Bluntly Fresh Morning Overture

As Ramadan will soon be drawing to an end, I'd like to share a story about Ramadan in my country. In Indonesia, Ramadan is the time to make rooms in your agenda for having iftar (breaking of the fast) together with friends and colleagues. Even if you are not Muslims and not fasting, you'll find yourselves with iftar invitations. Something that most Indonesians wouldn't want to miss since it's a perfect time to meet old friends or just to have those moments of bonding with your colleagues.

This story is about a friend of mine. He already has it written in his blog, but I think he wouldn't mind me making an English version of it (right, Tom-tom?). So let's just get started!

Once upon a time, there was this handsome sex sales executive. He was working on his daily chores when he received a call from a friend of his. Here's an excerpt of their conversation (real names withheld):
Ruhut Sitompul: Yo-yo-yo, Gie. Whaddup?
Kwik Kian Gie: My man, Ruhut! How about having iftar together this evening?
Ruhut Sitompul: Sounds terrific! I'm in!
Kwik Kian Gie: Kewl! Let me contact some of our friends.
Ruhut Sitompul: See you later, alligator!

*You think this conversation's lame? Wait until you meet the actual person. He's so lame, he makes Carrot Top look cool. Kidding! He's an awesome kid.*

To make a long story short, all of the invitees arrived at the designated eatery. After carefully inspecting all of his friends, Ruhut Sitompul came to a conclusion. "None of us here are really fasting huh, Gie?"

Wishing you all a Happy Eid-ul-Fitr 2011! Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1432H, Mohon Maaf Lahir dan Batin! Taqabalallahu Minna Wa Minkum, Shiyamana Wa Shiyamakum, Kullu'aalamin Wa Antum Bikhair...

It started a few months ago, when Fanni, a best friend of mine who is working in Guangzhou at the moment, wanted to send me some things from China. So off she went to the post office to send the package. Everything went normally up until the point where the guy who works at the post office asked her, "What is the Chinese name for this city?" to her surprise, because even though she's a Chinese Indonesian herself she doesn't know the Chinese name for any Indonesian cities except for Jakarta.

Yes, China has her own way of calling places around the world, and the name could be the Chinese pronunciation of the place, or a historical and symbolic name. Actually, Chinese is not the only country with this kind of behavior, there are other countries with the same way of thinking. For example, Vietnam refers to Indonesia as "Nam Duong", which means "Southern Country" (if I'm not mistaken). Or French which has the term "Allemagne" for Germany. Or how we Indonesians call Egypt as "Mesir", or how Malaysians call Morocco as "Maghribi".

Anyway, would you like to know the Chinese names for some Indonesian cities? I have some of them, provided that the list is not complete, but it would surely be helpful and not to mention interesting to know too. If any of you caould provide me with additional information on Chinese names of other cities and places in Indonesia, please let me know. Thank you in advance.

-Bandung = Wanlong.
-Binjai = Minli (from Hokkien pronounciation "Binle"), and Mengge (Teochew).
-Bogor = Maowu (from Hokkien pronounciation of Bobut, "Bo" from Bogor).
-Cirebon = Jingriwen.
-Jakarta. The Chinese name for Jakarta is Yajadia, which is the Chinese spelling for it. But it used to be called Pashia and Yecheng. Pashia comes from Batavia (Bashia = "Ba" City), while Yecheng refers to Sunda Kelapa (Yecheng means Coconut Port or something like that).
-Magelang = Majileng.
-Medan = Mienlan.
-Palembang = Jugang (Hokkien "Kukang"), which means "big port". Palembang as the capital of Srivijaya Empire has already been acknowledged by the Chinese since the Tang dynasty.
-Pontianak. Some of you who knows people from Pontianak, might have already know the Chinese name for it, which is Khuntien. Khun might be derived from Kuntilanak (Indonesian ghost which got something to do with the city's history), while Tien means settlement.
-Semarang = Sanbaolong. From Hokkien pronounciation of Sampolong which means "tomb of Sampo". Sampo is an honorary title for Zheng He.
-Singkawang = Samkhewjong/Samkhouwyang
-Solo = Suolo.
-Surabaya = Sishui (Hokkien Sucui, from "Su" in "Surabaya").
-Yogyakarta = Rire.

Credits: Chinese Culture and History Discussion Forum for the names and rembulanfajar at flickr for the image of Semarang's Sampokong temple.