Inthisground‐breaking,posthumousstudy,thelateLoJung‐pangdiscussesthegeographic,political,
andcommercialfactorsthatledtotheemergenceofseapowerandanavyundertheMing.While
ZhengHeandhissevenexpeditionshavereceivedsomescholarlyattention,fewunderstandthelong
historyofmaritimeengagementwhichprovidedthenauticalandtechnicalbackgroundforthese
voyages.TheevolutionofthismaritimeengagementanditsextensionintotheIndianOceanisthe
focusofLo’sstill‐timelyandhighlysignificantwork.
InadditiontodetailingtheriseoftheMingnavyanditsextraordinaryaccomplishments,Loalso
examinessomeofthefactorsthatledtotheendofChina’sfirstgreatmaritimeera:WhydidChina
suddenlyseemtoturnawayfromtheseas?WerethemilitarydefeatsinAnnamandonthenorthern
borderssignificantinthis?Orwerefinancialpressureskey?
EmpireintheWesternOceanrepresentsthemostcomprehensiveandinsightfulEnglish‐language
treatmenttodateoftheevolutionandactivitiesoftheearlyMingnavy.Moreover,itencourages
furtherinquiryintocontemporaryquestionsofChina’smaritimeaspirations.
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Toaidthereader,aForewordbyRichardJ.SmithdiscusseshowLoviewedtheearlyMingnavy—not
simplyintermsofitsevolutionandmilitarystrength,butalsointermsofthecommerceandshipping
thatitpromoted.Thishistoryispresentedinthecontextofthecenturies‐longshiftofChina’s
demographiccenterofgravityfromthenorthwesttothesoutheastbytheSongperiod(960–1279).
IntheAfterword,MingscholarGeoffWadeexplainshowtheMingrulers,eagertowidelydisplaytheir
legitimacy,sentmilitaryforcesabroad,collectedtreasurefortheimperialcourt,andurgedrulersofall
knownstatestodemonstratetheirsubmissiontotheMingcourt.Healsoshowshowthisoftengave
risetoviolenceduringtheMingexpeditions.
