The river port of Jambi, the capital province name, is situated in the central region of Sumatra on Batanghari River, which flows east into Berhala Straits. Jambi is positioned on the busy sea route between China and India, and the region played a major part in early maritime trade. The Tang Annals record that as early as the seventh century A.D. and again in the ninth century Jambi sent ambassadors to the court of Chinese emperor. These earliest records of Jambi show to have been the original capital of Malay (Malaya Kingdom). The ancient Hindu - Buddhist Kingdom of Sriwijaya also had its capital in Jambi at that time.

Scholars have differed in their interpretations of this remark; certainly the relationship between Melayu and Sriwijaya was a very close one, although there were some clearly period of Malay independence when Sriwijaya was based in nearby Palembang. In 11 century, the capital had moved to Jambi. As well as functioned as a Centerport, Jambi also produced its own exports include a variety of tree resins for use as license, as well as cloves, tortoise-shell, gardenia flowers and cardamom. From Arab traders it imported cotton, fabrics and sword blades; from China silk gauzes and thread, the latter possibly used in the manufacturer of silk brocades decorated in gold supplementary weft, the "songket" for which the Malay world later became famous one.