The Brunei King’s Grand Tomb in Nanjing, China

The Tomb of the King of Boni is the tomb of Maharaja Karna (also known as Sultan Abdul Majid Hassan), the ruler of Boni, a medieval state on the island of Borneo. Boni is often considered to be the predecessor of modern Brunei. The tomb and its spirit path are housed in a park in the southern foothills of Tortoise Mountain (Guishan), about 3 kilometers south of Nanjing’s southern gate. 

It was erected upon orders of the Yongle Emperor after King Karna fell fatally ill during his state visit to Ming China. The construction of such a grand tomb on Chinese soil for a foreign ruler is considered to be one of the highest diplomatic honors in Chinese history. The tomb was completed in the early 15th century. It is one of China’s only two foreign rulers’ tombs (the other one being the Tomb of the King of Sulu, modern-day Southern Philippines, in Dezhou, Shandong). Today, it is a significant heritage site under state protection.

The country known as Boni in early Ming dynasty records was a state on Borneo Island. Boni had a long history of contact with China by the time their king arrived in Nanjing, having sent envoys during the Northern Song dynasty.

Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang dispatched an imperial censor and a Fujian official to Boni on a diplomatic mission in the third year of the Hongwu reign, Ming dynasty (1370). When the two Chinese officials returned to China, the King of Boni sent his envoys with them.

In 1405, King Karna ascended to the throne and dispatched envoys to China to pay tribute to the Yongle Emperor. In exchange, the Emperor granted the King an imperial mandate and a seal. The King was overjoyed and decided to express his heartfelt gratitude in person. Thus, he arrived by sea in Fujian province with his wife, sons, and several other relatives, and they were greeted warmly by local officials sent by the central government.

In summer 1408, King Karna and his companions arrived in Nanjing, the capital of the Ming Empire, to attend the imperial court. He became sick after spending more than a month in Nanjing. He was 28 years old and died as a result of a serious illness at his Nanjing residence. He expressed a desire to “be buried in China” in his testament. The Yongle Emperor suspended court for three days, dispatched mourners, and bestowed the posthumous title of “Deferent” on the King. Following the death of the Boni ruler, he was buried outside Andemen in Shizigang, which was in the southern part of Nanjing, per Chinese vassal burial customs. Furthermore, the Yongle Emperor appointed the king’s son to succeed on his father’s throne.

Later, the tomb was deserted and abandoned in the forest, earning it the name “Huihuifen” (literally “Hui people’s tomb”) from the locals. The Hui People are a Muslim-Chinese minority. Two broken fallen steles were rediscovered in 1958 during an archaeological survey. The Boni king was presumed to be buried in the tomb based on the remaining inscriptions. Following that, the Nanjing government renovated the tomb, gravestone, and spirit way, as well as rebuilt the memorial archway, spirit pavilion, and stone platform. The Tomb of the King of Boni was designated as a major cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu province in 1982, and later gained state protection.

Princess Masnah, the sister of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, visited the King’s tomb and attended the opening ceremony of the newly built “China-Brunei Friendship Hall” in 2006. The Brunei Style Park was completed on October 23, 2008, and Princess Masnah visited Nanjing once more to attend the park’s opening.

The King of Boni’s Tomb faces north, with Niushou Mountain in the distance. The tomb is surrounded by trees and has a pool in front of it. On either side of the spirit way, there are stone sculptures of generals, tigers, goats, horses, and grooms, with very exotic carvings. The tomb, like the Sulu King’s, is at the end of the path. It is composed of a round, central mound surrounded by granite. “The Tombstone of the Deferent King of Boni,” the tombstone reads. The inscription details the King’s actions, the treatment he received from the imperial court, and the tomb’s construction. Because the Boni people practiced Islam, the style of the King’s tomb differed greatly from that of the Central Plains.

Today, the shrine, stone portraits, and tombs are all relatively well preserved. The gravestone ruins have been rebuilt, but the majority of the inscription has eroded over time. The China-Brunei Friendship Hall, a mosque, the Brunei Water Garden, pavilions, side streets, labyrinths, and Songfeng Palace are all part of the Brunei Style Park. The China-Brunei Friendship Hall houses a permanent exhibit of images and texts about the two countries’ interaction history.