Help with translation

adamb · 25th September 2025, 09:14 PM

Hello all; so, no one has ever come across a keris with Chinese inscriptions before? Many thanks again

A. G. Maisey · 25th September 2025, 10:03 PM

Adam, I cannot read Chinese characters of any type, and according to my understanding there are a number of types of characters. However i have encountered keris, tombak & other atrefacts originating in Jawa that do carry Chinese characters, in most cases these characters were placed on the blade by using the method that we call "batik", ie, writing the inscription in wax and then etching.

There was & is plenty of Chinese influence in Jawa, Bali & other places throughout SE Asia. I'm certain that you, yourself know this.

Green · 26th September 2025, 10:29 AM

This is a normal spokal bugis keris. There is nothing Chinese about it except perhaps the buyer was a Chinese who wrote those notes on the sheath.

There were, and are still quite a few Chinese collectors of keris in Malaysia Singapore Thailand and Indonesia.

25th September 2025, 09:14 PM	#1
adamb Member Join Date: Oct 2024 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 47	Hello all; so, no one has ever come across a keris with Chinese inscriptions before? Many thanks again

25th September 2025, 10:03 PM	#2
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,072	Adam, I cannot read Chinese characters of any type, and according to my understanding there are a number of types of characters. However i have encountered keris, tombak & other atrefacts originating in Jawa that do carry Chinese characters, in most cases these characters were placed on the blade by using the method that we call "batik", ie, writing the inscription in wax and then etching. There was & is plenty of Chinese influence in Jawa, Bali & other places throughout SE Asia. I'm certain that you, yourself know this.

26th September 2025, 10:29 AM	#3
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 325	This is a normal spokal bugis keris. There is nothing Chinese about it except perhaps the buyer was a Chinese who wrote those notes on the sheath. There were, and are still quite a few Chinese collectors of keris in Malaysia Singapore Thailand and Indonesia.