The diplomatic worldviews of siam and vietnam in the pre colonial period (1780s 1850s 1

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research could not be successful without the great support that I had received from many people. First and foremost, my deepest gratitude is reserved to my supervisor, Associate Professor Bruce M. Lockhart, who has always supported me and paid a lot of attention towards addressing my inabilities in this project from the beginning till its end. He is one of the best “khruu/ajarn” and “thầy” that I have ever met in my life and I extremely appreciate his good care, support and encouragement throughout my time here. I would also like to show my gratitude to the Department of History of the National University of Singapore, where I have had many warm experiences. I am grateful for the kindness and support of the academic and administrative staff there. I would also not have the chance for the best academic experience in NUS without the support of a research scholarship, and am grateful to NUS for offering me a place in the two-year Masters Programme offered by the Department. I would also like to express my thanks to the Graduate Research Support Scheme in giving me a grant for my two-month fieldwork in Thailand and Vietnam. The Thai National Library in Bangkok, and the Institute of Hán Nôm in Vietnam, which allowed me to access unpublished Vietnamese sources, have also rendered invaluable assistance. I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to my closest Vietnamese friend, Phan Phương Hảo for her help in collecting my Vietnamese sources in Hànội. The other important person I would also like to thank is the main editor for this thesis, Edgar Liao, who was a great help in correcting my English and offering his suggestions in this thesis. My gratitude is also owed to Dr Michelle Tan, Dr James i Warren, Victor Zhuang and Brandon Lim for their language assistance during my time in Singapore. The same goes to Huiping and her friends for helping with the Chinese translations. I would also like to express my warmest thanks to Siriporn Dabphet, Hu Wen and Wei Bing Bing who have always put aside time to offer me consultation and encouragement. My wholehearted gratitude and thanks to my mother, who gave me invaluable advice during my studies, who has always supported, encouraged and taken care of me; and who shared my happiness and suffering alike. My father, who has always supported, comforted and given me the freedom to fulfill my academic dream through his understanding in every decision that I had made in my life, too receives my heartfelt gratitude. I would like to attribute all my success in life to the both of them. I would also like to express my warm thanks to my Thai close friends, Nan and Bee for their valuable encouragement. I am indebted to my colleagues in the Department of History, who supported me in Singapore with their friendship. My gratitude also goes to my closest friend in Singapore, Victty Srithanonchai for all the support and shared memories. I offer my regards and blessings to all of those who supported me in any way throughout the completion of this thesis. The Morning brings the mystery, The Evening makes it History Morragotwong Phumplab Post-graduate Room, Department of History June 2011 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgement i Table of Contents iii List of Abbreviations v Summary vii Chapter I: Introduction 1 - The Siamese and Vietnamese concepts of statehood and kingship - Worldviews: the creation of ‘selfness’ and the differentiation of ‘otherness’ - Tributary expansionism in the Cambodia and Lao kingdoms - Thai and Vietnamese historiographical perspectives - The Siamese and Vietnamese courts’ diplomatic records Chapter II: The historical evolution of Siamese and Vietnamese relations from the 1780s to the 1850s - Siam - Vietnam - Nguyễn Ánh’s solicitations of Siamese support - Nguyễn Ánh’s takes refuge in Bangkok - Siamese refusal of the Tây Sơn’s offer - Nguyễn Ánh’s departure from Bangkok - Nguyễn Ánh’s tribute of golden and silver trees to Siam - The battle of Rạch Gầm – Xoài Mút - Gia Long’s succession to the throne and his goodwill towards Siam - King Chan of Cambodia and the omen of the first Siamese-Vietnamese conflict - The Nguyễn’s rejection of the Burmese court - Anouvong’s incident - Lê Văn Khôi and the Siamese invasion of Hà Tiên - Siamese and Vietnamese war over Cambodia (1835-1847) - Conclusion 3 7 11 14 24 30 31 33 35 38 39 40 42 44 45 46 50 51 55 57 59 iii Chapter III: Siam’s and Vietnam’s perceptions of each other - Political perceptions: the status of state and territory - From a vassal to a friendly peer: the Siamese perception of Vietnam - Achieving balance - the Vietnamese attitude towards Siam - Siamese and Vietnamese attitudes towards each other’s involvement in Cambodia and Lao kingdoms - Discourses of friendship between Siamese and Vietnamese rulers A. Rama I and Gia Long B. Rama II and Gia Long C. Rama II and Minh Mạng D. Rama III and Minh Mạng - Protocol, ceremony, and language as indicators of status - The creation of knowledge and cultural perceptions of the courts A. Terms of reference B. The descriptions of the Siamese and the Vietnamese - Conclusion Chapter IV: Competing centers, overlapping peripheries: The Siamese-Vietnamese diplomatic worldviews, and Cambodia and the Lao tributaries - Diplomatic worldviews and mentalities of the Siamese and Vietnamese towards Cambodia and Lao tributaries A. Anouvong and the decline of Vientiane: Siamese revenge and Vietnamese mediation B. Cambodian factionalism - A contestation of cultural strategies: Siamization versus Vietnamization - The vassals speak up A. The Anouvong incident through Lao eyes B. Seeing Cambodian factionalism though local eyes - Conclusion Chapter V: Conclusion 61 62 64 69 71 74 74 79 80 81 83 98 98 100 102 104 106 110 115 122 128 129 131 135 137 Appendices Appendix A: A poem describing the Vietnamese by the Siamese Appendix B: “Nguyễn Ánh paying tribute pledge allegiance to Rama I” 143 144 Bibliography 145 iv LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS C.H.I Chotmaihet Ratchakan Thi Neung (Records of the First Reign) C.H.II Chotmaihet Ratchakan Thi Song (Records of the Second Reign) C.H.III Chotmaihet Ratchakan Thi Sam (Records of the Third Reign) ĐNTL Đại Nam Thực lục (Veritable Records of Đại Nam) ĐNLT2 Đại Nam liệt truyện, Tập 2 (The Đại Nam Court Biography, Volume 2) P.C.K.12 Prachumphongsawadan Chabap Kanjanaphisek, Lem 12 (The Collection of Thai Chronicles Kanjanapisek Edition, Volume 12) PL Phongsawadan Lao (Lao Chronicles) P.P.N Prachum Phraratchaniphon Phrabatsomdet Phranangklao Chaoyuhua (Collected of Rama III’s Royal Writings) P.P.R.I Phraratchapongsawadan Krung Rattanakosin Ratchakan Thi Nung (Chronicles of the First Reign of the Rattanakosin Period) P.R.R.II Phraratchapongsawadan Krung Rattanakosin Ratchakan Thi Song (Chronicles of the Second Reign of the Rattanakosin Period) P.R.R.III Phraratchapongsawadan Krung Rattanakosin Ratchakan Thi Sam (Chronicles of the Third Reign of the Rattanakosin Period) P.R.R.2(Dam-1) Phongsawadan Krung Rattanakosin Ratchakan thi song, Damrongrachanuphap, Lem 1 (Chronicles of the Second Reign of the Rattanakosin Period, By Damrongrachanuphap, Volume 1) v P.R.R.2(Dam-2) Phongsawadan Krung Rattanakosin Ratchakan thi Song, Damrongrachanuphap, Lem Song (Chronicles of the Second Reign of the Rattanakosin Period, By Damrongrachanuphap, Volume 2) PY Phongsawadan Yuan (Vietnamese Historical Records) QXVT Quốc triều Xử trị Vạn Tượng sự Nghi lục (Journal of Our Imperial Court’s Actions with regards to the Incident involving the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Elephants) R.P.K.K Ratcha Phongsawadan Krung Kamphucha (Chronicles of Cambodia) WPK Three-volume Chronicle from Wat Prek Kuy (in Cambodia) vi SUMMARY The diplomatic relations between Siam and Vietnam shifted from friendship to antagonism through the course of the late eighteenth century to the early nineteenth century. The relations between the Bangkok and Huế courts not only depended on their direct relations but also on the contestation of overlordship over their tributary peripherals, the Cambodian and the Lao kingdoms. Siam and Vietnam shared similar diplomatic worldviews. The differences in their cultural backgrounds, worldviews and forms of practice stimulated their foreign affairs and interactions. This research is a political and cultural history focusing on the perceptions of bilateral relations between the courts of Siam and Vietnam from the 1780s to the 1850s. It proposes that their diplomatic relations with other countries largely followed a culturally hierarchical pattern - between a superior and an inferior. Both courts defined themselves as a central and powerful state dominating other small surrounding states. The personal attitude and relations between the Siamese and the Vietnamese rulers also led to different approaches and policies with regards to their peripheries. Furthermore, cultural differences between both courts were also one of the main elements that influenced their diplomatic relationship. The court rituals, protocols and ceremonies were used as an instrument for negotiation. They signified their pomp and prestige as the most powerful state in the region. Their diplomatic relationship was the only exception to this conceptualization of their geopolitical centrality, as Siam and Vietnam both regarded and approached each other as equal great kingdoms. However, both states struggled with this special type of status because they had never treated any other foreign states as their equal. Their vii bilateral ties became troubled gradually not because their respective worldviews were significantly different, but because they were looking through similar lens. The relationship between Rama I (1782-1809) and Gia Long (1802-1820) was most cordial. The concerns of the threat from Burma during the reign of Rama II (18091824) led to the expansion of Vietnamese power in Cambodia and Laos during the reign of Minh Mạng (1820-1840). This marked the beginnings of a shift of relations and perceptions from friends to rivals. While the early conflicts and misinterpretations between the two courts were resolved through diplomatic negotiation, the escalating tensions culminated in their shifting from being rivals into becoming real enemies by the reign of Rama III (1824-1851), Minh Mạng and Thiệu Trị (18401847). The Siamese-Vietnamese war started in 1834 and took place for over a decade in Cambodia. In 1847, both courts, however, agreed to balance their power over Cambodia by jointly re-establishing the monarchy and co-hosting a coronation of the Cambodian King. This contestation of tributary expansion over Cambodia and Laos was ended with the arrival of Western colonialism in 1858 when the French took over Vietnam. The age of colonialism marked the end of the tributary system in the Southeast Asian peninsula, and the end of the great states and expansionism of Siam and Vietnam. viii  ... with the arrival of Western colonialism in 18 58 when the French took over Vietnam The age of colonialism marked the end of the tributary system in the Southeast Asian peninsula, and the end of the. .. overlapping peripheries: The Siamese-Vietnamese diplomatic worldviews, and Cambodia and the Lao tributaries - Diplomatic worldviews and mentalities of the Siamese and Vietnamese towards Cambodia and. .. lens The relationship between Rama I (17 82 -18 09) and Gia Long (18 02 -18 20) was most cordial The concerns of the threat from Burma during the reign of Rama II (18 0 918 24) led to the expansion of Vietnamese