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Xuanzong Shih-lu (1438)
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Taken from : Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore,
http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/entry/1131
http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/entry/1631
Also called Che-lou of Siuan-to
Was written at the end of the reign of every emperor. They were all bundled and published as the Ming-Shih-lu (veritable records of the Ming emperors)
Yuan 67.3b-4a
Xuan-de: Year 5, Month 6, Day 9 (29 Jun 1430)
The Eunuch Director Zheng He and others were sent with an Imperial proclamation to go and instruct the various fan countries. The proclamation read: "I have respectfully taken on the mandate of Heaven and reverently inherited the Great Rule from the Tai-zu Gao Emperor, the Tai-zong Wen Emperor and the Ren-zong Zhao Emperor. I rule over the ten thousand states, manifest the supreme benevolence of my ancestors and spread peace to all things. I have already issued a general amnesty to all under Heaven and declared the commencement of the Xuan-de reign. All has begun anew. You, the various fan countries far across the ocean, will not yet have heard. Now I am especially sending the Eunuch Directors Zheng He and Wang Jing-hong carrying this proclamation with which to instruct you. You must all respect and accord with the Way of Heaven, care for your people and keep them in peace. Thus will you all enjoy the prosperity of Great Peace." Variegated silks, as appropriate, were to be conferred upon the rulers or chiefs of all 20 countries through which the eunuchs were to pass, including Hormuz, Sri Lanka, Calicut, Melaka, Cochin, Bu-la-wa (Brava), Mogadishu, Nan-bo-li, Samudera, La-sa, Liu-shan, Aru, Gan-ba-li, Aden, Zuo-fa-er, Zhu-bu, Jia-yi-le and so on, as well as the Old Port Pacification Superintendency.
Yuan 105.1a
Xuan-de: Year 8, Month Intercalary 8, Day 1 (14 Sep 1433)
Ha-li Zhi-mo (Alt: Ha-li Zhi-han) and others who had been sent by his elder brother Zai-nu-li A-bi-ding, the king of the country of Samudera; the envoy Ge-bu-man-du-lu-ya and others who had been sent by Bi-li-ma (Alt: Bu-li-ma), the king of the country of Calicut; the envoy Jia-bu Bi-li-ma and others who had been sent by Ke-yi-li, the king of the country of Cochin; the envoy Men-ni-de-nai and others who had been sent by Bu-la-ge-ma-ba-hu-la-pi, the king of the country of Sri Lanka; the envoy Ha-zhi Hu-xian and others who had been sent by A-li, the king of the country of Zu-fa-er; the envoy Pu-ba and others who had been sent by Mo-li-ke Na-si-er, the king of the country of Aden; the envoy Duan Si-li Jian and others, who had been sent by Dou-wa-la-zha, the king of the country of Gan-ba-li; the fan person Ma-la-zu and others who had been sent by Sai-fu-ding, the king of the country of Hormuz; the envoy A-du-ru-ha-man and others who had been sent by the king of the country of Jia-yi-le; and the chieftain Sha-xian and others who had been sent by the king of the country of Mecca; all came to Court and offered tribute of giraffes, elephants, horses and other products. The Emperor held an audience at Feng-tian Gate to receive them. As the giraffe is an auspicious animal, Hu Ying, the Auxiliary Minister of Rites led the joint ministers in offering felicitations. The Emperor said: "I have no fondness for things from foreign lands. I am receiving them because I appreciate the envoys coming from afar to demonstrate their great loyalty. There is not need for felicitations."
(Taken from: modern dictionary T z'u yuan )
In Hsuan-te (1426-1435) of the Ming the Pien-hsiu; Hsu Lin presented to the emperor a poem on the four beasts of good omen, ch'i-lin (giraffe), shih-tzu (lion), fu-lu (zebra), and hsuan hu (black tiger).