Paduka Batara, King of the Eastern Kingdom of Sulu. (CMG-FS)
DEZHOU CITY, China – The 607th anniversary of the visit to China in 1417 of Paduka Batara, King of the Eastern Kingdom of Sulu, was recently commemorated here in a ceremony presided over by Princess Jacel Kiram of Sulu.
In an interview with the China Media Group - Servisyo Filipino (CMG-SF), Kiram said Paduka Batara's mausoleum in China is a testament that Sulu was once a great nation.
"That's why, every time I come here we offer prayer for the departed, I can't help but be emotional," the princess said.
For the current Filipino-Chinese relationship to move forward on the right track, she said it is necessary to strengthen exchanges and people-to-people relations, similar to commemorating Paduka Batara's contribution to the relationship between the Filipinos and the Chinese.
“As I said, what Paduka Batara did was really great because until now, we are benefiting from the relationship he has with Emperor Yong Le. Every time I go to China, I feel like I'm not a different person. I feel how much I am welcomed. I feel the warmth and hospitality of every Chinese I meet," she added.
Kiram emphasized that it is good for the Philippines and China to have a strong people-to-people relationship, and that political issues must be separated.
The princess said that "we will not join politics because that is only temporary."
She stressed that it has been 607 years since Paduka Batara and Emperor Yong Le became friends, symbolizing Filipino-Chinese relations.
She also urged Filipinos to look back on history and revisit history to see how Filipino and Chinese ancestors’ good relationship can be continued.
"Always, learn from history because in history, we will never make mistakes and we can plan for the future," she said.
Senator Robinhood Padilla also attended the event.
"I told the senator, this story, this tomb, the person lying here is not a Chinese person. The one lying here is a Tausug, from Sulu," the princess said.
Kiram said Padilla plans to make a film about the history of overseas Chinese who helped the Philippines during World War II.
The princess hopes that the Philippines and China will have a joint project so that another movie can be made about the friendship story between Paduka Batara and Emperador Yong Le.
"Thus, this history will spread and show that Filipinos and Chinese have always been united," said Kiram.
The princess also encouraged Filipinos to visit the tomb of Paduka Batara in Dezhou.
"This tomb of Paduka Batara is not just a contribution for the Tausugs. This gives honor to every Filipino, and a solid fact, that in 1521, when the Spanish came to the Philippines, we are not mang-mang, we have an origin. We were a great nation even before Spain conquered us," she said.
Paduka Batara was the King of the Eastern Kingdom of Sulu in the early years of the 1400s.
He traveled to Beijing with his queen, children and entourage in 1417 to trade and visit a close friend, the Ming Dynasty emperor, Zhu Di, also known as Emperor Yong Le.
Unfortunately, Paduka Batara fell ill and died on his way home to Sulu.
When Emperor Yong Le learned of this, he ordered the construction of a grand mausoleum befitting a Chinese prince in the city of Dezhou, to lay his friend's remains.
Paduka Batara's two sons and some loyal soldiers were left behind to guard the mausoleum.
They settled there and raised a family with the local residents.
To this day, their descendants take care of the tomb. (CMG-SF)
