Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Princess Masna visited ancient Brunei King tomb

Bruneian Princess pays homage to tomb of ancient Bruneian king in China

Brunei Princess Hajah Masna paid homage to the tomb of an ancient Bruneian king in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province on Thursday.

Masna and her party visited the cemetery of the king of ancient Boni Kingdom (present-day Brunei) Thursday morning, accompanied by senior Chinese diplomats.

The Princess also unveiled a China-Brunei friendship memorial there and donated gifts to it.

According to historical records, the king of Boni Kingdom led a 150-member delegation to China for a friendly visit in August 1408 following Zheng He, an ancient Chinese navigator.

Unfortunately, he died in Nanjing and his remains were buried in the southern suburb in accordance with his last words. Zheng He, a Chinese navigator in the Ming Dynasty, traveled to southeast Asia, west Asia and east Africa on seven occasions between 1405 and 1433 with large fleets. In the years of Zheng's voyage, at least 11 heads of ancient kingdoms, including the king of Boni Kingdom, visited China.

Source: Xinhua News Agency, April 7th 2006.

-----------------------------------------------------

Jiangsu province in the People's Republic of China yesterday opened the China-Brunei Friendship Hall, an exhibition hall of Bruneian Culture and Heritage, situated in the Brunei Heritage Garden.

Her Royal Highness Princess Hajah Masna, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, officiated the opening ceremony of the Friendship Hall. Her Royal Highness is on an official visit to China.

The Garden is a historical site surrounding the tomb of an ancient Ruler of Brunei, Maharaja Karna, who died while visiting China in the 1400s.

In Her Royal Highness's speech to officiate the opening of the Friendship Hall, Her Royal Highness expressed appreciation to the Jiangsu people for their effort in restoring and maintaining the valuable historic site that signifies relations between Brunei and China. The Vice Mayor of Nanjing, Madam Xu Huiling, also delivered a speech. She welcomed Her Royal Highness to Nanjing and thanked Her Royal Highness for further strengthening the good relations between Brunei and China.

Throughout the official visit, Her Royal Highness is accompanied by her husband, Pengiran Lela Cheteria Sahibun Najabah Pengiran Anak Haji Abdul Aziz bin Pengiran Jaya Negara Pengiran Hj Abu Bakar.

Source: Borneo Bulletin, April 7th 2006. Boost for China-Brunei Ties.

-----------------------

wish they have picture of the place....

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

The kingdoms of Butuan and Sulu are recorded as having sent the earliest missions from the Philippines to China. Butuan established diplomatic relations with China through a tribute mission in 1003. The Sultan of Sulu paid tribute to Emperor Yong Lo in 1417 and died in Dezhou, Shandong, on his way back to Sulu.

And there was another place, called Kumalarang, whose king also led a mission to China in 1420 and also died in China on his way back in 1421. The king was buried in Fuzhou, Fujian province. However, Kumala­rang is rarely or never mentioned in our history books.


What is more interesting is that among the three Southeast Asian kings who died in China, two were from the Philippines. Sultan Paduka Batara of Sulu died in Dezhou in 1417, and King Ula-itunpen of Kumalarang died in Fuzhou in 1421. The third was the sultan of Brunei, who died in Nanjing in 1408.

The Sulu sultan’s imperial tomb in Dezhou, Shandong, is well preserved and has been declared a national heritage site.
-----
Source: The Manila, June 2nd 2005

4th Dr. Jose P. Rizal Awards For Excellence

Gems of History

Kumalarang and China

By Bo Gon Juan

Times,

Anonymous said...

The Chinese Buddhist monk Fa Hsien, returning from a pilgrimage to India, stopped off at a site believed to be located somewhere on the west coast of Borneo in AD 414. In 1958, a royal tomb was discovered outside Nanking, China: it had been built for a ruler of the kingdom of P'o-ni (located in northern Borneo) who died while visiting China in 1408.

------

Source: http://www.hawaii.edu/cseas/pubs/brunei/brunei.html

Anonymous said...

A frequent occurrence during Zheng He's voyages was that of countries reciprocating his visits by sending envoys in the wake of his fleet. After one voyage, diplomatic missions from 16 nations followed him to China. According to historical records, kings from at least four countries sailed to China in response to Zheng He's visits.


In 1408, the king of Brunei, his wife and family members and ministers - an entourage totaling 150 people -- came to China and were treated with the highest courtesy. Emperor Chengzu presented them with gifts of furniture, silver tableware, horses and garments. Unfortunately, one month after his arrival in China, the king of Brunei fell ill and, despite the Ming emperor's personal physician's ministrations, died. In his will the king requested that he be buried in China. The emperor declared three days of mourning and built a mausoleum to the king outside Nanjing's Ande Gate. The mausoleum still stands, and is testimony to the long-lasting friendship between the two nations

Source: http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e2005/e200507/p60.htm

Anonymous said...

Tuesday, June 07, 2005


Chinese Sulu heirs get chance to see RP


AFTER 588 years, the Chinese descendants of the Sultan of Sulu will finally see their ancestral land.

An Jin Tian, An Yan Chun and Wen Hai Jun, direct descendants of Sultan Paduka Batara, who died in Dezhou and Shandong province in China in the 15th century, were scheduled to arrive in Manila aboard a China Southern flight Monday night on invitation of the Chinese Filipino nongovernment organization, Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Associations of the Philippines.

Their trip is part of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China.

Accompanied by Kaisa officials, the trio will visit Jolo Saturday for the historic reunion with their long-lost relatives. They are also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Arroyo June 8.

In 1417, Batara, with a retinue of 340, traveled to the Chinese Imperial Court in Beijing to pay tribute to the Ming emperor, Yong Lee.

On his way back to Sulu, Batara fell ill and died in Shandong in eastern China. He was accorded an imperial burial.

Batara’s eldest son, Dumahan, returned to Sulu to take over his father’s reign. The Sultan’s younger sons, Wenhala and Andulu, stayed behind to observe the three-year mourning period. Later, they decided to make China their home.

An Jin Tian, 17th generation, An Yan Chun and Wen Hai Jun, both 18th generation, are direct descendants of Wenhala and Andulu.

None of the Sultan’s descendants, who are now farmers in Shandong, have visited the Philippines, but they remember their origins.

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2005/jun/07/yehey/top_stories/20050607top7.html

Anonymous said...

The Great Brunei Empire also known(Bor-nai, Barunai, Borni, Po-ni,)Sultan of Brunei Dar us-Salam, In his reign Brunei became a great Imperial power in the region and extended its influence over large parts of Borneo and the Philippines, including the sultanates of Sulu and Mindanao.See detais @ http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Brunei/brunei3.htm

Anonymous said...

it would be interesting if the Spanish could publish historical documents on southeast asia, and of BRunei in particular, if there's any so that we could learn more about the History of BRunei in the 15th and 16th century