Kingdom of Koying According to Chinese News Sources

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INDEPHEDIA.com - The Kingdom of Koying is one of the kingdoms that is thought to have existed on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Regarding the exact location of this kingdom is still debated. However, some historians suspect that the Koying Kingdom was located 5,000 li east of Tu-pho or Chu-po (Tupo, Muara Tebo, Jambi Province).

This kingdom, according to Wikipedia and various sources, was founded around 220 AD and was dissolved in 644 AD.

Regarding the existence of the Koying Kingdom, most of them were obtained from Chinese news sources, both Chinese envoy notes and encyclopedias.

Records made by K'ang-tai, envoy of the Wu dynasty in the south, and Wan-Chen, governor of the Wu dynasty at Tan near Nankin between 222-280, mention the existence of the state of Koying.

Koying's existence was also written up by Tu-Yu. In that text, Koying is referred to as Chia-Ying (375).

In Chinese records it is explained, in the Koying Kingdom there is a volcano (in the north) and there is a bay named Wen in the south. In that bay there is an island called P'u-lei or island.

Regarding this country is also contained in the T'ung-tien encyclopedia written by Tu-yu (375-812) and copied by Ma-tu-an-lin in the Wen-hsien-t'ung-k'ao encyclopedia.

Apart from Koying, in Jambi between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD there were also the Tupo and Kandali or Kantoli kingdoms (Sartono, 1992).

Koying, according to Chinese data, owns a port and has been active in conducting trade, especially with various regions in the western part of Sumatra Island.

Chinese records regarding this matter were obtained from Indian and Funan (Vietnam) sources because the delegation to and direct trade with China had not been carried out.

The population of Koying is reported to have been very numerous and produced areca nut, pearls, gold, silver, jade and rock crystal.

Based on records made during the time of Emperor Wu Di (140 BC – 87 BC) of the Han Dynasty, the name of King Koying was Dewawarman.

The records mention that there was an official relationship between the Han Dynasty and a kingdom in Java or Sumatra.

The kingdom referred to its king named Diao Bian (Dewawarman) in trading pearls, gemstones, antiques, gold and various silk fabrics.

In historical records, Dewawarman held the title of king in the Kingdom of Salakanagara, which stood on the west coast of Pandeglang, Banten, between 130 – 362 AD.

Until the 5th century AD, the existence of Koying, which was once known, especially in Asia, was not heard of anymore.

It is estimated that after Koying relinquished power, the glory of the Koying government gradually faded and eventually disappeared. (*)