Ban Zu

Ban Zu

Ban Zu was an old port town that people think was in Singapore a long time ago, around the year 1300. Many believe it was near Fort Canning Hill and close to the Singapore River. It was one of the two main places in Temasek, as written by a traveler named Wang Dayuan in his book called Daoyi Zhilüe.

The name Ban Zu might come from a Malay word "pancur," which means "spring of water." There was a special spring on the west side of Fort Canning Hill that people called "pancur larangan" or "forbidden spring." Long ago, important women would visit this spring.

People in Ban Zu were known to be honest and made beautiful things like hornbill casques, lakawood, and cotton. They also traded many items, such as silk cloths, iron bars, and porcelain.

In the 1800s, old city walls and buildings were still seen near Fort Canning Hill, but they are gone now because of new buildings. In 1928, workers found wonderful gold ornaments from the 1300s near the hill. These pieces tell us that Ban Zu was a busy and important place where people lived and traded many years ago.