The Cheng Ho (Zheng He) Cultural Museum in Malacca (Melaka)
| Author | Tai Wei Lim |
| Published date | 01 September 2018 |
| Date | 01 September 2018 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/2057891117746768 |
| Subject Matter | Research articles |
Research article
The Cheng Ho (Zheng He)
Cultural Museum in
Malacca (Melaka): Its
historical importance and
contemporary symbolisms
Tai Wei Lim
Senior Lecturer, Core Curriculum, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore
Abstract
The Zheng He Museum is an important depository of material artefacts related to Zheng He’s
seven voyages through the maritime world. This writing intends to highlight three contemporary
narratives related to his legacies: (1) the idea of Zheng He as a symbol of the ‘art of collaboration’;
(2) the narrative that associates Zheng He with peaceful tributary relations; and (3) the concept of
Malacca as an emporium of trade that prospered under official trade and diplomatic exchanges with
Ming dynasty China. All three narratives highlight the idea of the Maritime Silk Road as a metaphor
for exchanges, trade, politics, culture and the ‘Asian’ way of mediating differences between nations.
The narratives conform to the idea of the Silk Road Ethos by exceptionalizing intercultural respect
and non-hegemonic Pan-Asianism. Arising from these narratives and related to the material arte-
facts presented in the Malacca Zheng He Museum, the important legacies of Zheng He’s maritime
voyages related to contemporary concerns in East Asia are in the realm of conflict resolution,
capacity-building and free trade, although, for objectivity, this writing will also selectively discuss
contested elements and alternative interpretations of the symbolism of Zheng He’s voyages.
Keywords
Cheng Ho (Zheng He), China, history, Malacca (Melaka), Malaysia
Introduction and literature review
Memories and narratives about Zheng He generated by local myth-making amongst the Southeast
Asian Peranakan communities, deified through Zheng He’s personal effects, attributing to him the
Corresponding author:
Tai Wei Lim, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Blk 120A, Kim Tian Place 26–50, 164118, Singapore.
Email: limtaiwei2009@gmail.com
Asian Journal of Comparative Politics
2018, Vol. 3(3) 232–245
ªThe Author(s) 2017
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DOI: 10.1177/2057891117746768
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