Charting forgotten waters travelled by the admiral
Dr Sheng-Wei Wang’s research on the final voyages of Zheng He reveals amazing facts that challenge current beliefs
DR SHENG-WEI WANG is a Chinese American independent scholar and writer based in Hong Kong, internationally recognised for her pioneering research into the maritime expeditions of Admiral Zheng He during the Ming Dynasty.
With a solid academic background that includes a Bachelor of Science from Tsing Hua University in Taiwan and a PhD from the University of Southern California, Dr Wang began her career in the sciences, working as a staff scientist at the prestigious Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States.
** SALUTING THE LEGEND. Click here to read our editorial and links to the main stories of the NAC Focus on Zheng He
In 2006, she founded the China-U.S. Friendship Exchange, Inc, a non-profit initiative aiming at fostering better understanding and communication between the United States and China. The organisation’s bilingual website has attracted more than a million visitors and continues to serve as a bridge between the two cultures (click here to view)
Since 2013, Dr Wang has dedicated herself to a bold and controversial line of historical research: re-examining the scope and legacy of Admiral Zheng He’s voyages across the oceans. While mainstream history largely acknowledges that Zheng He’s fleet reached Southeast Asia, India, and the eastern coast of Africa, Dr Wang delves further — into the possibility that his ships may have reached the Americas a full 70 years before Columbus.
Her book, The Last Journey of the San Bao Eunuch, Admiral Zheng He, serves as the cornerstone of this research. In it, Dr Wang presents a detailed analysis of the 1597 Ming Dynasty novel An Account of the Western World Voyages of the San Bao Eunuch by Luo Maodeng. Treating this literary work as a source of encoded historical knowledge rather than mere fiction, she reconstructs plausible transoceanic routes and estimates navigational timelines.
Click to watch Dr. Wang on Walk The Talk show on YouTube.
Dr Wang argues that Zheng He’s sixth and seventh voyages — conducted in the 1420s and 1430s — could have taken the famed fleet across the Atlantic and even into the heart of North America, potentially reaching the ancient city of Cahokia in the Mississippi Valley. This hypothesis, while controversial, contributes to the expanding dialogue on early trans-oceanic contact and challenges Eurocentric narratives of global exploration.
Her work has been featured in international academic venues such as the Royal Asiatic Society, the Royal Geographic Society, and the International Zheng He Society, further cementing her status as a meticulous researcher. Through her scholarship, Dr Wang invites the world to rethink the boundaries of history and consider the hidden possibilities of ancient maritime exploration. - Sebastian Lim
Click here to view the programme for the conference on Voyages@Frontiers of New Asia of the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns (CWC), Sept 3-8, 2025, Jen Hotel, Penang, Malaysia
All articles, opinions, and events featured in NAC Focus represent the views of the interviewees, individual writers and contributors, and do not necessarily reflect those of NAC Focus. While we strive to ensure all information on this post is accurate, complete, and current, NAC Focus is not responsible for any errors, omissions, or outdated content.