INTRODUCTION

In the previous chapter, we introduced Zheng He's Art of Collaboration (AoC) as comprising the 4C strategies of Capabilitybuilding (in preparation for collaboration), Coordination (of people and activities in moving towards collaboration), Communication (of intent in words and through actual actions of building collaboration), and Continuity (in collaborative purpose and patience over the longer term).

The first two strategies of Capability-building and Coordination may be understood as Zheng He's preparation for collaboration. The third strategy of Communication refers to his actual actions of building collaboration with others on the ground; and for this, we have also earlier introduced Zheng He's 5Acts of Collaboration. The final strategy of Continuity points to the need to be steadfast in collaborative purpose and actions over the long term.

In this chapter, we elaborate on Zheng He's 5Acts of Collaboration: the Act of Articulating Intent, the Act of Practising Generosity, the Act of Building Win-Win, the Act of Ensuring Sustainability, and the Act of Cultivating Trust. Together, these 5Acts of Collaboration represent that part of Zheng He's Art of Collaboration as practised on the ground.

This chapter is therefore organized as follows. In the next section, we will first elaborate on Zheng He's mission and provide some insights on Zheng He's authority in making decisions. In particular, we will highlight the scope and flexibility that were apparently available to him in deciding on what to do on his grand voyages. We will then elaborate on Zheng He's 5Acts of Collaboration, giving more details on what he actually did on the ground through these acts. We will also highlight the implications of these 5Acts of Collaboration for today's businesses and suggest application possibilities and examples.

ZHENG HE'S MISSION AND AUTHORITY IN MAKING DECISIONS

In order to further understand the 4C strategies in Zheng He's Art of Collaboration, and his specific 5Acts of Collaboration, we need to first qualify Zheng He's authority and autonomy in deciding on these strategies and actions for the grand voyages that he led.