Customs of Cambodia
Encyclopedia
The Customs of Cambodia or A Record of Cambodia: The Land and Its People (Chinese: 真臘風土記) is the English translated name of the document written by the Chinese diplomat Zhou Daguan
(roughly pronounced "Joe Da-gwan") during his stay at Angkor
between 1296 AD and 1297 AD. Zhou's account is of great historical significance because it is the only surviving first person written record of daily life in the Khmer Empire
. The only other written information available is from inscriptions on temple walls. Zhou's account was translated into French by Paul Pelliot
in 1902, and later from French into English by Michael Smithies. In 2007, Sino-linguist Peter Harris, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies New Zealand, completed the first direct translation from Chinese to modern English, correcting many errors in previous translated versions, with a new title A Record of Cambodia: The Land and Its People. Harris worked in Cambodia for years and includes modern photographs and maps directly relating to Zhou's original account. This book also includes more than 100 bibliographic references, two appendices and a detailed index, all with Chinese characters for continuing research.
Harris also draws a series of parallels between the voyage of Zhou Daguan and the travels of Marco Polo
. Marco Polo was Zhou's contemporary, however, according to Harris, Polo's travels contain a number of unusual omissions that beg further investigation.
On Khmer Homes:
On the king's wardrobe:
More detailed information is available under the entry for Zhou Daguan
.
Zhou Daguan
Zhou Daguan was a Chinese diplomat under the Temür Khan, Emperor Chengzong of Yuan. He is most well known for his accounts of the customs of Cambodia and the Angkor temple complexes during his visit there. He arrived at Angkor in August 1296, and remained at the court of King Indravarman III...
(roughly pronounced "Joe Da-gwan") during his stay at Angkor
Angkor
Angkor is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara , meaning "city"...
between 1296 AD and 1297 AD. Zhou's account is of great historical significance because it is the only surviving first person written record of daily life in the Khmer Empire
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...
. The only other written information available is from inscriptions on temple walls. Zhou's account was translated into French by Paul Pelliot
Paul Pelliot
Paul Pelliot was a French sinologist and explorer of Central Asia. Initially intending to enter the foreign service, Pelliot took up the study of Chinese and became a pupil of Sylvain Lévi and Édouard Chavannes....
in 1902, and later from French into English by Michael Smithies. In 2007, Sino-linguist Peter Harris, a Senior Fellow at the Center for Strategic Studies New Zealand, completed the first direct translation from Chinese to modern English, correcting many errors in previous translated versions, with a new title A Record of Cambodia: The Land and Its People. Harris worked in Cambodia for years and includes modern photographs and maps directly relating to Zhou's original account. This book also includes more than 100 bibliographic references, two appendices and a detailed index, all with Chinese characters for continuing research.
Harris also draws a series of parallels between the voyage of Zhou Daguan and the travels of Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
. Marco Polo was Zhou's contemporary, however, according to Harris, Polo's travels contain a number of unusual omissions that beg further investigation.
On Khmer Homes:
On the king's wardrobe:
More detailed information is available under the entry for Zhou Daguan
Zhou Daguan
Zhou Daguan was a Chinese diplomat under the Temür Khan, Emperor Chengzong of Yuan. He is most well known for his accounts of the customs of Cambodia and the Angkor temple complexes during his visit there. He arrived at Angkor in August 1296, and remained at the court of King Indravarman III...
.
External links
- Zhou Daguan, A Record of Cambodia, transl. by Peter Harris, Silkworm Books, 2007. ISBN 978-974-9511-24-4 Amazon.com
- Zhou Daguan, The Customs of Cambodia, Siam Society, 2001. ISBN 978-9748298511 - Amazon.com
- Book review by Cambodia Daily: A Record of Cambodia - The Land and its People, 2007 edition
- Book review by Siam Society - A Record of Cambodia - The Land and its People, 2007 edition
- Book review by New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies: A Record of Cambodia - The Land and its People, 2007 edition
- Smithsonian Magazine - Passing Notes
- Smithsonian Magazine - Jewel of the Jungle