareofallproducts,andpurposefullybymeansofbartertradewiththesecountriesforpeace.Fleetpurchases,apartfromsomemedicinalherbs,isaluxuryandornamentalmaterial.ThisreflectstheZhengHefleetoftrade,mainlyforthefeudalemperorsandlordsservice.Atthattime,Chinaadvancedhandicraftindustrygoodsforthenativeproducts,istheequalvoluntarytransactions;itlatertotheeastofthewesterncolonistsnamedtransactions,iskidnapped,fraud,looting,burningandkillingofpiracy,iscompletelydifferent.ZhengHefleetsevenmission,everywhere,allreadtheemperoroftheMingDynastyZhaoyuletters,gifts,indicatediswillingtoestablishfriendlyrelations.It'ssubjectivepurpose,althoughitisaboutthepoweroftheMingEmpire,attractcountriesenvoystributary,expandforeigntrade,increasetheincomeinforeigntrade,andexchangeforthefeudalrulersneedallkindsofluxury,butobjectivelystrengthenedtheChineseandAfricanpeopleseconomicandculturalexchangesandfriendlycontacts,sothattheadvancedChineseculturemorespreadtotheAfricancountry,alsomakethedevelopmentaroundthenativeproducts,especiallyherbstochina.Thepeopleofallcountries,isclearlybeneficialforboth.Therefore,ZhengHefleetto,asChinaandtheSouthChinaSeaandIndiaOceanregioneconomicandculturalexchangesandthefriendshipamongpeoplecontributed.However,weshouldseethevoyage,ZhengHeandthewestopeningupnewroutesending,haveverydifferentconsequences.ZhengHeWesternnauticalactivityalthoughgreatinstrengthandimpetus,butemperorandshortlyafterthedeathofZhengHe,ChinafleetwouldextinctinIndiaoceanandtheArabiasea,China'snavalcareerwassuddenlybroken,whichmakestheChineseandthewesterncountrieshaveestablishedlinksceaseabruptly.Sincethen,ChinesetraditionaloverseastrademarkethasgraduallyoccupiedbyEuropeans,andfinallyexitthebrewingintheformationofworldmarket.Incontrast,KolumbanddaGamaopeningupnewroutes,inWesternEuropeprovokedtheupsurgeofoceannavigation.InChina,asthecountry'spoliticaltask,ZhengHeWesttoChina'seconomicstimulusactionverylittle.Whileinthewest,theeastofgoodsandmaritimetradeprofitdirectlyacceleratedthecapitalistprimitiveaccumulation.TheEuropeanstoAmerica'snewdevelopment,theroundingoftheCape,totheemergingbourgeoisieopensnewvenues,whichopenedapreludetotheprimitiveaccumulationofcapital.Fromthispointofview,KolumbetalmaritimeactivitiesinWesternEurope,butinthedevelopmentofworldhistory,producedfar-reachingeffect,whichwaspreviouslytheZhengHeWestincomparable.ZhengHeinthewest,Chineseeconomyespeciallyintheeasterncoastalareasofeconomicstructuretransformation,hasappearedwiththenewtrendoftheworldhistory.However,alongwiththeZhengHeWestactivitytermination,theChinesegovernmentwillownandthenbeingformedfromworldmarket.Andtheopeningofthenewsearoute,forWesternEuropebourgeoisopensnewvenues,theEuropeantraderoutesandtradingcenterfromtheMediterraneanregiontotransfertotheAtlanticcoast,Europeansinthevastoverseasfieldestablishednumerouscolonies,therebyforWesternEuropeancapitalistprimitiveaccumulationtocreatetheconditions.Largequantitiesofgold,silverfromEurope,cause"pricerevolution"--goldandsilverprices,thepricerises,andthe"pricerevolution"istheprimitiveaccumulationofcapitalisoneoftheimportantfactorsinWesternEurope,itacceleratedthedisintegrationofthefeudalsystemandthecapitalistrelationsdevelopment.Inmyopinion,ZhengHeWestistheChineseruleradvocatesPaulanactivity,whilethewesterncolonistswasplunderedwealthpurpose.Boththestartingpointsaredifferent,theresultsofdifferent.ZhengHeWest'simpactontheworldissmall.ZhengHe'svoyagesandtheWestopenedupnewroutesmore

MingDynastynavigatorZhengHemission"Western"beforeandafterseventimes,visited30countriesandregions,foreigneconomicandculturalexchangesbetweenChinaandthehistoryoffriendlyrelationsbetweentheAsianandAfricanpeoples,openedanewpage.ZhengHeledalargefleet,lookatthenatureoftheiractivities,notageneralmerchantfleet,notordinary,diplomaticmissions,butthefeudalrulersoftheorganizationteamandtraderswiththecourtthenatureofdiplomaticdouble-vesselteam.EverywhereZhengHe'sfleet,areawareofnationalproperty,andpurposefulmannerwithabartertradewiththesecountriesforpeace.Fleetbybuyingthings,exceptforsomeherbs,themoreluxuryandornamentalobjects.ThisreflectstheZhengHe'sfleetcarriedoutbytrade,primarilyforthenobilityoffeudalemperorsandbureaucratsservices.Atthattime,theChineseinexchangeforadvancedindustrialcountriesinthehandsoflocalproducts,voluntarytransactionsareequal;itwastotheEastwithWesterncolonizerscalledthedeal,infact,abduction,fraud,looting,burningandpiracy,iscompletelydifferent.ZhengHe'sfleetofsevenmission,Whereverhewent,andreadlettersZhaoYuMingemperor,gifts,expressedwillingnesstoestablishfriendlyrelations.It'ssubjectivepurpose,althoughtheMingempiretopromotenationalprestige,toattractnationaltributeenvoystoexpandoverseastrade,increasecourtrevenueinforeigntrade,andthefeudalrulersinexchangeforavarietyofluxuryrequired,buttheobjectiveistostrengthentheChina,AsiaandAfricatotheeconomicandculturalexchangesandfriendlycontacts,sothatmoreofChina'sadvancedculturespreadthroughoutAsia,Africa,AsiaandAfricaalsoaroundlocalproducts,especiallymedicinalherbsandsospreadtoChina.Thisisforpeopleofallcountries,areclearlybeneficial.Thus,ZhengHe'sfleetofmissionforChinaandSouthChinaSeaandIndianOceanregion'seconomicandculturalexchangesandfriendshipbetweenpeopleofallcountriestomakeacontribution.

However,weshouldseethatZhengHe'svoyageandtheoutcomeoftheWesttoopenupnewroutes,butithasdifferentconsequences.ZhengHe'smaritimeactivities,whilemassive,butshortlyafterthedeathoftheYongleEmperor,andZheng,China'sfleetwillbeextinctintheIndianOceanandArabianSea,theChinesesuddenlyinterruptedthemaritimeindustry,whichmakesChinaandWesterncountrieshasbeenestablishedContactscreechinghalt.Sincethen,traditionalChineseoverseastrademarkethasbeendominatedbyEuropeans,andeventuallyformedoutofthebrewingmarketintheworld.

Instead,ColumbusandVascodaGama,afteropeningupnewroutesinWesternEuropesparkedthewaveofoceansailing.InChina,asthecountry'spoliticaltask,ZhengHe'svoyagestoChina'seconomicstimulusisminimal.IntheWest,theEastandthemaritimetradeofgoodsdirectlytotheprofitofthecapitalistprimitiveaccumulationaccelerated.EuropeansintheAmericasnewdevelopment,sailingaroundAfrica,totheemergingbourgeoisiehasopenedanewvenue,whichopenedapreludetocapitalaccumulation.Fromthispointofview,Columbusandotherssailingactivities,forWesternEuropeisthedevelopmentinworldhistory,hadaprofoundimpact,whichisthepreviousZhengunmatched.InZheng,theChineseeconomy,especiallyintheeasterncoastalareasofeconomicrestructuring,havebeenatrendinlinewithnewtrendsinworldhistory.However,withZhengHe'svoyagestothetermination,theChinesegovernmentwasbeingformedtoownandcutofffromtheworldmarket.TheopeningofthenewroutefortheemergingbourgeoisieinWesternEuropehasopenedupnewvenues,andtradecenterofEuropeantraderoutesshiftedtotheAtlanticfromtheMediterraneancoast,Europeansinthefieldofforeignvastnumberofestablishedcolonies,soastoWesterncapitalism,primitiveaccumulationcreatedtheconditions.Alotofgold,silverintoEurope,causingthe"pricerevolution"-reducethepriceofgoldandsilver,makingpriceincreases,whilethe"pricerevolution"isanimportantfactorincapitalaccumulation,whichacceleratedthedisintegrationofthefeudalsysteminWesternEuropeandthecapitaldoctrinerelations.

Inmyopinion,ZhengHeisChina'srulerspromotetheprestigeofanactivity,whiletheWesterncolonizersisthepurposeofplunderingthewealth.Twodifferentstartingpoint,theresultsaredifferent.ZhengHe'sinfluenceontheworldsmaller.

Zheng'sopeningofthenewrouteandwesterncomparisonZhenghe'sexpeditionsinMingdynasty"western",beforeandafterseventimes,visitthe30countriesandareas,fortheChineseandforeigneconomicandculturalexchange,ChinaandAsianandAfricanpeople'sfriendlyrelations,unveiledanewpage.Themassivefleetofzhenghe,theactivitiesofthenatureofthelook,notthegeneralmerchantfleet,alsoisnotadiplomaticcorps,butthefeudalrulersoftheorganizationhascourttradecaravananddiplomaticcorpsofdualityfleet.Zhenghe'sfleetofeachtooneplace,andallknowhowthecountriesoftheproperty,andthatthewaytodestinationbybartertradeonapeacewiththesecountries.Fleetofthingsbought,exceptforsomeoutsidemedicinalmaterials,itismoreluxuryandornamentalobjects.Thisreflectsthezhenghe'sfleetoftrade,mainlyisforfeudalemperorsandbureaucraticnobilityservice.Atthattime,Chinawithadvancedindustrialcountriesinexchangeforthehandofnativeproducts,isequalvoluntarytrade;Theeasternwithlaterwesterncolonistscalledtransaction,actuallyabducted,fraud,plunder,orchestratedthepiratesact,itiscompletelydifferent.Zhenghe'sfleetsevenexpeditions,eachtooneplace,andreadalltheMingdynastyemperor'slettersifanyonetampers,gifts,saysitiswillingtoestablishfriendlyrelations.It'ssubjectivepurpose,thoughistopromotenationalprestigeoftheMingempire,allcountriestoattracthimtribute,expandtheoverseastrade,increaseinforeigntradeofthecourtonincome,andexchangeforthefeudalrulersneedvariousluxury,butobjectivelytostrengthenthepeopleallovertheChinaandAsianandAfricaneconomic,culturalexchangeandfriendlyexchanges,andbringChineseadvancedculturespreadtomoreAsianandAfricancountry,alsomakealloverAfricanativeproducts,especiallymedicinespreadtoChina.Thepeopleofallcountries,areobviouslyisbeneficial.Therefore,zhenghe'sfleetresponseofChinaandthesouthChinaseaandtheIndianOceanregioneconomic,culturalexchangeandthepeopleofothercountriescontributedtothefriendship.However,weshallsee,zhenghe'svoyageandwesternerstoopennewrouteendingbuthasadistinctconsequences.Zhenghenauticalactivityalthoughvocal,butMingemperorandzhenghediedsoonafter,ChineseshipstotheIndianOceanbeforedyingoutandtheArabiansea,China'smaritimecareerwassuddenlybroken,thismakesChinaandwesterncountrieshaveestablishedlinkstoanabruptend.Fromthenon,theChinesetraditionaloverseastrademarketgraduallybyeuropeansoccupied,andeventuallyquitisbrewingintheformationoftheworldmarket.Instead,Columbusanddagamaopenupthenewroute,inWesternEuropearousedthemaritimeupsurge.InChina,asthestate'spoliticaltask,zhenghe'svoyagetoChineseeconomicthestimulatingeffectoftheremote.Andinthewest,theeastofgoodsandsailingtradeprofitsdirectlyacceleratedthecapitalistprimitiveaccumulation.PeopleinEuropeAmerica'snewdevelopment,aroundAfricasailing,tothenewbourgeoisiehasopenedupanewactivityplaces,sorevealedthepreludeoftheprimitiveaccumulationofcapital.Fromthisperspective,theColumbussailingactivity,toWesternEuropeisinthedevelopmentofworldhistory,havehadaprofoundimpact,thisisthepreviouszhenghecouldcomprehend.Beforeinzhenghe'svoyage,theChineseeconomyespeciallytheeastcoastinthetransformationofeconomicstructure,hasappearedinlinewiththeworldtothehistoricaltrendofthenewtrend.However,withtheactivitiesoftheterminationofzhenghe'svoyage,theChinesegovernmentwillhimselfandwasformedtheworldmarketisolationtospread.Andthenewairrouteopenedup,forWesternEuropeemergingbourgeoisopenedupanewactivityplaces,andtomakeEuropeantraderouteandtradecenterfromtheMediterraneanareatransferredtotheAtlanticcoast,theeuropeansinthefieldofoverseasbroadestablishedmanycolonies,thusforWesternEuropecapitalistprimitiveaccumulationcreatedtheconditions.AlotofgoldandsilverintoEurope,cause"pricerevolution"--andthesilverandthegoldBianJia,makesthepricerise,and"thepricerevolution"primitiveaccumulationofcapitalisoneoftheimportantfactors,itacceleratestheWesternEuropethecollapseofthefeudalsystemandthedevelopmentoftherelationshipbetweencapitalism.Inmyopinion,zhenghe'svoyageisChina'srulersofthenationalprestigethatanactivity,whilethewesterncolonistsisrobb