Thanks, Thought Bubble. So the Chinese were world leaders in naval technology, and they wanted to dominate trade here in the Indian Ocean, so why then did these voyages end? One reason was that Jung Ha couldn't live forever, and sure enough, he didn't. Also, his patron, the Yongle Emperor, died. And the emperor's successors weren't as interested in maritime trade. They were more concerned with protecting China against its traditional enemies, nomads from the steppe. To do this, they built a rather famous wall.