爱华网系列专题：《亚洲财富论坛》2008年7月刊
韩剑锋 总裁
端午节假期，我到天津游览了著名的航母公园，在慨叹那壮观的飞行甲板和先进的武器系统时，不禁联想起600多年前，明朝郑和率领庞大船队七下西洋，开辟了海上丝绸之路，将友谊的纽带传递到南亚、中东、非洲⋯⋯是啊，一艘航母的意义怎能和600年前的郑和下西洋相比呢？
600年前，郑和船队七下西洋，穿越马六甲海峡，遍访南亚诸国，之后又横穿印度洋，到达红海沿岸，最远到达非洲东海岸。船队携带了大量记载中华文明的古书一路分发，而最受当地人民欢迎的，要数中国的丝绸。……
通过郑和和他率领的船队，当地人民不仅领略了中华古国的威仪，更赞叹这古老的文明之邦所传递的真诚和友谊。600年后的今天，在南亚诸国、中东和东非国家依然流传着郑和下西洋的种种佳话。人们始终赞叹：600年前的那支船队与海盗和侵略者不同，他们没有携带任何武器，没有任何敌意，所传递的只是友谊！
的确，郑和做了一件了不起的事情，甚至今天的许多史学家把郑和称为“海洋文明的先驱”。有人把人类文明划分为“黄色文明”和“蓝色文明”，把发源于黄土高原的中华文明称为“黄色文明”，把以海洋扩张与探险而著称的西方文明冠之以“蓝色文明”，并称“黄色文明”屈从于“蓝色文明”。且不论这样的划分是否代表历史的发展方向，事实上，郑和七下西洋，不仅传播了中华民族的“黄色文明”，而且为“蓝色文明”的崛起提供了宝贵经验。
在人类历史上，郑和的宝船首次达到万吨排水量，其航海技术更是让当时的西方航海家无法企及。当代美国学者路易斯·丽瓦塞斯高度评价了郑和船队，他认为，郑和船队在中国和世界历史上，是一支举世无双的船队，直到第一次世界大战之前是没有可以与之相匹敌的。
21世纪是海洋的世纪。今天的海洋，势必远离海盗的探险和野心的扩张，而成为世界人民共同的家园。今天的“蓝色文明”，是以传递全人类友谊为主题的。因此，郑和精神的现代启示之一，就是我们应该继续沿着改革开放的道路前行，用“蓝色文明”宽阔的视野观察世界，用“蓝色文明”的胸怀拥抱世界，走出一条崭新的和平发展之路。
我的脑海里萦绕着一个梦想：总有一天，从我们这古老的礼仪之邦走出一支年轻的船队，沿着600年前郑和船队开辟的海上丝绸之路，去拥抱一个蓝色的梦想！
I Have A Blue Dream
On holiday, I traveled the Aircraft Carrier Park in Tianjin, enjoyed the grand deck and appreciated the advanced technological system, which reminded me of a grand fleet of 600 years ago in Ming Dynasty, headed by Minister Zheng He, to travel across the ocean and convey friendship to South Asia, the Middle East and East Africa, pioneered the ocean silk road…, hence, I forgot myself in a deep thinking: how can a carrier be compared to the significance of Minister Zheng He and his travel which started the ocean silk road!
Around 600 years ago, Minister Zheng He headed a fleet to travel across the ocean for seven times to visit the South Asia countries, following, they went through Indian Ocean to the Red Sea, then, to the far-reaching point, the eastern bank of Africa. Instead of any weapons and hostility, they carried so many ancient books and distributed along the way, however, the most welcomed were China’s silk.
Through Minister Zheng He and his grand fleet, the local people appreciated the grand dignity of China, as an ancient country, meanwhile, they enjoyed the friendship of the Chinese people. Today, in South Asia, the Middle East and the Eastern Africa, people are still reminded of the sweaty friendship conveyed by Zheng He. People always say, quite different from the pirates and invaders, Zheng He and his fleet just conveyed friendship!
Actually, Zheng He implemented a mission with unusual significance, even today’s historians would like to name Zheng He as “The Pioneer of Ocean Civilization”. Some people say that the human civilization consists of Yellow Civilization and Blue Civilization, meaning that the Chinese Civilization originated from the Yellow River as Yellow Civilization, the western civilization known as ocean expansion and exploration as Blue Civilization, they claim that Yellow Civilization is submitted to Blue Civilization. Will the opinion reflect the historical development trend or not? We are not interested in this argument, in fact, Zheng He’s mission not only expressed the Yellow Civilization to the world, but also offered experiences to the rising of Blue Civilization.
In the human history, Zheng He’s ships had 10,000 tons of displacement, the highest until the World War I, with very advanced navigation technologies that not compared by the western countries.
The 21st Century is honored as “A century of the ocean”. Today’s ocean will definitely go far away from pirates’ adventure and ambitious expansion, and will become a common family of the people. Today’s Blue Civilization is focused on the theme of friendship. Therefore, Zheng He’s spirit gives a modern instruction: Go along the way of reform and opening-up, observe the world with a broad sight of Blue Civilization, embrace the world with a broad mind of Blue Civilization, hence, to embark on a road of peaceful development.
I have always been hovered by a dream: Some day, a young fleet go out from China, the ancient country with over 5000 years of brilliant civilization, travel along the ocean silk road started around 600 years ago by Minister Zheng He, to embrace a blue dream!
By Han Jianfeng/ President of Asia Fortune Forum
