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The Rakyat Post A Universiti Sains Malaysia publication claims that Malays possessed flying abilities during China's Tang Dynasty, sparking debate among historians. Scholars argue that the term "Kunlun" refers to various dark-skinned peoples, not specifically Malays. This assertion has ignited discussions about historical interpretations and cultural identities.
USM claims Malays could fly!
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 14, 2025: Whatever has become of the once premier university, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)?
It has published a book claiming that there was a time when Malays could fly!
Yeah! My fly also can fly! Get it, USM?
Now, USM's kangkong lecturers and professors are not only producing kangkong graduates, they are also producing kangkong literature/books!
No News Is Bad News reproduces below a feature published by The Rakyat Post on the ridiculous book that USM published:
When Malays Could Fly: USM Book’s Tang Dynasty Claims Leave Historians Grounded
USM Publishers – a book publishing division of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) – promotes the book as perfect for those who want to understand the Malay race’s greatness.
January 14, 2025
A recently published book by USM Publishers has sparked controversy with its claims about a legendary flying warrior from the Malay Archipelago during China’s Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE).
The publication, “Melayu Mahawangsa: Tanah Air, Sejarah, Kerajaan dan Peradabannya,” describes a figure known as “Kunlun” who allegedly possessed extraordinary abilities, including the power to leap across rooftops and seemingly fly.
According to the book, this Kunlun warrior arrived in China via trading ships in the 9th century, gaining fame for his remarkable physical abilities and completing dangerous missions for the imperial court.
The text claims he maintained strong connections to his Malay heritage while serving in China.
However, historical scholars and social media users have quickly challenged these claims.
Dark Ships, Darker Tales: The Kunlun Controversy and the Problem with Historical Overclaiming
A commenter, Hafzan Lamza, said he had read the original Kunlun records, and unfortunately, these claims are incorrect, and Kunlun has no connection to Malays.
It’s problematic when we try to ‘Malayize’ everything. Even within Malaysia, almost everything gets ‘Malayized.’ Should we really try to claim historical figures that have no connection to Malay heritage? It’s excessive.
Another social media user, Wee Hui Kit, pointed out that the term Kunlun (昆仑) existed more than 2,000 years ago and connecting it to Malays is a modern interpretation.
Despite scholarly criticism, some continue to embrace the Kunlun-Malay connection.
When Fiction Becomes “Fact”
For instance, Hafizhuzairi Hamzah suggested that Chinese kung fu films’ signature elements of supernatural abilities originated from these Kunlun tales:
Facts from the Kunlun stories… from dynasty to dynasty in China… the kung fu stories that were filmed… most heroes and heroines could climb, fly and run on palace roofs. It’s not a myth… it’s adapted from Kunlun stories… an interesting and acceptable fact… better if there are more reference materials…
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000, Lee)
"Making the film was really an adventure, [with] a lot of frustrations. Actors got hurt, tired, exhausted. But at the end of the day, you watch the movie, and I think we accomplished something"
— Ang Lee pic.twitter.com/qWqUWdSVwd
— DepressedBergman (@DannyDrinksWine) June 3, 2024
Historical records indicate that “Kunlun Nu” is actually a wuxia (martial arts) romance written by Pei Xing during the Tang dynasty, featuring a Negrito slave as its protagonist.
The story revolves around this character using his extraordinary physical abilities to rescue his master’s lover from a court official’s harem.
Debunking Kunlun Maritime Myths: A Critical Analysis
Meanwhile, a civil engineer and author on history and mathematics, Megat Hisemudin Megat Kasim, said detailed historical analysis reveals significant problems with these claims.
These misinterpretations stem from:
· Failure to consult primary Chinese language sources
· Over-reliance on later romantic literature rather than official historical documents
· Tendency to attribute all Kunlun references specifically to Malays, ignoring the term’s broader historical usage
· Confusion between historical records and later fictional accounts
The evidence suggests that the term “Kunlun” had a broader and more complex meaning in historical Chinese sources than many modern interpretations indicate, and its application specifically to Malay peoples represents a later development that should not be retroactively applied to earlier periods.
Megat Hisemudin – who reads and writes Chinese – criticizes this as imaginative overclaiming meant to promote a “Melayu Mahawangsa” (Malay sovereign power) narrative, noting that primary Chinese sources from the 3rd and 8th centuries never made such claims.
He requests explicitly that his comments not be deleted by USM Publisher for the sake of academic discourse.
The fact that a scholar feels compelled to make such a request suggests that some truths might be too bitter to swallow in Malaysian academia, especially when they challenge deeply entrenched nationalist historical narratives.
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