Ban Zu

Ban Zu, also known as Banzu, was a port settlement that many believe existed in Singapore during the 14th century. People think it might have been located on Fort Canning Hill and near the north bank of the Singapore River.

The Chinese traveler Wang Dayuan wrote about Ban Zu in his book Daoyi Zhilüe. He mentioned it together with another place called Long Ya Men as the two main settlements that made up a place known as Temasek.

Ban Zu might have been left behind before the year 1400. This could have happened after an attack by people from either the Siamese or the Majapahit empires.

Name

Ban Zu is likely a Chinese transcription of the Malay word pancur, which means "spring of water". The word pancur is used in many place names in the area. For example, Fansur (Pansur) in Sumatra was known to people long ago, and it was also the name of an important city in Johor many years later. There was once a special spring on the west side of Fort Canning Hill, called pancur larangan or "forbidden spring" in Malay. It was said that women from royal families in old Singapura would visit this spring.

Historical accounts

Historical information about Ban Zu comes from a book called Daoyi Zhilüe written by Wang Dayuan during the Yuan dynasty. Ban Zu was described as being located behind a hill near Long Ya Men in Temasek. The people of Ban Zu were described as honest, unlike those of Long Ya Men, who were known for piracy.

Wang Dayuan noted that Ban Zu produced items like hornbill casques, lakawood, and cotton. The people there traded in silk cloths, iron bars, cotton prints, red gold, porcelain, and iron tools. He also mentioned that Temasek had strong defenses and once successfully defended itself against an attack by ships from Siam.

Description and archaeology

Ban Zu is thought to have been located on what is now Fort Canning Hill and nearby areas in Singapore. Early explorers in the 1800s described old city walls and buildings that were still standing, though they have since disappeared due to modern development. These walls were nearly a mile long, about 16 feet wide, and 8–9 feet high.

In 1928, workers found a treasure of gold ornaments from the 1300s while digging near Fort Canning Hill. These included armlets, rings, and other decorative pieces. Some were lost during World War II, but the remaining items are still studied today. Later digs in the 1980s showed that this area was a busy port and home during the 1300s. People lived, traded, and worked there, and some important buildings may have stood on the hill itself.