An Asian Arcady : the land and peoples of northern Siam

Front matter

THE LAND AND PEOPLES OF NORTHERN SIAM

BY REGINALD LE MAY, M.R.A:S.

$6.00

Preface

Some years ago there appeared a book on Siam called “Lotus Land,’ by Mr. P. A. Thompson, of the Royal Siamese Survey Department. That book purported to give a description of the country, customs and characteristics of Southern Siam, without reference to the Lao country in the north which lay outside the scope of the author’s knowledge; and it is accounted by many critics as one of the most accurate, sympathetic and ably-written accounts of Southern Siam that has yet appeared.

The ambitious purpose of this volume is to try to provide a similar account of the country and people of Northern Siam, thus making a companion volume to ‘Lotus Land,’ and filling the gap which Mr. Thompson left.

I have divided the book, for convenience’ sake, into three Parts, Part I, Historical; Part I], Topographical and Ethnological; and Part III, Travel.

The first Part, which sets forth the history of this little-known land for the first time in English, will be found by some, perhaps, rather heavy reading. ‘The names and places, being new to most of my readers, are no doubt strange and difficult, and although I have tried to treat the subject as lightly as accuracy permits, I would ask all those, who are not particularly interested in history, not to allow this part to weigh too heavily upon them, but to deal as leniently with the author as they may, and to pass on to Parts II and III, in which they will surely find more congenial entertainment.

The account now given does not pretend to be complete (no such record ever can be), for the north of Siam has been subject to as great an influx of peoples as perhaps any other part of the world, and presents a wide field for study, both ethnologically and historically. But it rests upon a considerable length of residence in this country, and some years ago, when I was living in the north of Siam, it was my good fortune to travel extensively through most of the province of Bayap, and to see the lives of the Lao people at fairly close range. I was, as are most other folk, quickly attracted by their many delightful qualities, and I used the opportunity to gather as much information as I could regarding their history, customs and folk-lore. The results of these studies are now presented in this volume before you.

vi Preface

Though several years have passed since then, to me the forest still calls, and memory brings back all the varying scenes of jungle, plain, and mountain. Again I sit by the camp-fire at night by the bank of some forest stream. All the sounds of the jungle are still, but for the rippling of the water at my side and the fitful cry of some plaintive bird; and I gaze with growing awe at those skies of deep dark blue, which at night are set with myriads of gems, clustering round their central jewel.

In conclusion, I must first of all express my deep gratitude to H.R.H. Prince Purachatra of Kambaeng Bejra, Minister of Commerce and Communications, who has not only placed at my disposal a number of photographs taken by the Royal Railway Department, but, out of friendship and sympathy with my aim, has also kindly allowed me to dedicate this book to himself; which I do most heartily, knowing that there is no one in the kingdom who works with more untiring zeal on his country’s behalf.

Next, I wish to express my warm thanks to all those who have helped me in the preparation of this book, especially to Mr. W. A. Graham, F.R.G.S., M.R.A.S., the author of the well-known Handbook on Siam, to Mr. W. A. R. Wood, C.I.E., H.B.M. Consul-General at Chiengmai, and to Professor G. Coedés, the Chief Librarian of the National Library, all of whom have taken the greatest interest in the work, and whose intimate knowledge of this country has enabled them to make many valuable suggestions and corrections throughout; also to the Rev. William Harris, of the American Presbyterian Mission in Chiengmai, and to Major Erik Seidenfaden, M.R.A.S., late of the Siamese Gendarmerie, who have both contributed their quota to the accuracy of the matter given; to Mr. W. A. Elder, of the Anglo-Siam Corporation, who has supplied me with the major portion of the illustrations shown; to Mr. Malchow- Moller, lately of the firm of Messrs. Swanson and Sehested, who took the beautiful photographs of the Temple at Lampang Liang; to Luang Thawin, a Siamese friend of mine in the Royal Railway Department, for his kindly help in preparing the two maps of Siam; to Luang Pramonda, my untiring secretary, for many interesting and critical comments; and last, but not least, to my dear wife, who painted the frontispiece to this volume, and who has given her constant help in revising the proofs. If there are any others, whose names I have inadvertently omitted, I would ask them to accept this acknowledgment of my thanks for the kindly help they have given me. .

THIS BOOK Is by kind permission RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

TO

His Royal Highness THE PRINCE OF KAMBAENG BEJRA

Contents

PREFACE - - _ 2 e f a Ms DEDICATION - - - th q re iy LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - 4 :- NOTE ON THE TRANSLITERATION OF SIAMESE WORDS~ - - NOTE ON THE NAME ‘LAO’ - . e : is

PART I—HISTORICAL aay? HISTORICAL—FROM THE EARLIEST TIMES TO 1350 A.D

II. HISTORICAL (continued)—-FROM 1350 A.D. TO THE

Part Ii—topographical And Ethnological

III. EUROPEAN INTERCOURSE WITH THE NORTH OF SIAM -

IV. THE JOURNEY FROM BANGKOK TO CHIENGMAI, THE CAPITAL

OF NORTHERN SIAM - = - - -

V. CLIMATE—POPULATION—EDUCATION—CRIME—TRADE, AND

OTHER SUNDRY MATTERS - - - -

VI. LIFE AND CUSTOMS. - - . - ~

VII. RELIGION AND ANIMISM - - - - - PART IJI—TRAVEL

VIII. FROM CHENGMAI TO PHRE, WITH THE STORY OF THE

TWELVE YEARS - - - - - -

IX. FROM PHRE TO NAN, WITH THE STORY OF THE ECLIPSE -

X. FROM NAN TO CHIENGKHAM, WITH THE STORY OF ‘THE

PLEIADES ’ - - - - - -

XI. FROM CHIENGKHAM TO CHIENG SEN, WITH THE STORY OF

‘HAN MI, OR THE VALIANT BEAR-SLAYER - -

XII. FROM CHIENG SEN TO CHIENG RAI, WITH THE STORY OF

‘LAZYBONES, AND HOW HE SUCCEEDED IN LIFE -

XIII. FROM CHIENG RAI TO PHAYAO, WITH THE STORY OF

UTARA, AND THE RICH MAN’S TWO WIVES - -

XIV. FROM PHAYAO TO LAMPANG, WITH A SHORT DISCOURSE

ON NORTHERN COINAGE - - - -

EPILOGUE - - - - - - -

Appendix To Chapter I. The Founding Of The City Of

LAMPHUN - - u - - -

BIBLIOGRAPHY - - - - - - -