Image title: Zheng He (and China Historical Relationship)

English text:

Replica of Naval Admiral Zheng He —
Sri Lanka - China Historical Relationship Gallery —
Both Sri Lanka and China possess a boastful ancient history traced back to thousands of years. The relationship between the two countries would go back to more than two thousand years, concerning political, economic, social and cultural activities. A distinct feature of this relationship is the maintenance of peaceful and friendly relations, and it is very significant that such relationship is maintained to the present day.

Politically, evidences show that from pre-Christan times, Chinese messengers visited Sri Lankan courts and vice versa, and at the same time, during the 13th-14th century period, Chinese soldiers served in Sri Lankan king's army.

Historical and archaeological evidence indicate the existence of trade relations from pre-Christian times. These relationships existed mostly via the Sea Silk Route. Chinese records make mention of Chinese ships arriving at Sri Lankan ports and vice versa. In the year 1409 AD, the Chinese Navy Admiral, Zheng He' arrived in Sri Lanka several times, during his trading engagements by sea. The Trilingual Inscription, which he installed in Galle, provides much cultural relations that Sri Lanka had at the time with China. (See TRINGUAL INSCRIPTION).

Both Sri Lanka and China are Buddhist states, the former following the Hinayana Buddhism and the latter following the Mahayana Buddhism. Chinese monks have come to study Hinayana Buddhism in Sri Lanka and taken away many books and translated them into Chinese language. Among them, Fa xian stands foremost.

Thus, in the relationship maintained between Sri Lanka and China, the two figureheads, Faxian and Zheng He', have played singular services of great historical significance.

Sinhala text (not proofread):

සෙං හේ නාවුක අද්මිරාල් වරයාගේ අනුරුව —
ශ්‍රී ලංකා - චීන ඓතිහාසික සම්බන්ධතා මැදිරිය —
ශ්‍රී ලංකාව හා චීනය අතර ඓතිහාසික සම්බන්ධතාවය අදින් වසර දෙදහසකට වඩා ඈත කාලයකට දිවයයි. එය දේශපාලන, ආර්ථික, සමාජයීය හා සංස්කෘතික වශයෙන් ක්‍ෂේත්‍ර ගණනාවකට විහිදී යයි. චීන ලංකා සම්බන්ධතාවල කැපී පෙනෙන ලක්ෂණයක් වන්නේ එය ඉතා සාමකාමී, හා සුහද සබඳතාවක් වීමයි. මෙම සබඳතාව වර්තමානය දක්වාම අඛණ්ඩව පැවතීම තවත් සුවිශේෂත්වයකි.

පැරණි චීන ශ්‍රී ලංකා සම්බන්ධතාවල කැපී පෙනෙන පුද්ගලයන් දෙදෙනෙකු ලෙස ෆාහියන් භික්ෂුන් වහන්සේ සහ සොංග් හේ නම් චීන අද්මිරාල් වරයා හැඳින්විය හැකිය.මොවුන් දිගුකාලීනව අඛණ්ඩව පැවත එන චීන - ශ්‍රී ලංකා මිත්‍ර සම්බන්ධතාවය සංකේතවත් කෙරෙන ප්‍රධාන ඓතිහාසික සංකේතයන් වේ.

ලංකාව හා චීනය බෞද්ධ රාජ්‍යයන් දෙකකි. චීනයේ මහායාන බුදුදහම ප්‍රචලිත වූ අතර ලංකාවේ ථේරවාද බුදු දහම ප්‍රචලිත විය. චීන භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා බෞද්ධ අධ්‍යාපනය ලබාගැනීම, බෞද්ධ පොත්පත් පරිශීලනය කිරීම හා එකතු කිරීම පිණිස ලංකාවට පැමිණියහ. ඒ අතරින් ෆාහියන් හිමි ප්‍රමුඛ ස්ථානය ගනී.

දේශපාලනික වශයෙන් ක්‍රිස්තු පූර්ව යුගයේ සිටම වරින්වර ශ්‍රී ලංකා දූත පිරිස් චීනයට ගිය බවටත් චීන දූත පිරිස් ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට පැමිණි බවට ත් ක්‍රි.ව. 13-14 සියවස් කාලය තුළ චීන සෙබලුන් ලංකා රජුගේ සේනාවෙහි සේවය කළ බවටත් තොරතුරු වාර්තා වේ.

ක්‍රි. පූ. යුගයේ සිටම චීනය හා ශ්‍රී ලංකාව අතර වෙළඳ ගනුදෙනු සිදු වූ බවට ඓතිහාසික මෙන්ම පුරාවිද්‍යාත්මක සාක්ෂි ද ලැබේ. මෙම සබඳතා වැඩි වශයෙන් සිදු වූයේ සමුද්‍ර සේද මාවත හරහායි. චීනයේ වෙළඳ නැව් ලංකාවේ වරාය වලට පැමිණි බවත්, ලංකාවේ වෙළඳ නැව් චීනයට ගිය බවත් චීන වාර්තාවල සඳහන් වේ. සෙං හේ නම් චීන නාවුක අද්ම

Transcription:

seṅ hē nāvuka admirāl varayāgē anuruva —
śrī laṅkā - chīna aitihāsika sambandhatā mædiriya —
śrī laṅkāva hā chīnaya atara aitihāsika sambandhatāvaya adin vasara dedahasakaṭa vaḍā ǣta kālayakaṭa divayayi. eya dēśapālana, ārthika, samājayīya hā saṅskrutika vaśayen kṣētra gaṇanāvakaṭa vihidī yayi. chīna laṅkā sambandhatāvala kæpī penena lakṣaṇayak vannē eya itā sāmakāmī, hā suhada sabandatāvak vīmayi. mema sabandatāva vartamānaya dakvāma akhaṇḍava pævatīma tavat suviśēṣatvayaki.

pæraṇi chīna śrī laṅkā sambandhatāvala kæpī penena pudgalayan dedeneku lesa fāhiyan bhikṣun vahansē saha soṅg hē nam chīna admirāl varayā hændinviya hækiya.movun digukālīnava akhaṇḍava pævata ena chīna - śrī laṅkā mitra sambandhatāvaya saṅkētavat kerena pradhāna aitihāsika saṅkētayan vē.

laṅkāva hā chīnaya bauddha rājyayan dekaki. chīnayē mahāyāna bududahama prachalita vū atara laṅkāvē thēravāda budu dahama prachalita viya. chīna bhikṣūn vahansēlā bauddha adhyāpanaya labāgænīma, bauddha potpat pariśīlanaya kirīma hā ekatu kirīma piṇisa laṅkāvaṭa pæmiṇiyaha. ē atarin fāhiyan himi pramukha sthānaya ganī.

dēśapālanika vaśayen kristu pūrva yugayē siṭama varinvara śrī laṅkā dūta piris chīnayaṭa giya bavaṭat chīna dūta piris śrī laṅkāvaṭa pæmiṇi bavaṭa t kri.va. 13-14 siyavas kālaya tuḷa chīna sebalun laṅkā rajugē sēnāvehi sēvaya kaḷa bavaṭat toraturu vārtā vē.

kri. pū. yugayē siṭama chīnaya hā śrī laṅkāva atara veḷanda ganudenu sidu vū bavaṭa aitihāsika menma purāvidyātmaka sākṣi da læbē. mema sabandatā væḍi vaśayen sidu vūyē samudra sēda māvata harahāyi. chīnayē veḷanda næv laṅkāvē varāya valaṭa pæmiṇi bavat, laṅkāvē veḷanda næv chīnayaṭa giya bavat chīna vārtāvala sandahan vē. seṅ hē nam chīna nāvuka adma

Transcription:

sen he navuka admiral varayage anuruva —
shri lanka - china aitihasika sambandhata madiriya —
shri lankava ha chinaya atara aitihasika sambandhatavaya adin vasara dedahasakata vada ata kalayakata divayayi. eya deshapalana, arthika, samajayiya ha sanskrutika vashayen kshetra gananavakata vihidi yayi. china lanka sambandhatavala kapi penena lakshanayak vanne eya ita samakami, ha suhada sabandatavak vimayi. mema sabandatava vartamanaya dakvama akhandava pavatima tavat suvisheshatvayaki.

parani china shri lanka sambandhatavala kapi penena pudgalayan dedeneku lesa fahiyan bhikshun vahanse saha song he nam china admiral varaya handinviya hakiya.movun digukalinava akhandava pavata ena china - shri lanka mitra sambandhatavaya sanketavat kerena pradhana aitihasika sanketayan ve.

lankava ha chinaya bauddha rajyayan dekaki. chinaye mahayana bududahama prachalita vu atara lankave theravada budu dahama prachalita viya. china bhikshun vahansela bauddha adhyapanaya labaganima, bauddha potpat parishilanaya kirima ha ekatu kirima pinisa lankavata paminiyaha. e atarin fahiyan himi pramukha sthanaya gani.

deshapalanika vashayen kristu purva yugaye sitama varinvara shri lanka duta piris chinayata giya bavatat china duta piris shri lankavata pamini bavata t kri.va. 13-14 siyavas kalaya tula china sebalun lanka rajuge senavehi sevaya kala bavatat toraturu varta ve.

kri. pu. yugaye sitama chinaya ha shri lankava atara velanda ganudenu sidu vu bavata aitihasika menma puravidyatmaka sakshi da labe. mema sabandata vadi vashayen sidu vuye samudra seda mavata harahayi. chinaye velanda nav lankave varaya valata pamini bavat, lankave velanda nav chinayata giya bavat china vartavala sandahan ve. sen he nam china navuka adma

Automated translation:

Portrait of Admiral Tseng He —
Sri Lanka - China Historical Relations Center —
The historical relationship between Sri Lanka and China dates back more than two thousand years. It spans many fields politically, economically, socially and culturally. A remarkable feature of China Sri Lanka relations is that it is a very peaceful and cordial relationship. Another peculiarity is that this relationship has continued to this day.

Monk Fahian and the Chinese admiral Song He can be called as two prominent people in the old China-Sri Lanka relations. They are the main historical symbols symbolizing the long-term continuous China-Sri Lanka friendly relationship.

Sri Lanka and China are two Buddhist countries. Mahayana Buddhism was popular in China and Theravada Buddhism was popular in Sri Lanka. Chinese monks came to Sri Lanka to receive Buddhist education, consult and collect Buddhist books. Among them, Fahion takes the leading position.

Politically, Sri Lankan delegations have visited China from time to time since BC and Chinese delegations have visited Sri Lanka since AD. It is also reported that Chinese soldiers served in the army of the Ceylon king during the 13-14th centuries.

AD B.C. There are historical and archaeological evidences of trade between China and Sri Lanka since ancient times. These connections were mostly through the Maritime Silk Road. Chinese reports state that Chinese merchant ships arrived at Sri Lankan ports and Sri Lankan merchant ships went to China. Zeng He is a Chinese naval admiral

Tamil text (not proofread):

செங் ஹே கப்பற்படை தலபதியின் மாதிரி உருவம். —
இலங்கை - சீனாவின் வரலாற்றுத் தொடர்புடைய அருங்காட்சியகம் —
இலங்கை மற்றும் சீனா எனும் இரு நாடுக்குளும் பல்லாயிர வருடங்களின் ஆடம்பரமான வரலாறை காணலாம். இவ் இரு நாடுகளிடையிலான உறவுகள் இதற்கு இரண்டாயிரம் வருடங்களுக்கும் அதிகமான காலப் பகுதியை தொடுகிறது. இது அரசியல், பொருளாதார, சமூக மற்றும் கலாசாரம் என பல துறைகளில் பரவி இருக்கின்றன. சீனா இலங்கை உறவுகளில் சுட்டிக் காட்டும் ஒரு முக்கிய விடயமானது இது மிகவும் சமாதானமான மற்றும் நெறுக்கமான உறுவுகளாகவே அமைந்திருந்ததாகும். இத் தொடர்வுகள் நிகழ் காலம் வரை எவ்வித துண்டிப்புமின்றி நிலைப்பட்டு வருவதும் இன்னுமொரு சிறப்பாகும்.

அரசியல் ரீதியில் கிறிஸ்துக்கு முற்பட்ட காலத்தில் இருந்தே அடிக்கடி இலங்கையின் தூதர்கள் சீனாவுக்கு சென்றதாகவும் சீன நாட்டு தூதர்கள் இலங்கைக்கு வந்ததாகவும் கி.பி. 13- 14 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு காலத்தினுள் சீன போர்படையினர் இலங்கை போர்படையில் பணி புரிந்ததாகவும் தகவல்கள் அறிக்கையிடப்பட்டுள்ளன.

கி.மு. காலத்தில் இருந்தே சீனா மற்றும் இலங்கை இடையில் வர்த்தக கொடுக்கல் வாங்கல்கள் நடைபெற்கு வரலாற்று ரீதியிலும் தொல்பொருள் ரீதியிலும் சான்றுகள் கிடைக்கின்றன. பட்டு சாலை ஊடாகவே இத் தொடர்வுகள் அதிகமாக ஏற்பட்டுள்ளன. சீனா வர்த்தக கப்பல்கள் இலங்கை துறைமுகங்களுக்கு வந்ததாகவும் இலங்கை கப்பல்கள் சீனா நாட்டுக்கு சென்றதாகவும் சீன அறிக்கைகளில் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளன. செங் ஹே எனும் கப்பல் படை தலபதி தமது 7 கடல் பயணங்களின் போது (1405-1433) இலங்கைக்கு பல முறைகள் வருகை தந்திருப்பதும் இங்கு காணக்கூடிய இன்னுமொரு முக்கியமாகும்.

இலங்கை மற்றும் சீனா இரு பௌத்த நாடுகளாகும். சீனாவில் மஹாயான எனும் பௌத்த சமய பீடம் வளர்ச்சி அடைந்ததோடு இலங்கையில் தேரவாத எனும் பௌத்த சமய பீடம் வளர்ச்சி அடைந்தது. சீன பௌத்த துரவிமார்கள் பௌத்த சமயக் கல்வி பெறல், பௌத்த சமய நூல்களை பரிசீலித்தல் மற்றும் சேகரித்தல் பொருட்டு இலங்கைக்கு வருகை தந்தனர். இதனிடையில் ஃபாஹியன் பிக்கு முதலிடம் வகிக்கின்றனர்.

புராதன சீனா இலங்கை உறவுகளில் குறிப்பாக காணக்கூடிய இரு நபர்களாக வன ஃபாஹியன் பிக்கு மற்றும் செங்க ஹே என்போரை குறிப்பிடலாம். இவர்கள் நீண்ட காலமாக நிலவி வரும் சீன லங்கா நல் உறவை குறிக்கும் முக்கிய வரலாற்று மிகுந்த அடயாளங்களாக குறிப்பிடலாம்.

Transcription:

ceṅ hē kappaṟpaṭai talapatiyiṉ mātiri uruvam. —
ilaṅkai - cīṉāviṉ varalāṟṟut toṭarpuṭaiya aruṅkāṭciyakam —
ilaṅkai maṟṟum cīṉā eṉum iru nāṭukkuḷum pallāyira varuṭaṅkaḷiṉ āṭamparamāṉa varalāṟai kāṇalām. iv iru nāṭukaḷiṭaiyilāṉa uṟavukaḷ itaṟku iraṇṭāyiram varuṭaṅkaḷukkum atikamāṉa kālap pakutiyai toṭukiṟatu. itu araciyal, poruḷātāra, camūka maṟṟum kalācāram eṉa pala tuṟaikaḷil paravi irukkiṉṟaṉa. cīṉā ilaṅkai uṟavukaḷil cuṭṭik kāṭṭum oru mukkiya viṭayamāṉatu itu mikavum camātāṉamāṉa maṟṟum neṟukkamāṉa uṟuvukaḷākavē amaintiruntatākum. it toṭarvukaḷ nikaḻ kālam varai evvita tuṇṭippumiṉṟi nilaippaṭṭu varuvatum iṉṉumoru ciṟappākum.

araciyal rītiyil kiṟistukku muṟpaṭṭa kālattil iruntē aṭikkaṭi ilaṅkaiyiṉ tūtarkaḷ cīṉāvukku ceṉṟatākavum cīṉa nāṭṭu tūtarkaḷ ilaṅkaikku vantatākavum ki.pi. 13- 14 ām nūṟṟāṇṭu kālattiṉuḷ cīṉa pōrpaṭaiyiṉar ilaṅkai pōrpaṭaiyil paṇi purintatākavum takavalkaḷ aṟikkaiyiṭappaṭṭuḷḷaṉa.

ki.mu. kālattil iruntē cīṉā maṟṟum ilaṅkai iṭaiyil varttaka koṭukkal vāṅkalkaḷ naṭaipeṟku varalāṟṟu rītiyilum tolporuḷ rītiyilum cāṉṟukaḷ kiṭaikkiṉṟaṉa. paṭṭu cālai ūṭākavē it toṭarvukaḷ atikamāka ēṟpaṭṭuḷḷaṉa. cīṉā varttaka kappalkaḷ ilaṅkai tuṟaimukaṅkaḷukku vantatākavum ilaṅkai kappalkaḷ cīṉā nāṭṭukku ceṉṟatākavum cīṉa aṟikkaikaḷil kuṟippiṭappaṭṭuḷḷaṉa. ceṅ hē eṉum kappal paṭai talapati tamatu 7 kaṭal payaṇaṅkaḷiṉ pōtu (1405-1433) ilaṅkaikku pala muṟaikaḷ varukai tantiruppatum iṅku kāṇakkūṭiya iṉṉumoru mukkiyamākum.

ilaṅkai maṟṟum cīṉā iru pautta nāṭukaḷākum. cīṉāvil mahāyāṉa eṉum pautta camaya pīṭam vaḷarcci aṭaintatōṭu ilaṅkaiyil tēravāta eṉum pautta camaya pīṭam vaḷarcci aṭaintatu. cīṉa pautta turavimārkaḷ pautta camayak kalvi peṟal, pautta camaya nūlkaḷai paricīlittal maṟṟum cēkarittal poruṭṭu ilaṅkaikku varukai tantaṉar. itaṉiṭaiyil ḵpāhiyaṉ pikku mutaliṭam vakikkiṉṟaṉar.

purātaṉa cīṉā ilaṅkai uṟavukaḷil kuṟippāka kāṇakkūṭiya iru naparkaḷāka vaṉa ḵpāhiyaṉ pikku maṟṟum ceṅka hē eṉpōrai kuṟippiṭalām. ivarkaḷ nīṇṭa kālamāka nilavi varum cīṉa laṅkā nal uṟavai kuṟikkum mukkiya varalāṟṟu mikunta aṭayāḷaṅkaḷāka kuṟippiṭalām.

Transcription:

seng he kapparpadai thalapathiyin mathiri uruvam. —
ilangai - sinavin varalarruth thodarpudaiya arungadsiyagam —
ilangai marrum sina enum iru nadukkulum pallayira varudangalin adambaramana varalarai kanalam. iv iru nadugalidaiyilana uravugal itharku irandayiram varudangalukkum athigamana kalap paguthiyai thodugirathu. ithu arasiyal, porulathara, samuga marrum kalasaram ena pala thuraigalil paravi irukkinrana. sina ilangai uravugalil suttig kattum oru mukkiya vidayamanathu ithu migavum samathanamana marrum nerukkamana uruvugalagave amainthirunthathagum. ith thodarvugal nigazh kalam varai evvitha thundippuminri nilaippattu varuvathum innumoru sirappagum.

arasiyal rithiyil kiristhukku murpatta kalathil irunthe adikkadi ilangaiyin thutharkal sinavukku senrathagavum sina nattu thutharkal ilangaikku vanthathagavum ki.pi. 13- 14 am nurrandu kalathinul sina porpadaiyinar ilangai porpadaiyil pani purinthathagavum thagavalkal arikkaiyidappattullana.

ki.mu. kalathil irunthe sina marrum ilangai idaiyil varthaga kodukkal vangalkal nadaiperku varalarru rithiyilum tholporul rithiyilum sanrugal kidaikkinrana. pattu salai udagave ith thodarvugal athigamaga erpattullana. sina varthaga kappalkal ilangai thuraimugangalukku vanthathagavum ilangai kappalkal sina nattukku senrathagavum sina arikkaigalil kurippidappattullana. seng he enum kappal padai thalapathi thamathu 7 kadal payanangalin pothu (1405-1433) ilangaikku pala muraigal varugai thanthiruppathum ingu kanakkudiya innumoru mukkiyamagum.

ilangai marrum sina iru pautha nadugalagum. sinavil mahayana enum pautha samaya pidam valarchi adainthathodu ilangaiyil theravatha enum pautha samaya pidam valarchi adainthathu. sina pautha thuravimarkal pautha samayag kalvi peral, pautha samaya nulkalai parisilithal marrum segarithal poruttu ilangaikku varugai thanthanar. ithanidaiyil qpahiyan pikku muthalidam vagikkinranar.

purathana sina ilangai uravugalil kurippaga kanakkudiya iru naparkalaga vana qpahiyan pikku marrum senga he enporai kurippidalam. ivarkal ninda kalamaga nilavi varum sina langa nal uravai kurikkum mukkiya varalarru miguntha adayalangalaga kurippidalam.

Automated translation:

Cheng He is the epitome of a naval commander. —
Sri Lanka - China History Related Museum —
Both Sri Lanka and China have thousands of years of rich history. The relations between these two countries span more than two thousand years. It spans many fields like political, economic, social and cultural. A key point to note in China-Sri Lanka relations is that they have been very peaceful and close-knit. It is even better that these sequences have continued till the present time without any interruption.

Politically, Sri Lankan ambassadors often went to China since before Christ and Chinese ambassadors came to Sri Lanka in AD. It is also reported that Chinese soldiers served in the Sri Lankan army during the 13th and 14th centuries.

BC There is historical and archaeological evidence of trade between China and Sri Lanka since ancient times. Most of these connections have occurred through the Silk Road. Chinese reports indicated that Chinese merchant ships arrived at Sri Lankan ports and Sri Lankan ships went to China. Another important point that can be seen here is that the naval commander Cheng He visited Sri Lanka several times during his 7 sea voyages (1405-1433).

Sri Lanka and China are two Buddhist countries. Mahayana Buddhism developed in China and Theravada Buddhism developed in Sri Lanka. Chinese Buddhist monks visited Sri Lanka to receive Buddhist religious education, study and collect Buddhist scriptures. Meanwhile, Fahion Biku is on top.

Vana Fahian Bhikkhu and Senga Hay can be mentioned as two particularly prominent figures in ancient Sino Sri Lankan relations. They can be mentioned as important historical symbols of the long-standing Sino-Lanka good relationship.

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Galle National Museum—one of the most significant heritage sites in Sri Lanka's southern half constructed in Dutch architectural design. The main objectives of the museum are to the acquisition, conservation, study and research of historical and cultural heritage of the Southern half of Sri Lanka and to exhibit those objects to encourage public knowledge and education.