The Kingdom of Zhenla, located to the southwest of Linyi, was originally a vassal of Funan. A boat journey from Rinnan County takes sixty days. To the south lies Cheku, and to the west is Zhujiang. The king of Zhenla, belonging to the Chali clan, is named Zhituosina. Starting from his ancestors, the country gradually became powerful, and by the time of Zhituosina, he even annexed Funan. After his death, his son, Yishena, succeeded him. Yishena resided in the city named after him, which had over twenty thousand households in its vicinity. The city features a grand palace where the king conducts state affairs. The kingdom comprises thirty large cities, each housing several thousand families, with military leaders holding titles similar to those in Linyi.
The king convenes a court every three days, seated on a throne embellished with five types of spices and seven treasures, beneath an ornate canopy. The tent poles are made of precious wood, and the walls are adorned with ivory, gold, and silver, resembling a small house, draped with shimmering ornaments, resembling the color of red clay. Before the throne stands a golden incense burner, flanked by two attendants. The king dons brightly colored shell garments, with a sash tied around his waist, reaching down to his calves, a radiant golden crown atop his head, a necklace of pearls adorning his neck, leather shoes adorning his feet, and golden earrings dangling from his ears. He typically wears white garments and shoes made of ivory. If the king is not adorned with jewelry, his hair will be exposed. The ministers' clothing styles are generally similar.
The Kingdom of Chenla has five main ministers, namely Gulazhi, Gaoxiangping, Poheduoling, Shemoling, and Randolou, as well as some other minor officials. When the ministers attend court, they must bow three times at the foot of the steps. When the king summons them to the steps, they must kneel down, cross their arms and sit around the king. After the meeting, they kneel and then withdraw. There are thousands of guards in armor standing watch with weapons on the steps, in the courtyard, and in the corridors of the palace. Chenla has marriage alliances with the Kingdom of Chentan and the Kingdom of Zhujiang, and often fights with the Kingdom of Linyi and the Kingdom of Tuohan. The people of Chenla always carry weapons when they go out, and they immediately draw them when conflict arises. In Chenla, only the children born to the king's primary wife are eligible to inherit the throne. Upon ascending the throne, the king's brothers are subjected to cruel punishments, some having fingers amputated, while others have their noses severed, and they are sent to live in exile, stripped of their ability to hold office.
These people tend to be short and have dark skin, though there are also some women with fair skin among them. They all style their hair up, letting it hang beside their ears, and they are often impatient and full of energy. Their homes and utensils appear to be made from red clay. They use their right hand for tasks, as they believe the left hand is unclean. Every morning, they freshen up, clean their teeth with willow twigs, and then chant scriptures. They freshen up before meals, clean their teeth with willow twigs after meals, and chant scriptures again. Their main foods include curd, sugar, rice, and rice cakes. When they eat, they mix the meat stew with the cakes and eat with their hands. When it comes to marriage, the groom simply needs to provide a set of clothing and then pick a day for the matchmaker to come and fetch the bride. Neither the groom nor the bride can leave the house for eight days leading up to the wedding, and they must keep lamps lit day and night. After the wedding, the groom will move out to live on his own, separate from his parents. If the parents pass away, unmarried children can inherit the remaining property; if they are already married, the property is claimed by the state. When someone passes away, the children refrain from eating for seven days, shave their heads, and mourn deeply. Monks, nuns, Taoists, and relatives and friends will attend the funeral, playing music to honor the deceased. They cremate the body using fragrant wood, gather the ashes, store them in gold or silver urns, and then release them into the river. The less fortunate use clay pots to contain the ashes, often decorating them with colors. Some choose not to cremate the body but leave it in the mountains for wildlife.
This country is mountainous in the north and marshy in the south, with a hot climate and no frost or snow. It is rich in malaria and poisonous insects. The land is suitable for growing rice, but there is less millet and sorghum. Fruits and vegetables are similar to those in the Rinan and Jiuzhen regions. The difference lies in the presence of some special trees: the Ponasuo tree, which has no flowers, leaves resembling persimmon leaves, and fruit resembling winter melon; the Yaluo tree, with flowers and leaves resembling jujube trees and fruit resembling plums; the Piye tree, with flowers resembling papaya flowers, leaves resembling apricot leaves, and fruit resembling guava fruit; the Potianluo tree, with flowers, leaves, and fruit all resembling dates, but slightly different; the Gebaituo tree, with flowers resembling apple blossoms, leaves resembling elm leaves but thicker and larger, and fruit resembling plums but much larger. Most other trees are similar to those in the Jiuzhen region. In the sea, there is a type of fish called the Jiantong fish, with four legs, no scales, a nose like an elephant, and that can suck in water and spray it out in columns as high as fifty to sixty feet. There is also a type of fish called the floating hufish, shaped like a flounder with a mouth like a parrot and eight legs. There are many large fish in the sea, with half of their bodies exposed above the water, resembling a mountain from afar. In May and June, malaria spreads heavily in that area, and sacrifices of white pigs, cows, and sheep must be made at the shrine outside the western gate of the city. Otherwise, the crops will fail, livestock will die in large numbers, and people will fall victim to the plague. Not far from there is a mountain called Lingjaboposan, where a temple is guarded year-round by five thousand soldiers. To the east of the city is a god named Podoli, who requires human flesh for sacrifices. The king secretly sacrifices several people each year at night, with a thousand soldiers guarding the area. They have a deep fear of ghosts and gods. However, they also believe in Buddhism, especially in Taoist superstitions, and statues of Buddha and Taoist priests are worshipped together in temples. In the twelfth year of Daye, they sent envoys to pay tribute, and the emperor received them graciously, but communication was eventually cut off.
Pali Country, starting from Jiaozhi, one must take a boat out to sea and pass through Chitu and Dandan to reach it. It takes four months to travel east-west in this country, and forty-five days to travel north-south. The king's surname is Shali and his full name is Hulan Napuo. The officials are referred to as "Duhe Yanua" and "Duhe Shina." The people there are skilled at throwing a type of wheel-shaped knife, which is large and resembles a mirror, with a hole in the middle, and the blade is as sharp as a sawtooth. They can hit their targets with remarkable accuracy from a distance. Other weapons are similar to those in China. Their customs are similar to those of Zhenla, and their products are similar to those of Linyi. If someone is found guilty of murder or theft, their hand is severed; if caught in adultery, their feet are shackled for a year. They are required to make sacrifices at the end of each month, placing food and wine in flowing water. Every November, they hold a large-scale sacrifice. Coral is produced in the sea. There is also a bird called Sheli, which is said to understand human language. In the twelfth year of the Daye era, they sent envoys to pay tribute, but this practice was later discontinued. At that time, there were also two countries, Dandan and Panpan, in the south, which also brought tribute. Their customs and products were generally similar.
Historical records state, "The southern regions are referred to as barbaric, with some locals not consuming cooked food." The "Book of Documents" also says, "The barbarians deceive the Central Plains." The "Book of Songs" also contains a line that mentions "the foolish barbarians and the people of Jingchu." There are many different ethnic groups in the south, and the situation in each period is very complex and chaotic.
Following the unification of the Chu state by the Qin Dynasty, the Han Dynasty subdued the Baiyue. The southernmost regions, such as Danyang County in Yunnan and Jiaozhi County, accessible by waterways, all became counties. During the division between the Wu and Shu states, and later in the Jin and Song dynasties, the situation grew increasingly complex. Some areas enjoyed convenient transportation, while others faced rugged terrain. Some were submissive, some were rebellious, and the overall situation was quite unstable.
After Emperor Gaozu ascended the throne, he pacified the various regions across the country. Emperor Yang of Sui, after he ascended the throne, expanded his power across the nation. They both had a singular focus on acquiring rare and exotic treasures. Therefore, Emperor Yang of Sui sent troops to Luqiu (modern-day Taiwan) and also attacked Linyi (modern-day southern Vietnam), striking fear into the neighboring tribes, even more so than the Qin and Han dynasties. Although they had some success along the borders, they were still unable to address the internal unrest. As the "Zuo Zhuan" states, "Without a wise ruler, external stability will inevitably lead to internal strife." This saying is certainly accurate!
