Lim Yuan Swee, head of the Malacca Zheng He Research Association, told me that there are more than 200,000 Chinese in Malacca, accounting for nearly one-third of the population of Malacca. The Chinese here regard Zheng He as their ancestor, because the Chinese immigrated to Malacca when Zheng He went to the West in the Ming Dynasty, and without Zheng He, there would be no Malacca Chinese today.
Located in the southeast of Malacca City, Sanbao Mountain covers an area of 106 acres, is 1,009 feet high, and has more than 12,500 graves on the mountain, making it the largest Chinese grave hill outside China.
Source: Vmenkov
Lin Yuanrui said that from the rule of the British colonial government to the independence of Malacca, for more than 170 years, Sanbaoshan has suffered six times of expropriation by various relevant authorities, but each time it was strongly opposed by the Chinese community, and finally turned the danger into a disaster, survived the difficulties again and again, and preserved the integrity of Sanbaoshan.
According to the "Malay Chronicle", the emperor of the Ming Dynasty married Princess Han Libao to Sultan Mansusha, and sent more than 500 palace maids to retinue the princess to settle on a hill with a castle, which was later called the Chinese area, where Zheng He had settled in the West seven times, and the Chinese respected Zheng He very much and loved Sanbao Mountain.
In 184O, the British East India Company wanted to requisition land to build a road in Sanbaoshan, in 1866 the British colonial government again requisitioned Sanbaoshan on the grounds of opening up a road, and in 1920 the British government wanted to requisition the soil of Sanbaoshan for reclamation, all of which were strongly opposed by the Chinese community, and the case was brought to the British Privy Council, and finally won the case and protected Sanbaoshan three times.
On August 24, 1949, the Chinese leaders led by Tan Ching Lok, in order to prevent another dispute over the sovereignty of Samboshan in the future, worked hard to get the Legislative Assembly of the Federation of Malaya to pass the "Ching Wan Pavilion Institution Act". On September 18 of the same year, the Legislative Decree was stamped by the Malay Ruler and British High Commissioner Henry Vanny, and the Ruler clearly stated that the purpose of Sambao Mountain was to be used as a Chinese righteous mountain, and it was the only purpose. This became one of the most powerful legal bases for the Chinese community to defend Sanbaoshan.
Chen Zhenlu (Source: http://www.iseas.edu.sg/)
In 1977, the Umno Urban and Yexin District Associations of Malacca proposed to raze Sambaoshan, and in the face of strong opposition from the Chinese community, Sambaoshan passed the hurdle again. On October 5, 1983, the Malacca state government wanted to bulldoze Sambao Mountain to develop into a commercial zone, and this incident was published in the newspapers, causing a sensation in Malaysia, and the Chinese community in Malaysia unanimously demanded that the Ko state government retain this historical monument with more than 500 years of history, and designate Sambao Mountain as a key historical and cultural relics protection unit, and did not agree to convert Sambao Mountain to other commercial uses. Under the leadership of the general leadership of the 15th Chinese League, the Malaysian Chinese community has launched a series of historic campaigns to defend the sovereignty of Samboshan across Malaysia. The Chief Minister of Malacca finally complied with the will of the Chinese community and agreed not to bulldoze Sambaoshan, and agreed to list Sambaoshan as a historical and cultural area, and handed over Sambaoshan to the Chinese community itself to develop into a historical tourist area.
Three Treasures Temple (Source: Gisling)
Lin Yuanrui proudly said that in 1989, the grand flag-raising ceremony and lantern-passing ceremony held in Sambaoshan, the prelude to the 6th Malaysian Cultural Festival, shook the whole of Malaysia. That night, the 24th festival drums from Johor Bahru inspired the determination of Chinese compatriots to cherish Chinese culture, and thousands of red lanterns ignited the passion of Chinese youth. Although the annual Chinese Cultural Festival is held in alternate states, the cultural flame of Chinese culture in Malaysia will be lit from the beacon on Samboshan Mountain and transmitted to all states. Therefore, in the future, Sambaoshan will become the birthplace of Chinese culture in Malaysia.
CY丨EDITOR
CH丨Editorial review
Han Shengbao丨Author
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