SLEEPY LUBUK CHINA

Sharing this article from my brother about our Kampong @ Lubok China

By: Norajelan Maamor

Posted on FB : 1 March 2021

This is a brief history of my hometown Lubuk China, a border town between Negeri Sembilan and Malacca.

Sungei Rembau that run across it is the common and easiest indicator that seperated the two states.

For those ' Kaki Pancing' , Lubuk China is heaven and it is famous for ' Udang Galah' and variety of fresh water fish. Like they say, where there is Udang, for sure there are Crocodiles. So far there has been no incidents of human landed on the Crocs dining table, touch wood. In fact one of my Datuk, whenever our family came back, he would take a dip in the Croc infested river to catch some Udang Galah by hand. Must have chanted some jampis to tame the Buayas.

Story goes ( from elders in the village) that Lubuk China was initially known as Pengkalan Shahbandar, an inland port that catered for Chinese junks dropping goods and commodities which will later distributed via land to the rest of Negeri Sembilan and Malacca.

Story also goes that the Negeri Sembilan Royalty landed in Linggi and later established their first Istana at a placed named Astana Raja , about 5 kilometer from Lubuk China on the route to Rembau. Apart from the Istana there's Royal Padi field at Sawah Raja.

Raja Melewar , being the first ruler in the 18th century died and buried here. The capital was later moved to present day Seri Menanti.

Today, only a replica of his palace cum Museum was erected at the exact spot in Kampung Astana Raja and a Makam not far from it.

Pengkalan Shahbandar was quite a busy inland port that handled mostly transactions, goods and commodities from Chinese junks that stopped there.

Of the many stories that related to how it changed its name to Lubuk China, one that was commonly accepted was that a group of the chinese sailors jumped aboard to take a dip in the river, but then , they never surfaced until many hours later, all dead. At that very spot that marked the incidence it was later called ' Lubuk China Mati, and many years later the word Mati was dropped for Feng Shui reason or perhaps for convenience.

Today, Lubuk China is no longer a sleepy ' Cowboy Town'. A newly developed township with new shop houses and residential taman has invited establishements like 99 Speedmart and even a 711 oulet. What ever progress it went through, the one thing that still remain unchanged is its peace and harmony.

I love my Kampung and never missed a chance to go back and enjoy that peace and serenity.

Whatever stories that I shared about this beautiful kampung and border town are collection of stories that I heard from elders, most are no longer with us,....I truly missed their company and stories.

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17 January 2024 > 5 Rejab 1445H: 12.35 am