Lanfang Republic Explained

Conventional Long Name:Lanfang Republic
Common Name:Lanfang
Status:Kongsi federation under Sultanate of Pontianak and Mempawah[1]
Qing tributary
S1:Dutch East Indies
Flag S1:Flag of the Netherlands.svg
Flag Type: Reconstructed flag[2]
Other Symbol:National seal:
Chinese: 蘭芳公司
Image Map Caption:Map of Kongsi republics in West Borneo
Capital:Dōng Wàn Lǜ (Chinese: 東萬律) (now)
Common Languages:Hakka, Malay, Dayak languages
Government Type:Presidential Kongsi republic
Title Leader:President
Leader1:Low Lan Pak
Year Leader1:1777 - 1795
Leader2:Jiang Wubo
Year Leader2:1795 - 1799
Leader3:Yan Sibo
Year Leader3:1799 - 1804
Leader4:Jiang Wubo
Year Leader4:1804 - 1811
Leader5:Song Chabo
Year Leader5:1811 - 1823
Leader6:Liu Taiji
Year Leader6:1823 - 1838
Leader7:Gu Liubo
Year Leader7:1838 - 1842
Era:New Imperialism
Event Start:Founding
Year Start:1777
Event1:Expedition to the West Coast of Borneo
Date Event1:1823
Event End:Dutch conquest
Year End:1884
Today:Indonesia
Year Leader8:1842 - 1843
Leader8:Xie Guifang
Year Leader9:1843 - 1845
Leader9:Ye Tenghui
Year Leader10:1845 - 1848
Leader10:Liu Ganxing
Year Leader11:1848 - 1876
Leader11:Liu Asheng
Year Leader12:1876 - 1880
Leader12:Liu Liang
Year Leader13:1880 - 1884
Leader13:Liu Asheng
Demonym:Hakka or Lánfāngrén (蘭芳人)

The Lanfang Republic (Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Làn-fông Khiung-fò-koet), also known as Lanfang Company, was a kongsi federation in Western Borneo in the territory of Sultanate of Sambas. It was established by a Hakka Chinese named in 1777 until it was ended by Dutch occupation in 1884.

Arrival of the Chinese

The sultans of Western Borneo, including Sambas, Sukadana, and Landak all imported Chinese laborers in the 18th century to work in gold or tin mines. A number of mining companies enjoyed some political autonomy,[3] but Lanfang is the best known thanks to a history written by Yap Siong-yoen, the son-in-law of the last kapitan of the Lanfang Company, which was translated into Dutch in 1885, and J.J.M. de Groot, a Dutch Sinologist who recorded Lanfang's history with the help of its last President, Liu Asheng.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] None of the other Chinese mining organization in western Kalimantan left written accounts; the records of the others were documented by Dutch sinologists.[10]

Rule of Low Lan Pak

See main article: Luo Fangbo. The founding father of the Lanfang Kongsi was Low Fong Pak (羅芳伯), who hailed from Meizhou in Guangdong Province. Chinese settlers have long lived on Borneo, with most engaging in trading and mining. They formed their own companies, among which was the Southern Company headed by Low.

Low established the Lanfang Company in 1777 (with its capital in Mandor), and it quickly emerged as the leading government in the region.[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] The settlers subsequently elected Low as their inaugural leader. At the beginning of the Low's leadership, he knew they wouldn't survive long on a land surrounded by Western colonizers. To seek protection, Low insisted on claiming Lanfang Republic as a company to seek asylum from the Qing empire. Unfortunately, the Qianlong Emperor didn't accept Low's proposal of becoming the Qing Empire's tributary state but accepted the trade agreement. After Low received the official response from Qianlong, he promptly showcased it as evidence of loyalty to the Qing Empire. This action effectively intimidated the Dutch, forcing them to cease their hostile activities against the Lanfang Republic temporarily.[17] After Low secured the Lanfang Republic's future, he implemented many democratic principles, including the idea that all matters of state must involve the consultation of the republic's citizenry. The Republic did not have a standing military, but had a defense ministry that administered a national militia based on conscription. During peacetime, the populace mostly engaged in farming, production, trading, and mining. Lanfang's administrative divisions included three tiers (province, prefecture, and county) with the people electing leaders for all levels. Lanfang was allied with Sultan Abdurrahman of the Pontianak Sultanate.[18] [19] [20] [21] [22]

Low served as head of state until his death in 1795. Afterwards, Lanfang members elected Jiang Wubo (Chinese: 江戊伯) as their next president. Lanfang citizens elected a total of twelve leaders, who helped improve agricultural techniques, expand mine production, develop cultural education, and organize military training.

Dutch conquest

In the mid-to-late 19th century, the Chinese Qing Empire weakened substantially. Thus, the Lanfang Company's vigorous development suffered from the eventual expansion of the Dutch. The Mandor community waged a tenacious resistance, but ultimately failed due to poor weaponry. Lin Ah Sin was the last leader of Lanfang.[23] Many of Lanfang's citizens and their descendants made their way to Sumatra or Singapore. The three campaigns waged by the Dutch East Indies Army against the Lanfang Company:

This last one resulted in the subjugation of the Chinese and the loss of autonomy.

Wary of Qing intervention, the Dutch did not openly annex the lands controlled by the Lanfang Company, and created another puppet regime. It was not until 1912, when the Qing Dynasty collapsed, that the Dutch proclaimed their occupation.

See also

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Republik Lanfang, Republik Pertama di Nusantara?. id. Pinter Politik. 2023-03-30. 2021-10-11.
  2. Web site: Lan Fang Republic . 21 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/19991009132305/http://www.asiawind.com/hakka/lanfang.htm. www.asiawind.com . 9 October 1999 . 15 February 1998.
  3. Web site: http://www.stnn.cc:82/culture/reveal/t20060529_223627.html . zh:海外華人創建了世上第一個共和國 . culture.singtaonet.com . zh-Hant . 2010-10-31 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110424124658/http://www.stnn.cc:82/culture/reveal/t20060529_223627.html . 2011-04-24 . dead .
  4. .
  5. https://books.google.com/books?id=nGpwAAAAMAAJ&q=1777+lanfang Lindsey'& Pausacker & Coppel &Institute of Southeast Asian Studies & Monash Asia Institute 2005
  6. https://books.google.com/books?id=E1d5L9tXXq0C&dq=1777+lanfang&pg=PA164 ed. Gerber &Guang 2006
  7. https://books.google.com/books?id=YFIGVqZ9ZKsC&dq=1777+lanfang&pg=PA169 ed. Reid & Alilunas-Rodgers 1996
  8. https://books.google.com/books?id=pXLO2k1oaPsC&dq=1777+lanfang&pg=PA288 ed. Blussé & Zurndorfer & Zürcher 1993
  9. https://books.google.com/books?id=FQkdAAAAMAAJ&q=1777+lanfang Chin 1981
  10. Heidhues 2001:169
  11. https://books.google.com/books?id=jqb7L-pKCV8C&pg=PA489 Gernet 1996
  12. http://www.bt.com.bn/golden-legacy/2011/05/23/saga-lanfang-republic YUNOS 2011.
  13. http://www.manifestajournal.org/online-residencies/matteo-lucchetti/eurozone-lan-fang-republic "The Eurozone as a Lan Fang Republic" 2012
  14. https://books.google.com/books?id=fLL5BQj9Xf0C&dq=1777+lanfang&pg=PA40 Zheng 1982
  15. https://books.google.com/books?id=vHZuAAAAMAAJ&q=1777+lanfang Wang 1994
  16. https://books.google.com/books?id=YMMvAAAAYAAJ&q=1777+lan-fang "The Sarawak Museum Journal, Volume 19" 1971
  17. 1777年华人在印尼建国 延续百年(图)- 中国新闻网. 07/02/2009. https://news.cctv.com/history/20090702/101580_6.shtml
  18. https://books.google.com/books?id=ZKAvAAAAYAAJ&q=+republic+1777 "The Sarawak Museum Journal" 1959
  19. https://books.google.com/books?id=4WK2s2ogHEAC&pg=PA65 Heidhues 2003
  20. https://books.google.com/books?id=4WK2s2ogHEAC&dq=1777+lanfang&pg=PA103 Heidhues 2003
  21. https://books.google.com/books?id=Ya71ACt_aDsC&q=lanfang+sultan+wise+1777 Luo & Luo
  22. https://books.google.com/books?id=3TvTAAAAMAAJ&q=1777+lan-fang 羅 1961
  23. https://books.google.com/books?id=eGAKAQAAIAAJ&q=Lan+fang Irwin 1955

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