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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

1434 - China visits Italy..."say what?" Yes.

Things have been pretty heavy lately. Many of my blogs have been serious, and about very important topics. But let's take a break and explore something fascinating and rewarding to look into. I've known about this since I studied Chinese history during my University years. Now, there are a couple of very interesting books on the topic. This isn't make believe. This actually happened. A Chinese Emperor actually did send a fleet out to travel the world. I just never knew to what extent this adventurer actually traveled.

Check out the web site:
http://www.gavinmenzies.net/index.asp

Still think that Columbus Discovered America? Or, are you "enlightened" and know about legendary Welsh explorer, Prince Madoc and his alleged arrival in North America in 1170? Think they were the first? Or do you also know about the Vikings and their alleged arrival about 1000 AD?

Well, check this one out. Maybe not as early as the Prince Madoc or the Vikings, but a daring Chinese Admiral sailed the world's largest wooden armada to at least have beat Columbus to America by 71 years in 1421.

Later that next decade, China provided the spark that set the Renaissance ablaze. Based on years of research, this marvelous history argues that a Chinese fleet, official ambassadors of the emperor, when they arrived in Tuscany in 1434, where they met with Pope Eugenius IV in Florence. The delegation presented the pope with a wealth of knowledge, from a diverse range of fields: geography (including world maps that the author believes were passed on to Christopher Columbus), astronomy, mathematics, art, printing, architecture, steel manufacturing, civil engineering, military weaponry, surveying, cartography, genetics, and more. This gift of knowledge sparked the inventiveness of the Renaissance, including da Vinci’s mechanical creations, the Copernican revolution, Galileo’s discoveries, and more.

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