A king’s journey, a family’s roots: Sulu princess returns to a 609-year story of friendship in China

A king crossed the sea. A friendship crossed the centuries. In 1417, Paduka Batara, East King of Sulu, journeyed to China with a delegation bearing gifts and goodwill. He would never return home. When he fell ill and died in Dezhou, the Yongle Emperor honored him with a royal burial. His family found care far from Sulu—and, over generations, their descendants built lives alongside their Chinese neighbors. Today, those descendants continue to care for his resting place, keeping their Muslim faith and remembering Sulu as the land of their forefathers. 609 years later, Princess Jacel Kiram’s visit to Dezhou brings this shared history close to the heart: beyond the monuments are families, memories, and bonds that time has carried forward. Sometimes, a journey ends far from home—and leaves a connection that makes two peoples family.