KINGDOM OF FU-KAN-TU-LU
That is a very specific and insightful historical reference. You are referring to Professor Wang Gungwu’s identification of the place name Fukantulu (or Fu-kan-tu-lu) in ancient Chinese maritime records.
In his seminal work, The Nanhai Trade, Professor Wang Gungwu analyzed the geographical data from the Jin Shu (History of the Jin Dynasty) and other early texts. He argued that Fukantulu was a significant port of call for early trade between China and the West.
Why Fukantulu is Linked to Old Kedah
The identification of Fukantulu as Kedah (specifically the Bujang Valley area) is based on several factors:
- Geographical Positioning: Chinese records describe the voyage from the South China Sea through the Straits of Malacca. Fukantulu appears at a point that aligns with the northern entrance of the Straits, a position Kedah has held for centuries as a "landfall" for sailors crossing the Bay of Bengal.
- Phonetic Reconstruction: Scholars of historical linguistics have attempted to reconstruct the Middle Chinese pronunciation of Fu-kan-tu-lu. Many believe it corresponds to a local name or perhaps a variation of "Pugam" or a precursor to the name "Kataha" (the Sanskrit name for Kedah).
- The "Nanhai" Route: Wang Gungwu’s research focused on the 3rd to 6th centuries. During this time, Kedah emerged as a vital entrepôt where traders waited for the monsoon winds. Identifying Fukantulu as Kedah fills a crucial gap in our understanding of the early "Maritime Silk Road."
Significance of the Identification
If Fukantulu is indeed Old Kedah, it establishes Kedah as one of the oldest recorded trading states in the Malay Peninsula, predating the rise of Srivijaya. It places the Bujang Valley at the center of a global network connecting the Jin Dynasty in China with the Roman and Indian worlds.
Note: While Professor Wang Gungwu's work is foundational, historical geography is often debated. Some later scholars have suggested alternative locations on the Isthmus of Kra or in Sumatra, but the "Old Kedah" theory remains one of the most prominent due to the extensive archaeological evidence (Hindu-Buddhist candis) found in the Bujang Valley.
In the study of early Southeast Asian history, Paul Wheatley is considered the "gold standard" for interpreting Chinese maritime records, particularly in his 1961 masterpiece, The Golden Khersonese.
While Wang Gungwu provided the foundational identification of Fukantulu as Old Kedah, Wheatley expanded the methodology by cross-referencing Chinese texts with Arabic, Sanskrit, and Greek records to create a "historical geography" of the Malay Peninsula.
1. Paul Wheatley’s Interpretation
Wheatley agreed with Wang Gungwu regarding the significance of Fukantulu, but his approach was more focused on the mechanics of the voyage described in the Liang Shu (History of the Liang Dynasty) and the Jin Shu.
- Topographical Landmarks: Wheatley meticulously mapped the "sailing directions" found in Chinese texts. He argued that Fukantulu was not just a name, but a specific landmark. In the records, it is described as being reached after a certain number of "days" of sailing from the "Great Gulf" (Gulf of Thailand). Wheatley concluded that the phonetic Fu-kan-tu-lu likely represented the Bujang Valley because it was the first major landfall with a deep-water harbor available after rounding the peninsula.
- The "Landfall" Theory: Wheatley emphasized that early sailors didn't just pick ports; they were dictated by the Monsoon winds. He argued that Kedah (as Fukantulu) was the primary "waiting station" for ships preparing to cross the Bay of Bengal toward India.
2. The Great Debate: "Fukantulu" vs. "Chieh-cha"
Wheatley and other historians often had to reconcile different names for the same place across different eras:
- Wang Gungwu’s Era (3rd–6th Century): Focused on Fukantulu as the early name used during the Jin/Liang dynasties.
- I-Ching’s Era (7th Century): The famous Chinese monk I-Ching referred to it as Chieh-cha (a phonetic rendering of Kataha or Kedah). Wheatley noted that the shift from Fukantulu to Chieh-cha in Chinese records represented a transition from "vague phonetic labels" to a more "direct Sanskrit-to-Chinese" translation as Indian influence grew in the region.
3. Other Major Historical Interpretations
Beyond Wang Gungwu and Wheatley, other scholars have added layers to this history:
- O.W. Wolters (The "Pre-Srivijaya" Theory): Wolters argued that before Srivijaya dominated the Straits in the late 7th century, a series of independent "single-port polities" existed. He viewed Fukantulu (Kedah) as the most powerful of these, acting as a direct competitor to early Sumatran ports.
- Roland Braddell: An earlier historian (writing in the 1930s-40s), Braddell was one of the first to suggest that many of these "lost cities" in Chinese records were actually in the Isthmus of Kra (Southern Thailand/Northern Malaysia). He often debated with Wheatley on whether these ports were on the east coast or the west coast of the peninsula.
- Derek Heng: A more contemporary historian, Heng has used archaeological data (ceramics and glass beads) to prove that the "Fukantulu" period mentioned by Wang Gungwu matches exactly with the peak of the iron-smelting industry found in the Bujang Valley, providing physical proof for the Chinese written records.
Summary Comparison
Fu-kan-tu-lu (often identified as P’u-kan or Fukantulu) is an ancient toponym found in Chinese dynastic records, specifically those of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE). It is widely considered by historians and archaeologists to be one of the earliest recorded names for a kingdom or trade hub in the ancient Kedah region of the Malay Peninsula.
Key Facts About Fu-kan-tu-lu
- Historical Records: It is mentioned in the Hanshu (Book of Han) as a destination or port reachable by sea. Records suggest a 10-day overland journey connected it to another ancient site, Shen-li (possibly near modern-day Chumphon or Ranong in Thailand).
- Geographic Link: Modern research often identifies this kingdom with the Lembah Bujang (Bujang Valley) and Sungai Batu civilizations in Kedah, Malaysia.
- Ancient Industry: The region was a global powerhouse for iron smelting as early as 788 BCE, long before the rise of better-known Southeast Asian empires.
- Trade Significance: As part of the "Maritime Silk Road," Fu-kan-tu-lu was a critical entrepôt for traders from India, China, and the Arab world. It was renowned for high-quality iron ingots, which were highly sought after across Eurasia.
Archaeological Significance in 2025
Recent excavations in Sungai Batu continue to rewrite Southeast Asian history. As of 2025, findings confirm that this civilization predates Cambodia’s Angkor Wat and Indonesia’s Borobudur by several centuries, with some ritual sites and jetties dating back over 2,500 years.
If you are interested in visiting these ruins, you can explore the Sungai Batu Archaeological Site or the Lembah Bujang Archaeological Museum for the latest exhibits on ancient Kedah's iron-age maritime power.
The identification of Fu-kan-tu-lu (also spelled Fukantulu) as ancient Kedah is primarily based on the Hanshu (Book of Han), one of China's most significant dynastic histories.
Primary Record: The Hanshu (Book of Han)
Completed in 111 CE, this text covers the Western Han period (206 BCE – 23 CE) and contains some of the earliest Chinese descriptions of maritime routes.
- Context: In the "Treatise on Geography" (Dilizhi), the text describes a voyage from China to the "Western Oceans".
- The Route: It records a kingdom called Shen-li (identified with the Isthmus of Kra region), from which travelers could travel overland for 10 days to reach Fu-kan-tu-lu.
- Significance: This 10-day journey is historically interpreted as the trans-peninsular route across the Malay Peninsula, ending at a major port on the west coast, specifically Kedah (Sungai Batu/Bujang Valley).
Supporting Records
While the Hanshu provides the earliest specific mention of the name, later Chinese records corroborate the region's importance:
- Tongdian (Tang Dynasty, 801 CE): Mentions a kingdom called Ge-luo (or Keluo), which it states was known since the Han Dynasty. Historians identify Ge-luo as a later transcription of the same Kedah region.
- Xīn Táng Shū (New Book of Tang): Records the kingdom of Chieh-ch’a (or Jiecha), another transcription for Kedah, noting it as a bustling meeting place for merchants.
- Travels of Yi-Jing (7th Century): The famous monk Yi-Jing (I-Ching) documented his stop in Jiecha (Kedah) on his way to India, describing it as a key Buddhist and trading center.
Archaeological Confirmation
These ancient texts were once considered legendary until modern excavations:
- Sungai Batu: Remains of iron smelting workshops and jetties dating back to 788 BCE support the records of a sophisticated industrial society that would have been well-known to early Chinese traders.
- Current Research (2025): Malaysia and China have recently formalised partnerships to further investigate these archival materials in China to better understand the early trade links between the Han Dynasty and ancient Kedah.
28/12/2025: 9.07 P.M
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