ANCIENT SRIVIJAYA CIVILIZATION

CATEGORY
1. POLITICAL SYSTEM

DESCRIPTION
Telaga Batu inscription
- discovered in Sabokingking, Palembang
- testifies to the complexity and stratified titles of the
Srivijayan state officials
Srivijaya State Officials:
Rjaputra (princes, lit: sons of king)
kumrmtya (ministers)
bhpati (regional rulers)
senpati (generals)
nyaka (local community leaders)
pratyaya(nobles)
hji pratyaya(lesser kings)
dandanayaka (judges)
tuh an vatak (workers inspectors)
vuruh (workers)
addhyksi njavarna (lower supervisors)
vskarana (blacksmiths/weapon makers)
ctabhata (soldiers)
adhikarana (officials)
kyastha (store workers)
sthpaka (artisans)
puhvam (ship captains)
vaniyga(traders)
mars hji (king's servants
hulun hji (king's slaves)
Three main zones in Svirijaya
estuarine capital region centred on Palembang
Musi River basin which served as hinterland and
source of valuable goods
rival estuarine areas capable of forming rival
power centres.
These rival estuarine areas, through raids and conquests,
were held under Srivijayan power, such as the Batanghari
estuarine (Malayu in Jambi).
After its expansion to the neighbouring states, the
Srivijayan empire was formed as a collection of
several Kadatuans (local

principalities),

which

swore

allegiance to the central ruling powerful Kadatuan ruled

by the Srivijayan Maharaja
In addition to coercive methods through raids and
conquests and being bound by persumpahan (oath of

allegiance), the royalties of each kadatuan often formed

alliances through dynastic marriages.
The relations between the central kadatuan and its member
(subscribers) kadatuans were dynamic. As such, the status
2. SOCIAL STRUCTURE

would shift over generations.

During the reign of Hayam Wuruk, Majapahit employed a
well-organized bureaucratic structure for administrative
purposes. The hierarchy and structure relatively remain
intact and unchanged throughout Majapahit history.

3. SOCIAL CLASS

The king is the paramount ruler, as the chakravartin he is

considered as the universal ruler and believed to be the
living god on earth. The king holds the highest political
authority and legitimacy.

4. ECONOMY/TRADE
SYSTEM

Srivijaya was a kingdom developed in Sumatra during the

600s and was a leading sea port kingdom.
Srivijaya was also considered one of the richest kingdoms
at that time because of Srivijaya's strategic location, its
economy consisted of a lot on maritime trade but not a lot
on agriculture.
As early as 500 AD, Srivijaya emerged as a flourishing
power kingdom and occupied and dominated the coasts of
the Straits of Malacca for approximately 640 years. The
reasons to this were:
Srivijaya had the shortest sea route via the Strait
of Malacca
they built on alliances with the Malay coastal
population
CENTER OF TRADE
Palembang was the political center and capital of
Srivijaya.
In addition, Palembang also served as a central for
economic redistributions.
Srivijaya was able to maintain its economy standards was
due to:
well-developed relationship with other groups
such as the upriver tribesmen and coastel sea

nomads.
alliance with the upriver tribesmen permitted a
flow of goods from the interior to the ports which
provided Srivijaya with both economic and
political power.
TRADE
Srivijaya also created the primary trade route between
China and India
In the eyes of the Chinese, Srivijaya was an excellent trade
partner because they were able to keep their goods moving
into South China ports and voyaging through the
Southeast Asian archipelago.
Srivijaya's economy prospered because of the fluctuations
of the Chinese economy.
When the Chinese ports were flourishing, the Srivijayan
ports thrived. And when the Chinese ports were closed, the
Srivijayan ports were not able to maintain their standards
for political authorities.
025- Malacca region's port was successfully attacked by
the South Indian Chola dynasty and as a result, the
Srivijaya's authority over the straits was shattered.
After the raid, Srivijaya changed its capital from
Palembang to Jambi, central Sumatran port, because of a
series of attacks by the Javanese. There, the kingdom was
able to function independently
5. TECHNOLOGIES

BOROBUDUR SHIP
8th-century wooden double outrigger,
sailed vessel of Maritime Southeast Asia
used for inter-insular trades and naval campaigns

6. KNOWLEDGE/
INVENTIONS/WRITINGS

by and Srivijaya
KNOWLEDGE
Srivijayans are noted for caring deeply about the
environment, to the extent that many green jobs have been
created there.
Srivijaya is notable for being the first state to unite
politically and culturally a significant area of the
archipelago.

 It also established extensive ties with the states of

Southeast Asia, India, China, and the Middle East.
WRITINGS
The chief language was Old Malay; the official language
was Sanskrit.
One of the writings and languages the Srivijayans used
was Old Malay.
This was proven by the inscriptions found in Palembang
as they were written in this language.
During the trades between countries, Malay eventually
emerged as the main trading language.
Also, another writing system they might have used was
Sanskrit.
Sanskrit was an early sacred text commonly used
in Southeast Asia.
It was proven to be used in Srivijaya because of the
Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, I-ching, who stopped at
7. RELIGIOUS BELIEFS

Palembang for assistance on translating Sanskrits.

Srivjaya was a Buddhist kingdom.

The Srivijaya kings practiced Mahayana Buddhism which

suggests its introduction from India. As a stronghold of
Mahayana Buddhism,

Srivijaya attracted pilgrims and scholars from other parts

of Asia.
These included the Chinese monk Yijing and the eleventhcentury Buddhist scholar Atisha, who played a major role
in the development of Tibetan Buddhism.
8. In the 8th century Srivjaya introduced a mixture of
Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism to Malaysia and
Thailand.
9. Srivijaya was considered to be one of the major centers of
learning for the Buddhist world. The Chinese pilgrim
Yijing (635713), who briefly visited Srivijaya in 671 and
687 and then lived there from 687 to 695, recommended it
as a world-class center of Buddhist studies.
10. Inscriptions from the 680s, written in Pallava script and

the indigenous Old Malay language, identified the realm

and its ruler by name and demanded the loyalty of allies
by pronouncing elaborate threats and curses.
11. The chedi of temples produced during the Srivijaya period
resemble Hindu-Buddhist stupas of central Java which
have a stacked appearance.
8. ART AND
ARCHITECTURE

ARTS
1. Nang Yai
a traditional art form in Thailand, originated from
Indonesia in the kingdom of Srivijaya
It is a shadow puppet show and it is still performed in the
world today.
A puppet reaches as high as two meters and one meter
wide. Bamboo strings are attached to the puppets enabling
them perform all sorts of actions.
Before the start of each show, there would be a "Wat
Khru" ceremony to show respect to the teachers of the art
form. It is then followed by a prologue. The significance
of the prologue was to attract the audience with the music,
the comic dialogue and at the same time, providing a
moral lesson to the audiences. After the prologue, it is then
followed by the main performance. Each performance can
last as long as two hours. During the main performance,
the rousing music at the back blends with the skilled
movements of the puppets enhances the atmosphere of the
show and makes the puppets come alive.
2. Bronze
was also another type of art in the kingdom of Sriivjaya
They could still be found today at the national Museum of
Bangkok.
One of the major works include the bronze Buddha of
Grabi Thailand.
ARCHITECTURE
Unlike any other kingdoms in Southeast Asia, there are no

major Srivijayan monuments left today. The reason to this

was probably because the kingdom was focusing more on
its economy rather than the monuments and architectures.
However, there are still many religious buildings
of Mahayan Buddhism left in the east coastline from Surat
Thani. One great example include Phra BoromMathat
which constructed with brick and mortar between the 9th
and 10th century. In 775, it is also reported the dedication
of a Buddhist monastery.
Also in 1003 A.D., King Chulamanivarmadeva erected a
Chinese temple as an offering to the Chinese emperor.
According to the architectures of the buildings, it could be
clearly distinguished that it was heavily influenced by the
Indians.
9. RIVER SYSTEM

MUSI RIVER
This river system, especially around the city of
Palembang, was the heart of eponymous 7th to 13th
century Srivijayan empire.
The river roughly flows from south-west to north-east,
from Barisan Mountains range that formed the backbone
of Sumatra, in Kepahiang, Bengkulu, to the Bangka
Strait that formed the extension of South China Sea.
The river, dredged to a depth of about 6.5 meters, is
navigable by large ships as far as Palembang, which is the
site of major port facilities used primarily for the export
of petroleum, rubber, and coal.

10. CITY-STATE
PALEMBANG
one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of
being the capital city of the Kingdom of Srivijaya, a
powerful Malay kingdom,

which

influenced

much

of Southeast Asia.
Palembang's

main

landmarks

include Ampera

Bridge and Musi River, the latter of which divides the city
into two.

 The north bank of river in Palembang is known

as Seberang Ilir and the south bank of the river in
Palembang is known as Seberang Ulu.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palembang
https://asianstudies.wikispaces.com/Srivijaya-Economy
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Srivijaya
http://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat62/sub406/entry-2814.html#chapter-15
http://factsanddetails.com/asian/cat62/sub406/entry-2814.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya#Political_administration
http://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/History_and_Religion/sub6_1a/entry-3940.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Srivijaya