Gunjarat is not in SEA, South East Asia. It faces the Arabian sea as a state in western India. I was the seat of the Indus Valley Civilization. A Gunjar nation was probably trading with Sugar before 1000 BC. It was probably dealing with with pre-Islamic Arabs before 500 BC. Muslims were active in the area before 11200 AD. People of Gunjar may have traded with people of SEA before did Tamil people of southeast India. People of southeast India were trading in SEA before the birth of Buddha.
Indian Muslim traders from Gunjarat were probably the source of Islam in SEA. Those sea-going traders well knew the stretch of water, between the the Malay peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, known as the straits of Malacca. Traders from Arabia, Persia, and southern Indian kingdoms used those straights to reach Kedah and Guangzhou as the Gunjar had earlier.
Keda is located at the entrance to the Straits. It lays on the Spice Route. Tamils knew Kedah as Kedaram. Very early settlers in Kedah were sea-faring Austronesians. Their descendants traded widely.
Guagzhu is the Chines area we know as Canton. It hah been called Panyu and by about 200 BC became a kingdom which included Vietnam. Beginning about the 7th century and continuing through the 12th century Arab and Persian traders were well known in Guangzhou. By around 800 AD those traders may have been known as sometimes pirates and slavers.
Trade in SEA has been important from very early times, especially sea trade. There is likely to have been trade between India and China passing through SEA and entrepots there from about 3000 BC: that's over 5000 years of ongoing interaction.
In the later days of that SEA trade I say that the Persians and Arabs followed the Indians; the Portuguese followed the Arabs; the Dutch followed the Portuguese; the English followed the Dutch. U.S. interests followed the English. All these interests pirated, cheated, and killed to maintain their positions.
Malaysians are related to Polynesians. As a sea-going people of the region they played an important part in the doings their from earliest times until now. The Malaysian peninsula forms one side of the Straits.
Sumatra, forming the other side of the Straits, is the largest SEA island entirely in Indonesia. Settlement and colonization of Sumatra was begun by Austronesians from Taiwan about 500 BC. Sumatra was known as a source of gold from early times.
Gunjarat effected SEA from ancient times. Could that effect have begun in a bronze age of about 3500 BC? Could it have reached as far as present northeast Myanmar?
What do we know of Islam in India before 1000 AD? Were pre-Islamic Arab traders actively trading between Gunjarat and the Straits of Malacca before 500 BC?
Please remember that the above only represents my best guesses of the moment. And please remember too that I look forward to hearing your guesses and speculations.
Showing posts with label South East Asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South East Asia. Show all posts
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Malaysia
Until recent times Malaysia was said by Europeans to be in the East Indies. Now that part of the world is called South East Asia, SEA.
I bet that the word 'Malay' is of ancient southern India origin. Although Malaysia may be best know for its seagoing and trading past,the origin of the word 'Malay' may mean something like 'mountainous' which much of the interior of Malaysia is.
To me much of the Malay language and people seem related to Polynesia people. The fact is that they are related to that great mixture of people making up the cultures of South East Asia. India has long been a strong influence there. China to has had long standing influence and that influence increased during the rise and fall of European empire building in the area. Many Chinese were brought to Malaysia as workers during that time.
I suspect that the Malay language is spoken as the first language of just over half the population. Chinese speakers are next in number. Several other languages are popular including English.
Sunni Islam is the largest religious group and includes over 60& of the population. Buddhism is next and is practiced by less than 20% of the population. There is religious freedom, but Islam is the state religion.
Education is good and is open to a wide portion of the population.
Malaysians can play a good game of soccer even though Americans may be the only people to call it soccer.
The title of the elected ruler is, I think, Yang de Pertuan Agong. You may call him Lord and, in the third person, refer to him as His Majesty. The UNMO rules.
Malysias neighbors include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippians.
I bet that the word 'Malay' is of ancient southern India origin. Although Malaysia may be best know for its seagoing and trading past,the origin of the word 'Malay' may mean something like 'mountainous' which much of the interior of Malaysia is.
To me much of the Malay language and people seem related to Polynesia people. The fact is that they are related to that great mixture of people making up the cultures of South East Asia. India has long been a strong influence there. China to has had long standing influence and that influence increased during the rise and fall of European empire building in the area. Many Chinese were brought to Malaysia as workers during that time.
I suspect that the Malay language is spoken as the first language of just over half the population. Chinese speakers are next in number. Several other languages are popular including English.
Sunni Islam is the largest religious group and includes over 60& of the population. Buddhism is next and is practiced by less than 20% of the population. There is religious freedom, but Islam is the state religion.
Education is good and is open to a wide portion of the population.
Malaysians can play a good game of soccer even though Americans may be the only people to call it soccer.
The title of the elected ruler is, I think, Yang de Pertuan Agong. You may call him Lord and, in the third person, refer to him as His Majesty. The UNMO rules.
Malysias neighbors include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippians.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
More Thai History Notes
I seem to have misplaced many posts on Thai history. Among those posts on Thailand were two or three which were the beginning of an extensive timeline of the very early history of Thailand.
Below are a series of dates related to more recent Thai history which I intended to add to the more inclusive time-line:
1238 AD: Sukkothai city founded. It was the capital of the Thai Empire for about 140 years.
1262: Chang Rai founded in the north by King Mengrai. This city has been the home of the famous jade Buddha, sometimes called the Emerald Buddha.
1296: Chang Mai became the capital of the Lana Kingdom after Chaing Rai.
1327: Sanskrit was used in Ankor until about this year.
1331 - 1351: Plagues, which may have killed as many as half of all living Chinese* at the time, seems not to have reached Lanna or Sukuthai.
1350: From this date onward there seems to have been continuous contact between Siamese and Cantonese.
1374: Armies of Ayurveda firs invaded Sukhothai. Ayudhaya was a natural port.
1409 - 1424: King Itaracha recieved the Ming admiral Cheng Ho(Jung Huh).
1441 - 1487: reign of Tilokaracha, called the greatest of Lanna kings.
1500 - 1560: Ayudahaya was a great sea trading capital of more than a million inhabitants.
1570: Ayudahaya had expanded to 'boarders' roughly those of modern Thailand.
1765: A Burmese army with Shan troops and contingents from Lanna moved into Ayudhaya.
1767: The Ayudhaya Kingdom was destroyed after dominating mainland South East Asia for nearly 400 years.
1782: Bangkok became the capital of Siam. The walls of Bangkok were made, in part, of bricks from Ayudhaya.
1782 - 1932: The Rattanakosin Kingdom or Kingdom of Siam was the fourth Thai Kingdom and was centered on Bangkok.
1800s: Early in this century of English colonialism John Crawford, governor of Singapore, praised the justice system of Siam as superior to other Asia countries and comparable western countries.
1900s: Not a colony.
*Chinese were estimated at 65 million persons.
Below are a series of dates related to more recent Thai history which I intended to add to the more inclusive time-line:
1238 AD: Sukkothai city founded. It was the capital of the Thai Empire for about 140 years.
1262: Chang Rai founded in the north by King Mengrai. This city has been the home of the famous jade Buddha, sometimes called the Emerald Buddha.
1296: Chang Mai became the capital of the Lana Kingdom after Chaing Rai.
1327: Sanskrit was used in Ankor until about this year.
1331 - 1351: Plagues, which may have killed as many as half of all living Chinese* at the time, seems not to have reached Lanna or Sukuthai.
1350: From this date onward there seems to have been continuous contact between Siamese and Cantonese.
1374: Armies of Ayurveda firs invaded Sukhothai. Ayudhaya was a natural port.
1409 - 1424: King Itaracha recieved the Ming admiral Cheng Ho(Jung Huh).
1441 - 1487: reign of Tilokaracha, called the greatest of Lanna kings.
1500 - 1560: Ayudahaya was a great sea trading capital of more than a million inhabitants.
1570: Ayudahaya had expanded to 'boarders' roughly those of modern Thailand.
1765: A Burmese army with Shan troops and contingents from Lanna moved into Ayudhaya.
1767: The Ayudhaya Kingdom was destroyed after dominating mainland South East Asia for nearly 400 years.
1782: Bangkok became the capital of Siam. The walls of Bangkok were made, in part, of bricks from Ayudhaya.
1782 - 1932: The Rattanakosin Kingdom or Kingdom of Siam was the fourth Thai Kingdom and was centered on Bangkok.
1800s: Early in this century of English colonialism John Crawford, governor of Singapore, praised the justice system of Siam as superior to other Asia countries and comparable western countries.
1900s: Not a colony.
*Chinese were estimated at 65 million persons.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Religion in Early South East Asia
I have posted on SEA religion before, but, as usual, their is more to say.
Of what we might call the world great religions, Brahmanism seems to have been the first to take hold in maritime South East Asia, as it was in much of the mainland realm. It was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam.
Brahmanism, without much evidence of the caste system was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century AD, and was almost certainly there several centuries earlier.
These are my honest opinions and best guesses at the moment. I will be honored by and grateful for all the corrections or additions you may make. You will find me a willing leaner.
Of what we might call the world great religions, Brahmanism seems to have been the first to take hold in maritime South East Asia, as it was in much of the mainland realm. It was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam.
Brahmanism, without much evidence of the caste system was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century AD, and was almost certainly there several centuries earlier.
These are my honest opinions and best guesses at the moment. I will be honored by and grateful for all the corrections or additions you may make. You will find me a willing leaner.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Some SEA Beliefs
In most of South East Asia Buddhism might be called he state Religion. However in Viet Nam the Chinese custom of state authority moderates this influence. Chinese tradition supplies an ideology that legitimized authority over many phases of life. That means that it is justified in regulating the affairs of Buddhist monks to a greater degree than is generally accepted elsewhere. The ideology I mention is, of course, Confucianism.
Of the great religions, Brahmanism seems to be the first o take hold in maritime SEA as it was in much of the mainland realms. I was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam. Brahmanism, without much evidence of the cast system of Hinduism, was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century and was probably several centuries earlier.
Old Javanese sources from the 11th century on mention three religions under the supervision of the central government: Saivas(worshiper of Siva), Buddhists, and Reis(court Brahmins). Important Tantric rites were performed b Buddhist monks and the court Brahmin. In Java, then and now, there were other religions and sects at a greater distnce from the larger centers of power. Saints referred to bu Saias of the time were Kusika, Garga, Mairi Kurusya, and Patnjali. Also the teacher Agastya is mentioned.
Is good to keep in mind that from at least 400 BC to 1300 AD there is nearly constant commerce with India and intermediate commerce with China.
As we well know Islam became the main religion of maritime SEA with the major exception of the Philippines. Theravada Buddhism became the main religion of mainland SEA. Islam took pervasive hold in the area more than six centuries after the foundation of Islam in the Middle East. Te first center of power of Islam was probably at Aceh of recent tsunami fame. Islam rose in Malaca and in ll directions including Patani in southern Thailand.
Of the great religions, Brahmanism seems to be the first o take hold in maritime SEA as it was in much of the mainland realms. I was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam. Brahmanism, without much evidence of the cast system of Hinduism, was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century and was probably several centuries earlier.
Old Javanese sources from the 11th century on mention three religions under the supervision of the central government: Saivas(worshiper of Siva), Buddhists, and Reis(court Brahmins). Important Tantric rites were performed b Buddhist monks and the court Brahmin. In Java, then and now, there were other religions and sects at a greater distnce from the larger centers of power. Saints referred to bu Saias of the time were Kusika, Garga, Mairi Kurusya, and Patnjali. Also the teacher Agastya is mentioned.
Is good to keep in mind that from at least 400 BC to 1300 AD there is nearly constant commerce with India and intermediate commerce with China.
As we well know Islam became the main religion of maritime SEA with the major exception of the Philippines. Theravada Buddhism became the main religion of mainland SEA. Islam took pervasive hold in the area more than six centuries after the foundation of Islam in the Middle East. Te first center of power of Islam was probably at Aceh of recent tsunami fame. Islam rose in Malaca and in ll directions including Patani in southern Thailand.
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