ABSTRACT
Chinese writers on occasion referred to Srivijaya as Jinzhou, literally, the 'District of Gold' or the 'Gold Coast', since the term zhou usually refers to a coastal area. They also describes a hill in Srivijaya that was covered with gold and silver images of the Buddha. Both Srivijaya and Jambi-Malayu had access to the shallow waters of the straits region, one of the world's most abundant fishing grounds and a definite asset in terms of providing food for their own population and for international travelers. Archaeological studies indicate that what was probably Srivijaya's royal compound was located about five miles west of modern Palembang's center in the vicinity of a settlement now known as Karanganyar, between Bukit Seguntang and the Musi River. Three bronze images of the Buddha were recovered from the Musi River, while Palembang's eastern suburbs have yielded two bronze statues of bodhisattvas and one bronze Siva.
