The History of Palembang

This city was traditionally a trade center, and, for about 500 years up to the 13th Century, Palembang was one of the principal ports of the world, meaning a central point for the bulk of the Indonesian islands' trade. Mahayana Buddhism came here around in the 7th century. A Chinese-Buddhist pilgrim, I Tsing, who was going to India, arrived at Sriwijaya University in 671 A.D., and spent 6 months studying Sanskrit. And when he was returning home in 68E A.D., he stayed here for 4 years, writing his memoirs and giving a valuable description of the city.