(Translated by https://www.hiragana.jp/)
Langkasuka - Wikipedia
Wikipedia

Langkasuka

Langkasuka was an ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom located in the Malay Peninsula.[1][2] The name is Sanskrit in origin; it is thought to be a combination of langkha for "resplendent land" -sukkha for "bliss". The kingdom, along with Old Kedah, is among the earliest kingdoms founded on the Malay Peninsula. The exact location of the kingdom is of some debate, but archaeological discoveries at Yarang near Pattani, Thailand suggest a probable location. The kingdom is proposed to have been established in the 1st century, perhaps between 80 and 100 AD.[3]

Langkasuka
1st century–15th century
A suggestion of the reach of the kingdom of Langkasuka. Most scholars consider Langkasuka to be located on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, but some argued for a kingdom that extended from the east to the west coast. Ligor refers to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Kataha is Kedah.
A suggestion of the reach of the kingdom of Langkasuka. Most scholars consider Langkasuka to be located on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula, but some argued for a kingdom that extended from the east to the west coast. Ligor refers to Nakhon Si Thammarat and Kataha is Kedah.
Religion
Hindu-Buddhist
GovernmentMonarchy
Raja 
History 
• Established
1st century
• Disestablished
15th century
 Succeeded by
Pattani Kingdom
Today part ofMalaysia
Thailand
Myanmar

According to the legend given in the Kedah Annals, the kingdom was founded and named by Merong Mahawangsa. Another proposal suggests that the name may have been derived from langkha and Ashoka, the Mauryan Hindu warrior king who eventually became a pacifist after embracing the ideals espoused in Buddhism, and that the early Indian colonizers of the Malayic Isthmus named the kingdom Langkasuka in his honour.[4] Chinese historical sources provided some information on the kingdom and recorded a king Bhagadatta who sent envoys to the Chinese court.

Historical records

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The earliest and most detailed description of the kingdom comes from the Chinese Liang dynasty (502–557) record Liangshu, which refers to the kingdom of "Lang-ya-xiu" (Chinese: 狼おおかみ牙きば脩おさむ, Middle Chinese: lɑŋ ŋˠa sɨu). The record mentions that the kingdom was founded over 400 years earlier,[5] which made its founding likely some time in the late 1st or early 2nd century. According to Liangshu, "Lang-ya-xiu" or Langkasuka was 30 days' journey from east to west, and 20 from north to south, 24,000 li in distance from Guangzhou. It mentions that Aloeswood (Aquilaria) and camphor were abundant in the kingdom, and its capital was described as being surrounded by walls to form a city with double gates, towers and pavilions. Both men and women in Langkasuka wore sarongs with their torsos bare and their hair loose, although the king and senior officials covered their shoulders with cloth and wore gold earrings and belts of gold cord. Women of high status wrapped themselves in cloth and wore jeweled girdles.[5] It gives further information on some of its kings and also relates a story on a succession:

 
Details from Portraits of Periodical Offering of Liang showing an emissary from Langkasuka with description of the kingdom. Song Dynasty copy of a Liang Dynasty painting dated to 526–539.

When the king goes forth he rides upon an elephant. He is accompanied by banners, fly-whisks, flags and drums and he is shaded with a white parasol. The soldiers of his guard are well-appointed. The inhabitants of the country say that their state was founded more than four hundred years ago. Subsequently the descendants became weaker, but in the king's household there was a man of virtue to whom the populace turned. When the king heard of this he imprisoned this man, but his chains snapped unaccountably. The king took him for a supernatural being and, not daring to injure him, exiled him from the country, whereupon he fled to India. The king of India gave him his eldest daughter in marriage. Not long afterwards, when the king of Lang-ya died, the chief ministers welcomed back the exile and made him king.

— Liangshu, translation by Paul Wheatley[6][7]

This king then ruled for more than 20 years. He was succeeded by his son, King Bhagadatta, who sent the first ambassadorial mission to China in 515.[8][9] Further emissaries were sent in 523, 531, and 568.[10]

The transcription of the kingdom's name in Chinese records changed over time. In the late seventh century, the Buddhist monk Yi Jing mentioned encountering three Chinese monks who lived in a place named Lang-jia-shu (郎ろう伽とぎ戍).[8]

A Song dynasty work Zhu fan zhi (published in 1225) gives a description of the country of Ling-ya-si-jia (凌しのげ牙きば斯加). It mentions that its people cut their hair and wrapped themselves in a piece of cloth, its products included elephant tusks, rhinoceros horns, types of wood and camphor, and their merchants traded in wine, rice, silk and porcelain. It also says that the country paid tribute to a country named Sanfoqi, which is usually interpreted to be Srivijaya.[11][12]

Langkasuka was known as "Long-ya-xi-jiao" (龍りゅう牙きば犀さい角かく) in Daoyi Zhilüe from the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368);[13] and "Lang-xi-jia" (狼おおかみ西にし加か) during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), as marked in Admiral Zheng He's 1621 Mao Kun map.[14] Daoyi Zhilüe mentions that the natives of Langkasuka made salt from seawater and ferment rice wine, and produced hornbill casques, lakawood, honey and gharuwood.[15] The people wore cotton from the Philippines and printed cloth from India and local sources.[16]

"Langkasuka" was mentioned in the Malay text Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, and it was referred to as "Lengkasuka" in the Javanese poem Nagarakretagama.[1] Tamil sources name "Ilangasoka" as one of Rajendra Chola's conquests in his expedition against the Srivijaya empire. It was described as a kingdom that was "undaunted in fierce battles". Thai sources made no reference to Langkasuka, but Pattani was identified as one of the twelve Naksat cities under the influence of Nakhon Si Thammarat in Thai chronicles.[17]

Outline of Langkasuka's history

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A brief outline of the history of Langkasuka can be determined from the limited historical records available. The kingdom is thought to have been founded some time early in the 2nd century AD. It then underwent a period of decline due to the expansion of Funan in the early 3rd century. In the 6th century it experienced a resurgence and began to send emissaries to China. King Bhagadatta first established relations with China in 515 AD, with further emissaries sent in 523, 531 and 568.[8] By the 8th century it had probably come under the control of the rising Srivijaya empire.[18] In 1025 it was attacked by the armies of King Rajendra Chola I in his campaign against Srivijaya. In the 12th century, Langkasuka was a tributary to Srivijaya. The kingdom declined and how it ended is unclear with several theories being put up.

The late 13th-century Pasai Annals, mentioned that Langkasuka was destroyed in 1370. However, other sources mentioned that Langkasuka remained under the control and influence of the Srivijaya Empire until the 14th century when it was conquered by the Majapahit Empire. Langkasuka was probably conquered by Pattani as it ceased to exist by the 15th-century. Several historians contest this and believe that Langkasuka survived up to the 1470s. The areas of the kingdom that were not under the direct rule of Pattani is thought to have embraced Islam along with Kedah in 1474.[19]

Location

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Mao Kun map from Wubei Zhi showing Langkasuka (狼おおかみ西にし加か) near the top right (Songkla further to its right, and Kelantan River and Trengganu to the left).

Chinese and Arab sources placed the ancient kingdom on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. The New Book of Tang mentions that Langkasuka bordered Pan Pan, and a map in the Ming dynasty military treatise Wubei Zhi locates it south of Songkla near the Pattani River.[8] A 15th century Arab text similarly places the kingdom between Kelantan and Songkla. The only contradictory information comes from a later Malay text Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa which placed it on the west coast as the predecessor of modern Kedah, although its sovereign had some association with Pattani.[20][21] Chinese, Arab and Indian sources all considered Kedah and Langkasuka to be separate geographical entities. The Javanese poem Nagarakretagama placed it north of Saiburi, however it appears to imply that it was originally located on the west coast but was transferred later to the east.[5]

In 1961, taking account of the various sources, the geographer and historian Paul Wheatley concluded that Langkasuka should be located near the modern town of Pattani.[22] French archaeologist and historian Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h concurred, and proposed the former estuary of the Pattani River near Yarang as the likely location of Langkasuka. He also suggested that whole area between Pattani, Saiburi and Yala may have been part of Langkasuka.[14] Modern archaeological explorations have uncovered ruins near Yarang, a village fifteen kilometers south of Pattani, which may be of the city described in Liangshu.[23] The city was located inland 10 miles from the coast and connected to the rivers leading to the sea via canals.[18] Silting of the waterways may have led to its decline.

Archaeology

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Langkasuka among polities in ancient Malay realm.

Several archaeological expeditions were conducted in the 1960s to locate Langkasuka following Paul Wheatley's suggestion of its likely location. In 1963, Stewart Wavell led a Cambridge expedition to locate Langkasuka and Tambralinga, the details of this expedition are described in The Naga King's Daughter.

An archaeological investigation of the Yarang area began in 1989 by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand.[23] The majority of the ruins were clustered in the vicinity of a hamlet called Ban Wat, and may have formed the nucleus of the city. Others were scattered further to the North at Ban Jalæ, and a couple more at Ban Prawæ. The excavations found various Buddhist structures and objects including votive tablets and sculptures, indicating a strong Buddhist presence in the kingdom. Objects related to Hindu worship were also found.

Many Chinese and Arab coins made of bronze have been found in the region, an indication of the commercial activity of the kingdom. Two silver Sassanid coins have also been found.[24]

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Guy, John (2014). Lost Kingdoms: Hindu-Buddhist Sculpture of Early Southeast Asia. Yale University Press. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-0300204377.
  2. ^ Proceedings of The 6th MAC 2016. MAC Prague consulting. 2016-02-16. p. 211. ISBN 978-80-88085-05-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  3. ^ Grabowsky, Volker (1995). Regions and National Integration in Thailand, 1892-1992. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-03608-5.
  4. ^ W. Linehan (April 1948). "Langkasuka The Island of Asoka". Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 21 (1 (144)): 119–123. JSTOR 41560480.
  5. ^ a b c Keat Gin Ooi, ed. (2004). Southeast Asia: A Historical Encyclopedia, from Angkor Wat to East Timor, Volume 1. ABC-CLIO. pp. 764–765. ISBN 978-1576077702.
  6. ^ Paul Wheatley (1961). The Golden Khersonese: Studies in the Historical Geography of the Malay Peninsula before A.D. 1500. Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press. pp. 253–254. OCLC 504030596.
  7. ^ 梁はり書しょ/卷まき54 Liangshu, Chapter 54. Original text of the entry on Langkasuka in Liangshu: 狼おおかみ牙きば脩おさむ國こく，在ざい南海なんかい中ちゅう。其界東西とうざい三さん十じゅう日にち行ぎょう，南北なんぼく二に十じゅう日にち行ぎょう，去さ廣州こうしゅう二に萬まん四よん千里せんり。土氣つちけ物產ぶっさん與あずか扶南略りゃく同どう，偏へん多た𥴈沉婆律りつ香が等とう。其俗男女だんじょ皆みな袒而被ひ髮かみ，以吉貝かい爲ため干ひ縵。其王及貴臣しん乃加雲霞うんか布ぬの覆くつがえ胛，以金繩なわ爲ため絡からま帶おび，金きむ鐶貫耳みみ。女子じょし則そく被布ひふ，以瓔珞繞身み。其國累るい磚爲城じょう，重じゅう門もん樓閣ろうかく。王おう出いずる乘じょう象ぞう，有ゆう幡はた毦旗鼓こ，罩白蓋ぶた，兵衛ひょうえ甚設。國人くにびと說せつ，立國りっこく以來いらい四よん百ひゃく餘よ年ねん，後嗣こうし衰弱すいじゃく，王族おうぞく有ゆう賢者けんじゃ，國人くにびと歸き之の。王おう聞知ぶんち，乃加囚しゅう執と，其鏁無む故こ自じ斷だん，王おう以爲神しん，因いん不ふ敢害，乃斥逐出境さかい，遂とげ奔天竺てんじく，天竺てんじく妻つま以長女おんな。俄にわか而狼牙きば王おう死し，大臣だいじん迎むかえ還かえ爲ため王おう。二に十じゅう餘よ年ねん死し，子こ婆ばば伽とぎ達たち多た立だて。天てん監かん十じゅう四よん年ねん，遣や使つかい阿おもね撤多奉たてまつ表おもて曰：「大吉だいきち天子てんし足下あしもと：離はなれ淫いん怒いか癡ち，哀あい愍衆生せい，慈心無量むりょう。端嚴たんげん相好そうごう，身み光明こうみょう朗あきら，如水にょすい中ちゅう月がつ，普ひろし照あきら十方じっぽう。眉間みけん白毫びゃくごう，其白如雪，其色照あきら曜，亦また如月きさらぎ光こう。諸しょ天てん善ぜん神しん之これ所しょ供養くよう，以垂正法しょうぼう寶たから，梵行衆しゅ增ぞう，莊嚴しょうごん都邑とゆう。城しろ閣かく高だか峻たかし，如乾陁山。樓ろう觀かん羅列られつ，道みち途と平たいら正ただし。人民じんみん熾おき盛もり，快樂かいらく安穩あんのん。著ちょ種種しゅじゅ衣ころも，猶なお如天服ふく。於一切いっさい國こく，爲ため極ごく尊みこと勝しょう。天王てんのう愍念羣生，民みん人じん安樂あんらく，慈心深ふか廣こう，律儀りちぎ清淨せいじょう，正法しょうぼう化か治ち，供養くよう三寶さんぼう，名稱めいしょう宣揚せんよう，佈滿世界せかい，百姓ひゃくしょう樂らく見み，如月きさらぎ初生しょせい。譬たとえ如梵王おう，世界せかい之の主おも，人にん天てん一切いっさい，莫不歸依きえ。敬禮けいれい大吉だいきち天子てんし足下あしもと，猶なお如現前まえ，忝かたじけな承うけたまわ先さき業ぎょう，慶けい嘉よしみ無量むりょう。今いま遣や使つかい問とい訊大意たいい。欲よく自じ往，復ふく畏かしこ大海おおうみ風波ふうは不ふ達たち。今いま奉たてまつ薄うす獻けんじ，願ねがい大家たいか曲きょく垂たれ領りょう納おさめ。」
  8. ^ a b c d Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h (2002). The Malay Peninsula: Crossroads of the Maritime Silk-Road (100 BC-1300 AD). Victoria Hobson (translator). Brill. pp. 162–163. ISBN 9789004119734.
  9. ^ Coedès, George (1968). Walter F. Vella (ed.). The Indianized States of Southeast Asia. trans.Susan Brown Cowing. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 51, 77–78. ISBN 978-0-8248-0368-1.
  10. ^ Miksic, John Norman; Geok Yian, Goh (14 October 2016). Ancient Southeast Asia. Routledge. p. 184. ISBN 9781317279044.
  11. ^ Geoff Wade (30 April 2013). Patrick Jory (ed.). Ghosts of the Past in Southern Thailand: Essays on the History and Histiography of Patani. NUS Press. pp. 60–61. ISBN 978-9971696351.
  12. ^ "《諸しょ蕃しげる志こころざし卷まき上じょう》". Original text: 凌しのげ牙きば斯國，自じ單たん馬うま令れい風ふう帆ほ六ろく晝夜ちゅうや可か到いた，亦また有ゆう陸りく程ほど。地主じぬし纏まとい縵跣足あし；國人くにびと剪發，亦また纏まとい縵。地產ちさん象牙ぞうげ、犀さい角かく、速はや暫番、生なま香こう、腦のう子こ。番ばん商しょう興きょう販，用よう酒しゅ、米べい、荷に池ち、纈絹、甆器等とう為ため貨；各かく先さき以此等とう物ぶつ准じゅん金銀きんぎん，然しか後こう打だ博はく。如酒一いち墱，准じゅん銀ぎん一いち兩りょう、准じゅん金きん二に錢ぜに；米まい二に墱准銀ぎん一いち兩りょう，十墱准金一兩之類。歲とし貢みつぎ三さん佛ふつ齊ひとし國こく。
  13. ^ "島とう夷えびす誌し略りゃく". Original text: 峯みね頂いただき內平而外聳そびえ，民みん環たまき居きょ之の，如蟻附ふ坡。厥田下等かとう。氣候きこう半はん熱ねつ。俗ぞく厚あつ。男女だんじょ椎しい髻たぶさ，齒は白しろ，繫麻逸いっ布ぬの。俗ぞく以結親おや為重ためしげ。親戚しんせき之の長者ちょうじゃ一いち日にち不ふ見み面めん，必携ひっけい酒しゅ持物もちもの以問勞ろう之の。為ため長夜ちょうや之の飮いん，不ふ見み其醉。民みん煮に海うみ為ため鹽しお，釀秫為ため酒しゅ。有ゆう酋長しゅうちょう。地產ちさん沈香じんこう，冠かん於諸番ばん。次つぎ鶴づる頂いただき、降くだ眞ま、蜜みつ糖とう、黃熟おうじゅく香が頭あたま。貿易ぼうえき之の貸かし，用土ようど印しるし布ぬの、八はち都と刺とげ布ぬの、靑白あおじろ花はな碗わん之の屬ぞく。
  14. ^ a b Geoff Wade (30 April 2013). Patrick Jory (ed.). Ghosts of the Past in Southern Thailand: Essays on the History and Histiography of Patani. NUS Press. pp. 62–63. ISBN 978-9971696351.
  15. ^ Paul Wheatley (1961). The Golden Khersonese: Studies in the Historical Geography of the Malay Peninsula before A.D. 1500. Kuala Lumpur: University of Malaya Press. p. 80. OCLC 504030596.
  16. ^ John Miksic (15 November 2013). Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300–1800. NUS Press. p. 179. ISBN 978-9971695743.
  17. ^ M.C. Chand Chirayu Rajani. "Background To The Sri Vijaya Story-Part I" (PDF).
  18. ^ a b Dougald J. W. O'Reilly (2006). Early Civilizations of Southeast Asia. Altamira Press. pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-0759102798.
  19. ^ Kamalakaran, Ajay (2022-03-12). "The mystery of an ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom in Malay Peninsula". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2023-07-08.
  20. ^ Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h (2002). The Malay Peninsula: Crossroads of the Maritime Silk-Road (100 BC-1300 AD). Victoria Hobson (translator). Brill. pp. 164–166. ISBN 9789004119734.
  21. ^ "Langkasuka". Sejarah Melayu.
  22. ^ Paul Wheatley (1961). The Golden Khersonese. Studies in the Historical Geography of the Malay Peninsula before AD 1500. University of Malaya Press.
  23. ^ a b Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h (2002). The Malay Peninsula: Crossroads of the Maritime Silk-Road (100 BC-1300 AD). Victoria Hobson (translator). Brill. pp. 166–175. ISBN 9789004119734.
  24. ^ Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h (2002). The Malay Peninsula: Crossroads of the Maritime Silk-Road (100 BC-1300 AD). Victoria Hobson (translator). Brill. p. 191. ISBN 9789004119734.
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