Sejarah Melayu

We must seek the answers to our questions - and not be afraid. 

I have often stated that the Sejarah Melayu deserves its place on the world platform as one of the earliest literary masterpieces. It underwent transition between the oral and printed era and hence holds a special space in the history of literature. It is therefore no wonder, it holds its own on the list of UNESCO's Memory of the World register. Out of curiosity, I compiled the following chronological list of Man's significant works, documents, characters and books to give perspective.

Going Up To Sun Terrace (Li Bai), 8th century
Magna Carta, 1215*
Diwan-e_Shams-e_Tabrizi (Rumi), 13th century
Negarakertagama, Majapahit 1365
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, 1490
Sejarah Melayu, 1511 - 1612 *
The Prince (Machiavelli), 1532
Romeo and Juliet, 1591-1595
The Merchant of Venice, 1596 - 1598
Don Quixote, 1605
Antony and Cleopatra, 1608
English Bill of Rights, England 1689*
Hikayat Hang Tuah, 1712 - 1758*
Constitution of the United States, 1787*
The Brothers Grimm Fairytales. 1812*
Three Musketeers, 1844
Wuthering Heights, 1847
Great Expectations, 1861
Les Miserables, France, 1862
Anna Karenina, 1877
The Picture of Dorian Gray, 1890
Gitanjali (Tagore), 1913
Superman, 1933
Peanuts, 1950

* Unesco Memory of the World Register