Paduka Pahala

Paduka Pahala (; died 23 October 1417) was a precolonial king from the Sulu Archipelago in today's Philippines, where he ruled as East King of Sulu. He is best known as the first king from the region to be buried in China, where he died during a journey to visit the Ming emperor. The impact of his death and burial was pivotal to China–Philippines relations. His tomb in Dezhou is still maintained by his descendants and includes a museum.

Voyage to China In September 1417, according to the Ming Veritable Records, Paduka Pahala sailed from Sulu with over 340 other people, including his family, to pay tribute to Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor of the Chinese Ming dynasty. Pahala was accompanied by two other kings of Sulu, but he was considered superior to both of them. He was ceremoniously welcomed by the emperor upon his arrival in Beijing, staying in the court for 27 days.

The king's tribute included pearls and precious stones; in return, the chieftains were recognized as rulers of their respective kingdoms and received a number of gifts, including money, gold, silver, plain silk, and three richly detailed robes.

Legacy Descendants in China After his Pahala's death, his eldest son Tumahan (; some associate him with Rajah Baguinda ) returned to Sulu to assume the throne. The late king's widow, concubines, and 18 attendants from Sulu stayed in China to observe a three-year mourning period and to care for the king's tomb. with the exception of the king's second and third sons, respectively Antulu and Wenhala. The dowager queen returned to visit her relatives in China in 1423, migrating there permanently the year after. The king's sons were later buried alongside their parents. They were estimated to number at around 3700 in China in the late 2010s.

Tomb in Dezhou Stone marker at the entrance to the Tomb of the Sulu King . The tomb and monument to the Sulu king still stands today, covering an area of over 80 acres about 1 km north of Dezhou. It was renovated after 1980, and in 1988 it became a national priority protected site. The monument features stone men, horses, sheep, and leopards.

The Yongle Emperor's memorial epitaph, inscribed in 1418, reads: quote|Now then, the King, brilliant and sagacious, gentle and honest, especially outstanding and naturally talented, as a sincere act of true respect for the Way of Heaven, did not shrink from a voyage of many tens of thousands of miles to lead his familial household in person, together with his tribute officers and fellow countrymen, to cross the sea routes in a praiseworthy spirit of loyal obedience.

A descendant of the Sulu royal family, Phugdalun Kiram II, was invited to Dezhou in 2017 to attend the 600th anniversary of Paduka Pahala's death. The event culminated in a speech by General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Xi Jinping recognizing the importance of a treaty signed in 1405 that established Sulu as a tributary state to China.

Cultural depictions The 1987 Filipino-Chinese film Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi recounts Paduka Pahala's voyage to China.