Did Chinese sailors really discover America before Columbus? A new exhibition sets the scene, presenting new evidence that lends support to the assumptions made in "1421: The Year China Discovered America" by Gavin Menzies. "1421: The Year China Sailed the World," in Singapore in a special tent near the Esplanade (until Sept. 11), is primarily a celebration of Admiral Zheng He's seven maritime expeditions between 1405 and 1423. With a fleet of 317 ships and 28,000 men, Zheng He is generally acknowledged as one of the great naval explorers, but how far he actually went remains a matter of dispute. With original artifacts, videos and interactive exhibits, "1421" aims to take visitors through Zheng He's life story, setting the historical and economic context of his voyages. Against this factual background, Menzies's theories are presented, along with new evidence, mainly maps, backing his claims. The exhibition starts in Hunnan (China) in 1382, with a narrative space giving some background on Zheng He's youth. Zheng, a Chinese Muslim, was captured as a child in wartime by the Ming army and made a eunuch to serve at court.

He became a scholar and a trusted adviser to the third Ming emperor, Zhu Di, who sent him on a mission to "proceed all the way to the ends of the earth to collect tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas." When the giant fleet returned in 1423, however, the emperor had fallen. With that change of leadership, China began a policy of isolationism that would last hundreds of years. The large ships were left to rot at their moorings, and most of the records of the great journeys were destroyed (though some argue the records still exist).

View: Full Article | Source: International Herald Tribune

I'm still think that ancient egypt first stumbled upon the americas (be it north or south)

hmmm, i've heard it was Vikings who found it first...i've heard it was the Chinese, the Spanish, and i'm sure someone thinks that Canadians probably found it first...

i think THE NATIVE AMERICANS FOUND IT FIRST, AND WE SNATCHED IT LIKE IT WAS FREE PROPERTY, and then killed them off...and had all sorts of evil "fun"

in conclusion!!: seeing as our American history is already bad enough, do we really need to find who it was that discovered this scum of a nation?, whenever we already have it pretty obvious that ITS NOT GOING TO EFFECT ANYONE ANYWAYS

^ You don't like the nation then you are more then welcome to leave. If your to young, then you are also welcome to run away to Canada.

Even if the Chinese discovered America first, it would be interesting. It isn't like China would be able to claim America though or anything.

i would much rather live in Canada than the states. And if I did live in Canada, I'd wanna live as far away from the border of America as humanly possible.

^Now, now no need to attack to America, I personally hope to move to America sometime in the future.
I believe that as much interest and research should be put into analysing thd past and discovering as much of the truth as possible, who discovered North America first is no exception, its very intriguing!

whatever, the first thing i do when i am able is fly off to somewhere else..maybe Iceland, or really isolated in Russia in the snow

so you can take your crap cliche suggestion of "running off" because you think its best, when in reality, your 2 cents of your opinion on my view of America isn't nessicary...there are people who support this country, and those who don't...just because your born here doesn't mean you have to support the freakin' country...some of us are just here because we were merely born here, and have no reason to leave anyways......yeah, so your conformist, fascist opinion is bullcrap

dobrey den!

isolated on the island of Iceland works just as good, as i suggested i shall do in my future..and if the island sinks, so be it, at least i had an easier life there than i did here.....surely they aren't talking about WAR all the time on TV

since this has now vered off topic I might as well add some cents.
I dont live in america.... BUT if I did I would surely have some vital questions that would need to be answered.
Like why is my country going to war every 5-10 years?
Why are we in Iraq if it has nothing to do with terrorism? (from what I've heard all the terrorists have been flooding into iraq which means they weren't there to begin with!)
personally, domestic issues like wage gaps, unemployment, minimum wage, health care, crime, predjudice, religious and corporate influences on supposedly democratic processes all take precedence over international issues like the war in vietnam or panama, there is no reason why the public should not be concerned with the internal problems.... Mabye its blind pride or dumb pride, I dont know, but you americans have some internal issues you need to take care of first before you try to change the world by force.
Oh, and a two party system is not a true democracy, both parties are practically the same on the political spectrum.

hehehehe whoops, i accidently do that sometimes...i get way off topic..ITS TEENAGE ANGST!! and anarchy boiling