23 Facts About Funan

Funan was the name given by Chinese cartographers, geographers and writers to an ancient Indianized state—or, rather a loose network of states —located in mainland Southeast Asia centered on the Mekong Delta that existed from the first to sixth century CE.

However, the name Funan is not found in any texts of local origin from the period, and it is not known what name the people of Funan gave to their polity.

Michael Vickery has said that, even though identification of the language of Funan is not possible, the evidence strongly suggests that the population was Khmer.

Jacques proposed that use of the name Funan should be abandoned in favour of the names, such as Bhavapura, Aninditapura, Shresthapura and Vyadhapura, which are known from inscriptions to have been used at the time for cities in the region and give a more accurate idea of the geography of the ancient Khmer regions than the names Funan or Zhenla which are unknown in the Old Khmer language.

Recent archaeological research lends weight to the conclusion that Funan was a Mon-Khmer polity.

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The only extant local writings from the period of Funan are paleographic Pallava Grantha inscriptions in Sanskrit of the Pallava dynasty, a scholarly language used by learned and ruling elites throughout South and Southeast Asia.

Funan is the King of Kings, who rules over Suvarnabhumi until the sea, which is the border, while the kings in the neighbouring states honour his order to their heads”.

Funan then boarded a ship, which the genie caused to land in Funan.

Funan's was taken as wife by the excellent Brahmin Kaundinya for the sake of a certain task.

Funan marries her with blessings from her father and returns to the human world.

Funan said that it was rather the Indianized local Southeast Asian traders who provided the initial contact with Indian cultural traditions and the local rulers followed up.

Funan stated that Hindu traditions was selectively mobilized by the local rulers to strengthen the political alliances among fragile polity of the states in that period.

The people of Funan appeared to him; the whole kingdom rose up with joy, went before him, and chose him king.

Funan changed all the laws to conform to the system of India.

Funan was followed by Chin-cheng, Fan Chan, Ch'ang and then Fan Hsun, in successive assassinations.

Funan reached the apex of its power under the 3rd-century king Fan Shiman .

Funan was superseded and absorbed in the 6th century by the Khmer polity of the Chenla Kingdom .

Funan's ancestors had gradually become more powerful and flourishing until the time of Zhi-duo-sina himself, who annexed Funan and possessed it.

Funan was a complex and sophisticated society with a high population density, advanced technology, and a complex social system.

Two Buddhist monks from Funan, named Mandrasena and Sanghapala, took up residency in China in the 5th to 6th centuries, and translated several Buddhist sutras from Sanskrit into Chinese.

Funan came into prominence at a time when the trade route from India to China consisted of a maritime leg from India to the Isthmus of Kra, the narrow portion of the Malay peninsula, a portage across the isthmus, and then a coast-hugging journey by ship along the Gulf of Siam, past the Mekong Delta, and along the Vietnamese coast to China.

Funan maintained diplomatic relations with the Murunda dynasty of northern Kalinga during 3rd cen CE, when King Dhamadamadhara of Murunda received envoy Su-Wu who represented King Fan Chan of Funan .

People who came from the coast of Funan are known to establish Chi Tu in the Malay Peninsula.