Melayu Kingdom

Before Melaka · Chronicle · 9 min read

Where Did the Name Melayu Come From?

The first time the name "Melayu" was recorded in writing, it did not refer to an ethnicity — it referred to a place by a river in Sumatra

In 671, a Chinese Buddhist monk took a ship down south to obtain scriptures. He stayed in a place called "Srivijaya" for half a year, before switching ships for his next stop — a place called "Malayu" (Melayu). This is the earliest known written record of the name "Melayu", and it referred to a place, not a group of people. Fourteen years later, he passed through again on his way back. When he sat down to write his book, every time he mentioned that place name, he added a note: it is no longer called by this name.