Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c8.28

c8.28

To the east of Fu-nan and Kambuja lay the Hindu kingdom of Champā in the central and southern part of what is now called Annam. We have no direct or definite evidence of the foundation of Hindu Colonies in this region, such as we possess about Fu-nan in the Chinese accounts. But there are very important considerations in favour of the view that the Hindu colonies were established in the province of Quang Nam about the first century A.D. The territory immediately to its north, comprising Tonkin, formed a part of the Chinese empire and was ruled by one or more Governors. We learn from the Chinese sources that in A.D. 137 the southern part of this region was attacked by a band of barbarians called Kiu-lien and the Governor had great difficulty in inducing them to retreat. In A.D. 192, an indigenous official of Siang-lin, named Kiu-lien, in the southern part of the Chinese territory, revolted and founded a kingdom called by the Chinese Lin-yi. This may be a geographical or ethnic name, but it was by this name that the Chinese historians henceforth designated the Hindu kingdom of Champā. The common name Kiu-lien, though written in different characters, seems to connect the inroad of A.D. 137 with the successful rebellion of A.D. 192.