TRACES OF NATUNA IN ANCIENT CHINESE RECORDS HISTORIOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS OF THE YIJING RECORDS
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Abstract
This study traces the historiographical footprint of the Natuna Islands in early Chinese records, particularly through the work of the Buddhist monk Yijing (I-Tsing) in his 7th-century text Nan Hai Ji Gui Nei Fa Zhuan (“Record of Buddhist Practices Sent Home from the Southern Seas”). The research aims to identify possible references to Natuna within the transliterated term “呾呾洲 (Da-da Zhou),” which phonologically and geographically aligns with the Natuna Besar (Bunguran) archipelago. Using a philological and maritime geopolitical approach, the study connects Yijing’s travel notes with ancient navigation routes in the South China Sea and explores their implications for the construction of Indonesia’s contemporary maritime identity. The findings suggest that the area known today as Natuna served as a pivotal maritime hub linking Sriwijaya, the Malay Peninsula, and the southern coast of China. Conceptually, this reinforces Indonesia’s historical sovereignty in the Natuna Sea and highlights the enduring relevance of historical knowledge in shaping modern maritime diplomacy.
Keywords:
Natuna Yijing Da-da Zhou maritime historiography South China Sea geopoliticsReferences
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