The text concerns offerings made by him and others to the mountain Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) in Sri Lanka. The Chinese inscription mentions offerings to Buddha, the Persian in Perso-Arabic script to Allah and the Tamil inscription mentions offering to Tenavarai Nayanar (Hindu god Vishnu).[2][3] The admiral invoked the blessings of Hindu deities here for a peaceful world built on trade.[4] The stele was discovered in Galle in 1911 and is now preserved in the Colombo National Museum.
On his third voyage, Zheng He sailed from China in 1409, and carried with him the trilingual tablet which he planned to erect in Sri Lanka. The date equates to 15 February 1409, indicating that it was inscribed in Nanjing before the fleet set out. The Chinese portion gives praise to the Buddha and records lavish offerings in his honour.
The tablet was found by an engineer, S. H. Thomlin, in 1911 in Galle. It can now be seen in the national museum in Sri Lanka. A modern replica of the stele has been installed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjing, along with copies of other steles associated with the voyages of Zheng He .
1,000 pieces of gold; 5,000 pieces of silver; 50 rolls of embroideredsilk in many colours; 50 rolls of silk taffeta, in many colours; 4 pairs of jewelled banners, gold embroidered and of variegated silk, 2 pairs of the same picked in red, one pair of the same in yellow, one pair in black; 5 antique brass incense burners; 5 pairs of antique brass flowervases picked in gold on lacquer, with gold stands; 5 yellow brass lamps picked in gold on lacquer with gold stands; 5 incense vessels in vermilion red, gold picked on lacquer, with gold stands; 6 pairs of golden lotus flowers; 2,500 catties of scented oil; 10 pairs of waxcandles; 10 sticks of fragrant incense.
Dateedit
The date of 15 February 1409 on the Galle Trilingual Inscription possibly refers to when the trilingual inscription was erected in Galle, indicating that it was put up during the homeward journey of the second voyage.[1] If not, the inscription could have been prepared in China and erected between 1410 when the fleet arrived at Galle to 1411 during the third voyage.[5]J. J. L. Duyvendak (1939) states that the inscription must have been prepared in China on 15 February 1409 and erected during the third expedition (1409–1411), because he thinks that the 15 February 1409 date is connected to the dates for the conference of honors to two deities, Tianfei (天妃) on 21 January 1409 and Nanhaishen (南海神) on 15 February 1409.[6]
Galleryedit
Galle inscription (modern replica), Top half.
Galle inscription (modern replica), bottom half.
Referencesedit
^ abDreyer, Edward L. (2007). Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405–1433. New York: Pearson Longman. p. 66. ISBN978-0321084439.
^Dewaraja, Lorna (2006). "Cheng Ho's Visits to Sri Lanka and the Galle Trilingual Inscription in the National Museum in Colombo". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. 52: 59–74. JSTOR 23731298.
^Society, Sri Lanka Geographical (1951). Bulletin. University of Colombo. p. 394. It is also interesting to note that in much later times Galle was a port frequented by many merchants. A trilingual slab containing inscriptions in Chinese, Persian and Tamil was discovered in Galle. The Chinese and Persian inscriptions refer to money and material set apart by merchants for festivals connected with Adam's Peak, while the Tamil inscription refers to a great festival at Devinuwara or Dondra.
^Robert D. Kaplan. (2010) Monsoon: The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power
^Dreyer, Edward L. (2007). Zheng He: China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty, 1405–1433. New York: Pearson Longman. p. 72. ISBN978-0321084439.
^Duyvendak, J. J. L. (1939). "The True Dates of the Chinese Maritime Expeditions in the Early Fifteenth Century". T'oung Pao. 34 (5): 369. doi:10.1163/156853238X00171. JSTOR 4527170.
Further readingedit
Xinhua News Agency (2005), Zheng He: A Peaceful Mariner and Diplomat.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zheng He Galle Stele.
The trilingual inscription of Admiral Zheng He [Cheng Ho] 20 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
December 07, 2023
galle, trilingual, inscription, stone, tablet, with, inscription, three, languages, chinese, tamil, persian, located, galle, lanka, dated, february, 1409, installed, chinese, admiral, zheng, galle, during, grand, voyages, galle, trilingual, inscription, displa. The Galle Trilingual Inscription is a stone tablet with an inscription in three languages Chinese Tamil and Persian located in Galle Sri Lanka Dated 15 February 1409 it was installed by the Chinese admiral Zheng He in Galle during his grand voyages 1 Galle Trilingual InscriptionGalle Trilingual inscription as displayed in the Colombo National Museum of Sri Lanka in December 2011MaterialstoneWritingChinese Tamil and PersianDiscovered1911GalleDiscovered byS H ThomlinPresent locationNational Museum of ColomboThe text concerns offerings made by him and others to the mountain Sri Pada Adam s Peak in Sri Lanka The Chinese inscription mentions offerings to Buddha the Persian in Perso Arabic script to Allah and the Tamil inscription mentions offering to Tenavarai Nayanar Hindu god Vishnu 2 3 The admiral invoked the blessings of Hindu deities here for a peaceful world built on trade 4 The stele was discovered in Galle in 1911 and is now preserved in the Colombo National Museum On his third voyage Zheng He sailed from China in 1409 and carried with him the trilingual tablet which he planned to erect in Sri Lanka The date equates to 15 February 1409 indicating that it was inscribed in Nanjing before the fleet set out The Chinese portion gives praise to the Buddha and records lavish offerings in his honour The tablet was found by an engineer S H Thomlin in 1911 in Galle It can now be seen in the national museum in Sri Lanka A modern replica of the stele has been installed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjing along with copies of other steles associated with the voyages of Zheng He Contents 1 Offerings 2 Date 3 Gallery 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksOfferings edit1 000 pieces of gold 5 000 pieces of silver 50 rolls of embroidered silk in many colours 50 rolls of silk taffeta in many colours 4 pairs of jewelled banners gold embroidered and of variegated silk 2 pairs of the same picked in red one pair of the same in yellow one pair in black 5 antique brass incense burners 5 pairs of antique brass flower vases picked in gold on lacquer with gold stands 5 yellow brass lamps picked in gold on lacquer with gold stands 5 incense vessels in vermilion red gold picked on lacquer with gold stands 6 pairs of golden lotus flowers 2 500 catties of scented oil 10 pairs of wax candles 10 sticks of fragrant incense Date editThe date of 15 February 1409 on the Galle Trilingual Inscription possibly refers to when the trilingual inscription was erected in Galle indicating that it was put up during the homeward journey of the second voyage 1 If not the inscription could have been prepared in China and erected between 1410 when the fleet arrived at Galle to 1411 during the third voyage 5 J J L Duyvendak 1939 states that the inscription must have been prepared in China on 15 February 1409 and erected during the third expedition 1409 1411 because he thinks that the 15 February 1409 date is connected to the dates for the conference of honors to two deities Tianfei 天妃 on 21 January 1409 and Nanhaishen 南海神 on 15 February 1409 6 Gallery edit nbsp Galle inscription modern replica Top half nbsp Galle inscription modern replica bottom half References edit a b Dreyer Edward L 2007 Zheng He China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty 1405 1433 New York Pearson Longman p 66 ISBN 978 0321084439 Dewaraja Lorna 2006 Cheng Ho s Visits to Sri Lanka and the Galle Trilingual Inscription in the National Museum in Colombo Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka 52 59 74 JSTOR 23731298 Society Sri Lanka Geographical 1951 Bulletin University of Colombo p 394 It is also interesting to note that in much later times Galle was a port frequented by many merchants A trilingual slab containing inscriptions in Chinese Persian and Tamil was discovered in Galle The Chinese and Persian inscriptions refer to money and material set apart by merchants for festivals connected with Adam s Peak while the Tamil inscription refers to a great festival at Devinuwara or Dondra Robert D Kaplan 2010 Monsoon The Indian Ocean and the Future of American Power Dreyer Edward L 2007 Zheng He China and the Oceans in the Early Ming Dynasty 1405 1433 New York Pearson Longman p 72 ISBN 978 0321084439 Duyvendak J J L 1939 The True Dates of the Chinese Maritime Expeditions in the Early Fifteenth Century T oung Pao 34 5 369 doi 10 1163 156853238X00171 JSTOR 4527170 Further reading editXinhua News Agency 2005 Zheng He A Peaceful Mariner and Diplomat External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Zheng He Galle Stele The trilingual inscription of Admiral Zheng He The trilingual inscription of Admiral Zheng He Cheng Ho Archived 20 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Galle Trilingual Inscription amp oldid 1144281105, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
