Gavin Menzies

[MonkeyLancer]

I've recently started reading Gavin Menzies's '1421', I realize it is outside the timeframe of this mod, but I was curious what people here thought of the book.

[Marcion]

It is without a doubt a pile of crap.

[MonkeyLancer]

LOL wow.... I feel silly now that I'd wasted the money to buy it

[Sassori]

Yes, it is total nonsense. I wonder what's next (1490, China discover America).

[iovah]

As a serious historian of China, it is one of the worst things ever written. Nothing more than conjecture, fantasy, and falsities. If you're curious about Chinese naval history, I recommend a book by Louise Levathes, "When China Ruled the Seas" (1997). The history is a bit old fashioned, and at times sounds a little orientalist, but it's fine for a non-China historian, has good research, and is far superior to Menzies fictional narrative.

PS. Galvin Menzies wrote recently wrote 1434, and claimed that the Chinese fleet sailed to Venice and ignited the Italian Renaissance. Quite preposterous. I hear he is working on a new book describing the colonization of the West coast of the US. I'm not quite sure if that's just rumor or he really is, but he certainly would believe it.

[Njordr]

Galvin Menzies wrote recently wrote 1434, and claimed that the Chinese fleet sailed to Venice and ignited the Italian Renaissance.

Yes, and donkeys fly...

[SirAndrean]

Hey i read the book 1421 : China Discover the World

i think it's a good book. It say that chinese fleet avoid coming to Europe because they think that Europe is a backwater country.. And also i found that His book give us much evidence of his Theory.. He did not only talking about his theory.. But also prove it by uncover a lot of Ming Chinese artifact around the world.. He also study american and australian native people folklore regarding chinese expedition.. He even do DNA test to various american native tribe to track Chinese DNA..

this is the site for chinese map of the world http://www.gavinmenzies.net/pages/maps/1418.htm

this is the site for evidence http://www.gavinmenzies.net/gallery....al%20artefacts

[MonkeyLancer]

Thank you Iovah I'll definitely check that out...

He even do DNA test to various american native tribe to track Chinese DNA..

Wouldn't it also be possible for that relation via Native American descendants traveling across the Bering Strait land/ice bridge?

[SirAndrean]

Thank you Iovah I'll definitely check that out...




Wouldn't it also be possible for that relation via Native American descendants traveling across the Bering Strait land/ice bridge?

Yeah, that was what i thought for the first time.. But the problem is not all American native tribe share the same DNA similarity with the Chinese's.. Only some in the coastal region.. And those tribe always have folklore about foreign people with "long robe" coming from the sea with big ships..

[Tail End Charlie]

i think it's a good book. It say that chinese fleet avoid coming to Europe because they think that Europe is a backwater country..

I doubt they even knew about Europe, and if the Chinese found Europe to much of a backwater then why the hell would they go to America? And why the hell would they go in 1434?

But also prove it by uncover a lot of Ming Chinese artifact around the world

Yes you do, but not because of anything in 1421 and more because of stuff done in 1492 and beyond when the West could directly import Chinese wares. Or it could just be the fact that there were already extant land and littoral trade routes across Eurasia

[Anfauglir]

LOL wow.... I feel silly now that I'd wasted the money to buy it

Don't. Even though it is a sort of 'Holy Blood, Holy Grail' for China, you have to read and absorb these things before you can appreciate just how big a pile of balls they are! And there is always eBay or a car-boot to take it off your hands...