54 continental south asia and the islands
On Nov.4, 814, envoys from the Khmer Kingdom offered presents
(Chiu T’ang shu 15:6b; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5032). There followed a period
of over two centuries without any diplomatic contacts between the
kingdom and China.
In the 12th month (Jan./Feb., 1117) of the Chinese year 1116, the
Khmer kingdom resumed relations with a mission and gifts to the
Sung court. It consisted of 14 envoys, who were received in audience
on Jan.25, 1117, and were presented with court garments. They took
leave on Apr.10 in another audience (Sung shih 21:7b; 489:11b; Sung
hui-yao kao ts’e 196; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:14a).
In 1120, envoys from the Khmer Kingdom brought gifts, on which
occasion the Sung recognized their ruler as king. On Dec.25 of that
year, the envoys were received in audience and took leave. In 1129,
the king was appointed Acting Minister of Works, which later became
a constant practice (Sung shih 22:4b; 489:11b; Sung hui-yao kao ts’e 196;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:14a).
In 1200, the ruler of the Khmer kingdom had been on the throne
for 20 years. His envoys brought a letter and presented two tame
elephants and regional objects (Sung shih 489:11b; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao
332:14a).
Missions from the Chen-la/Khmer Kingdom were relatively rare.
For 1200, Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 332:14a makes the curious statement
that because of the distance the Khmer Kingdom was excused from
“paying tribute”. It was not within the power of a Sung emperor to
tell the king of the Khmer Kingdom what or what not to do. More
probably, the missions ceased to come, and the Chinese tried to put
the best light on it. In spite of the visit of the Assistant King of Dry
Chen-la in 771, a weak splinter state which preceded the great Khmer
Kingdom, relations between what now is Cambodia and China were
never close. This may explain the hiatus in relations between 814 and
1117, which is too long to be blamed on incomplete historical entries.
It occurred at a time when the Khmer Kingdom stood at the zenith
of its power and truly can be called an empire. Its orientation was
toward the south, and distant and hard-to-reach China in the north
may have been of no interest to the kings.
With the exception of elephants and one rhinoceros, the goods
offered by the Chen-la/Khmer kingdom are not specified
is an anachronism, or else the term continued to exist as a provincial name. Ts’e-fu
yüan-kuei says Chen-la State, which I heneforth render as Khmer Kingdom.