Emperor Cheng Zu (1360-1424), the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, reigned from 1402 to 1424.

Zheng He (1371-1433) was a Muslim and a native of Kunyang (present-day Jinning County), Yunnan Province. In the early years of the Ming Dynasty he served as a eunuch in the imperial palace, eventually becoming chief eunuch. From 1405 to 1433 he was sent with a great fleet under his command to make seven voyages to various Asian and African countries. He visited more than 30 countries and regions in Southeast Asia and along the coasts of the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea (waters then known as the "western oceans"), going as far as Mecca, the spiritual centre of Islam. His voyages helped to promote economic and cultural exchanges between China and other countries in Asia and Africa.