1. How did Ceylon (Sri Lanka) treat Zheng He on earlier voyages? How did Zheng He react? How would Da Gama have reacted?
2. How many different religions were there in Sri Lanka during this time? Who were the main gods?
3. What was the Chinese reaction toward this religious diversity, based on the evidence of the trilingual inscription left by Zheng He?
4. How would the Christian explorers probably have reacted to this diversity?
1. Ceylon certainly didn't present itself as a friend of the Chinese, and Zheng He reacted to this by hastily leaving the area. Da Gama's response would've been quite the opposite. Zheng He was a navigator who strived to build a relationship with the locals in the trading spots he set foot in. He was, in a sense, a peace envoy. Da Gama was not. When trade stalled in the areas he docked his ships, he rarely hesitated to use violence. Destroying cities with a superior military, he would've stricken fear into the hearts of Ceylon locals, and would have gotten what they set out for.
2. Three religions, three gods: The Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims believed in Buddha, Shiva and Adam, respectively.
3. It is apparent from the reading that Zheng He took great interest in the diverse religions and that China aimed to hold all the religions in high regard (we can know this from "manifest the high honor of the lord Buddha") through grand gifts and offerings.
4. A Christian attitude would have stood as stark contrast to Zheng He's. With the aims of obtaining Asian resources and goods, as well as spreading Christianity (which is, monotheistic), the Christian explorers would have frowned upon so many religions in coexistence. Explorers would tolerate only one religion in the land, and may most likely have used force to impose the religion on natives.
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