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The Rise of Nan-Chao in Yunnan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

M. Blackmore
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Extract

The history of the state of Nan-chao () is closely interwoven with episodes in the history of Northern South-East Asia. The writings of Pelliot and G. H. Luce have shown the importance of eighth and ninth-century Nan-chao incursions into what is now Burma, while a Nanchao invasion of Tongking in the ninth century, with the help of local tribes, played its part in weakening the Chinese grip and contributing to the independence of Vietnam. There is, moreover, the vexed question of the relationship between Nan-chao and the Thai states of Siam, still far from being solved.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Southeast Asian History , Volume 1 , Issue 2 , September 1960 , pp. 47 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © The National University of Singapore 1960

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References

1. Pelliot, P., ‘Deux Itinéraires de Chine en Inte a la Fin du VIII Siecle,’ Bulletin de l'Ecole Francaise d'Extrême-Orient, iv, (1904) esp. pp. 155–83.Google Scholar

2. Luce, G. H., ‘The Ancient Pyu’ Journal of the Burma Research Society, xxvii, (1937)Google Scholar, and Luce, G. H. and Tin, Pe Maung, ‘Burma Down to the Fall of Pagan,’ JBRS, xxix, (1939).Google Scholar

3. See e.g. Khoi, Le Thanh, Le Viet-Nam, pp. 125–7.Google Scholar

4. Parker, E. H., ‘The Early Laos and China,’ China Review, xix (1891), 67–106Google Scholar; ‘The Old Thai or Shan Empire of Western Yunnan,’ China Review, xx (1892–1893), 337–46.Google Scholar

5. Ed. Ch'ang, Wang (). Ching-hsünt'ang () ed., 1872, 160.Google Scholar

6. Chavannes, E., ‘Une Inscription du Royaume de Nan-tchao,’ Journal Asiatique, New Series xvi, (1900), 396–450.Google Scholar

7. See note in Ch. 66 of the Ssu-k'u Ch'üan-shu Tsung-mu, and remarks by Hsiang Ta (), ‘T'ang-tai Chi-tsai Nan-chao Chu-shu K'ao-lioh’ (), art. in his T'ang-tai Ch'ang-an yü Hsi-yü Wenming () (Peking, 1957), esp. pp. 150–4.

8. 58, 18 v (Ssu-pu Pei-yao ed.) Hereafter cited as HTS.

9. 222.

10. On the Ts'uan, see e.g. Ch'un-sheng, Ling (), ‘A Study of the U-man and Pei-man of Yünnan in the T'ang Dynasty’ (in Chinese), Anthropological Journal of the Institute of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, I, i, (1938), 57–86.Google Scholar

11. A description of their culture is to be found in the T'ung-tien, (), 187Google Scholar. Condensed versions are in the Hui-yao, T'ang (), 98Google Scholar, and HTS 222 c, 13 v – 14 r.

12. This statement is based on the lists of Yünnan prefectures set up by 624 given in the Geographical sections of the Old. and New T'ang Histories: Old T'ang History (hereafter cited as CTS) Pei-yao, Ssu-pu ed., 41, 15 v – 17 rGoogle Scholar; New T'ang History 43 b, 11 v – 12 v.

13. CTS 3, 10 v; Yüan-kuei, Ts'e-fu () 1754 ed., 985Google Scholar, 20 r – v; HTS 222 c, 14 r; Tzu-chih T'ung-chien () hereafter cited as TCTC) Ts'ung-k'an, Ssu-pu ed., 199, lr – v.Google Scholar

14. See TCTC 202, 17 v.Google Scholar

15. HTS 5, 4r – v.

16. CTS 197, 6v.Google Scholar

17. Man Shu (hereafter cited as MS) Lin-lang Pi-shih Ts'ung-shu () ed., 3, 4 r; CTS 197, 6 v; HTS 222 a, 2 v; TCTC 214, 18 r.

18. Loc. cit.

19. Loc. cit.

20. Loc. cit.

21. In ‘The Genealogical Patronymic Linkage System of the Tibeto-Burman Speaking Tribes,’ Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, viii (1945), 349–63.Google Scholar

22. In ‘Fresh Evidence that the Ruling Meng Family of Nan-chao belonged to the I Race’ (in Chinese), Li-shih Yen-chiu iii, 2, (Peking 1954). 31–51.Google Scholar

23. MS 3, 4 r – v. See also CTS loc. cit.

24. The HTS, loc. cit., credits him with an elder son named Yen-ko () who died shortly after succeeding his father. The MS, 3, 4 v, mentions Yen-ko once, but there are no other references to him.

25. MS 3, 4 v. See also HTS 222 a, 2 v.

26. 5, 3 r – v.

27. Shun, Suzuki. ‘On the Meaning of Nan-chao and the Positions of the Six Chao’ (in Japanese), Toyo Gakuho, xix, (1931–1932), 121–36.Google Scholar

28. 214, 18 r.

29. According to the K'ao-i.

Tou P'ang had an unsuccessful career as Military Governor of South-West Ssuch'uan in 869–70, losing his command to a Nan-chao invasion. (See HTS 222 b, 3 r – 4 r, and TCTC 251, 20 r – 21 r; 252, 2 v – 3 v.) His Yün-nan Pieh-lu was available to the authors of the TCTC, but has long since been lost. See Ta, Hsiang, op. cit., 149–50.Google Scholar

30. 5, 3 v.

31. MS 2, 1 v.

The Tien-ts'ang Shan are the range of hills overlooking the Tali Plain to the West.

32. MS 3, 1 v.

33. HTS 222 b, 8 r.

34. 5, 3 v.

35. MS 2, 1 v.

36. MS 3, 1 v – 2 r; HTS 222 b, 8 r.

37. Ch'ü-chiang Chi () (hereafter cited as CCC) Ssu-pu Pei-yao ed., 7, 7 v.

The Ch'ü-chiang Chi are the collected works of Chang Chiu-ling (), who was a Chief Minister of the T'ang from the winter of 733 to that of 736. (His biographies are in CTS 99 and HTS 126). The letter mentioned in the text, together with others to be cited, belong to his state correspondence and are therefore known to have been sent during this period, although they are not dated except by the season of the year.

38. Bacot, J., Thomas, F. W., Toussaint, Ch. (trans.), Documents de Touen-houang Relatifs a l' Histoire du Tibet, (Paris, 1946), p. 49Google Scholar. For corrections to the translation see review by Stein, R. A., Journal Asiatique, CCXL, 1952, 83.Google Scholar

39. For this campaign see Chin-shih Ts'ui-pien (hereafter cited as CSTP) 160, 1 v, and cf. MS 3, 3 r – v, and condensed version of latter in HTS 222 b, 8 v.

40. See MS 5, 1 v, and HTS 222 a, 2 v.

The MS gives the date for P'i-lo-ko's conquest of the Hsi-erh Ho as 737, but P'i-lo-ko must have been master of the whole area round Tali Lake by the end of 736, for, as will be seen, the Chinese were seeking his mighty aid in regions far to the North by this date.

41. CTS 197, 6 v; HTS 222 a, 2 v; TCTC 214, 18 r.

N.B. The order of events in these different accounts is conflicting. It is reasonable to assume that P'i-lo-ko received the name of Kuei-i after his defeat of the Hsi-erh Ho, as in a letter probably referring to his later defeat of Teng T'an, Lang-ch, iung, and Shih-lang Chaos (CCC 6, 9 v) he is addressed by this name.

42. MS 3, 2 v – 3 r.

43. CCC 7, 7 v.

44. CTS, TCTC lov. cit.

45. Loc. cit

46. I.e. Teng T'an Lang-ch'iung, and Shih-lang.

47. CCC 6, 9 v.

Both texts put these events in the chen-yúan period (785–804), but this must be an error for K'ai-yuan (713–42). See also CSTP 160, 2 r.

48. For the annexation of Yüeh-hsi see MS 3, 1 v – 2 r, and HTS 222 b, 8 r.

49. CCC 7, 7 r – v.

50. MS 3, 1 r. Cf. HTS 222 b, 7 v – 8 r.

51. For these events see CSTP 160, 1 v; MS 3, 1 r – v, and HTS 222 b, 8 r.

The MS and HTS tell us about the Tibetans' plots with Shih-p'ang and I-lo-shih, and the Inscription informs us the expedition against Chien Ch'uan was launched by Ko-lo-feng and Wang Ch'eng-hsün. The Yang-p'i Valley must have been the route used, as Mieh-lo-p'i and To-lo-wang were still at this time in control of Lang-ch'iung and therefore blocking the only alternative route.

52. The final defeat of Yü-tseng has been assumed to have taken place soon after the Tibetan setbak at Chien Ch'uan, as Nan-chao would at that time have been well placed strategically to carry this into effect.

53. CSTP 160, 1 v – 2 r.

54. MS 3, 3 v; HTS 222 b, 8 v.

55. TCTC 214, 17 v.

This gave P'i-lo-ko the highest titular rank available

56. MS 4, 1 r.

57. CTS 197, 6 v.

58. Fifteen li according to MS 5, 1 v, and over ten according to CTS 197, 8 r.