SIX hundred years ago, he was a shining star of the sea. We know Cheng Ho, that grand admiral, by his physical description: he stood over 2 meters tall, was handsome, had thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a loud and piercing voice that sounded like the ringing of a giant bell. And he had an amazing fleet.

In that time, a man once stood at the southernmost point of Sri Lankaa witness to an astonishing view. At first, the man said, it looked like a d