Neldy Jolo
Some of the seven naval sails of Laksamana Cheng Ho were dropped by Sulu Archipelago. Year 1405 was the enthronement of Sayyid Abu Bakr, the Sulu first Sultan as Paduka Mahasari Maulana Sultan Sharif Al-Hashim.
1405 was also the year that China sent mission to Sulu, and 1405 also the year when Emperor Yung Lu first entrusted his favour to Cheng Ho as the admiral of the gigantic armada designated for international tributary missions.
It was usual to Laksamana Cheng Ho to erect landmark at mountain or hilly place in the country they sailed to. In 1409, he brought stone tablet to be erected in Sri Lanka, it is presently known as “Galle Trilingual Inscription” erected in 1411 in Galle.
Upon Cheng Ho’s arrival to Sulu Archipelago, specifically at Tanjung, Jolo in 1408, he left his companion Pei Pei Hsien to settle in Jolo when Pei Pei Hsien aboard Sam Po Kong fleet fell sick. Pei Pei Hsien stationed and lives at Maubuh for about eight years after his transfer from Tanjung.
Pei Pei Hsien built a deep-well artesian as the symbol of gratitude for the hospitality the Sulu native people, the Tausug. Upon his death he was buried at Jati Tunggal, Indanan.
His tomb is right now known as Poon Tao Kong and Poon Tao Kong become known as a Chinese temple in Sulu Archipelago. Poon Tao Kong temple are also found in Bongao and Siasi, Sulu.
Gregorio Zaide said as mentioned in Chinese records Pan Tao Kong or Pei Pon Tao died on 26 December 1405 while the ship of Laksamana Cheng Ho was anchored in Jolo shore during the their first voyage to the Malay and Sulu Archipelago. He was the Chinese tribute collector. 26 December was the date that brought Chinese residence in Jolo to make pilgrimage to his tomb every year.
If this would be the case, the tribute mission that China did to Sulu in 1405 was coincided with the enthronement of Sayyid Abu Bakr as first Sulu Sultan on 17 November 1405. Tausug historian shall still look for Chinese records to prove that Pei Pei Hsien died in 1408 and Pei Pon Tao died in 1405 in Tanjung, Jolo, Sulu are the same person.
In 1415, Lakasaman Cheng Ho second in command Wang Jinghong was buried in Indonesia after his stay in Simongan, Semarang passed through Jawa Sea. A proof of their visit was a landmark called Kelenteng Sam Po Kong with statue known as Mbah Ledakar Dampo Awang Sam Po Kong, the same name with the fleet boarded by Pei Pei Hsien that visited to Sulu Archipelago. They also docked at Muara jati, Cirebon.
Günter Schwarz & Rosalinda Morgado-Schwarz wrote in the article Philippine Chronology, Laksamana Cheng Ho trip to Sulu Archipelago now renamed Philippines was sent by Emperor Yung Lu with a large fleet of around 60 ships.
The last voyage that Cheng Ho had was during the reign of Emperor Xuande in 1426- 1435. Cheng Ho died during this last voyage where his tomb never found until today. Although it was known today his tomb is in Nanjing, China but has been proven as empty.
This was brought to the notion that he was buried at sea like other admirals. Some historians believe Cheng Ho was buried at the Malabar sea coast near Calicut, Wes India. According to the oral tradition of the Tausug, there is a lost tomb beside the Poon Tao Kong Temple in Jolo that is believed to be the tomb of Laksamaan Cheng Ho.
Laksamana Cheng Ho was a descendant of a certain Bayan through a Persian Sayyid Ajjal Shams Al-Din Omar that was working during the Mongol Empire and was serving as Yunnan Governor during early Yuan Dynasty. He was known as Zheng Ho, Ma He, Mahmud Shams, Ma Sanbao (three jewels) that was born in 1371 and was a second son of a Muslim family.
Every 11 July of the year, Chinese celebrated the Maritime Day to commemorate the memory of Cheng Ho. He was named Cheng Ho by Prince Zhu Di when his horse was killed in a battle outside of Zhenglunba. Since Laksamana Cheng Ho is Ahlul Bait of Rasul, Nabi Muhammad (s.a.w) he should be addressed as Laksamana Habib Sayyid Mahmud Shams Al-Din Omar.
Laksamana Cheng Ho is related to Sayyid Abu Bakr since both are descendant of Ahlul Bait that bears the noble title of “Sayyid”.
Lakasamana Cheng Ho brought Tin coins made of copper minted in China under the authority of Ming Emperor along with the silver seal to be given as a gift to any country they harboured. In their voyages he never seeks for gold, silver, slaves and spices as European did.
There were an ancient coins discovered by the David M. Glickman while doing scuba diving in the Gulf of Siam. These coins are an authentic Chinese coin minted during the Sung Dynasty (960 A.D. - 1279 A.D.) and subsequently recovered from the Chinese shipwreck of the Yung Lo period of the early Ming Dynasty. Laksamana Cheng Ho used these historic coins as legal tender during his voyage.
Sulu Sultanate as an “Island country of Southeast Asia” is soon to use the currency known as Pilak that is made of gold, silver and copper as Tausug have been using this before the colonial administration arrived to the shore of Sulu. Extensive research about Sulu-China ancient relations shall be conducted soon, for it is the first relations that linked China to trade with the present Philippines.
That is why Tausug doesn’t want to be called Filipino or the people of the Philippines. They are Tausug and the people of Sulu, thus Sulu is not part of the Philippines. Filipino is not Tausug and Tausug is not Filipino!
Laksamana Cheng Ho navigational skills to explore the world prove that China is a great nation. Sulu also has then a navigator named Bahatol that guided Europeans to sail along Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea and other seas in Likusantara using moon and stars as guide.
The legendary sails of Laksamana Cheng Ho to Sulu Archipelago were one of the symbols of greatness and freedom of the Tausug Citizens back then to trade with other country of nation such as sleeping giant of the east, China!
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