The indonesian capital city of Jakarta is located in the national center area, located in the southeast of sumatra, borneo (Kalimantan) and the java sea to the south, and bali to the west. Java is only the fifth largest island in Indonesia, but with more than half of the country's population, it dominates politically and economically. It has an area of 132,187 km² (including the offshore island of Madura, the main island is 126,000 square kilometers).
Physical geography
terrain
The topography of Java is dominated by mountains and hills, with intervening basins, located on the demise boundary of the Eurasian plate and the Indian Ocean plate.
Geologically active, with many earthquakes and volcanoes. Java is 1064 km long from east to west, about 100 km wide in the middle and 160 km wide at both ends. The island has an east-west longitudinal mountain range with many volcanoes on the ridge, flanked by limestone ridges and lowlands. Java is a region with a lot of volcanic activity, but the number of severe eruptions is minimal; There are 112 volcanoes, of which only 35 are active. Volcanoes congregate in the western part of the island, while the central and eastern parts are more dispersed. The highest volcano is The Semeru Volcano, at 3676 meters above sea level. To the south of the volcanic belt there is a series of disconnected highlands, about 300 meters above sea level.
rivers
Java rivers are short and rapid, with the vast majority of rivers flowing north, as the central mountain range that forms the river's watershed is slightly closer to the southern coast than to the northern coast. However, there are also a number of rivers that flow south. The largest rivers on the island are the Solo and Brantas rivers in eastern Java. Both rivers, as well as many smaller rivers, can be used for irrigation, but only during the rainy season, and only small boats can sail.
climate
Java's climate type is tropical rainforest, hot and humid all year round. The plains along the northern coast have the highest temperatures,
Topographic map of java
The mountains are much cooler. High humidity often creates a debilitating climate. From November to March of the following year, the northwest monsoon period is rainy and cloudy; From April to October, the southeast monsoon period is full of sunny days and little rainfall. The average annual rainfall in Jakarta is about 1760 mm. The average daily maximum temperature in Jakarta is 30 °C, and the lowest is 23 °C. In the inland highlands of Tosari (1735 meters above sea level, the average temperature is 8-22 °C. Because volcanic ash periodically fertilizes the land, the soil of Java is very fertile.
species
The vegetation of Java belongs to the South Asian type, but is related to the Australian type; There are more than 5,000 species of plants known. Dense rainy forest flourishes on wet hillsides and dense bamboo forests in western Java. The island's fruit trees include bananas, mangoes and a wide variety of Asian varieties. The fauna of the island includes one-horned rhinos, Javan tigers, bison, and insects.
resource
1. Agricultural resources
Volcanic ash periodically fertilizes the land,
Distribution map of cash crops in Java
Java's soil is very fertile, the natural conditions are superior, coffee, tea, tobacco, rubber, sugar cane, coconut and other products are abundant.
The main crops are maize, cassava, peanuts, soybeans and sweet potatoes.
Cash crops: kapok, sesame, banana, mango, durian, citrus and vegetable oils for local consumption.
Tea, coffee, tobacco, rubber, cinchona (raw material for quinine, grown in the highlands of West Java), sugar cane, kapok (planted in the eastern part of the island) and coconuts are exported in large quantities.
2, mineral resources
Mineral deposits include oil, coal, manganese, iron, gold, silver, phosphorus, sulfur, iodine and so on. ,
3. Animal resources
Species are abundant, including one-horned rhinos, tigers, and bison, although these animals are now only found in some of the more remote areas. There are also monkeys, wild boars and crocodiles on the island; About 400 species of birds; 100 species of snakes; 500 species of butterflies and a variety of insects.
4. Forest resources
The forest is home to teak, bamboo, West Valley coconut and banyan trees, as well as tall mushroom and wood jute trees. Teak is one of Java's main exports.
landscape
1. "Man-eating tree"
The earliest news about the Javanese "man-eating tree" came from a German explorer named Carl Richie,
Javanese man-eating tree
In 1903, Carl Rich returned to Germany after a five-year expedition to the island of Java. He told people that he had seen a man-eating tree that the local people worshipped as a sacred tree. A local indigenous woman was driven up the sacred tree for violating tribal precepts, and as a result several leaves with hard spines wrapped her tightly, and a few days later, when the leaves reopened, only a pile of white bones remained. As a result, rumors of the existence of man-eating plants on the island of Java spread.
2. Mount Bromo
Bromo Volcano (bromo) is a famous tourist attraction in East Java that combines natural scenery and unique ethnic customs, and is also one of the most famous tourist attractions on the island of Java, which is favored by domestic and foreign tourists. It is located in the "Bromo-Deenger-Smolu Mountain National Park" southwest of Surabaya, about 150 km apart, and is one of the 3 active volcanoes on Denger Mountain. Tourists can reach it from different directions, but foreign tourists usually follow the Surabaya-Paro Lingo City-Nyadisari Village tour.
As the largest archipelagic country in the world, Indonesia is located in the "Pacific Ring of Fire" (the Pacific Basin, a curved plate full of volcanoes and submarine faults. ) is facing a series of geological upheavals. Mount Bromo is the most famous active volcano tourist destination in the volcanic group.
Mount Bromo is located on the summit of Mount Denger,
Tangle Mountain, Java Island in the morning light
To climb Mount Bromo, you must first climb Mount Gore. Dengger Mountain is like a garden cone with a spire cut off, forming a large terrace at the top with a high edge and a low middle, 9 kilometers wide from north to south and 10 kilometers long from east to west, and inside the terrace is a sea of sand formed by the eruption of Dengger Volcano in the past. In the sandy sea stand three active volcanoes, one of which is Mount Bromo. Brahma itself is another crater within a huge crater, 10 km in diameter with an upright, 350 m high stone wall on the edges. Brahma and two volcanic cones, like small islands, stand on the gravel ground. Standing at the top of the hill, the highlands of the nearby Tengger are beautiful, with smoke-filled volcanic cones and grand canyons, cold lakes, waterfalls, caves and alpine forests abounding. Coupled with the cool breeze, the surrounding white clouds are swirling, just like being in a fairyland.
The most charming view of Mount Bromo is at sunrise. Tourists who want to enjoy the beauty of the sunrise can go down the mountain the night before, when the stars are dotted and the night fog is still thick, they need to get up early and explore the zenith of the holy mountain, and tourists generally walk or ride horses to climb the mountain. At about four o'clock in the morning, the top of The Borama Mountain had been beamed with gold. The rising red sun intertwines with the surrounding scenery, forming a colorful world. However, the temperature here is very special, during the day the temperature is between 30-35 ° C, while the night temperature drops to almost 0 ° C, tourists must be well-clothed when climbing at night.
3. Prambanan Temple Complex
The Prambanan temple complex is the largest and most beautiful Hindu temple in Indonesia today.
World Heritage Site
It is a carrier to record the splendid culture of the ancestors of the Indonesians. The Prambanan temple complex consists of 240 temples, most of which have been reduced to a pile of rubble, but some of the main temples have been rebuilt with the help of natural and man-made disasters, and have regained their former glory. Located 17 kilometers east of the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, the Prambanan temple complex is named after the village in which it is located, a place that was probably the political and cultural center of the old kingdom of the javanese era in the 8th-10th centuries AD.
There are 8 temples in Prambanan Temple, three of which are dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu and Rama, the three Hindu gods. There are three main halls in the central courtyard. The Temple of Shiva is 46.5 meters high and contains the idol of Shiva's wife, Durga, and the tallest temple. On the north side of the Temple of Shiva is the Temple of Visnu, on the south side is the Temple of Brahma, and in front of it is the Temple of Nadi. In front of the temples of Vishnu and Borneo is the Temple of Wahano, the Temple of Apite is located on the north side, and its south side is bordered by the temple. There are four Clear temples on the east and west sides in front of each gate of the main square; There is a small temple on each of the four corners of the main square.
The creation of the Prambanan temple complex was basically modeled after mount Mahmuro, where the gods lived in mythology, so various carvings and decorations were completed according to the appearance of the immortal realm. For example, decorative motifs are based on mountains, lotus flowers, strange animals and figures, fairies, etc., and the leaves and branches are bent and intertwined between various motifs, creating a fantastic fairy world. There are statues in every temple, such as the statue of Shiva Mahadewa facing east on the main hall, the statue of Durga and many statues of well-known figures in Hinduism. The walls of the temple complex are perfectly carved with Hindu myths from the Ramayana Rama tradition, and every evening, on the upcropping stage in the backyard of the Prambanan Temple, these famous myths are staged in the form of a huge traditional ballet.
Legend of the Prambanan temple group,
Borobudur temple group of brahmins
This is the widely circulated story of Lara Joan River Gran, which tells that thousands of temples were built at the same time one night, and by the next morning, only 999 were completed, including the Prambanan temple complex. Based on the extravagant architecture of the Prambanan temple and its decorative style, it is speculated that it is a late product of the architectural style of central Java around the 10th century AD. But to this day, precise evidence has not been found that reveals who and when these buildings were built. Based on the inscriptions that have been discovered, it is speculated that the temples were built by the Lacai Picardan dynasty in the 8th-9th centuries AD.
Human Geography
Historical period
Trinil on the island is famous for the discovery of Homo erectus, or "Javanese", fossils found in 1891. This also shows that the island of Java has become a place of human activity as early as 800,000 years ago. Immigrants from Java apparently came from mainland Southeast Asia. There was family farming in Java as early as 2500 BC.
1. Hindu and Buddhist periods
Indian merchants came to Java around the 1st century AD, and the power of Hindu Indians grew, and in the 8th century, the then kingdom of Mataram was in a period of prosperity. The Kingdom of Mataram, centered on south-central Java, was ruled by the Shailendra dynasty. albeit
Yogyakarta Borobudur
Originally a follower of Shiva Hinduism, the later kings of the Mataram dynasty embraced Mahayana Buddhism. In the late 9th and early 10th centuries AD, huge Buddhist monuments were erected in Borobudur, Mendut and many other places in Java.
After the decline of Mataram's power, a state in East Java was once in power until it came into conflict with the powerful Srivijaya (Srivijaya) Empire on the island of Sumatra and was defeated in 1006. King Erlangga (reigned 1019-1049) managed to revive the country and rejuvenate it. During his reign, literature and art flourished, and Hindu epics were translated from Sanskrit to Javan for the first time. This opened the way to inculcating Hindu ideas into the common people. Erlangka divided his kingdom equally among his two sons, one of whom was the ruler of Jayari (along the Brantas River), who was more powerful. This area was the center of Javanese culture until the 13th century ,when West Java was still ruled by Srivijaya). The kingdom of Jayali became a trading center for the spice trade. Muslim and Chinese merchants from India have visited various ports here for short stays.
Later the political center of Java shifted to the kingdom of Singhasari in the malang highlands of East Java. Kertanagara (reigned 1268-1292), the greatest king of the kingdom, unified Java and extended its power to southern Borneo, Bali and other eastern islands. With the early death of Geldanakara, his kingdom collapsed. Subsequently, the Majapahit Empire in East Java was established in 1293. The empire controlled most of the Indonesian archipelago, even the territory of the former Srivijaya in Sumatra. The founder of this powerful empire was Prime Minister Gajah Mada (reigned 1331-1364). The MagaBahir dynasty began to decline in the late 14th century, most likely in the early 16th century, when Islam destroyed the last remnants of Indo-Javanese rule.
2. The Rise of the Muslim Kingdom
The earliest Islamic missionaries were known as the "Wali Songo", several of whom were from China and are believed to have a lot to do with the influence of Zheng He's ocean trade in the Strait of Malacca at the time, and the tombs of many of them are well preserved to this day. While Islam was accepted, its teachings were also incorporated into some of the long-standing beliefs of the locals, so Islam on the island of Java has a distinctly local character.
Muslim merchants have visited the Indonesian archipelago for centuries, but it was only in the 15th century that the kingdom of Majapache felt the serious impact of competition among Muslim merchants. As the Muslim International Trade Network continued to grow in the region, coastal Javans faced two choices: to fight the Muslims or to unite. Eventually many Javanese united with Muslims. Many of the ports of East Java in the early 16th century were completely disconnected from the dying Majobache Empire. Several Muslim kingdoms were also established in Central and West Java, in part because the Sundanese of West Java were less influenced by Indian colonization in earlier periods and were able to adapt to Islam relatively quickly. In the 16th century, Padjang, Mataran, Preanger, Cheribon and Bantam became independent Muslim states in Java. Among them, Mataram controlled East java and central Java in the 1580s and was the last great Java kingdom.
3. Dutch colonial period
When Dutch ships first visited Java in 1596, the Dutch East India Company quickly established several trading ports along the coast and a headquarters in Batavia (Jakarta). The city was controlled by the Dutch in 1619. From the 1670s onwards, the Dutch East India Company began to claim control over the various Muslim kingdoms of Java. In the last 25 years of the 17th century, some Muslim kingdoms in West Java recognized the company's dominion, as did the northern and northeastern regions of central Java in 1743. In 1755, the remnants of the Kingdom of Mataram were painted divided into two Dutch vassal states: Surakarta and Yogyakarta. Under the Dutch system of forced delivery to the local nobility, Javanese farmers cultivated crops such as rice, locust orchid, sugar, pepper, and coffee. The brutal colonial rule of the Dutch provoked a revolt by the Javanese people.
In 1799 the Dutch East India Company was closed and the Dutch government took over the administration of Java. Java was briefly ruled by the British from 1811 to 1816 and remained under Dutch rule. The Javanese revolt led by Tibonigoro in 1825-1830 cost the Netherlands to suppress it. Throughout the 19th century, Java was the most concentrated and under the tightest rule of all the Dutch East Indies. Thus Java naturally became the center of Indonesian nationalism in the early 20th century. Beginning in 1903, Javanese served in local government increasingly. In 1925, Indonesians held a majority in the People's Assembly.
During the Dutch colonial period, the Qing Dynasty called Java "Caropa". Qing Yu Zheng Xie's "Manuscript of the Class of Decamerons: Macao Chronicles": "Emperor Shengzuren Kangxi Fifty-fifth Year Xinhai Hadith Yun: Visiting And Hearing That There Are Two Places Overseas, Luzon and Caropa. The Caropa is the place where the red hair moored the ship, and the Luzon is the place where the Western ships are moored, and there are many thieves hidden there. Xu Jishe mentioned a book in the "Yinghuan Zhiluo", entitled "Island Yizhi", written by Qianlong in the fifty-sixth year, and written by Wang Dahai. Wang Dahai, a native of Longxi County, Zhangzhou Province, did not take the exam and went to Java, xu Jishe said that he "lived in Garopa for ten years, and was in a certain house in Kapitan". "Kalopa" refers to Java Island in general: "Kapitan", which is a transliteration of Kapitan, kapitein in Dutch, and the Chinese meaning captain.
4. Independence
During World War II, Java was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 to 1945. In 1950 Java became part of the newly independent Republic of Indonesia.
History
The island of Java is also famous for its Javanese apes, who arrived in Java around 1 million BC and have found Homo erectus fossils near the Brantas River in eastern Java. Two million years ago, abundant rainfall in the Sunda and Digul plateaus allowed a large number of tropical plants to flourish, providing the conditions for the emergence of many prehistoric cultures.
1. Hinduism and the Kingdom of Buddhism
Javanese culture and language have been greatly influenced by the languages and cultures of the South Asian subcontinent, and many historical sites have proved this view, such as the Buddhist temple site Borobudur and the Brambanan Hindu temple .
In the second century, in the sixth year (131) of the Filial Piety Emperor yongjian of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Ye Tunguo sent an envoy to the Eastern Han Dynasty. "Leaf tone" is the opposite of the ancient Javanese Sanskrit name Yavadvipa.
In the eighth year of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (412) in the fifth century, the high monk Fa Xian landed in Yebhati. Yevati is Yavadvipa, which is ancient Java.
The Later Han to Sui Dynasties were called Heluodan
The Tang Dynasty was known as Haoling (诃陵) and (阇婆).
There were three countries on the song-dynasty island of Java: taruna in the west, Mataram in the center, and Jayali in the east. In the third year (992) of Emperor Taizong of Song, Dharmvamca, king of East Java, sent tribute. At that time, king Murocha had unified the island of Java, and his power had expanded to Bali, Borin, and the state of Srivijaya on Sumatra. However, as a result of the East Java-Srivijaya War, the East Javanese army was defeated and King Dharmvamca was killed. Srivijaya expanded into the island of Java.
The rise of the 13th century on the island of Java, the kingdom of Khishari.
In 1290, King Kertanagara expelled Srivijaya from Java. Kertarajasa, son-in-law of King Ketanagara of Shinhasari, founded the powerful Majapahit dynasty,
With Majapahit City as its capital (southwest of present-day Surabaya).
Subsequently, King Ktangara of Shinhasari was killed by the rebel general Jayakatwang.
From 1292 to the 29th year of the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, sent a navy of a thousand warships to cross the sea from Quanzhou, Fujian Province, landed in Java, and joined forces with the Majapahit king Ktarayasa to attack the rebel general Jaya Katwang of the Shinha Shali state and destroy the Shinha Shali state. The Majapahit king Ktarayasa then rebelled, repelling the Yuan army and unifying Java. The Yuan Dynasty called Majapahit "Machibhachip", the capital of the javanese state.
Known as the most prominent Hindu kingdom, Majapahit once ruled much of present-day western Indonesia. The name Majapahit is derived from the Majapahit orange tree, which is revered as a god in Hinduism. By the 16th century, when the Muslim kingdom had replaced Majapahit on the western islands, the Majapahit kingdom had moved to Bali to the east.
The Ming Dynasty was called Java.
During the Yongle period, the Three Treasures eunuch Zheng He traveled to the West and visited Turban, Geiresik, Surabaya, Madjapahit and Changkir in Java.
In the 6th and 7th centuries, many maritime kingdoms arose in Sumatra and Java and took control of the waters of the Strait of Malacca. At the same time, with the flourishing maritime trade with China and India, these kingdoms prospered for a while. During this period, many scholars from China and India translated many literary and religious texts.
2. Muslim kingdoms and Dutch colonial rule
The "Dutch East India Company" established the "Trade and Administration Headquarters" in Batavia (present-day Jakarta). During the colonial period, the Dutch focused their attention on Jakarta and a number of other coastal cities such as Semarang and Surabaya. Dutch colonists also indirectly ruled the mountainous island through a number of submissive native powers, such as the Kingdom of Mataram in central Java.
In the 19th century, the Dutch government took over the East Indies from the Dutch East India Company, and in 1830 the Dutch rulers began a disguised system of slavery called "cultuurtelsel en cultuurprocenten" (Dutch), which led to widespread famine and poverty. Various political and social revolts ensued, with a Dutch writer named Multituli writing a novel called Max Havelaar to protest against the social conditions of the time. Forced by various revolt movements, in 1901 the Dutch Parliament passed the Ethics Policy (Etnisch beleid), which objectively exposed a section of Javanese to Dutch-style education, among whom many prominent Indonesian nationalists emerged and played an important role in the Indonesian independence movement after World War II.
inhabitant
The inhabitants of Java belong to the marine (or southern) branch of the Mongol race. There are three main ethnic groups living on the island, namely the dominant Javanese and Sunda
Rice terraces on the island of Java
and the Maduras, and two smaller ethnic groups: the Tenggers and the Baduyi. Javanese make up nearly 70% of the Javanese population and live mainly in the central and eastern parts of the island. The Sundanese live mainly in the west, while the Maduras live in eastern Java and madura islands. The 3 main ethnic groups all speak Malay and the vast majority are Muslims. In addition, there are about 2 million to 3 million Chinese.
Java is one of the most densely populated regions in the world. The island has an average population of 770 people per square kilometer. The island of Java is only 7% of the country's land, while its population makes up the majority of Indonesia's population. Java's population growth rate has been high; In 1815 the population was about 5 million, and in the early 21st century it grew to about 100 million people. The vast majority of the population is still in the countryside, but Java's cities have grown rapidly. The main cities are Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, Suracarta (Solo) and Yogyakarta. Rural population densities are highest in the South-Central and Northern Plains regions.
economy
More than two-thirds of the island's land has been reclaimed, and the main food crop is rice. A sophisticated irrigation network of canals, dams, ditches and reservoirs that has been formed over the centuries has greatly contributed to rice production on the island. Other crops include maize, cassava, peanuts, soybeans and sweet potatoes, the vast majority of which are grown in lowland areas and operated by farmers on small plots of land. Terraced hillsides and irrigated rice paddies are the most common features of rural scenes. Kapok, sesame seeds, vegetables, bananas, mangoes, durians, citrus and vegetable oils are produced for local consumption. Exports of tea, coffee, tobacco, rubber, cinchona (raw material for quinine, grown in the highlands of West Java), sugar cane, kapok (planted in the eastern part of the island) and coconuts. Several of these crops, which are exclusively marketed, were once usually grown in large family plantations. Livestock, especially buffalo, are raised mainly as pull animals. Salted and dried fish are imported, but fish are also raised in ponds and rice paddies in Central and West Java. Java produces the vast majority of the world's quinine production.
The Arjuna oil field off the northwest coast is a major source of Oil for Indonesia. A natural gas pipeline connects these fields to Cilegon. There are refineries in Cilacap, Jepu and Surabaya. Small amounts of manganese, sulfur, phosphate, gold and silver are also mined on the island. Small-scale manufacturing includes batik printing, cast iron, silverworking, farm tools, tanning, tiles and other ceramic products. Larger industries include textiles, rubber products, automobile assembly, winemaking, and factories that produce shoes, paper, soap, cement, and cigarettes.
The Jatiluhur dam near Purwakarta is the largest dam in Indonesia. A well-developed railway and road network connects major cities. Jakarta has the headquarters of the national radio network and an international airport. Surabaya and Tanjungpriuk near Jakarta are the main ports.
Cultural heritage
Indo-Javanese architecture of the 3rd–16th centuries AD includes the large stupa (built around 800) and the Temple of Meadow; Temple of the Buddha of Sewu (built in the 9th century); the spectacular Temple of Shiva Prambanan (built in the 9th century); the holy baths Jalatunda (built at the end of the 10th century) and The Balahan (built in the middle of the 11th century); and the circular Hindu temple Jabung (built around the 10th century).
1. Borobudur Stupa
In the city of Yogyakarta in the middle of Java, about 40 kilometers northwest, there is a group of Borobudur stupas built around 778 AD, known as the seven architectural wonders of the world such as the Pyramids, Angkor Wat, the Great Wall, the Taj Mahal, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Borobudur Stupa
One. These stone carvings built on the hills have endured natural and man-made disasters such as wars, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and religious disputes, and over the long years, the lush branches and roots of tropical trees have not only cracked the rocks of the floating but also covered up the temples on the hills.
The so-called Borobudur, according to the Indonesian native language, it refers to the meaning of "temple on the hill", usually "floating tu" refers to the stupa. The architectural structure and style of Borobudur is different from that of ordinary Buddhist monasteries, and it is said that when viewed from the air, the whole building forms a geometric mandala, that is, the shape of a tower with a lower width and a narrow stratum. After receiving confirmation from UNESCO, large-scale comprehensive excavation and restoration began from 1973 to 1983.
2. Prambanan
In the same era as borobudur was built, Hindus were not to be outdone. Located about 16 km northeast of Yogyakarta, a huge temple complex of 237 large and small temples was built, named "Prambanan". However, Prambanan is much less famous than Borobudur because it is similar to the architecture of Angkor Wat and its scale is much smaller than that of Angkor Wat.
city
There are Surabaya, Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang and so on.
Of Indonesia's more than 13,700 islands, Java, which occupies only 7% of the country's territory, is the island of the first good. It is home to the capital Jakarta, the second largest city, Surabaya, the third largest city, Bandung, the third largest port, and the famous historical cities of Yogyakarta and Bogor. From the perspective of transportation, the railway length of Java island accounts for 75% of the country, so it is not difficult to see the important position of Java island in Indonesia.
Customs
There is an interesting marriage custom popular on the island of Java. When the groom comes to the bride's house to greet him, the bride's family members place a silver plate in front of him. A raw egg is placed on the plate, and the groom is to step on it barefoot in public. This means that the groom will always love the bride, even if he is crushed to pieces. Afterwards, with a smile on her face, the bride kneels with water and washes the groom's feet as a sign of gratitude and obedience.
overseas chinese
There are about 2-3 million Chinese on the island of Java. Looking back at history, as early as BC, Chinese crossed the ocean to the island of Java. Statues of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC – 25 AD) have been found on the island of Java, pottery and thin green glazed dragon spoons. Dutch archaeologist de Ferlings, who studied Chinese ceramics unearthed in Indonesia, concluded that as far back as 2,000 years ago Chinese had crossed the ocean and set foot on Indonesian soil, and some may have settled in Banten, West Java.
In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the senior monk Faxian traveled to India by land to learn the scriptures, and on the way back to China by sea, he wandered to Yebati (i.e., Java Island) in the seventh year (411 AD) of the Jin Dynasty Emperor Yixi. Faxian was the first Chinese to visit the island of Java mentioned in the annals of our country.
At the end of the Tang Dynasty (9th century), some residents of the southeast coast of China fled to Palembang in Srivijaya due to the Huangchao Rebellion. During the Southern Song Dynasty (12th-13th centuries AD), Indonesian Chinese society was initially formed. At the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty (mid-14th century to early 15th century), Indonesian Chinese society was already very prosperous.
In the 15th century, Ma Huan, who followed Zheng He to the West, wrote the Javanese article of the Yingya Victory: "Majapahit ... The state has a third class,...... First-class Tang people, all of whom lived here in Zhangquan, Guangdong, and other places... There are many fasting people who have been ordained from Islam. This shows that before Zheng He arrived in Java, there were already some Chinese there, some of whom were Chinese Muslims.
The "Lower Nanyang" at the end of the Qing Dynasty led to a sharp increase in the number of Chinese. It may reach more than 30 million at most.
For a long time, the Chinese have worked hard and got along with the local people. Since the end of the 16th century, indonesia's friendly relations with China have been constantly interfered with and undermined by the colonizers. Since then, especially in the past hundred years, the peoples of the two countries have shared hardships and supported each other in the struggle against colonialism and foreign aggression. In the struggle against colonialism, they fought side by side. The Batavian Chinese Anti-Dutch Revolt of 1740 (The Red Creek Incident) is a shining example. After the establishment of the Republic of Indonesia in 1945, the Chinese also contributed to the maintenance of Indonesian independence and the development of the economy. When President Sukarno visited Guangzhou in 1956, he said to Huang Jie, an overseas Chinese leader who had supported the struggle of the Indonesian people in those years: "We have received your help at the most difficult time, and let us thank you again."
In the long-term cultural and trade exchanges, the Chinese have played an important role as a bridge. In 1955, Indonesian Prime Minister Shastro Amizojo pointed out: "Since the first time our two countries have opened up navigation and maritime trade, Indonesia and China have been friendly neighbors. Not only did Chinese ships bring goods, but also many Chinese merchants, workers and craftsmen who settled in our country and brought with them Chinese technology and ancient culture, the essence of which has been preserved on many of our islands until now. "
However, since the Indonesian military came to power in the 1960s, the Indonesian regime has begun to expel China on a large scale. In the name of the "Qing Communists," they slaughtered more than 500,000 Chinese, and the People's Republic of China severed diplomatic relations with them. By 1998, anti-Chinese riots had re-emerged in Indonesia, killing thousands of Chinese, and the Chinese on the island of Java were often the first to bear the brunt.