“The Flying Kuntum Legend: A Malay Hero in the Tang Dynasty of China”

USM publisher says sorry for erroneous post on Malay legendary hero


Published: Jan 17, 2025 2:47 PM


Summary

• USM publisher apologises for erroneous post on ‘Kunlun’, a legendary hero representing the Malay Archipelago.

• Book’s author says ‘Kunlun’ topic was from a blend of sources, including classical Chinese literature, theatre, and film.

“But this is not a myth; this is a historical record,” read USM publisher’s post on Facebook regarding a “Kunlun”, a topic featured in the book “Melayu Mahawangsa: Tanah Air, Sejarah, Kerajaan dan Peradabannya”.

However, the book’s author clearly cited that it was from a blend of sources, including classical Chinese literature, theatre, and film.

Kunlun is introduced in Chapter 8 of the book, alongside Hang Tuah and Sandokan from Sabah, as one of three legendary heroes representing the Malay Archipelago.

“The administrator mistakenly omitted this context, whereas the author, in the chapter’s introduction, clearly stated that the sources for the Kunlun topic include ninth-century CE Chinese classical literature, 16th-century CE Chinese theatre, and a 21st-century CE Chinese film,” the publisher’s statement explained.

“We take full responsibility for this oversight and will exercise greater caution in future posts to avoid confusion,” it said.

Extraordinary figure

The original post, dated Jan 11 and titled “The Flying Kuntum Legend: A Malay Hero in the Tang Dynasty of China”, described Kunlun as an extraordinary figure from the Malay Archipelago who arrived in China and became renowned for his miraculous flying abilities.

It recounted how he saved a noblewoman from a burning house, portraying Kunlun as a symbol of bravery and wisdom, even in a foreign land.

“But this is no fairy tale; it’s a historical record,” the post had stated, before elaborating on Kunlun’s feats and concluding with claims about his lasting significance to Malay identity.

The post also encouraged readers to purchase the book, calling it ideal for those interested in understanding the greatness of the Malay people (bangsa kita).

The Rakyat Post had quoted author Megat Hisemudin Megat Kasim who criticised the post, suggesting it was part of an effort to promote a narrative of Melayu Mahawangsa (Malay sovereign power).

Kunlun refers to a concept in Chinese culture that encompasses geography, mythology, and literature.

Geographically, it denotes the Kunlun Mountains in western China, while mythologically, it represents a sacred paradise associated with immortality and divine figures such as the Queen Mother of the West (Xi Wangmu).

In classical Chinese texts, Kunlun was also used to describe dark-skinned people from regions south of China, blending geographic, mythical, and ethnographic elements into a symbol of cultural imagination.

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kt comments:

We would have invited famed author Jin Yong (Louis Cha Leung-yung GBM OBE), who wrote "Legend of the Condor Heroes", for his opinion 😁😂😅😇😆 but alas, he passed away on 30 October 2018.