Zheng He was a eunuch, mariner, explorer, diplomat, and fleet admiral in China. He played a critical role in China’s early Ming dynasty where he rose to the top of the imperial hierarchy to command the Southern capital of Nanjing. As a mariner, he sailed the longest ships at the time stretching over 400 feet in length. He then served as a Marine commander of expeditionary voyages to Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, and East Africa regions between 1405 and 1433.
Besides, he is renowned for his voyages that were of the state of the art, and he played a major role in the economic development of China. He also continued to operate as a Voyager despite becoming an emperor commander. However, his achievements and legacy were allegedly highly corrupted by the Chinese political forces. Despite these claims, many social places are named after him, and they have continued to revive his memories to numerous Chinese people (Phillips and Phillips 9).
On the other hand, Christopher Columbus is a renowned explorer, navigator, and colonizer. He was born in Italy, and he was a citizen of the Republic of Genoa. Under the Spanish crown, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean and led to the establishment of various Spanish colonies in the US. Although he was not the first explorer to reach the US, he is recognized for establishing lasting contact between the Americans and the Europeans. Just like Zheng He, he played a major role in the Spanish economic development through his voyages that led to the establishment of trade ties with other states. However, he is criticized for establishing slave trade that led to the genocide of the Hispaniola natives.
Works Cited
Phillips, William, and Carla Phillips. The Worlds of Christopher Columbus, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992. Print.