KUNLUN THE MASTER OF THE SEA

Resource : Sungai Batu 788 BC : The Great Kingdom of Kedah Tua

We have discussed about Kunlun people in three series in the past. Kunlun was a master of the sea. They are the backbone of the maritime kingdom of Southeast Asia. Kunlun Bo is the name of trade vessel that came from South Sea, the name given by Chinese empire that referred to Malay Archipelago, southern Vietnam and Cambodia. Kunlun Bo as recorded in many Chinese account as gargantuan ship. They not allowed to enter the wharf at Guangzhou port immediately as their arrival, instead have to let the smaller ship to depart first to enable Kunlun Bo to have ample space to longside at the wharf. Kunlun Bo were believed built , crewed and navigated by Kunlun men, while the vessel belong to Malay ruling ethnic. Kunlun people, as many researcher agreed, belong to Malay ethnic and it was discussed in several research papers.

Waruno Mahdi in his research, "In search of an historical Sea-People Malay dialect with -aba-", says that Kunlun derived from the word 'Hulun'. Hulun was first known thru Telaga Batu Inscription, where it was written Hulun Haji, meaning King's Slave. Hulun is slave, Haji is King. These were consistent to Chinese account as some Kunlun were said as slave. And some says they are not slave, instead of servant. But the same inscription mentioned about servant too. Marsī Hāji mean King's Servant.

Probably, Hulun Haji was not designated to only one tribe, rather it may comprise of other tribes too. But it might be dominated by one tribe and over the time this tribe was called Kunlun in history accounts. Hence, more study needed to describe the word Hulun and their roles since Kunlun slave or Kunlunnu as Chinese address them were widely discussed in Southeast Asia maritime, trade and tributary to China. This article attemp to resolve the description of Hulun or Kunlun.

It was believed that Kunlun have settle down in China due to trade, maritime and diplomatic activities and relationship. It was said that a reputable Kunlun men were appointed as port official in China as to facilitate the cargo that brought by Kunlun Bo, i.e Kunlun trade vessel and others that came from Southeast Asia.

Apart of dark skin, large eyes, wavy hair and big nose as the typical attributes of Kunlun, they also known as mystical and supernatural person among the Chinese court and commoner. They wear a long piece of fabric draped diagonally over one shoulder, a lower body covered in a sarong, and several accessories that include gold earrings and a necklace.

In some occasion they were placed in special status. Kunlun resembled statue was also found in burial ground of Emperor Taizhong as to accompany the dead into another world. Meanwhile Kunlun sculpture also found in Korean Royal tomb !. Meaning, Kunlun people have reached Korea, probably thru China by emigration or trade mission or present by the King who owned them.

It was said that, occasionally, the Kings of tributary states offer their Hulun to Chinese Emperor as a diplomatic affair.

In foreign land, Kunlun images can be found in Buddhist art and funerary ground. Buddhist art meaning a drawing that posses Buddhism elements. In Dunhuang Mogaoku in China, a cave drawing found where Kunlun were depicted as lion and elephant tamer. They were believed having the supernatural ability to taming the wild beast. In a Chinese poem, it was said that a Kunlun man rodes a white elephant and seizes a lion by scruffing the lion's neck.

In Korea, a similar image of Kunlun was also found at Kujong-dong royal tomb. But this time it was on stone pillar with the sculpture of Kunlun man and a standing lion. Those images on the cave wall and in royal tomb depicted that the Kunlun man holding a long stick which believed a stick to tame the wild animal. It also indicated that Kunlun man has its unique status when the sculpture resembling them was part of royal tomb.

The researchers are clueless about the stick and simply name it as polo stick, since it looks like one. ( while the Malays and Nusantara in general believe that stick name 'kayu tas' has a mystical power against wild beast)

There was a popular Chinese tale where a Kunlun man name Mo Le who have a supernatural ability that can jump from one roof to another and climbing a high wall while carrying his master to meet his lover and help both of them to escape from the girl's place. This story of Mo Le always become a subject whenever Kunlun people in China being discussed in various avenues.

Eventhough some describe them as slave, but they are not ordinary slave. They are the King's slave. Meaning, public do not look or treat them as a slave, rather look at them as person of the palace. So as in China, some of them were recommended by the King as tributary and given to the Chinese King or royal family and they posses their own status. Slave to King, Emperor and royal family does not mean a slavery in common description.

Anyway, who and where the Kunlun now. Where and what happen to the Malay tribe that once known and works in Srivijaya palace and called Hulun Haji. And probably, for some who do not work in palace by the name Hulun Haji, they are the great seamen and works as navigator and crews to the King's ship and serve as soldiers.

It was known that the sea people played important roles in helping Parameswara to established Malacca port by 'communicating' and 'instructing' the passing-by vessel to stop at Malacca to trade and get the necessary privision. Seletar and Duano people and other sea people tribe were well known for their loyalty to Malay Kings along the history of Malay Sultanate before British came.

Some researchers believed most of the current sea-people was a Kunlun tribe of Srivijaya time or even earlier.

Urak Lawoi was among the sea-people who lives in Straits of Malacca and currently concentrated in Pulau Adang Archipelago believes that their ancestral place was in Gunung Jerai. But since they do not embrace Islam, slowly they isolate themselves and moved to the north and lives in the islands and shore nearby Satun. The self isolation might begin as early 11th century when the King of Kedah embraced Islam. After centuries lives in south Thailand islands and shores, they were invited to live and settle in Pulau Adang in Thai territory for strategic reasons.

The similarity of all those current sea-people, in the north or south of Peninsula like Seletar, Urak Lawoi, Moken, Moklen, that their faith and belief were animisme. Even.though, some tribe like Duano convert into Islam, but the animism still practiced in certain occasion.

We would like to repeat the above paragraph that although Kunlun might derived from Hulun, but they are not ordinary hulun or slave. They are King's slave. Meaning, in public, people do not look or treat them as a slave, rather look at them as person who works in palace or close to palace. So as in China, some of them were recommended by the King as tributary and given to the Chinese Emperor or royal family and they posses their own unique status in the eyes of the King and public. Slave to King, Emperor and royal family does not mean a slavery in common description.

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14/11/2020 : 28 Rabiulawal 1442H; 6.28 pm