From the 15th to the 17th century AD, with the development of commodity economy and the emergence of capitalism, Europe broke out in a vigorous sailing movement, known in history as the Great Geographic Discovery of or the opening of new routes, etc. European fleets appeared on the oceans all over the world, looking for new trade routes and trading partners to develop new capitalism in Europe.
Holland played a major role in the marine trade in the 17th century, so it was called the "maritime coachman".
However, behind the prosperity of maritime trade, European sailors lived a miserable life.
When they were wandering on the sea, the crew ate moldy bread, drank stinky rainwater, slept in the humid and stuffy cabin, and often lived with livestock. Fresh vegetables and fruits were almost a luxury for them. Because they were in such a harsh living environment for a long time, sailors inevitably developed various diseases and even died, and the bodies of the deceased would be thrown into the sea to avoid infecting others.
The most deadly disease caused by crew members is scuremia. It is caused by people's lack of vitamins for a long time. Due to the lack of scientific knowledge in people at that time, it was difficult to find a solution to this problem for a while.
At this time, in the distant east, Zheng He was sailing towards the south of with his huge fleet. The ship was singing and dancing and a prosperous scene. They were ordered by the emperor to go to the South China area to promote their national prestige.
The fleet of the Heavenly Dynasty did not seem to have encountered problems like European crew members. Is it because there is anything special about the physiological structure of the Chinese? The answer is no.
Because Chinese people are good at growing and storing soybeans, the ship warehouse has to be filled with several boxes of soybeans before going to sea. The seemingly ordinary soybeans play a huge role in marine activities.
To prevent bumpy waves from destroying the porcelain, people put them in boxes filled with soybeans.
soybeans are also a nutritious food, rich in protein and vitamins, and can be made into tofu and soy milk for crew members to eat.
Wet sprouted soybeans can also be used as vegetables to provide crew members with vitamins and other nutrients, so that people will not get sick. Therefore, the mortality rate of Chinese crew members was much lower than that of Europe at that time.
After a few days, with people's understanding of trace elements and storage technology, the living standards of crew members have greatly improved, and the phenomenon of illness and death has gradually decreased.
