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Yamanadvipa

Yamanadvipa or Yavanadvipa was an ancient kingdom in Mainland Southeast Asia mentioned as Yen-nio-na-cheu in the journey of a Chinese Buddhist monk, Xuanzang, during his journey in India.[1]: 200 [2]: 128–9  It was said to be located to the west of Mo-ho-chan-po (Mahacampa), which is the same as Lin-i,[2]: 128–9  and was one of the six kingdoms situated beyond the deep seas, hemmed in by high mountains and rivers that were inaccessible (from the Gulf of Martaban).[1]: 200 

The other kingdoms in Mainland Southeast Asia mentioned by Xuanzang, including Sri Ksetra, Kamalanka, Dvaravati, Chenla, and Champa.[2]: 128–9  These six kingdoms were within the Jumukote or Yamakote (यमकोटि; यमकोटी, Eastern Boundary) of Ptolemy's map of Jambudvipa.

The identification of Yamanadvipa is currently uncertain.[3]: 14 . Still, according to its suffix "dvipa" (Sanskrit: द्वीप), which means "island" or "continent", it is probably located on an island or surrounded by water. Meanwhile, "yamana" (Sanskrit: यमन) means "restraining", "curbing", or "governing". Some equated Yamanadvipa with Yavanadvipa (Sanskrit: यवनद्वीप),[3]: 14  in which the king of "Yavana" appears in the Preah Khan Inscription (K.908) of Jayavarman VII, together with king of Java and two kings of Champa.[4]: 62 [5]: 98  However, previous scholars identified "Yavana" with Annam,[4]: 62 [5]: 98  and this assumption as well as the Khmer's claim of supremacy over neighboring kingdoms have recently been challenged.[4]: 62–3 

In northern Champa, there were records (Inscription C.149) of two groups of high officials of the Indrapura dynasty who were sent to Yavadvīpapura, the capital of the nearly identical kingdom of Yavadvīpa for diplomatic tasks in 833 Śaka.[4]: 66, 75  Yavadvīpa occurs again in the C.22 Inscription, dating to 1228 Śaka, says a prince of the great king of Yavadvīpa became a chief queen of Champa. Some have linked Yavadvīpa with Java;[4]: 71, 75  nevertheless, numerous Champa inscriptions explicitly mention Java as "Javā".[4]: 67  The identification of Yavadvīpa is also currently uncertain.[4]: 71 

There was also a kingdom with an almost identical name, Chawa (Lao: ຊວາ, pronounced [súa]) of Khmu people, located west of Champa. It was later conquered by the legendary Khun Lo of Lao people in 698. The polity was then Taificated and historically known as Muang Sua. It later evolved to Luang Prabang of the Lan Xang kingdom in the 14th century.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b Samuel Beal (1884). Si-Yu-Ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World (PDF). London: Trubner & Co. Ludgate Hill. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Zhang Hui Ji (2005). The Life of Hsüan Tsang by his by his personal disciples Hui-li and Yen-ts'ung (PDF). Delhi: Akshaya Prakashan. ISBN 81-88643-16-5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b Lipi Ghosh (March 2019). "Bengal Interface Asia". University of Calcutta. Retrieved 24 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Arlo Griffiths (2013). "The Problem of the Ancient Name Java and the Role of Satyavarman in Southeast Asian International Relations Around the Turn of the Ninth Century CE" (PDF). Archipel. 85: 43–81. doi:10.3406/arch.2013.4384. Archived from the original on 24 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b Thomas S. Maxwell (2007). "The Stele Inscription of Preah Khan, Angkor: Text with Translation and Commentary" (PDF). Journal of Khmer Studies. 8: 1–131. doi:10.5281/zenodo.14497146. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  6. ^ Wolfson-Ford, Ryan (2016). "Sons of Khun Bulom: The discovery by modern Lao historians of the 'birth of the Lao race'". Journal of Southeast Asian Studies. 47 (2): 169. doi:10.1017/S0022463416000035.