Tai Peoples and Theirs Languages: A Preliminary ... - Khamkoo

Chao compiled by Yang Shên and quoted in Lo Ch’ang P‘ei (1945: 361) the genealogy of
the kings of Nan-chao according to Pa’s Ancient History is:
Pyo-tso-ti-mung-tso Mung-tso-tu. After that there are thirty-six generations
down to the following:
1. Si-nu-lo 8. Sün-lo-k‘ üan
2. Lo-ch‘ êng 9. K‘ üan-lung- ch‘ êng
3. Ch‘ êng-lo-pi 10. Ch‘ êng-fêng-you
4. P‘ i-lo-ko 11. Shih-lung
5. Ko-lo-fêng 12. Lung-shun
6. Fêng-kia-yi 13. Shun-hwa-chen
7. Yi-mou-sun
Lo Ch‘ang-P‘ ei (1945) pointed out that the genealogical patronymic linkage
system is a dominant cultural trait of the Tibeto-Burman speaking tribes, and he had
shown that this patronymic linkage system existed among the Burman, the A-chit, the
Moso or Na-khi, the Lolo, the Woni and the A-ka. This added testimony of the
patronymic linkage system of the names of the Nan Chao rulers seems to put the Tai out
of the ruling house of Nan-chao. There has never been throughout Tai history such a
record of name linkage. Nor are there records of three-syllable names, first-middle-final,
such as quoted. Names of earlier Tai kings (prior to the Sanskrit-Pali and Khmer
influences) consisted of only one syllable usually, but not obligatorily, beginning with the
same consonant (with a remarkable incidence of the /1/ initial consonant) from father to
sons such as Hkun 38 Long and Hkun-Lai (from Gogoi’s Tai-Ahom, Religion and
Customs, 1976: 3) or Kun 38 - Lung, Kun-Lai, Koun 38 - Borom or Bolom and Koun La
(from Lefevre-Pontalis’ L’invasion Thaie en Indo-Chine, 1909: 497) or Lo T’ai Lü
T’ai or Li T’ai (names of Kings of Sukhodaya (form C. Coedes Receuil des inscription
du Siam 1924 and 1978: 13, 61, 76, 91).
At present, in scholastic circles at least, the idea that the Nan Chao state during
the 7 th - 13 th centuries was ruled by a Tai dynasty has been discredited. However, there
are some fierce patriots who view the fall of this theory as equal to the shrinking down of
Thai territory. The present writer remembers one poignant question from one Thai
dramaturgist to a Thai scholar, “Why did you want to cease our great territory of Nan
Chao at the instigation of foreign researchers?”
3. The coastal regions of south China and north Vietnam There are so many
scholars who arrived at this conclusion one after another, basing their reasoning on
several academic disciplines over a long span of time, that it is necessary for researchers
to look at some of the important works proposing this theory. 39
38 Hkun, Kun, and Koun all are pronounced /khǔn/ with the rising tone in Thai. The different way
of writing is due to different authors who worked separately before the advent of the International
Phonetic Alphabet. /khǔn/ means ‘king or chief’ so it is a title preceding the kings’ own given
names which follow /khun/.
39 Limited of space, the present writer cannot claim a complete list of every argument said on the
subject. For details please consult works with direct bearing on the subject such as B.J. Terwiel’s
“The Origin of the T’ai Peoples Reconsidered” (1978) and “The Tai of Assam and their Life-cycle
ceremonies (Part I)” (1979).
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