关于15-16世纪世界性大航海的几点浅见--纪念郑和远航开始600周年

15—16世纪的世界性大航海活动,标志着人类开始由世界各大洲居民相对封闭隔绝的状态,转向彼此交往日密、渐成一体的状态,文明发达程度急剧提高。对这一划时代的伟大历史活动,仍需继续加强研究。当前最需搞清的问题之一,当是要将近来提出的郑和船队分确否绕过好望角、进入大西洋、实现环球航行的论证,进一步审核,找出真相。这一上百年的伟大历史活动,主要是通过中国人和欧洲人之手完成的,其功不可没,但还应认识到,其成功实乃全世界各国人民长期共同努力的结果。强调这一点,不仅具有学术意义,而且能启发今人和后人自觉地加强全人类在征服自然中的相互交流和协作,具有实践意义。在这一历史活动中,中国人和欧洲人分别采取了建立朝贡体系和建立殖民地体系两种对外关系模式。两种模式从道德角度讲可分上下,而从实际后果角度讲,皆遭否定。这提示后人,应该探索出新的国与国之间的外交模式,这种新模式起码是各国,尤其是大国强国,不可忘记实行互利的原则。

A Few Thoughts on Navigation in the 15th to 16th Century: In Memorial of the 600th Anniversary of Zheng He's Navigation

The navigation in the 15th and 16th century marks the great development of mankind, who started to shift from relative isolation into a new era of increasing interaction among the inhabitants of different continents in the world, who became gradually one international community. Further research and studies on such historical events are needed. One of the pressing questions is to find the evidence to prove whether Zheng He's fleet had traveled around the earth by taking the route from the Cape of Good Hope to the Atlantic Ocean. It took over a hundred years for Chinese and Europeans to accomplish some historical navigation but we should be also aware that those successful voyages also owe to the mutual efforts of many great sailors from other countries in the world. The emphasis on the mutual and accumulative efforts of mankind does not have its academic significance but also its practical meaning, which helps us and our descendants realize the importance of increasing, promoting and strengthening the cooperation and exchanges among nations in our fight against nature. Moreover, during those historical expeditions, Chinese and Europeans adopted different modes of diplomacy which are tributary system and colonial system, respectively. Morally speaking, one mode was better than the other but both yielded in negative effects. The research also reminds us of exploring new modes of diplomacy between nations. To apply the new modes of diplomacy, each nation, and particularly world powers, should keep the principle of mutual-benefit in mind when interacting with other nations.