During the 15th year of the Yongle reign period (1417 AD), Paduka Pahala, the Eastern King of Sulu (located in present-day Philippines), arrived in China with a 340 member delegation, consisting of his family members and retainers. The visit was in response to the diplomatic mission previously sent to Sulu by the Ming Dynasty. During their time in Beijing, the honored guests were afforded the finest reception. At the conclusion of the visit, the Eastern King and his group departed from Beijing, taking with them the profound friendship of the people of China. Unhappily, King Paduka Pahala fell ill enroute and died at Dezhou, Shandong Province. Emperor Zhu Di arranged for the foreign king to be buried with imperial honors at great expense. The great consideration afforded the foreign delegation throughout their visit was an expression of the Ming government's sincere desire to deepen friendship with the people of Sulu. This wish did not end with the demise of King Paduka Pahala; rather, the unfortunate occurrence served to further strengthen the ties of friendship between the two countries.