author
Xin Fei
b. 1388
A firsthand chronicler of the Ming treasure voyages, this early 15th-century writer left one of the clearest Chinese accounts of lands visited under Zheng He. His work opens a vivid window onto travel, trade, and cross-cultural encounters across the Indian Ocean world.
2 Audiobooks
About the author
Little is known about Fei Xin's personal life, but he is generally placed around 1385 or 1388 and was active in the early Ming dynasty. He served with the fleet of the admiral Zheng He and took part in several of the famous maritime expeditions sent across Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean.
Fei Xin is best remembered for Xingcha Shenglan (The Overall Survey of the Star Raft), a work describing the places, peoples, products, and customs encountered on those voyages. Because it draws on direct travel experience, the book remains an important historical source for readers interested in navigation, diplomacy, and everyday life in the regions visited by Ming ships.
For modern listeners, his writing offers something especially appealing: not just a list of destinations, but a traveler’s-eye view of a connected world. Through his observations, the scale and curiosity of Zheng He's expeditions become more immediate and human.