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The Kingdom of Funan and
Chenla (First to Eighth Century AD) Not much is known about
Cambodia (Khmer) prior to the first century A.D. From the first century, Cambodia is known mostly through the
Chinese imperial records and a few inscriptions. According to the Chinese records, the Kingdom of Funan, considered the
first Indianized state in the region, founded around the first century A.D.
Funan is a Chinese word which mean Phnom (mountain) in Cambodian. The exact
location of the Kingdom and its size is unclear, but it presumably occupied a
broad area of mainland Southeast Asia, stretching across what is today
southern Burma, Thailand, Cambodia and southern Vietnam. The Funanese were
prosperous traders. Situated at the crossroads of all the great sea trading
routes, Funan unquestionably traded with Rome, India, and China. The kingdom
was visited by Kang Tai and Zhu Ying, envoys of the Wu emperor
(222-252) of Liang Dynasty. During it existence, Funan had sent numerous
embassies to Chinese Imperial court, and conducted numerous trade missions
between the two countries. The last trade missions were reported during the Tang dynasty. YEAR
205 A.D. Fan Shih-Man (ca.205-225)
rules Funan; according to Chinese dynastic history - The Liang-shu - relates
that Fan Shih-Man "attacked and conquered the neighboring kingdoms. All recognized themselves his vassals. He took the title of Great King of Funan.
Then he had great ships built and crossing the immense sea he attacked more
than ten kingdoms, including…Tun-hsun.
He extended his territory 5000 or 6000 li (1250 or 1500 miles). Then
he wished to subdue the country of Chin-lin (Golden Frontier). But he fell
ill." (1) 225 Fan Chin-Sheng is chosen to
succeed his ailing father Fan Shih-Man, the King of Funan. Chin-Sheng is killed by a usurper Chan,
son of Fan Shih-Man's sister. (Fan) Chan proclaims himself king of Funan. 240 Fan Hsun king of Funan?. 243 268 King of Funan Fan Hsun sends an
embassy carrying tribute to the court of Chin Emperor. 270 Fan Hsiung comes to the throne
of Lin-yi (Champa). 285 King Fan Hsun sends an embassy
carrying tribute to the court of Chin Emperor. 286 Another Funan embassy is sends
with tributes to the court of Chin Emperor. 287 Funan sends an embassy to the Chinese
Imperial Court to offer tribute. 431 King Fan Yang Mai II of Champa, who is
engaging in a war with the Chinese Governor of Chiao-chou (Tonkin), asks aid
of the King of Funan and is refused. 435 Srutavarman king of Chenla; he is said to
rule Chenla from 435 AD to 495 AD. (The year is approximated by scholars) 491 King of Lin-yi (Champa) Fan Tang
is recognized by Chinese emperor Wu-Ti, who granted him the title of 'General
Pacifier of the south, Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of the
seashore, King of Lin-yi.' Fan Tang, son of King Jayavarman, fled from Funan
after a revolt and seized the throne of Lin-yi. Jayavarman asks the Chinese emperor to drive his renegade son
Fan Tang from the throne of Champa and be punished; the emperor politely replies
and refers the request to an imperial tribunal for consideration, which never
realizes. 495 Sreshthvarman is the King of
Chenla; he is said to rule Chenla from 495 AD to 530 AD. (The year is
approximated by scholars)
527 P'an-p'an, a former vassal of
Funan, sends an embassy to Chinese Imperial Court to pay tribute. Rudravarman is the King of Chenla; he is said to
rule Chenla from about 530 AD to 550/560 AD. (The year is approximated by
scholars) 532 P'an-p'an, a former vassal of
Funan, sends an embassy to Chinese Court to pay tribute. Funan's embassy arrives in the
Chinese Imperial Court, offering tribute. 607 A Chinese Imperial embassy is
sent to Ch'ih-t'u (red earth) to establish tributary connection with the
state of that region. Ch'ih-t'u, is describes
by a Chinese envoy, as locate more than one hundred days of navigation from
China, and the inhabitants are of the same race as Funan and their houses and
furniture resembled those of Chenla. 608 T'o-ho-lo (Dvaravati), a
former vassal of Funan,
sends an embassy to the Chinese Imperial Court. 616 King of Chenla sends an
embassy to Chinese Imperial Court to offer tribute. 617 An embassy is sent by King of
Chenla to Chinese Imperial Court to offer tribute. 620 Inscription of Prasat Toc
attributes to the reign of Isanavarman I. 624 Inscription of Prasat Bayang
attributes to the reign of Isanavarman I. 625 T'san-pan, a former vassal of
Funan, sends an embassy to the Chinese Imperial Court. 626 Inscription of Vat Chakret
attributes to the reign of Isanavarman I. 627 Inscription of Sambor-Prei Kuk
attributes to the reign of Isanavarman I. T'and dynasty history
indicates that in 627 AD or shortly afterward, Isanavarman conquers Funan and
annexes its territory. 628 Inscription of Kdei Ang
Chumnik attributes to the reign of Isanavarman I.
638 Sang Kao, a former vassal of Funan, and several
neighboring small states send embassies to Chinese Imperial court to offer
tributes. 644 T'o-yuan, a Mon settlement and
a form vassal of Funan, sends an embassy to Chinese Imperial Court to offer
tributes. 646 Inscription of Phu Huu. (No
mention of Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign) 647 T'o-yuan, a Mon settlement and
a form vassal of Funan,
sends an embassy to Chinese Imperial Court to offer tributes. 648 Inscription of Basat. (Mention
Jayavarman I) 653 Prakasadharma, grandson of
king Isanavarman, ascends the throne of Champa under the
name of Vikrantavarman. 655 Inscription of Prasat Preah
Theat. (No mention of Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign) 657 Inscription of Tuol Kok Preah
or Kompong Rusei, mention Jayavarman I, "Conqueror of the circle of his
enemies." 664 Inscription of Vat Prei Vier
I, mentions Jayavarman I, "Victorious is the King Sri Jayavarman…to whom
the fickle goddess of fortune, Lakshmi, is firmly attached…skillful in the
task of protecting the world, he is proclaimed by sages to be the thousand-eyed
god (Indra) in person." 667 Inscription of Vat Prei Vier
II, not mentioning Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign. Yet the inscription of Kdei Ang Chumnik
II, mentions Jayavarman I, "the glorious lion of kings, the victorious
Jayavarman." Jayavarman I appoints his
court physician, Simhadatta, Governor of his old home city of Adhayapura,
about eleven kilometers south of Ba Phnom. 673 Inscription of Tuol Preah
Theat. (Mention Jayavarman I) 674 Inscription of Preah Kuha Luong.
(Mention Jayavarman I) 676 Inscription of Vat Barai. (No
mention of Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign) 681 Inscription of Tuo An Tnot.
(No mention of Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign) 685 Inscription of Phum Komrieng.
(No mention of Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign) 693 Inscription of Tuol Tramung.
(No mention of Jayavarman I but scholar dated back to his reign) Embassy from Chenla (? Upper or
lower Chenla) arrives in the Chinese Imperial Court to offer tribute.
753 The Crown Prince of Wen Tan
(Chenla) comes to the Chinese Court with a suite of twenty-six relatives and
is received with great honor and given the title of "Protector Firm and
Persevering." 767 Raiders from Java attack
Chenla. 774 Javanese attacks and sacks Champa; according
to an inscription of Po Nagar II, "ferocious, pitiless, dark-colored
people of other countries, whose food was more horrible than that of
vampires…came in ship, sacked the temple of Po Nagar and carried off the
golden Mukhalinga and other spoils."
The Javanese also raid Chenla. 787 Javanese attack Champa and
burn the temple of Siva near Virapura (Champa capital). 799 Chenla envoy arrives
at the Chinese court and receives Chinese title. This is the last known embassy which appears at the Chinese
Imperial Court. _________________ (1) The Ancient Khmer Empire by Lawrence Palmer Briggs. Volume 41, Part I, 1951. |
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