ASR V04 N01.Indd
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2017) Vol.4 No.1 71 Political Issues Hidden in the 19th Century Chiang Mai Chronicle Suwipa Champawan* and Krirk Akarachinores Lan Na Research Center, Social Research Institute, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand *Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] https://doi.org/10.12982/CMUJASR.2017.0005 ABSTRACT Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai, or the Chiang Mai Chronicle, is regarded as an historical account of the Mangrai Dynasty during the 13-16th centuries, Chiang Mai during Burmese dominion (1558-1776), and Phraya Kawila’s revival of Chiang Mai in 1796. However, within this Chronicle, the Tamnan Phra Non Prua Prang, or story of the Reclining Buddha, which covers the Muang Chiang Mai restoration in the 18th century, is not consistent with historical evidence or the remainder of the Chronicle. This study aimed to analyze why the story of the Reclining Buddha was inserted into the Chiang Mai Chronicle. This study analyzes the Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai, Lan Na palm-leaf manuscripts, to study the concept of transforming a legend into historical authenticity. We found that these chronicles were copied and rewritten during the 18th and 19th centuries in the reign of King Kawila, ruler of Chiang Mai; he was not a hereditary descendant of the Mangrai Dynasty according to a century-old coherent tradition. Therefore, the Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai was written to legitimate his succession and demonstrate that he was worthy of ruling the Lan Na kingdom. Keywords: Historical authenticity, Chiang Mai Chronicle, Political issues, Kawila 72 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2017) Vol.4 No.1 INTRODUCTION In northern Thailand, or Lan Na, Tamnan, or folklore, is defined the Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai somewhat differently in the Lan Na is a well-known chronicle written on context; it incorporates two aspects palm-leaf; it is a collection of 37 titles according to Sommai Premchit (1997): written in the Lan Na language. The master copy was made in 1854 and is • Myth that is directly related to housed at Phra-Ngam temple, Chiang religion, but incorporating some Mai. It was translated into Thai by miracles. Chiang Mai Rajabhat University in • A chronicle that is meant to 1995 and further translated that same create a dated account or historical year into English by David K. Wyatt and record that is written contempora- Aroonrut Wichienkeeo and published neously. by Silkworm Books. This study is based on this version of the Chronicle, Of the 5,588 palm-leaf manu- as translated into Thai and English. scripts in the Social Research Institute, The eight chapters of Tamnan Phuen Chiang Mai University, Thailand, Muang Chiang Mai recorded the history 61.2 percent are devoted to teachings, of Chiang Mai since the Mangrai allegories, and Buddhist scriptures; Dynasty was under Burmese rule until 26.6 percent to traditional folk tales; King Kawila became the governor of 8.8% to tamnan or myths; and only the Chao Jed Ton family. 3.4 percent to chronicles (Figure 1). Figure 1. Breakdown by type of palm-leaf manuscripts in the Social Research Institute, Chiang Mai University, Thailand. ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2017) Vol.4 No.1 73 The chapters cover the following: Chedi Luang Varavihara temple • Chapter 1 – The lineage of the in Chiang Mai. After the reign of Lan Na King. Legend says that one King Tilokkarat, the king of Chiang of the Deva came down to become Mai ruled until 1558, after which Lawajungarath to support religion Lan Na was under Burmese rule and build cities in Chiang Rai; he until 1774. was an ancestor of Phaya Mangrai. • Chapter 6 – Burmese rule of This chapter tells the story of Chiang Mai. Many local leaders King Mangrai until King Mangrai unsuccessfully fought Burmese rule, (1239-1311) expanded the territory until Tippajuk led the fight for in- to Hariphunchai (Lamphun). dependence with the help of King • Chapter 2 – King Mangrai. He Taksin of Thon Buri and King built Wiang Kum Kam in 1292 Rama I of Rattanakosin. Tippajuk and then built Chiang Mai as the was the grandfather of Prince Kawila capital city in 1296. (1742-1816). • Chapter 3 – The Mangrai • Chapter 7 – Prince Kawila. Dynasty lineage. This chapter records King Rama I appointed Prince the events of several kings of Lan Na, Kawila as the ruling king of 57 cities including King Chaiyasongkhram in Lanna in 1782. (reign 1311-1325); King Saenphu • Chapter 8 – The death of King (reign 1325-1334); King Khamfu Kawila at the age of 74 in 1816. (reign 1334-1336), who was impris- Chapter 8 adds legend to King oned in Chiang Saen for protection Kawila’s past (inserted as five pages of from the Mongols; King Phayue the 24-page chapter). In the past, (reign 1336-1355), who returned King Kawila was a giant who met the capital to Chiang Mai; King the Buddha. The Buddha predicted Kuena (reign 1355-1385); King that King Kawila will dominate Saenmueangma (reign 1385-1401); Chiang Mai in the future. and King Samfangkaen (reign 1402- 1441). This study will focus on the legend • Chapter 4 – The reign (1441- aspects inserted into Chapter 8, including 1487) of King Tilokkarat. His analyzing the significance and intentions reign included many wars. This of inserting a myth into the chronicle, chapter contains the sentence, “It or why legends were written to appear is not a disease that can be infec- as historical facts. tious”, which becomes the key to Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai the rule of King Kawila, the ruler was written during a period of immense of the later Chiang Mai Dynasty. efforts under the leadership of Prince • Chapter 5 – Further events Kawila of Lampang to revive Chiang in the reign of King Tilokkarat, Mai from a state of disrepair. The including war and building the Burmese controlled Chiang Mai from 74 ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2017) Vol.4 No.1 1558 until 1774. Then, following the of Supreme Patriarch in Lamphun. Burmese-Siamese war, the city was In 1796, when Phraya Kawila abandoned for more than twenty years. entered the city of Chiang Mai for the Restoring Chiang Mai in the late-18th second time, he replicated the ritual of century required enormous manpower. Phraya Mangrai in 1296, the founding To achieve this, from his base in Wiang monarch of the Lan Na Kingdom, Pa Sang, Lamphun, Phraya Kawila by entering the walled city through invaded the upper Lan Na state, and Chang Phuek Gate in the north after gathered many Tai people of several getting “a Lau person to lead a dog ethnicities – the Kengtung, Mong Yawng, and carry the jaek (backpack, made of and Sipsong Panna – to help repopulate rattan or bamboo split) to enter first”, the city of Chiang Mai. and then spending a night in front of Prince Kawila’s father, Prince Wat Chiang Man before entering the Chai Kaeo, and grandfather, Phraya palace the next morning (Subcommittee Surawaruchai Songkram, ruled Lampang. for Reviewing and Revising Tamnan Prince Kawila was born in 1742. Phuen Muang in Chiang Mai, 1995) Prince Kawila began efforts to restore Stylistically, the accounts of events the city of Chiang Mai in 1782, which in Chiang Mai recorded in the Tamnan had been in a state of disrepair. In Phuen Muang Chiang Mai were typical 1782, during his efforts to restore the of an historical chronicle, noting the city, the first monarch of the Chakri exact date and even time of day of Dynasty appointed Prince Kawila as events in chronological order. The “Phraya Mangra Vajiraprakan Kampaeng addition of the Buddhist Tamnan Phra Kaeo”, the ruler of Chiang Mai City. Non Prua Prang in the eighth fascicle Before fully restoring the city of of Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai Chiang Mai, Phraya Kawila spent over quite obviously sought to legitimize the 14 years building up resources and rule of Phraya Kawila in many respects. military power at Wiang Pa Sang in Traditionally, Buddhist tamnans are Lamphun. Then, in 1791, he tried to like legendary tales, featuring myths reestablish Chiang Mai, but failed and and illustrating miracles. In the case of retreated back to Wiang Pa Sang. the Tamnan Phra Non Prua Prang, the During this period (1782-1796), Buddha prophesied of a charismatic Phraya Kawila and his relatives performed person who would be capable of several meritorious deeds to build both restoring the city of Chiang Mai, pãrami (a belief that merit is a splendor with the intended meaning that that delivers good results in the future) Phraya Kawila was destined to be a and legitimacy, or social acceptance, to legitimate ruler and maintain Buddhism. becoming king. These deeds included As Phraya Kawila was not a hereditary renovating Phra That Haripunchai in descendant of the Mangrai Dynasty Lamphun, constructing Wat Inthakhin that founded and ruled Chiang Mai in Lamphun, and consecrating the during the 13-15th centuries before Khruba at Wat Pha Khao to the status Burmese control, a persuasive argument ASR: CMU Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities (2017) Vol.4 No.1 75 can be made that he had the content gave accounts of the Lord Buddha of the Tamnan revised to legitimize his traveling the world and his prophecies rule of the city-state. This is consistent about reconstructing the city state with the insertion, sometime in the and patronizing Buddhism. The root 18th century, of a religious tamnan source, however, was Tamnan Phra related to the story of building the Chao Liab Loke, from which an excerpt Prua Prang Reclining Buddha image was amplified into Tamnan Chiang into the eighth bundle or fascicle of the Dao1 that concluded as follows: palm-leaf manuscripts of the Tamnan Phuen Muang Chiang Mai.