Langkasuka (-
langkha Sanskrit for "resplendent land" -
sukkha of "bliss") was an ancient
Hindu Malay kingdom located in the
Malay Peninsula. Another possible source of its name could be the combination of (-
langkha Sanskrit for "resplendent land" - and
Asoka in tribute to the legendary
Mauryan Hindu warrior king who eventually became a pacifist after embracing the ideals espoused in Buddhism).
The kingdom along with
Old Kedah are probably the earliest kingdom founded on the Malay Peninsula. According to tradition the founding of the kingdom happened in the 2nd century.
Malay legends claim that Langkasuka was founded at
Kedah, and later moved to
Pattani.
Records
The historical record is sparse, but a Chinese
Liang Dynasty record (c. 500 AD) refers to the kingdom of "Lang-ya-xiu" () as being founded in the 1st century AD. As described in the Chinese chronicles, Langkasuka was thirty days' journey from east to west, and twenty from north to south, 24,000
li in distance from
Guangzhou. Its capital was said to be surrounded by walls to form a city with double gates, towers and pavilions. The Buddhist monk
Yi Jing mentioned encountering three Chinese monks who lived in
Lang-chia-su.
The kingdom's designation in Chinese records changed over time: it was known as "Lang-ya-se-chia" during the
Song dynasty (960-1279); "Long-ya-si-jiao" during the
Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368); and "Lang-se-chia" during the
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), as evidenced by the Mao Kun map of Admiral
Zheng He.
Langkasuka kingdom.
The name "Langkasuka" was also mentioned in
Malay and
Javanese chronicles.
Tamil sources name "Ilangasoka" as one of
Rajendra Chola's conquests in his expedition against the
Srivijaya empire. It was described as a kingdom that that was "undaunted in fierce battles".
In 515 AD
King Bhagadatta first established relations with China, with further embassies sent in 523, 531 and 568. In the 12th century Langkasuka was a tributary to the
Srivijaya empire, and around the 15th century it was replaced by the
Pattani Kingdom.
In 1963, Stewart Wavell led a Cambridge Expedition to locate Langkasuka and
Tambralinga. The details of this expedition can be read in
The Naga King's Daughter, published by Antara Books.
Langkasuka in popular culture
A Thai movie entitled
Queen of Pattani or
Queens of Langkasuka directed by
Nonzee Nimibutr, loosely based on a south Pattani myth was released in 2008.
See also
