Fadli Zon emphasizes the historiography of South Sumatra as an axis of global trade

Jakarta – Indonesian Minister of Culture (Menbud) Fadli Zon attended the online launch of the book ‘Chinese Ceramics Discovered by the Musi River 7th-19th Century AD’ at Sriwijaya University (Unsri) Palembang, South Sumatra. On this occasion, Fadli expressed his appreciation for the launch of the book ‘Chinese Ceramics Discovered by the Musi River 7th-19th Century AD’. According to Fadli, this book is an important work that can be the beginning of further research on ceramic finds along the Musi River. “I am of course very happy, because finally the Book of Chinese Ceramics Discovered by the Musi River from the 7th-19th Century AD can finally be launched, it is a book that can be the beginning of further research on ceramics along the Musi River. It is not only related to Chinese ceramics, but also ceramics from other countries, such as Fad Thailand and Vietnam said in a written statement. (20/10/2025). PAGE TO CONTINUE CONTENT Furthermore, Fadli said that the Musi River is not only a river that shows local culture and civilization, but is a river that carries global trade traffic. This is proven by the various historical collections found in the Musi River area. “The evidence can be seen from ceramic finds from various dynasties, from the Han Dynasty, Sung Dynasty, Yuan dynasty, to the Ming and Qing dynasties, and also from the Republican era. In my opinion, these findings indicate that trade exchange has been going on for centuries, perhaps even thousands of years,” Fadli explained. Fadli also underlined efforts to conduct deeper studies to find out the ins and outs of Indonesia’s trade with China and other Southeast Asian countries. The study of Indonesian trade can reveal cultural interactions as well as enrich the treasures of past maritime life. “It is also a clear proof that Palembang has an important role in the global network. The Musi River is a very large river, and based on research, it appears that there is a lot of trade there,” Fadli explained. ‘Chinese Ceramics Found on the Musi River 7-19th Century AD’ is a book that complements the historiography of South Sumatra, especially the great story about the Musi River. The process of writing and researching the book was carried out from 2015 to the end of 2023, where the authors and researchers carefully identified archaeological findings and then recounted them as in this book. On this occasion, Fadli emphasized the need for cross-sector collaboration between the government, academics and cultural experts to gain more knowledge regarding the history of the Musi River, as well as other areas. “Hopefully we can continue to collaborate with universities, Sriwijaya University, with artists, cultural figures, and also with cultural communities in South Sumatra,” Fadli said. Meanwhile, Unsri Chancellor Taufiq Marwa expressed his appreciation for the cooperation with the Ministry of Culture in launching the book ‘Chinese Ceramics, Discoveries of the Musi River 7-19th Century AD’, as well as a reflective message so that this activity can become a way to learn from history for the current generation. “Hopefully, this book will help all of us favor We can use things that have happened and recorded in history as encouragement, motivation and learning for us in this time,” Taufiq said. Academician and book author Pidia Amelia explains the content and timeline of ‘Chinese Ceramics Discovered by the Musi River 7-19th Century AD’. According to Amelia, research on ceramic finds in the Musi River is an ongoing (ongoing) engagement. “There are many stages in the identification of ceramic remains that we export. Even now, research related to Musi River ceramics, including the collection at the Fadli Zon Creative House, is still being studied,” Amelia explained. The Director-General (Dirjen) for the Protection of Culture and Traditions of the Ministry of Culture, Restu Gunawan, who was present offline, also encouraged students to continue learning from various fields such as history, archeology and traditions contained in the book ‘Chinese Ceramics Discovered by the Musi River 7-19th Century AD’. “Hopefully the presence of this book written by the Minister, Ms. Amelia and the team encourage fellow students to work harder, to read again about our relationship with China, with India, and also with the Middle East,” said Restu. For information, the launch of the book ‘Chinese Ceramics Discovered by the Musi River 7th-19th Century AD’ was attended by the chancellor of Unsri Taufiq Marwa; Professor of Local History, Unsri Farida R Wargadalem; academic Pidia Amelia, and also participants consisting of the Unsri community and academics, historians and humanists. Present from the Ministry of Culture, Director General of Culture and Tradition Protection Restu Gunawan; director of history and museums Agus Mulyana; as well as Head of the Cultural Conservation Center (BPK) Region VI Kristanto Januardi. look also the video “Minister of Culture on Music Royalties: All parties must find a win-win solution” here: (akd/akd)