The Early History of Lenggong

Lenggong in Hulu Perak has been recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2012.

The Massive Tree

According to local folklore, long ago, an Orang Asli (indigenous person) wanted to fell a massive tree. To illustrate its size, it was nearly four to five arm-spans wide.

Because the base of the tree had buttress roots, it was quite difficult to fell. The Orang Asli who wanted to cut down the tree then tried to build a 'pelenggar', a raised platform used for felling trees.

The Tree Falls After Being Felled

With great effort, he began to cut until the massive tree finally fell. As the story goes, the tree felled by the Orang Asli landed on another tree that was slightly smaller than the one he had cut.

The smaller tree snapped slightly, causing the felled tree to remain 'terlanggong' (propped up) on top of it. The propped-up log remained there for quite some time.

From Langgong to Lenggong

Eventually, the place was named Langgong, and over time, the name evolved through local pronunciation to become Lenggong, which remains in use to this day.

Other Versions of the Story

There is another version that suggests Lenggong refers to the Orang Asli who first explored the jungle and inhabited the district long ago. Thus, the current name follows the name of the indigenous person mentioned in the story.

And, there is one more version of the story, which claims the name Lenggong originated because the area appeared to be walled in or 'terlengkong' (enclosed) by hills and mountain ranges. Therefore, the place was known as Lengkong. Eventually, the pronunciation shifted from Lengkong to Lenggong.