10 Questions
What was the principal port city of Funan?
Oc-Eo
What was the significance of Funan in Southeast Asia?
It was the first large Southeast Asian civilization.
What was the system constructed by the Funanese for transportation and irrigation of rice?
An elaborate system of canals
Where was the Funanese capital possibly located?
Angkor Borei
What was the significance of Funan to Hindu traders?
It was a convenient stopover point on the way to China.
What was the capital of Funan, the earliest of the Indianized states in Southeast Asia?
Vyadhapura
During which century did Funan reach its zenith?
Fifth century A.D.
What was the outcome of the pressure from the vassal state, Kambuja to the north of Cambodia?
Funan was reduced to a vassal state
What was a characteristic of the Fu Nan people?
They were a technically advanced seafaring people
What was the significance of the development of more advanced sailing ships in the first century A.D.?
It made transoceanic travel possible
Study Notes
Funan Kingdom
- The Funan Kingdom was an Indianized Cambodian kingdom that existed from the 1st to 6th centuries AD in southern Vietnam.
- It was known for its refined art and architecture.
- The kingdom was centered on the walled city of Angkor Borei, near modern-day Takeo.
Economy and Trade
- The Funanese constructed an elaborate system of canals for transportation and irrigation of rice.
- The principal port city was Oc-Eo in the Mekong Delta, which had contact with China, Indonesia, Persia, and the Mediterranean.
- Funan was a center of Southeast Asian trade between the 1st and 5th centuries AD.
- The kingdom saw an increase in international trade from the Mediterranean to China.
Territory and Capital
- The kingdom stretched across present-day Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and possibly Malaysia.
- Archaeologists are still unsure of the exact location of the Funanese capital, but they believe it may have been at Angkor Borei in Cambodia.
- The ancient Khmer word for Funan may have been "bnam" (mountain).
History
- Funan was the first large Southeast Asian civilization and lasted from the 1st to 7th centuries AD.
- The earliest historical reference to Funan is a Chinese description of a mission that visited the country in the 3rd century AD.
- Funan reached its zenith in the 5th century AD and began to decline in the 6th century AD due to civil wars and dynastic strife.
- The kingdom was eventually reduced to a vassal state by the northern neighbor, the kingdom of Chenla, by the end of the 7th century.
Culture and People
- Funan was the earliest of the Indianized states in Southeast Asia and is considered by Cambodians to have been the first Khmer kingdom in the area.
- The Funanese were a technically advanced seafaring people who participated in trade on a large scale.
- Few details are known about the Funan people, but they were known for their wonderful tradition of Hindu-influenced art and architecture.
Discover the ancient Funan Kingdom, a Indianized Cambodian kingdom in southern Vietnam, known for its refined art and architecture. Learn about its capital city, Angkor Borei, and principal port city, Oc-Eo.
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