* Chinese explorer and navigator
* Born in 1371 in Yunnan, China
* Led seven voyages to the Indian Ocean and East Africa between 1405 and 1433
* Commanded fleets of up to 250 ships and 27,000 men
* Discovered many new lands, including Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, and India
* Established trade relations with many countries in Asia and Africa
* Died in 1433 at the age of 62
Christopher Columbus
* Italian explorer and navigator
* Born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy
* Sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 and reached the Bahamas
* Made four voyages to the Americas between 1492 and 1502
* Discovered many new lands, including Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola
* Established the first permanent European settlements in the Americas
* Died in 1506 at the age of 55
Comparison
Zheng He and Christopher Columbus were both great explorers who made significant contributions to the history of navigation and discovery. They both led multiple voyages to distant lands, discovering new cultures and establishing trade relations. However, there are also some key differences between the two men.
Zheng He was a Muslim, while Columbus was a Christian. Zheng He's voyages were primarily motivated by trade, while Columbus's voyages were primarily motivated by exploration and colonization. Zheng He's voyages were supported by the Chinese government, while Columbus's voyages were largely privately funded.
In terms of their overall impact, Zheng He's voyages had a greater global impact than Columbus's voyages. Zheng He's voyages helped to establish China as a major maritime power, and they laid the foundation for later Chinese exploration and trade in the Indian Ocean and East Africa. Columbus's voyages led to the colonization of the Americas by Europeans, but they also sparked conflicts with Native Americans and the slave trade.
Overall, Zheng He and Christopher Columbus were both great explorers who made significant contributions to history. However, they were also two very different men with different motivations and goals.