郑和与七次远航

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港口升起无数船帆

The Day the Harbor Filled with Sails

出发的日子终于到了。船队还没有动，港口里已经到处是声音。水手们拉紧绳子，工人把一袋袋米、一罐罐淡水、工具和礼物搬上船。一张船帆升起来，接着又是一张。很快，船帆仿佛铺满了整个港口。

这些船并不全都一样。有的装粮食和水，有的运送马匹和礼物，有的载着士兵，还有的带着修船的工具和工人。它们合在一起，就像一座漂在海上的城。

郑和后来一共带领了七次海上长路。船队到达一个又一个繁忙的港口，那里早已有水手和商船来来往往。大海不是一块等着郑和去“发现”的空地方。它早就是一条路，只不过，这条路是用水铺成的。

At last, the day came to leave. The fleet had not moved yet, but the harbor was already full of noise. Sailors pulled ropes tight. Workers carried sacks of rice, jars of fresh water, tools, and gifts onto the ships. One sail rose, then another, and another. Soon, sails seemed to fill the whole harbor.

The ships were not all the same. Some carried food and water. Some carried horses and gifts. Some carried soldiers. Other ships carried tools and workers who could fix whatever broke. Together, they were like a town floating on the sea.

Zheng He would lead seven great journeys. His fleet sailed into one busy port after another, where sailors and trading ships were already coming and going. The ocean was not an empty place waiting for Zheng He to “discover” it. It was already a road—only this road was made of water.

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大海上没有路

No Roads on the Ocean

陆地消失在身后以后，前面只剩下海和天。大海上没有道路，也没有写着“这边走”的牌子。

有时，风正好把船帆吹得鼓鼓的；有时，风却把船往错误的方向推。船员靠近陆地时观察海岸，到了远海就用指南针认方向。他们还要测量水深，请熟悉附近海面的水手帮忙。

认路还只是一种麻烦。几万人每天都要吃饭、喝水。水手可能生病，船帆可能破，船板也可能漏水。一场风暴还可能把船吹散。要让这么多船平安回家，需要成千上万的人一起做事。

有人负责认路，有人会说不同的语言，有人照顾病人或修补船帆。还有人做饭、拉绳子、守在船头寻找陆地。郑和带领船队，可他从来不是一个人在大海上航行。

Once the land disappeared behind them, there was only sea and sky. The ocean had no roads and no signs that said, “This way.”

Some days, the wind filled the sails and pushed the ships forward. On other days, it tried to send them the wrong way. Near land, the crews watched the coast. Farther out, they used compasses to find their way. They checked how deep the water was and listened to sailors who knew the nearby seas.

Finding the way was only one problem. Thousands of people needed food and water every day. Sailors could become sick. Sails could tear. Ships could leak. A storm could scatter the fleet. Bringing so many ships home took thousands of people working together.

Some found the way. Some spoke other languages. Some cared for the sick or fixed torn sails. Others cooked meals, pulled ropes, and watched for land. Zheng He led the fleet, but he never sailed alone.

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让所有人抬头的长颈鹿

The Giraffe That Made Everyone Look Up

每到一个港口，码头上都会响起不同的语言，市场里也有从未见过的东西。船队带去丝绸、漂亮的碗和杯子，还有许多礼物；回家时，又带回香料、宝石和远方的动物。

最让人吃惊的一件礼物，是一只长颈鹿。它一走进人群，大家全都抬起了头。其实也不是所有人都要抬头——长颈鹿自己就不用。

皇宫里有些人把它和古老故事里的麒麟联系在一起。长颈鹿当然没有变成另一种动物。人们只是用自己熟悉的故事，去认识眼前从未见过的东西。

可是，并不是每一次见面都很快乐。船队也带着武器和士兵。郑和有时会使用武力，还有人被抓回中国。对岸上的人来说，远处出现的大片船帆可能带来礼物和新朋友，也可能带来危险。

At every port, different languages filled the docks, and the markets were full of things the sailors had never seen. The fleet carried silk, fine bowls and cups, and other gifts. It came home with spices, jewels, and animals from faraway places.

One gift made everyone look up: a giraffe. As it walked through the crowd, its long neck rose above every head. Well, almost everyone had to look up. The giraffe did not.

At the Chinese palace, some people said the animal reminded them of the qilin, a lucky creature from old stories. The giraffe had not turned into a storybook animal. People were using a story they knew to understand something they had never seen before.

But not every meeting was peaceful. The fleet also carried weapons and soldiers. Zheng He sometimes used force, and people were taken back to China as prisoners. To someone watching from shore, those faraway sails might bring gifts and new friends. They might also bring danger.