A detailed Chinese map of southern Africa from the 14th century
was made available to the public in the South African Parliament in Cape Town.
The map, entitled "Da Ming Hun Yi Tu" ("Map of the great Ming-Empire") shows a
very accurate reproduction of parts of Africa. It was painted in 1389 on silk, almost
hundred years before the first European, Bartolomeus Diaz sailed there, in 1488.
The map was previously stored in Beijing, where it was only known to very few people.
The head of the science department of the South African parliament, Heindri Bailey
stated that there is some evidence that Chinese Sailors discovered parts of Africa long
before the Europeans did. e.g. Chinese pottery from the 13th century was found in the province
of Limpopo.