Ma Huan (simplified Chinese:马欢;traditional Chinese:馬歡;pinyin:Mǎ Huān,Xiao'erjing:ﻣَﺎ ﺧُﻮًا) (c. 1380–1460[1]), courtesy nameZongdao (Chinese:宗道;pinyin:Zōngdào), pen nameMountain-woodcutter (會稽山樵), was a Chinese explorer, translator, and travel writer who accompanied AdmiralZheng He on three of hisseven expeditions to the Western Oceans. Ma was aMuslim and was born inZhejiang'sKuaiji Commandery, an area within the modern borders ofShaoxing. He knew several Classical Chinese and Buddhist texts. He learned Arabic to be able to translate.^[2]

In his fourth expedition in 1413, he visitedChampa,Java,Sumatra,Palembang,Siam,Kochi andHormuz.

In the 1421 expedition, he visitedMalacca,Aru,Sumatra,Trincomalee,Ceylon, Kochi,Calicut,Zufar and Hormuz.

In the 1431 expedition, he visitedBengal,Chittagong,Sonargaon,Gaur and Calicut. From Calicut, he was sent by EunuchHong Bao as emissary toMecca.

During his expeditions, Ma Huan took notes on the geography, politics, weather conditions, environment, economy, local customs, and even methods of punishment for criminals. Returning home on his first expedition, he began writing a book on his expedition, the first draft of which was ready around 1416. He expanded and modified his draft during later expeditions, the final version was finalized around 1451. The title of his book wasYingya Shenglan (The Overall Survey of the Ocean's Shores).

During theMing dynasty andQing dynasty, there were many printed and handcopied editions. The latest authentic text of a printed version was edited and annotated by historianFeng Chengjun [zh]. A newer edition, based on Ming dynasty handcopied editions, was recently published by Ocean Publishing House in China.

An annotated English translation byJ.V.G. Mills (1887–1987) was published by theHakluyt Society in 1970,^[3] and reprinted in 1997 by The White Lotus Press in Bangkok. Mills's translation was based on the edition by Feng Cheng jun.

TheYingya Shenglan is considered by sinologists worldwide as a primary source for the history of Ming dynasty naval exploration, history ofSouth East Asia andhistory of India.

Some scholars who have done research work on Ma Huan are J.J.L. Duyvendak, F. Hirth,Paul Pelliot,Feng Chengjun,Xiang Da,J.V.G. Mills.

• Fei Xin, another participants of Zheng He's expeditions who wrote a book
• The "Mao Kun map" inWubei Zhi

• Gordon, Stewart.When Asia was the World: Traveling Merchants, Scholars, Warriors, and Monks who created the "Riches of the East" Da Capo Press, Perseus Books, 2008.ISBN 0-306-81556-7.
• J. V. G. Mills (tr.) (1970).Ma Huan: Ying-yai sheng-lan 'The overall survey of the ocean's shores' (1433), translated from the Chinese text edited by Feng Ch'eng-chün. Cambridge University Press.

• 1380s births
• 1460 deaths
• 14th-century Chinese people
• 15th-century Chinese writers
• 15th-century translators
• Chinese translators
• Chinese explorers
• 15th-century explorers
• Ming dynasty Muslims
• Chinese travel writers
• Explorers of Asia
• Explorers of South Asia
• History of Kerala
• Hui people
• Ming dynasty translators
• Ming treasure voyages
• Writers from Shaoxing
• 15th-century travel writers

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