其实有几种说法，有的说是为了寻找当时战败的前任皇帝，有的说是向别的国家耀武扬威。不过大多数人认为七次航行都有不同的目的。比如第一次是安抚南洋的小国，减轻倭寇对中国沿海地方的骚扰。第二次是通商。还有几次是开辟新的航线。
qíshí yǒu jǐ zhǒng shuōfa ，yǒude shuō shì wèile xúnzhǎo dāngshí zhànbài de qián rèn huángdì ，yǒude shuō shì xiàng biéde guójiā yàowǔyángwēi 。bùguò dàduōshù rén rènwéi qī cì hángxíng dōu yǒu bùtóng de mùdì 。bǐrú dì yī cì shì ānfǔ Nányáng de xiǎo guó ，jiǎnqīng wōkòu duì Zhōngguó yánhǎi dìfang de sāorǎo 。dì èr cì shì tōngshāng 。háiyǒu jǐcì shì kāipì xīn de hángxiàn 。
Actually there are a few different theories. Some say it was in order to search for the emperor of that time's defeated predecessor. Some say it was display of power directed at other countries. However, most everybody thinks that each of the 7 trips had different objectives. For example, the first time was to pacify the small countries in the southern sea; in order to decrease the number of places Japanese pirates were harassing along the Chinese coast. The second time was trade. Also, many times it was in order to create new shipping routes.