Zheng He’s Incense Offering Stele, Quanzhou

Housed in the corridor of Quanzhou’s Sacred Tombs on Lingshan Mountain, this Chinese stele was erected in the 15th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. 

When Zheng He stopped over in Quanzhou during his fifth voyage to the Western Oceans, he visited the tombs to burn incense and pray for a safe voyage. The inscription clearly documents this historical event. 

Well-preserved with legible characters, it constitutes key physical evidence for researching Ming Dynasty maritime trade on the Maritime Silk Road and Sino-foreign cultural exchanges, ranking as one of the most prominent steles in Quanzhou’s maritime cultural heritage.