1421-Chinese Exploration.

I've just finished the book, "1421" and I have to say that I was blown away and thoroughly convinced that this is the real deal.

The book provides convincing evidence of a bold Chinese exploration of the Americas, Australia, Africa, the South Pacific and even Antarctica. The book describes a plethora of discoveries left behind by the great Ming dynasty admirals and retraces western European "discoveries" as voyages that confirmed the Chinese discoveries. Degama, Columbus, Cook...were only following the path left in Chinese maps conveyed to people like DeConti, who made money and fame by providing maps to western explorers. Yes, they all had maps derived from the exploits of their contemporary Chinese explorer counterparts.

If this evidence is correct, the Chinese discovered America 70 years before C. Columbus, James Cook did not discover Australia, and many other discoveries claimed as firsts, were in fact only rediscoveries.

A blow to the western ego, but a fascinating account of Chinese Admiralty (who were primarily Eunuchs). The legacy of these bold men are epic.

I am in the process of reading "1434" a follow-on book, that describes the spark of western invention as Chinese inspired. It may be that the likes of Leonardo De Vinci may have been more of an illustrator than inventor.

What a world we live in. I was always taught that western civilization was superior. This certainly challenges my early learning experiences.

I highly recommend it.