These stories were written by Chiv Tak Kong(1) during the Ngan Dynasty(2) in Veng Ta Province(3) and later edited by Guo Kong during the Meng Dynasty(4) in Seng An Province(5). The full text is as follows:
The Chenla or Chamla people of this country call themselves “Kan Phay Chi” according to some Western definitions.
The country is called Kampuchea, which sounds similar to “Kampuchea”.
I set out from Ou Chiu County (Xiamen Province) by water, along the rivers of Maung Kui and Kong Tong, across the "Chit Chiu" Sea to the "Khao Chiu" Sea, and arrived at the city of "Cham". Continuing to travel with the wind from Cham City for another half a month, I arrived at Cheng Phou (Chompu?), which is the border of this country. After leaving Cheng Phou, I crossed the Khun Lun Sea and arrived at the mouth of the Peam River, which splits from the sea into many tributaries. Of these, only the fourth pass is passable. Besides, it is known that the water is so shallow that large ships cannot pass through it. At the mouth of the pass, there is a dense forest, and besides this, there is a yellow sand field and there are trees and wild canes, growing in clusters with white flowers. Therefore, travelers have difficulty finding the entrance.
After entering the mouth of the pass, they travel along the river towards the north for about half a month before reaching a district called Chennam (Chhnang?), which is a province of this country. After traveling from Chenam, following the flowing water for another 10 days, passing through the villages of Pulov Chheung (meaning middle-of-the-road village), Hut Chheung (Buddha's village)(6), and crossing the Tonle Sap Sea (7), they finally reached the city of Kang Pang Chhu (Kampeng Que?). This city is 50 li in size (1 li is 1,800 cubits long). According to Western books, this country has a land area of 7,000 li and borders the city of Champa in the north, which is half a month's journey away. In the southwest, it is half a month's journey away from Siam. In the south, it is 10 days' journey away from the city of "Huang U". On the east, the country is the ocean, which is a country that has had economic relations with our country since ancient times.
At a time when China (during the Mongol Dynasty) controlled the oceans of the continent, the Chambal (chief general) named Jun Tuo, who was stationed in control of the city of Cham, sent two officials, Hu Bei Hou, a goldsmith, and Chai Hou, to Chenla, but they were detained by the country and not allowed to return. When the reign of King Ngan Cheng (1292 AD), in the 6th month, this king sent an embassy to Chenla, and at that time I was also sent with him. In the second month of the following year, we left Mengjiv again. On the 15th day of the third month, we arrived at Cham city. On the way, we encountered a headwind, which caused difficulties in our journey. It was not until the 7th month, which is the autumn season, that we arrived in this country and submitted to it (8).
In the reign of King Tai Tek (A.D. 1297), in the 6th month, I returned by ship, and on the 12th day of the 8th month, the ship arrived at the port of Simeng. As for the customs and affairs of Chenla, I do not know everything in detail, but I know it briefly, so I can tell you.
1. The city wall
The city wall is 20 li in size and has 5 gates. All of the gates are built in two layers, inside and outside, with 2 gates on the east side. Apart from this, there is only one gate on each side. Outside the city walls, there are large canals. From the canals, there are paths leading to large bridges, and on each side of each bridge, there are 54 stone statues of gods, like large stone generals. The images are the same at each of the five gates. The handrails of these bridges are made of stone and are carved with the image of a large snake (9) with nine heads. The 54 stone figures are all holding the snake with their hands, as if they do not want it to break away. Above the gate are five stone Buddha images, facing west, and one in the middle, with a beautiful gold leaf. On either side of the gate are carved stone elephants.
The city wall is made of all stones, 20 cubits high, and the stones are arranged very closely and firmly. No grass grows on top, but in the spaces between each block there are junipers. The inner surface of the wall, which is more than 100 cubits apart, is on a slope like the slope of a mountain, very clean. On the sloped wall there are large gates that are closed at night and open during the day from dawn, and there are guards on duty all the time. Dogs are not allowed to enter this gate. Anyone who has ever been guilty of a crime, having their toes cut off, is not allowed to enter. The surrounding walls are very well-built, and at each corner there is a tall stone tower, standing at every corner.
In the center of the city is a golden temple (A), and nearby there are more than twenty other towers, as well as hundreds of stone chambers. On the east side is a golden bridge, with two golden lions on the left and right sides of the golden bridge. There are eight golden Buddhas enshrined in the
Arranged under the stone pillars. To the north of the Golden Temple, about a mile away, there is another copper temple, which is taller than the Golden Temple, and is very impressive. Under the copper temple, there are about 10 stone chambers. From here, another mile to the north, is the royal palace where the king lives. In the courtyard of the palace, there is another golden pillar. This is probably why foreign merchants often say that the country of Chenla is very proud and proud.
From the wall through the southern gate, about half a mile away, according to local legend, there is the Lubun stupa (B), built in one night. The tomb or Lubun stupa is located more than half a mile outside the southern wall, with a perimeter of about 10 miles and several hundred stone chambers. In the pond east of the wall, about 10 miles away, there is another new temple (C), with a perimeter of 100 miles. In this temple, there is a Buddha image made of copper, and water constantly flows from the navel, flowing into a large pond to the north of the temple. To the north of the city wall, about 5 li away, there is a quadrangular golden temple (D) (probably the Neak Poen temple) and hundreds of stone chambers, and in them are found golden Buddha images, golden lions, elephants, cows, horses, and other objects made of copper, countless in number.
2. Residences
The palaces, houses of nobles, and the houses of the wealthy all face east. The royal palace is located to the north of the Golden Temple and the Golden Bridge, and is near the entrance to a gate with a wall around it, 5 or 6 li long. The roof tiles of the central temple are made of lead, while the other buildings are almost entirely made of yellow clay tiles. The pillars and door frames are all carved or painted with various designs, but most of them are Buddha images. The roofs are very beautiful. The temple corridors and galleries are long, one can walk in a maze, and the roofs are very high. This is the palace where the king conducts his earthly affairs. There are golden windows on the right and left of the king’s seat. There are four pillars with forty or fifty panes of glass arranged in rows along the sides of the window. The pillars are in the shape of elephants (this is a Bosbok with four pillars and a decorative pattern of glass in the shape of an elephant, but Mr. Zhi Daguan writes that it is a frame because it has a border around it).
I heard that this place has many strange things, but the restrictions are too strict to allow anyone to see them. Among those strange stories, there is a story that in the middle of the temple there is a golden tower, and that every night the king would climb up and lie on that golden tower. The locals believe it and say that in that golden tower there is a demon in the form of a snake with nine heads (this nine-headed snake is a dragon because the Khmer dragon has a snake body, while the Chinese dragon has legs and a small head, without a shield). That demon is the protector of the kingdom. Every night, the demon disguises itself as a woman, and the king must have sexual intercourse with her. Even his wife or close concubine does not dare to enter that place. Only at midnight can the king come out of the snake's body and have sexual intercourse with his wife or other concubine. If the snake does not disappear, it means that danger will come to the king's life and bad things will happen. If the king does not enter this place for one night, then misfortune will definitely happen immediately.
Then, the royal houses or residences of high officials were built in a spacious and luxurious manner, different from the houses of ordinary people. All of these houses were thatched with leaves, except for the houses of the great and the temples, which were tiled. And the size of these houses was built according to the rank of the owner of the house. As for the houses of the common people, all of them were thatched with leaves (or straw), they did not dare to have tiled roofs, and the size was built according to their resources, but they did not dare to build according to the style of the great.
3. Clothing and Jewelry
All the people, since the king's arrival, both men and women, have braided their hair and are completely naked, with only a small piece of cloth wrapped around their bodies. This is how they tie it. If they need to go out, they take another piece of cloth, larger than the previous one, and wrap it on top. This clothing has conditions according to status. The king's clothes are worth three or four gold coins, which are better than all the clothes of the common people. The locals know how to weave cloth, but they also use cloth from Siam and Cham. The special cloth from the West that has good quality is used only by the king, which is cloth made of silk and silk flowers. The king wears a golden crown, or sometimes without a crown, he wears a garland of flowers such as jasmine flowers, surrounding his head. On the top of the head is a large diamond-studded hairpin. The jewelry worn on his feet and hands alone weighs more than three tons. On each finger is a ring set with a cat's eye diamond. The soles of the hands and feet are painted red, and when he comes out, he always carries a golden khan.
As for the people, only women can say goodbye.
Red paint can be applied to the palms and soles of the hands and feet, but men do not dare to apply it. Royal family members and high officials can use small pieces of flower petals, while ordinary officials can only use the petals at the ends, while ordinary people, if women, can use some flowered skirts. The Chinese who have recently arrived in this country, even though they use skirts with flowers on both sides, they do not mind because they are considered to be ignorant of the customs. The locals call them Ngan Ting Pa Cha (don't know the language?).
4. About officials
This country has ministers, generals, and prophets, and the officials below them have many other ranks, just like in China, differing only in their names. Most of these officials are descendants of the king. If there is a foreigner who becomes an official, he can also serve as an official only if he brings his child to be a concubine to the king. The journey of these officials is distinguished by the armor according to their rank. The eldest sits on a golden horn bed, covered with four gold bars. The next one has a golden horn bed, two gold bars, and the next one also has a golden horn bed, but with one gold bar. The next one came with a silver horn bed, with a gold scepter. The next one came with a silver scepter, and then with no horn bed.
For officials who had to ride a silver horn bed and a gold scepter, they were all called Pateng (Mrạtẹng) or Amtẹng (Amdẹng?). Those who had only a silver scepter were called “Silati” (Srẹsthīn?). The scepter was made of silk cloth imported from China and lowered with the ends almost to the ground. For a long umbrella, they take a blue silk cloth and spread it out, and then they also take oil and apply it on top.
5. About the three types of religious doctrines
The learned (Brahmins?) are called Panchap (according to Peliyato's translation, Pakhi, this word probably comes from the word scholar), the monks are called Juku (Buddhist monks, probably comes from the word teacher), and the ascetics are called Pasivai (Peliyato translates Pasivai, probably comes from the word Pasva).
I don’t know where these so-called Pankhep learned their craft. I have never seen a school or a place where they studied. I only see them dressed like ordinary people, but with the difference that they wear a white thread around their neck, and this thread is worn around their neck for the rest of their lives. They often choose these Pankhep to be officials because they are considered highly educated.
As for the monks, they are shaved, wear a yellow robe that covers their right shoulder, and they pray barefoot, without shoes. One temple was allowed to be tiled, and in the center of the temple was a Buddha statue with the same features as Sakyamuni (according to Mahayana, it is believed that there are two Buddhas: the original Buddha in heaven named “Amitabha” and the Buddha who became enlightened in the human realm named “Sakyamuni”). It was called “Putlai”, painted red with white clay and painted with other colors, with no features other than this. There were many other small Buddha statues, with different faces, mostly made of copper, and without bells, drums, rattles, or flags. The monk can eat fish and meat, but not alcohol, and they can prepare these fish and meat dishes for the Buddha. He only goes to the almshouse once a day and does not prepare food in the monastery. He eats once a day.
The Dhamma that he preaches is very rich, and it is bound on a leaf of tal-prek (that is why I translate it as tal-prek because the original word is not yet clear that the leaf is still intact), with bold black letters, but not written with a brush or black ink. I don’t know what they wrote with (in fact, they wrote with an iron pen and used charcoal mixed with oil to erase the black marks). They also carried a bed of horn and a gold or silver turban to cover the monks, because the king often consulted the monks on major issues of the country. But there were no nuns in those monasteries.
The ascetics, called the Pasiwe, also dressed like ordinary people, but wore white or red headdresses, like the Mongolian Tartar women, but a little shorter. They have a monastery like the Buddhist monks, but are smaller. The doctrine of the ascetics is not as powerful as that of Buddhism. They revere only a large stone (Pelliot understands it as a linga) like the stone image of the ancestors of the country. I do not know the origin or manner of their practice. They have nuns, and the temple is also allowed to be tiled. The Pasivites do not eat other people's food, do not eat in public, and absolutely do not drink alcohol. I have never seen a monk recite the Dhamma or do anything for the benefit of the people.
As for the children of the villagers who need to learn, they are always taken to study with the monks and ordained as monks, and when they reach old age, they return to their ordinary lives. As for the details, I do not know them clearly.
(1) This is according to the Chinese pronunciation of the word "Zhao" if read according to the Chinese version of Beijing: "Zhao Da Guan", but we used to say "Zhao Da Guan".
(2) This Ngan dynasty had many kings, but this one in 1295 AD was named after the king named Ngan Sengzhong, the name for the royal palace.
Ngan Cheng.
(3) Vengta District in Xiamen Province (South China).
(4) The Ming Dynasty came in the 13th-14th centuries AD.
(5) In Honan Province.
(6) Mr. Pelliot suspects that Pursat is actually Phum Prey Phup because it is a name for the Buddha.
(7) The Pali word Tấlập translates as Sumật, which today is Tonle Sap.
(8) Here, according to Mr. Pelliot’s translation, there is no word for “acceptance,” but this is translated according to the Chinese sentence. Therefore, this word can only mean that they accept and receive the envoy.
(9) This snake, according to Khmer, is a dragon. Chivta Kwan was familiar with the Chinese dragon, which had a different form, so he called the Khmer dragon a snake.
(A) Mr. Pelliot believes that this temple is Bayon Temple.
(B) According to Mr. Pelliot’s translation, it is Lou-Pan, and he agrees that it is the Angkor Wat temple. In Chinese, Lubun is the name of the master architect in the legend, just as in Khmer we speak of the merits of the builders of temples.
(C) Mr. Pelliot believes that it is the western temple of Mebon, which he adds may have been mistaken for the eastern one.
(D) It is likely the Neak Poen temple.
Thank you for reading!
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