Enter The Dragon, the historical traces of the Chinese community in Indonesia

From old temples to batik that incorporates bird motifs, the historical traces of the Chinese community in Indonesia are always interesting to examine. To welcome in the Chinese New Year (as well as the famous lantern festival of Capgome 15 days later), I take a look at various Chinatowns and Chinese historical site across the country.

KEMBANG JEPUN, SURABAYA The old region of Kembang Jepun is located on the banks of the River Kalimas, not far from Tanjung Perak Harbour. This strategic location made it easy for the inhabitants to get the wheels of business turning here, especially regarding the distribution of goods to islands in the eastern parts of Indonesia. Although its golden age has long passed, Kembang Jepun remains an active business hub. Local still utilize the area as a wholesale centre and in addition to the ever spinning cogs of capital, the old temples that remain here still faithfully serve active congregations, stage Chinese shadow puppets shows and run barongsai (dragon dances) courses.

SINGKAWANG, WEST KALIMANTAN The capgome celebrations that take place in Singkawang every year are the largest in Indonesia. Visitors are entertained by shamans who parade through the city streets while performing acts of debus magic. Music fills the air, barongsai dragons snake through town and prayers float up in to the sky accompanied by joss-stick smoke Singkawang lies a three-hours-drive from Pontianak and is often referred to as the “City of a Thousand Temples”. There are actually only 600 temples in town but these are enough to make it the largest Chinatown in Indonesia. The grandest building here is undoubtedly the Tri Dharma Bumi Raya, which locals believe is home to the Bumi Raya god.

KAMPUNG KAPITAN, PALEMBANG Early Chinese immigrants in Palembang lived on boathouses near the banks of the Musi River. During the eighteenth century, the Dutch relocated them to a special area and appointed a kapitan as coordinator. This was the beginning of the founding of Kampung Kapitan (Kapitan Village). Another Chinese site in Palembang which makes for an interesting visit is Pulau Kemaro, which lies about 20 minutes by boat from Benteng Kuto Besak. This island features a temple and is a popular tourist spot that overflows with visitors during Capgome celebrations. Kemaro is also the origin of a romantic legend involving a Chinese trader and a Malay woman—a story which has come to represent the harmonious relations that exist between the two ethnic groups. If you have time, visit the Soey Goeat Kiang Temple, which lies about 100 metres from the Musi River, not far from the Ampera Bridge. Serving its congregation since 1668, Soey Goeat Kiang is a historic asset which tells the story of the presence of immigrants from China in Palembang.

KESAWAN, MEDAN Before 1880, the village of Kesawan was inhabited by Malay people. Then the Chinese arrived from Malacca and China and turned the area into a Chinatown. After a large fire which destroyed the village wooden houses in 1889, the Chinese inhabitants constructed two storey shop-houses some of which still survive today. The most conspicuous building In Medan's Chinatown is the Tjong A Fie Mansion. This palace, once inhabited by a rich businessman, is located on the right side of the street, next to the Medan Tourism Office. Tjong A Fie was the son of a trader from the village of Moy Hian in Canton in China. When his father died, and he came to Deli and set up some tobacco plantations.

GANG BARU, SEMARANG The port city of Semarang was once an immigration gateway into Central Java. Back in the fifteenth century, the legendary Chinese admiral, Cheng Ho (also known as Zheng He), stopped by here during his many prodigious voyages to an amazing 40 countries. Last year, Semarang erected a statue of Cheng Ho at the Sam Poo Kong temple in order to commemorate and pay tribute to this famous seaman. There are at least ten large temples in the Gang Baru area of Semarang with Siu Hok Bio, which was built in 1753, being the oldest. One of the best times to visit this area is the day before Chinese New Year, when the Gang Baru Market is open 24 hours round the clock serving locals looking 0 stock upon all of their festive needs.

LASEM, REMBANG Located between Semarang and Surabaya, Lasem once lay on the north coast of Java’s most important trade route. The remaining legacy of the Chinese traders that once plied this route consists of old temples that are alas now succumbing to the ravages of time. Cu An Kiong is a fine example and is the oldest temple in Lasem. It stands on Jalan Dasun and houses a statue of a Sea Goddess, who was believed to be the immigrants’ protector. The carved wooden panels on the temple’s main door are the work of skilled Chinese artisans and the history of the temple building is told in a sequence of paintings that are arranged in a row on its walls. Over on Jalan Babagan, antique ethnic- Chinese houses stand in neat rows and several boast fences that are decorated with Chinese calligraphy. If you step inside one of these houses, you may discover old-fashioned chairs or altars featuring photographs of the occupants’ ancestors. A batik businessman in Lasem once turned his backyard into a modest batik studio and it is claimed that the development of Lasem’s coastal-style batik is related to Putri Campa, the daughter of one of Admiral Cheng Ho’s captains. Motifs of hong birds and lions now provide evidence that Lasem batik has been influenced by Chinese immigrant culture.

KAMPUNG SENGGARANG,RIAU ISLANDS Senggarang was the first Chinatown in the Riau Islands to be established by Chinese immigrants. The emigres then dispersed and were assimilated into local communties, where they built houses of worship. The temple with the greatest historical value here is the Banyan Tree Temple, also known as the Chiao Ch’en Temple. The temple was named after Captain Chiao Ch’en, who arrived in 1811 from the Chinese mainland and who decided to Remain in the Riau Islands until his death. During holidays such as Chinese New Year and Capgome, the temple throngs with both domestic and international visitors.

PETAK SEMBILAN, JAKARTA Located in the Kota Tua (Old Town) area of the capital, Petak Sembilan exudes classic Chinatown ambience through its narrow roads and rows of dainty, Chinese-style houses. The area is seemingly always busy, especially during Chinese holidays, and shoppers from all over Jakarta come here for their traditional ceremonial needs. Petak Sembilan’s most famous icon is the Dharma Bhakti Temple, which was built in the seventeenth century on a 3,000-square-metre plot of land.