Inheritor in SW China's Yunnan revives fleet of Zheng He

Fu Kunxiang crafts a ship model of Zheng He's fleet. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Six hundred years ago, during the reign of Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Zheng He, a native of Jinning district in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, commanded a fleet on seven epic voyages, sowing the seeds of friendship in more than 30 countries and regions and leaving behind a glorious chapter in the Maritime Silk Road.

Today, his fellow townsman Fu Kunxiang brings the fleet back to life with ship models, sharing a story of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from Yunnan for a new era.

Fu, with more than 40 years of experience, is an inheritor of the ancient ship model building craft in Kunming.

Photo shows miniature models of Zheng He's fleet by Fu Kunxiang. (Photo/Wang Li)

In his early years, Fu mainly made Western ship models. At a previous Canton Fair, or China Import and Export Fair, his ship models on display drew great interest. An American sister and her younger brother lingered in front of one of his models as the sister explained its history.

The scene struck Fu. "Ship models carry history and culture. China has its own maritime legacy — Zheng He's voyages." From then on, he resolved to recreate Zheng He's fleet.

To ensure accuracy, Fu and his team retraced Zheng He's route, gathering records and relics in places such as Nanjing city, as well as Fujian and Guangdong provinces, and learning techniques from old shipwrights in coastal villages. In July 2014, after three years of work, Fu's team completed a 1:50 scale model fleet of 208 ships.

Photo shows models of Zheng He's fleet at the Jinning District Museum in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

While honing his skills, Fu also showcased his models at exhibitions. In 2019, the German Museum of Technology added to its collection a model ship belonging to Zheng He's fleet, crafted by Fu, a piece which European experts described as "stunning."

"Zheng He's voyages spread civilization and peace, and gained friendship," Fu said. "That is also the spirit of the BRI."

On July 4, 2025, the first train of the "Zheng He" Sea-Road-Rail International Multimodal Transport Service left Kunming. After arriving in Vientiane, Laos, via the China-Laos Railway, the goods were transported to Thailand, Singapore, and Bangladesh through other three routes.

Photo shows models of Zheng He's fleet at the 2017 Yunnan Cultural Expo. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Photo shows a 1:100 scale ship model from Zheng He's fleet, built by Fu Kunxiang's team. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

The first train of the "Zheng He" Sea-Road-Rail International Multimodal Transport Service departed from Tengjun International Land Port in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Tengjun International Land Port)