Jump to content

Lanfang Republic

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Boolamfaifoongfoo (talk | contribs) at 09:09, 13 June 2022 (External links). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Lanfang Republic
蘭芳共和國 (Chinese)
1777–1884
Map of Kongsi republics
Map of Kongsi republics
Statusdemocratic republic
CapitalDong Wan Li (東萬律) (now Mandor)
Common languagesHakka, Malay, Dayak languages
Demonym(s)Hakka or Lánfāngrén (蘭芳人)
GovernmentPresidential Kongsi republic
President 
• 1777–1795
Lo Fong Bo
• 1795–1799
Jiang Wubo
• 1799–1804
Yan Sibo
• 1804–1811
Jiang Wubo
• 1811–1823
Song Chabo
• 1823–1838
Liu Taiji
• 1838–1842
Gu Liubo
• 1842–1843
Xie Guifang
• 1843–1845
Ye Tenghui
• 1845–1848
Liu Ganxing
• 1848–1876
Liu Asheng
• 1876–1880
Liu Liang
• 1880–1884
Liu Asheng
Historical eraNew Imperialism
• Founding
1777
1884
Succeeded by
Dutch East Indies
Today part ofIndonesia
Malaysia

The Lanfang Republic (Chinese: 蘭芳共和國; pinyin: Lánfāng Gònghéguó, Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Làn-fông Khiung-fò-koet), also known as Lanfang Company (Chinese: 蘭芳公司; pinyin: Lánfāng gōngsī), was a Chinese kongsi federation and democratic republic in Western Kalimantan. It was established by a Hakka Chinese named Lo Fong Bo [hak] in 1777 until it was ended by Dutch occupation in 1884.

Arrival of the Hakka Chinese

The sultans of Western Borneo, including Sambas, Sukadana, and Landak all imported Chinese labourers in the 18th century to work in gold or tin mines. A number of mining companies enjoyed some political autonomy,[1] but Lanfang is the best known thanks to a history written by Yap Siong-yoen, the son-in-law of the last kapitan of the Lanfang Company, which was translated into Dutch in 1885, and J.J.M. de Groot, a Dutch Sinologist who recorded Lanfang's history with the help of its last President, Liu Asheng.[2][3][4][5][6][7] None of the other Chinese mining organization in western Kalimantan left written accounts; the records of the others were documented by Dutch sinologists.[8]

Rule of President Lo Fong Bo

The founding father of the Lanfang Kongsi was President Lo Fong Bo, who hailed from Meijiang. Chinese settlers have long lived on west Kalimantan, with most engaging in trading and mining. They formed their own companies, among which was the Southern Company headed by Lo.

As the Dutch encroached upon modern-day Indonesia, Lo established the Lanfang Company in 1777 (with its capital in Mandor) to protect the Chinese settlers from Dutch oppression.[9][10][11][12][13][14] The settlers subsequently elected Low as their inaugural leader. Low implemented many democratic principles, including the idea that all matters of state must involve the consultation of the republic's citizenry. The Republic did not have a standing military, but had a defense ministry that administered a national militia based on conscription. During peacetime, the populace mostly engaged in farming, production, trading, and mining. Lanfang's administrative divisions included three tiers (province, prefecture, and county) with the people electing leaders for all levels. Lanfang was allied with Sultan Abdurrahman of the Pontianak Sultanate.[15][16][17][18][19]

Low served as head of state until his death in 1795. Afterwards, Lanfang voters elected Jiang Wubo (江戊伯) as their next president. Lanfang citizens elected a total of twelve leaders, who helped improve agricultural techniques, expand mine production, develop cultural education, and organize military training.

Dutch conquest

Up to the end, Lanfang Company's vigorous development suffered from the eventual expansion of the Dutch. The Mandor community waged a tenacious resistance, but ultimately failed due to poor weaponry. Lin Ah Sin was the last leader of Lanfang.[20] Many of Lanfang's citizens and their descendants made their way to Sumatra or Singapore. The three campaigns waged by the Dutch East Indies Army against the Lanfang Company:

This last one resulted in the subjugation of the Chinese and the loss of autonomy.

See also

Kongsi republic

References

Citations

  1. ^ "Archived copy" 海外華人創建了世上第一個共和國. culture.singtaonet.com (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 2011-04-24. Retrieved 2010-10-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Groot, J.J.M. (1885), Het Kongsiwezen van Borneo: eene verhandeling over den grondslag en den aard der chineesche politieke vereenigingen in de koloniën, The Hague: M. Nijhof.
  3. ^ Lindsey'& Pausacker & Coppel &Institute of Southeast Asian Studies & Monash Asia Institute 2005, p. 105.
  4. ^ ed. Gerber &Guang 2006, p. 164.
  5. ^ ed. Reid & Alilunas-Rodgers 1996, p. 169.
  6. ^ ed. Blussé & Zurndorfer & Zürcher 1993, p. 288.
  7. ^ Chin 1981, p. 19.
  8. ^ Heidhues 2001:169
  9. ^ Gernet 1996, p. 489.
  10. ^ YUNOS 2011. Archived 2014-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "The Eurozone as a Lan Fang Republic" 2012
  12. ^ Zheng 1982, p. 40.
  13. ^ Wang 1994, p. 87.
  14. ^ "The Sarawak Museum Journal, Volume 19" 1971, p. 119.
  15. ^ "The Sarawak Museum Journal" 1959, p. 671.
  16. ^ Heidhues 2003, p. 65.
  17. ^ Heidhues 2003, p. 103.
  18. ^ Luo & Luo 1941,
  19. ^ 羅 1961,
  20. ^ Irwin 1955, p. 173.

Sources