Lanfang Republic

 ( Kongsi Republic ) 

The Lanfang Republic (, Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: Làn-fông Khiung-fò-koet), also known as Lanfang Company (), was a Kongsi republic in Western Borneo in the territory of Sultanate of Sambas. It was established by a Hakka people named Luo Fangbo in 1777 until it was ended by Dutch occupation in 1884.

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Arrival of the Chinese The sultans of West Kalimantan, including Sambas, Sukadana and Landak all imported Chinese laborers in the 18th century to work in gold or tin mining. A number of mining companies enjoyed some political autonomy, but Lanfang is the best known thanks to a history written by Yap Siong-yoen, the son-in-law of the last Kapitan Cina of the Lanfang Company, which was translated into Dutch language in 1885, and J. J. M. de Groot, a Dutch Sinology who recorded Lanfang's history with the help of its last President, Liu Asheng.. Lindsey'& Pausacker & Coppel &Institute of Southeast Asian Studies & Monash Asia Institute 2005, p. 105. ed. Gerber &Guang 2006, p. 164. ed. Reid & Alilunas-Rodgers 1996, p. 169. ed. Blussé & Zurndorfer & Zürcher 1993, p. 288. Chin 1981, p. 19. None of the other Chinese mining organization in western Kalimantan left written accounts; the records of the others were documented by Dutch sinologists.Heidhues 2001:169

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Rule of Low Lan Pak The founding father of the Lanfang Kongsi was Luo Fangbo (羅芳伯), who hailed from Meizhou in Guangdong Province. Chinese settlers have long lived on Borneo, with most engaging in trading and mining. They formed their own companies, among which was the Southern Company headed by Low.

Low established the Lanfang Company in 1777 (with its capital in Mandor), and it quickly emerged as the leading government in the region. Gernet 1996, p. 489. YUNOS 2011. Zheng 1982, p. 40. Wang 1994, p. 87. "The Sarawak Museum Journal, Volume 19" 1971, p. 119. The settlers subsequently elected Low as their inaugural leader. At the beginning of the Low's leadership, he knew they wouldn't survive long on a land surrounded by Western colonizers. To seek protection, Low insisted on claiming Lanfang Republic as a company to seek asylum from the Qing empire. Unfortunately, the Qianlong Emperor didn't accept Low's proposal of becoming the Qing Empire' /ref> After Low secured the Lanfang Republic's future, he implemented many democratic principles, including the idea that all matters of state must involve the consultation of the republic's citizenry. The Republic did not have a standing military, but had a defense ministry that administered a national militia based on conscription. During peacetime, the populace mostly engaged in farming, production, trading, and mining. Lanfang's administrative divisions included three tiers (province, prefecture, and county) with the people electing leaders for all levels. Lanfang was allied with Sultan Abdurrahman of the Pontianak Sultanate. "The Sarawak Museum Journal" 1959, p. 671. Heidhues 2003, p. 65. Heidhues 2003, p. 103. Luo & Luo 1941, 羅 1961,

Low served as head of state until his death in 1795. Afterwards, Lanfang members elected Jiang Wubo (江戊伯) as their next president. Lanfang citizens elected a total of twelve leaders, who helped improve agricultural techniques, expand mine production, develop cultural education, and organize military training.

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Dutch conquest In the mid-to-late 19th century, the Chinese Qing Empire weakened substantially. Thus, the Lanfang Company's vigorous development suffered from the eventual expansion of the Dutch. The Mandor community waged a tenacious resistance, but ultimately failed due to poor weaponry. Lin Ah Sin was the last leader of Lanfang. Irwin 1955, p. 173. Many of Lanfang's citizens and their descendants made their way to Sumatra or Singapore. The three campaigns waged by the Dutch East Indies Army against the Lanfang Company:

• Expedition to the West Coast of Borneo (1822–24)
• Expedition against the Chinese in Montrado (1850–54)
• Chinese uprising in Mandor, Borneo (1884–85)

This last one resulted in the subjugation of the Chinese and the loss of autonomy.

Wary of Qing intervention, the Dutch did not openly annex the lands controlled by the Lanfang Company, and created another puppet regime. It was not until 1912, when the Qing Dynasty collapsed, that the Dutch proclaimed their occupation.

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See also

• Kengwei Republic

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Citations

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Sources

• (1993). 9789004097759, BRILL. . ISBN 9789004097759
• John M. Chin (1981). 9780195804706, Oxford University Press, Incorporated. . ISBN 9780195804706
• (2025). 9780754639787, Ashgate/Variorum. . ISBN 9780754639787
• Jacques Gernet (1996). 9780521497817, Cambridge University Press. . ISBN 9780521497817
• Mary F. Somers Heidhues (2025). 9780877277330, SEAP Publications. . ISBN 9780877277330
• (2025). 9789812302861, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. . ISBN 9789812302861
• Museum für Völkerkunde zu Leipzig (1997). 9783825834326, Lit-Verlag. . ISBN 9783825834326
• (2025). 9783865830623, Leipziger Universitätsverlag. . ISBN 9783865830623
• (1996). 9780824824464, University of Hawaii Press. . ISBN 9780824824464
• Anthony Reid (2025). 9780754657491, Ashgate. . ISBN 9780754657491
• Paul Yong (1994). 9789679783773, Pelanduk Publications. . ISBN 9789679783773
• (2025). 9789799101259, Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia. . ISBN 9789799101259
• (1997). 9789971692018, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. . ISBN 9789971692018
• Wang Tai Peng (1994). 9789679784497, Pelanduk Publications. . ISBN 9789679784497
• Delai Zhang (2025). 9789834084004, Sabah Theological Seminary. . ISBN 9789834084004
• Dekun Zheng (1982). 9789622012615, Chinese University Press. . ISBN 9789622012615
• Dekun Zheng (1969). 9780852700112, Heffer. . ISBN 9780852700112
• .

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External links

• Info at Asiawind.com

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