Galle Trilingual Inscription
| Galle Trilingual Inscription | |
|---|---|
Galle Trilingual inscription as displayed in the Colombo National Museum of Sri Lanka in December 2011 | |
Galle stele replica, Treasure Boat Shipyard in Nanjing | |
| Material | stone |
| Size | 144.78 cm × 76.2 cm (4 ft 9 in × 2 ft 6 in) |
| Writing | Chinese, Tamil and Persian |
| Discovered | 1911 Galle |
| Discovered by | S. H. Thomlin |
| Present location | National Museum of Colombo |
The Galle Trilingual Inscription is a stone tablet with an inscription in three languages, Chinese, Tamil and Persian, located in Galle, Sri Lanka. Dated 15 February 1409, it was installed by the Chinese admiral Zheng He in Galle during his grand voyages.
The text concerns offerings made by him and others to the mountain Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) in Sri Lanka. The Chinese inscription mentions offerings to Buddha, the Persian in Perso-Arabic script to Allah and the Tamil inscription mentions offering to Tenavarai Nayanar (Hindu god Vishnu). The admiral invoked the blessings of Hindu deities here for a peaceful world built on trade.
On his third voyage, Zheng He sailed from China in 1409, and carried with him the trilingual tablet which he planned to erect in Sri Lanka. The date equates to 15 February 1409, indicating that it was inscribed in Nanjing before the fleet set out. The Chinese portion gives praise to the Buddha and records lavish offerings in his honour.
The tablet was found by an engineer, S. H. Thomlin, in 1911 in Galle. It can now be seen in the Colombo National Museum. A modern replica of the stele has been installed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjing, along with copies of other steles associated with the voyages of Zheng He .