Singapore recreates Longyamen to commemorate Zheng He's epic voyages
www.chinaview.cn 2005-09-06 21:42:38
SINGAPORE, Sept. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Singapore recreated the scene of Longyamen, also known as Dragon's Teeth Gate, at Labrador Park on the southern coast of the Singapore Island on Tuesday.
It came as the final event of a series of celebrations in the city state to commemorate the 600th anniversary of Chinese Ming Dynasty explorer Zheng He's maiden voyage to the South Seas.
Longyamen, marked by two granite outcrops that looked like the teeth of China's legendary dragon, is believed to have located at the western entrance of the Keppel Harbor Straits to the south of the Singapore Island.
The dotted lines on Zheng He's navigational maps passing through Longyamen suggest that the straits may have been the route for one of his seven epic voyages sailed between 1405 and 1433.
Longyamen, together with the surrounding outcrops, was destroyed by the British in 1848 to widen the channel for larger vessels to sail through.
"As part of the 600th anniversary celebration, we have built this symbolic replica of the Dragon's Teeth Gate in celebration of Singapore's maritime history," said Lim Neo Chian, chief executiveof Singapore Tourism Board, at the event.
"In the Zheng He celebrations, we celebrate a mariner who was larger than life. He transcended boundaries in his voyages," Lim added. "These celebrations demonstrate the strong influences that Zheng He left in the region".
From June to August, Singapore's Zheng He celebrations featured a series of activities including a festive village, a new musical "The Admiral's Odyssey," as well as exhibitions and conferences.