Chenla

Chenla (真臘, Zhēnlà in Chinese sources) was a historic kingdom of mainland Southeast Asia that flourished approximately from the late 6th to the early 9th centuries CE. It is considered by many historians to be a predecessor state to the Khmer Empire, although the exact relationship between Chenla and the later Angkorian state remains a subject of debate and ongoing research.

Chinese records, primarily the Sui and Tang dynasties, provide the main source of information about Chenla. These accounts describe a kingdom located north of Funan, another earlier polity in the region. Over time, Chenla appears to have absorbed or conquered Funan, becoming the dominant power in the area.

Chenla was not a unified, centralized state in the modern sense. Instead, it seems to have been a collection of principalities or territories loosely controlled by a ruling elite. These principalities likely enjoyed a degree of autonomy, while still owing allegiance to a central ruler. The location of Chenla's capitals shifted over time, and specific rulers mentioned in Chinese chronicles are often difficult to correlate with certainty to archaeological or epigraphic evidence.

During the 8th century, Chenla experienced internal divisions and external pressures, possibly including Javanese raids. This period saw the emergence of two distinct Chenla entities: Land Chenla (陸真臘, Lù Zhēnlà) in the interior and Water Chenla (水真臘, Shuǐ Zhēnlà) closer to the coast.

The decline of Chenla in the 9th century paved the way for the rise of the Khmer Empire, centered around Angkor. While the precise lineage and transition are not fully understood, many aspects of Chenla culture, religion (including Hinduism and Buddhism), and administration are believed to have influenced and contributed to the development of the subsequent Angkorian civilization. Archaeological sites attributed to the Chenla period, such as Sambor Prei Kuk, offer valuable insights into the art, architecture, and society of this important historical period in Southeast Asia.