History of Africa · The History of Africa Podcast

From the Vault: Zengjiani, the Zanzibari Traveler in China

·12 min·1 clip

Zengjiani's story challenges the stereotype of Africa as merely an object of discovery rather than a place of origin for explorers.

This episode explores the story of Zengjiani, a Zanzibari traveler who journeyed to China in 1071 and was recorded in Song Dynasty chronicles. The host examines how this little-known story challenges stereotypes about Africa's role in global exploration and connects it to other African travelers like Ibn Battuta and Saeed of Mogadishu.

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