via South China Morning Post, 23 January 2023: Another feature on Chinese heritage in Malacca.
This gallery, run by the Malaysian government, describes Zheng He as a “brave and ambitious traveller” who broadened local culture by introducing Chinese customs, clothing, cuisine, music, dance and religion – much of which is still in evidence.
When Zheng He first sailed into Malacca, in 1405, it was a fishing village of a few thousand people, only recently founded by Parameswara, a Sumatran prince. By the time of the Chinese admiral’s last visit, in the early 1430s, Malacca was on its way to becoming one of the region’s key trading ports.
Its location on the main sea route between China and India saw a boom in its wealth and influence. Malacca thus became coveted by Europe’s colonial powers, and from the early 1500s, the Portuguese, Dutch and British took turns occupying the city.
These Western fingerprints are visible to tourists in the form of colonial churches, forts and mansions. Yet those who dig deeper will learn Malacca was shaped just as significantly by Zheng He and the Chinese.
