Historical Figures

A military leader who greatly expanded Funan's territory through conquest. According to the Liang Shu, Fan Shih-man "used troops to attack and subdue the neighboring kingdoms," bringing more than ten of them under Funan's control.

He constructed "great ships" capable of crossing the ocean and sought to extend Funan's influence as far as the "frontier of India." His reign represents the height of Funan's military expansion and the establishment of its maritime empire in mainland Southeast Asia.

Sent the 243 CE embassy to the Wu kingdom that included musicians and trade goods. His reign saw the consolidation of diplomatic relations with China. The Liang Shu records that Fan Tchan "sent an embassy with tribute of musicians and local products," demonstrating Funan's cultural sophistication and eagerness to maintain Chinese relations.

One of the last great kings of Funan, known from both Chinese records and Sanskrit inscriptions. In 484 CE he sent an embassy to the Southern Qi dynasty led by the Buddhist monk Nagasena, requesting military aid against Champa. The embassy included a coral Buddha statue and other gifts.

The Nan Qi Shu describes him as ruling a prosperous kingdom where "the people make their living by agriculture." His reign represents the late Funan period when Buddhism had become prominent alongside Hinduism.

Mentioned in the K5 inscription at Go Thap as a prince of the Kaundinya lineage. The inscription describes religious foundations and hydraulic engineering works—land "wrested from the mud"—credited to him. He represents the continued use of Sanskrit and Brahmanical religion in late Funan court culture.

The archaeologist who conducted the first systematic excavations at Óc Eo in 1944 and published the foundational four-volume study L'archéologie du delta du Mékong (1959-1962).

Using aerial photography, Malleret identified the ancient city's layout of canals, reservoirs, and structures. His excavations uncovered Roman medallions, Chinese mirrors, Indian statuary, and local artifacts that proved Óc Eo's role as a cosmopolitan trading port.

Malleret's work remains the definitive archaeological study of Óc Eo. He served as director of the EFEO (École française d'Extrême-Orient) museum in Saigon and dedicated his career to understanding the Funan civilization.

A leading scholar of Southeast Asian epigraphy who translated and analyzed Sanskrit inscriptions from Funan, including the K5 inscription from Go Thap. His 1931 article in BEFEO first published these important texts.

His masterwork The Indianized States of Southeast Asia (1948, English 1968) remains essential reading for understanding Funan in its broader regional context. Coedès developed the concept of "Indianization" to describe the cultural transmission from India to Southeast Asia.

The eminent sinologist whose 1903 article "Le Fou-nan" provided the first comprehensive analysis of Chinese sources on Funan. Pelliot translated and annotated passages from the Liang Shu, Jin Shu, and other dynastic histories, establishing the foundation for all subsequent Funan studies. His rigorous philological approach set the standard for the field.