Talk

GoGo the Monkey · Post by **GoGo the Monkey** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:47 am

To the above statement, way before ANE was created.

Lurking Tyranny · Post by **Lurking Tyranny** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:18 pm

Just thought I would ask what anyone/everyone thinks about the claims made in the new novel 1421: the year china discovered america.

If you don't know anything about it, it was a book just recently released that has been getting some pretty big coverage (for a historical book) and a lot of critism. I haven't yet had the chance to read the novel itself (though i've read excerpts as well as essays from historians trying to debunk it) due to my own studies material providing me with more then enough historical information to process.

KDS · Post by **KDS** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:25 pm

Lurking Tyranny wrote:Just thought I would ask what anyone/everyone thinks about the claims made in the new novel 1421: the year china discovered america.

If you don't know anything about it, it was a book just recently released that has been getting some pretty big coverage (for a historical book) and a lot of critism. I haven't yet had the chance to read the novel itself (though i've read excerpts as well as essays from historians trying to debunk it) due to my own studies material providing me with more then enough historical information to process.

I assume that the novel would be talking about the eunuch Admiral Zhang He's voyages with the Grand Fleet that he had going for him. I've got a book talking about the possibilities of his arriving in the North American Continent. I'll read into it some more...

Mogwai · Post by **Mogwai** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:43 pm

I know they're referencing to a map that was discovered - one that's taken with skepticism. They said the map might be from around the 1700s and not in fact from early such as previously thought. They said some common errors and markings on maps of the time period would put it later rather than sooner.

Naxr · Post by **Naxr** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:09 am

I read an article about it about 4 years ago(certain teacher) and one thing it talked about, that I remember, was that the language spoken by a certain isolated people in South America was more similar to chinese than anything else spoken in the area. And maybe there was something about a certain species of chicken there also, but I don't remember it well.

Lurking Tyranny · Post by **Lurking Tyranny** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:25 pm

Yes, the languages of some of the people in that region were similar to chinese and of course their were/are claims that the chickens in the area share very keen similaries between chinese chickens, though often most historians and scholars point to the existance of a previous landbridge that existed and that the proto-chinese or chicken breeds may have come over.

I don't really know what to think. I have a book about Zhang He's explorations titled "When China ruled the seas" which does note his travels to area's of burma and regions south and west of China, but never made any references in any of the sources to him reaching lands in north america or even Austrailia.

Tevye · Post by **Tevye** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 6:29 pm

If those historians/scholars were any good they would know that it has been proven it would be physically impossible to cross that "landbridge" and still survive. 100 mph winds, sheer ice cliffs, temperture of less than -40 F, and no wood, animals, or shelter to speak of would make that trek completely impossible for anyone even TRYING to do it.

AaronH229 · Post by **AaronH229** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 2:31 pm

I agree.

areon · Post by **areon** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 4:53 pm

You do realize that people dog sled across the arctic circle from Canada to Russia without technological gear? I'm not saying that a Chinese seafarer would be able to sail the Alaskan coast but people can do some crazy stuff.

I didn't read the book so I don't know the exact claims made. But a lot of Chinese trade did pass through Indonesia and reached New Guinea and Australia as far back as AD 1000. I don't think it's impossible for them to have reached Australia and it probably wasn't focused on because of the lack of cultural importance there. From what I've read briefly in the past this voyage went to foreign kingdoms and proclaimed the power of China without making any return visits like Caesar did with Britain or the Spanish conquistadores.

Lu Ying · Post by **Lu Ying** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 4:59 pm

E-mail spam is getting confusing!

I present to you all, the lates e-mail I got

Subject: Re: devel = opmen

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This provoked a twisted snarl and a barked command.
Not in the box.
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now going to abolish. You can ship him off for treatment at an
The silence stretched and stretched-until it was finally broken by a
final thud.
space marines will be there. Report at a minimum of once a day.
Of course. As soon as your false credentials were filed the
quizzically. He pointed quickly at his closed fist. When he stood and
Thats what we are here for.

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