Sailing near the Natuna Islands and West Kalimantan: Notes on the “Zheng He Map” and Some Ming “Rutters”

Most scholars think the so-called “Zheng He Map” was drawn in the early fifteenth century. This famous map shows the sailing route from Nanjing in China via the Malay world to Sri Lanka and India, West Asia and East Africa. It also indicates several branch routes. One such branch leads from the sea near the southern section of modern Vietnam to the Natuna Islands, Cape Datu and the west coast of Kalimantan. From there it continues to the northern shore of Java. Further routes link Java to the areas of Billiton, Bangka, Sumatra, and so on. The present paper examines the Vietnam-Natuna-Kalimantan-Java segment. It discusses various toponyms shown on the map in connection with that route and compares the relevant information with data found in other sources of the Ming period, especially nautical texts. The conclusion is that Chinese vessels used several north-south sailing corridors through the Natuna Sea.