An ancient stone inscription in Tamil calligraphy which was found by archaeologists in Quan Zhou, a port town in South East China has thrown light on the centuries-old cultural relationship that existed between ancient China and ancient Tamilagam.
An ancient stone inscription in Tamil calligraphy which was found by archaeologists in Quan Zhou, a port town in South East China has thrown light on the centuries-old cultural relationship that existed between ancient China and ancient Tamilagam.
The 13-century stone inscription details about the Shiva temple erected by Tamil Siddhar, who lived in China. The erection of the Shiva temple has been recorded for posterity in the inscription in Tamil, first followed by Chinese. According to archaeologist Naryanamurthy, the stone inscription is a rare find in which a Tamil poem, in “Asairiappaa” literary form is etched clearly, followed by Chinese letters. The same kind of poems are also found in the Pazhani area of Tamil Nadu, in copper plates and palm leaf manuscripts which signifies how the Saivaite cult was spread by Siddhars and other Chieftains by erecting temples for Shiva, one of the gods considered to be part of the Hindu Trinity.
According to historians, Sambandam Perumal, a Tamil Siddhar who had lived in China during the reign of Kublai Khan, grandson of famous warrior king Genghis Khan had erected a Shiva temple in China when the king had fallen ill. The Siddhar had also named the temple a “Thirukaanisuram.” The stone inscription found in China could be dated to 1281 BCE, going by Tamil stylistic tradition followed in the inscriptions of the 13th century.
"The stone inscription found in China sheds new light on the cultural and maritime relationship which existed between China and ancient Tamilagam, which was ruled by the Chera, Chola and Pandya kings in ancient times,” opine archaeologists.
The 13-century stone inscription details about the Shiva temple erected by Tamil Siddhar, who lived in China. The erection of the Shiva temple has been recorded for posterity in the inscription in Tamil, first followed by Chinese. According to archaeologist Naryanamurthy, the stone inscription is a rare find in which a Tamil poem, in “Asairiappaa” literary form is etched clearly, followed by Chinese letters. The same kind of poems are also found in the Pazhani area of Tamil Nadu, in copper plates and palm leaf manuscripts which signifies how the Saivaite cult was spread by Siddhars and other Chieftains by erecting temples for Shiva, one of the gods considered to be part of the Hindu Trinity.
According to historians, Sambandam Perumal, a Tamil Siddhar who had lived in China during the reign of Kublai Khan, grandson of famous warrior king Genghis Khan had erected a Shiva temple in China when the king had fallen ill. The Siddhar had also named the temple a “Thirukaanisuram.” The stone inscription found in China could be dated to 1281 BCE, going by Tamil stylistic tradition followed in the inscriptions of the 13th century.
"The stone inscription found in China sheds new light on the cultural and maritime relationship which existed between China and ancient Tamilagam, which was ruled by the Chera, Chola and Pandya kings in ancient times,” opine archaeologists.