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Ma He

Type Figure Region Yunnan Time c. 1371–1433 Also known as Ma He、马三保、Ma Sanbao

Son of a Muslim family in Kunyang, Yunnan, captured by Ming forces early in the dynasty and taken into the palace, later serving in the household of …

Timeline

  1. 1403–1404Nanjing · NanjingIn the first year of Yongle, Yao Guangxiao administered bodhisattva precepts to Ma He, giving him the dharma name Fu Jixiang; the next year, for his meritorious service in the Jingnan Campaign, the Chengzu emperor personally wrote the character 'Zheng' and granted him the surname, promoting him to eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Services, where he began overseeing court construction and shipbuilding affairs.
  2. 1405–1410Longjiang Treasure Shipyard, Nanjing · NanjingIn July 1405 he led a massive fleet on the first western ocean voyage, having previously supervised treasure ship construction at Longjiang in Nanjing; surviving calligraphic works such as the 'Vow to Write Sutra in Gold Characters' show his mastery of the guange style, combining religious devotion with his identity as a court artisan.

Sources