The remarkable journey turned out to be the Treasure Fleet’s last adventure; Cheng Ho, who inspired the enterprise, died on the voyage home. The emperor mothballed the Treasure Fleet, shut down the Nanking shipyards, and destroyed records documenting its accomplishments. Chinese science and technology, especially regarding exploration, fell into decline. By 1500, an imperial edict made it a capital offense for a ship with more than two masts to put to sea; in 1525, officials set about destroying the larger ships of the Treasure Fleet.
