'Funan' (Old Khmer ''Bnam'',
Vietnamese ''Phù Nam'') was a pre-
Angkor Indianized kingdom located around the
Mekong delta, believed to have been established in the first century A.D. by a
Mon-Khmer people, although extensive human settlement may have gone back as far as the 4th century B.C. Funan, said to be by the Chinese envoys as a single unified empire was actually likely to be a collection of city-states. War was common among the city-states but they were also unified at times. At its height, Funan and all its principalities covered much of mainland
Southeast Asia from modern day south
Vietnam, parts of
Laos,
Thailand,
Burma and extending into the Malay peninsula. Little is known about it, except that it was a powerful trading state. This is evidenced by the discovery of
Roman,
Chinese, and
Indian goods during archaeological excavations at
Oc Eo in southern
Vietnam. The capital was initially located at
Vyadhapura, near the modern Cambodian town of
Phumi Banam in the
Prey Veng Province, though it may have been moved to Oc Eo at a later time.
Origin
The Funanese were likely
Mon-Khmer, related to the
Mon of Burma and the ancestors of modern
Cambodians. They were likely the only close relatives of the Ancient Khmers and hybridized into a single ethnic when Chenla absorbed Funan in the 5th century A.D. Some debated that the Funanese were of
Malay origin, but evidence are so far invalid. According to reports by two Chinese envoys, K'ang T'ai and
Chu Ying, the state was established by an Indian
Brahmin named
Kaundinya, who in the
first century C.E. was given instruction in a dream to take a magic bow from a temple and defeat a Khmer queen,
Soma. Soma, the daughter of the king of the
Nagas, married Kaundinya and their lineage became the royal dynasty of Funan. The myth had the advantage of providing the legitimacy of both an Indian Brahmin and the divinity of the cobras, who at that time were held in religious regard by the inhabitants of the region. It is debated whom found Funan. However, it is very unlikely that the empire were founded by Indian traders because they would likely not hold the knowledge needed to start an empire. It is thought Funan existed before Indianization but gained political power and territories through trade and cultural exchange with India.
History
The Funanese Empire reached its furthest extent under the rule of
Fan Shih-man in the early
third century C.E., extending as far south as
Malaysia and as far west as
Burma. The Funanese established a strong system of mercantilism and commercial monopolies that would become a pattern for empires in the region. Fan Shih-man expanded the fleet and improved the Funanese bureaucracy, creating a quasi-feudal pattern that left local customs and identities largely intact, particularly in the empire's farther reaches.
Culture
Funanese culture was a mixture of native beliefs and Indian idea. Many southeast Asian believed the cobra to be sacred and the introduce of the Indian
naga was quickly absorbed by the locals. The kingdom is said to have been heavily influenced by
Indian culture, and to have employed Indians for state administration purposes.
Sanskrit was the language at the court, and the Funanese advocated
Hindu and, after the
fifth century,
Buddhist religious doctrines. Records show that taxes were paid in silver, gold, pearls, and perfumed wood. K'ang T'ai reported that the Funanese practiced slavery and that justice was rendered through
trial by ordeal, including such methods as carrying a red-hot iron chain and retrieving gold rings and eggs from boiling water.
K'ang T'ai's report was unflattering to Funanese civilization, though Chinese court records show that a group of Funanese musicians visited China in 263 C.E. The Chinese Emperor was so impressed that he ordered the establishment of an institute for Funanese music near
Nanking. The Funanese were reported also to have extensive book collections and archives throughout their country, demonstrating a high level of scholarly achievement.
Economy
Funan was
Southeast Asia's first great economy. The Kingdom was rich because of trade and
agriculture. Citizens lived relaxed lifestyles. The Funanese population were concentrated mainly along the
Mekong River, the area was a natural region for the development of an economy based on
fishing and
rice cultivation. The Funanese economy depended on
rice surpluses produced by an extensive inland
irrigation system.
Maritime trade also played an extremely important role in the development of Funan. Archaeological remnants of what was the kingdom's main port, Oc Eo, was found to have
Roman as well as
Persian,
Indian, and
Greek artifacts.
Legacy
King
Fan Shih-man, the greatest king of Funan and his successors sent ambassadors to
China and
India. The kingdom likely accelerated the process of Indianization into
Southeast Asia. Later kingdoms of Southeast Asia emulated the Funanese court.
During its golden age Funan controlled modern southern Vietnam, Cambodia, central Thailand, northern Malaysia, and southern Myanmar. Although Funan collapsed under the pressure of neighboring
Chenla, its capital Vyadhapura remained the largest and most important urban center in the region until
Angkor Thom.
The Funan kingdom had an efficient navy and rose to prosperity by regulating the sea trade between
China and
India. Funan became a model for later kingdoms in the region including
Angkor,
Chenla,
Srivijaya, the Javanese
Sailendra kingdom, and
Malacca.
Funan collapsed in the sixth century and was absorbed by the Chenla kingdom whom are undeniably
Khmers. The Royal Cambodian family claim descent from Funanese royalty. Many of Funan's royal family survived in
Java for almost 300 years before re-emerging as the Sailendra Dynasty. The Sailendras, in turn, intermarried with other royal families in Java and Sumatra. Today, many of the nobles and sultans of
Malaysia and
Indonesia trace their ancestry to Funan.
Relations
Funan's political history is little known apart from its relations with China. A brief conflict is recorded to have happened in the
270s when Funan and its neighbor
Champa joined forces to attack the Chinese province of
Tongking. In
357, Funan became a vassal of China, and would continue as such until its disintegration in the
sixth century.
Chenla, a vassal of Funan eventually absorbed Funan entirely.
Funan rulers
★
Fan Shih-Man
★
Fan Chin-Sheng
★
Fan Chan
★
Fan Hsun
References
★ http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+kh0014)
★ http://goasia.about.com/library/weekly/blfunan.htm
★ http://www.zum.de/whkmla/histatlas/seasia/cambodia3rdc.GIF
External links
★ http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+kh0014)
★ http://goasia.about.com/library/weekly/blfunan.htm
★ http://archaeology.about.com/od/fterms/g/funan.htm
See also
★
Cambodia
★
Chenla
★
Khmer empire
★
List of monarchies
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