The Adventures of Zheng He

The fragment that is of great interest here is the contentious issue
of  the origins of the Legendary "Han Li Po" and "Hang Tuah".
There seems to be no Ming records of these people and reference
to Han Li Po is made in "Sejarah Melayu".
From whatever records available from Ma Huan and sailors, it seems
that the Sultan of Melaka made a trip to China to see the Ming Enperor
and negotiated for a princess to take home.Sejarah Melayu claims that
Han was the Emperor's first daughter whilst others say that she was only a
servant girl.
What was the significance of Melaka to the Ming?
From the video above it was obvious that Zheng He was on a mission to :
1) Promote China and show off its power 2) Trade for exotic goods
3) Exact tribute from vassal states 4) Clear the sea routes for future trade

It seems that Melaka was ready to swear allegiance to China to help her
maintain security over the Melaka Straits thus incurring the wrath of Siam and
Java.In return it is likely that to prove its genuine ties with the Ming, a princess
from the Ming Palace and a garrison of Ming warriors should be sufficient to
intimidate dissenters.Whether the generals protecting the princess or Sultan
are the legendary "Malay" warriors can only be proved by DNA testing.

To the Emperor whoever offered reflected the startegic importance of the
foreign vassal to China's stake in the Straits.Moreover offering princesses to
foreign kings was nothing new and practised hundreds of years ago to placate
or create alliances with Mongols,Turks and even Tibetans.Offering a girl
to create military alliances seemed to be a cheap bribe when compared to
having to lose thousands in war,such is the Chinese psyche.

It has to be remembered also that the Ming Dynasty was China at its military
peak having tamed the Mongols for good and ready to take on Timur Lang
who died before his invasion of China.

Of interest also is Zheng He's encounters with Chinese already settled in
South East Asia whom Ma Huan refered to as Tang people.Obviously
they had already moved overseas during the Tang period and still using
the Mingnan languages of the Tang palace.

Why are the Malays in Malaysia reluctant to recognise the existence of
Han Li Po or Hang Tuah as history?
1) The existence of Han would prove that many Malays are descendants
of the Ming and in their quest for Malay "Supremacy", any ties to Chinese
would be embarassing.
2) If Hang Tuah is indeed a Ming General as speculated, it will only confirm
what is stated above, that he was stationed there to protect China's interests
in Melaka.This would debunk the legend that China was so intimidated by
the might of the Melaka Sultanate that the Emperor offered the Sultan his
first daughter to please him.
3) As to why tombs were not exhumed to determine the truth,it might already
have been done and the results embarassing.If it has not been done consider the
expense of doing the Research.To Malays obsessed with modernity and material
goods,the money could better be spent  on modernising their economy.
Just recall the intensive campaign to wipe out references to things British in the 70s
and 80s with streets and places renamed.

Putting two and two together even without any Ming records the program made
by Natgeo should be the strongest evidence as to what actually transpired.

The whole documentary is on youtube, search youtube for "The Treasure Ships-
The Adventures of Zheng He."