Paduka Pahala
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Paduka Pahala was a precolonial king from the Sulu Archipelago in today's Philippines, where he ruled as East King of Sulu. He is best known as the first king from the region to be buried in China, wh
Tomb of Paduka Pahala near Dezhou
Stone marker at the entrance to the Tomb of the Sulu King (苏禄王墓).
Yongle Emperor
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The Yongle Emperor, personal name Zhu Di, was the third emperor of the Ming dynasty of China, reigning from 1402 to 1424. He was the fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the dynasty.
Paduka Pahala
…according to the Ming Veritable Records, Paduka Pahala sailed from Sulu with over 340 other people, including his family, to pay tribute to Zhu Di, the Yongle Emperor of the Chinese Ming dynasty. Pahala was accompanied by two other kings of Sulu, but he was considered superior to both of them. He was ceremoniously…
Palace portrait on a hanging scroll
The Hongwu Emperor, the father of Zhu Di, in his old age, c. 1397
Portrait of Lady Xu, Zhu Di's wife, as empress
The Hall of Revering Heaven in the Forbidden City, Beijing. The Forbidden City, a 72-hectare complex of palaces and buildings, served as the imperial residence of the Ming emperors from 1420 onward. The current buildings of the palace complex are the result of restorations during the Qing dynasty, which did not significantly alter the appearance of the Ming constructions.