Documents linked to SL inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

Several documents linked to Sri Lanka have been inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register.

The register consists of documentary collections including books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, sound or video recordings, which bear witness to the shared heritage of humanity.  

Collections are added to the register by decision of UNESCO’s Executive Board, following the evaluation of nominations by an independent international advisory committee.   

Trilingual Inscription (Tribhasha Sellipiya) Submitters: China and Sri Lanka. The Trilingual Inscription is a stone tablet with Chinese, Persian and Tamil inscriptions, praising Buddha, God Vishnu and Allah. Discovered in 1911 in Sri Lanka by a British engineer, it is now preserved in the Colombo National Museum and has become the centerpiece of the Museum. A replica is exhibited in the Galle National Museum.

Dated 15th February 1409, the tablet was installed by the Chinese Admiral Zheng He. Originally inscribed in the Treasure Boat Shipyard Park in Nanjing, it was brought to Sri Lanka during his third voyage. The text mentions offerings made to a sacred mountain shrine. UNESCO describes it as the only known trilingual text combining these three languages and representing three distinct civilizations. During his voyages to the West, Zheng erected tablets in many places to commemorate his voyages. However, so far, only the tablet has been discovered. Today, it has become a precious material testament to China-foreign exchanges along the ancient Maritime Silk Road, continuing to narrate the historical stories of coexistence among diverse ethnicities, languages and religions along this maritime route.   

“The joint efforts underscore the mutual respect and commitment to cultural preservation that Sri Lanka and China have cultivated over the years.