The Orient Expedition

Synopsis

In the 15th century, Chinese Admiral Zheng He led seven major maritime expeditions, known as the Treasure Fleet voyages, which predated European exploration by nearly a century. The Schurmann family, inspired by these historical journeys, constructs a replica of a traditional Chinese treasure ship to retrace the fleet's global routes. Their expedition highlights the significance of these voyages in connecting cultures and trade across Asia, Africa, and beyond, while also examining the impact of maritime history on contemporary global relations.