LOCATION OF HANG LI PO WELL

Figure 1.1 Hang Li Po Well

HANG LI PO WELL was located adjacent to the Sam Po Kong Temple. When Hang Li Po arrived with more than 500 ladies-in-waiting, the Sultan Mansur Shah gave them ‘the hill without a town’ in perpetuity, subsequently called ‘Bukit Cina’. Bukit Cina (Chinese Hill) is the largest Chinese burial ground outside China. The cemetery stretches over 3 hills covering an area of 26ha and holds more than 12,000 graves with tombs dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Hang Li Po’s followers built a well at the foot of the Bukit Cina hill for their own used. Also known as Rajah’s well, it can be said as the main source of water for much of the town. It is said that the well never dried up, not even during times of extreme drought. The Dutch enclosed the well in stout walls in 1677 to prevent it from falling into the hands of foes.

Today it has long since been crowded by tourists looking into the well which is nothing to see but children here are trying to throw a coin in!!! - making it like a wishing well!

Figure 1.2 Step to the Hill from HANG LI PO WELL

Figure 1.3 View of Melaka Town from top of the hill, you can see Munshi Abdullah Street Bukit Cina, located in the fringe of Melaka City. Sultan Mansur Shah bequeathed this 42 hectare and 148metre high hill to Chinese after he married Princess Hang Liu (Hang Li Po).

Figure 1.4 Map to Hang Li Po, Bukit Cina

From CHIA SIOK XIAN