Rediscovering Sriwijaya: Unearthing Indonesia's Maritime Kingdom

Indonesia's maritime strength is rooted in its history, notably the rediscovery of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya. European scholars initially brought Sriwijaya to light through Chinese historical records. The kingdom's existence was formally postulated in 1918 by French historian George Cœdès. He identified it with the kingdom of Shih-li-fo-shih, mentioned in Chinese texts. The name Sriwijaya appears on the Kedukan Bukit (682 AD) and Talang Tuwo (684 AD) inscriptions near Palembang. I-Tsing, a Chinese Buddhist monk, visited Sriwijaya in 671, staying for six months to learn Sanskrit. By 689, on his return, Sriwijaya's influence had grown, and by 775, it was powerful, with religious buildings in Ligor (Malay Peninsula). I-Tsing described it as a fortified center of Buddhist learning with over a thousand monks. Known as Shih-li-fo-shih, San-fo-ts'i, or San Fo Qi by the Chinese, and Yavadesh or Javadeh in Sanskrit and Pali, Sriwijaya was also called Zabaj by Arabs. Its capital's location is debated, but Pierre-Yves Manguin suggested the Musi River area between Bukit Seguntang and Sabokingking (South Sumatra). The Ligor inscription (775) mentions King Dharmasetu. Sriwijayan ships are depicted in Borobudur Temple reliefs, resembling pinisi boats. Sriwijaya was a thalassocratic empire that thrived from the 7th to 13th centuries, dominating maritime trade in Southeast Asia. Its influence extended across political, religious, economic, and cultural aspects of the region, leaving remnants in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.