A trilingual inscription featuring Chinese, Persian, and Tamil has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register following the submission made by both Sri Lanka and China, UNESCO said.
The register consists of documentary collections including books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, sound or video recordings, which bear witness to the shared heritage of humanity. Collections are added to the register by decision of UNESCO’s Executive Board, following the evaluation of nominations by an independent international advisory committee.
According to UNESCO, the trilingual Inscription- TribhashaSellipiya is a stone tablet with Chinese, Persian and Tamil inscriptions, praising Buddha, God Vishnu and Allah.
“Discovered in 1911 in Sri Lanka by a British engineer, it is now preserved in the Colombo National Museum and has become the centrepiece of the Museum. A replica is exhibited in the Galle National Museum,” according to UNESCO. Dated 15th February 1409, the tablet was installed by the Chinese Admiral Zheng He. Originally inscribed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjing, it was brought to Sri Lanka during his third voyage. The text mentions offerings made to a sacred mountain shrine.
UNESCO described it as the only known trilingual text combining these three languages and representing three distinct civilizations. During his voyages to the West, Zheng He erected tablets in many places to commemorate his voyages.
“ However, only the tablet erected in Ceylon has been discovered, and its value can be imagined. Today, it has become a precious material testament to China-foreign exchanges along the ancient Maritime Silk Road, continuing to narrate the historical stories of coexistence among diverse ethnicities, languages, and religions along this maritime route,” the Chinese embassy in Colombo said on the event.
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| Courtesy: Colombo National Museum |
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