The Great Khmer Empire

អំពីកងទ័ព ឆ្នាំ ១៥០០
Source Cambodia is a nation situated in South East Asia between India, China, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It is, today, one of the world's leading superpowers.mbodia is officially named

ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជាធិបតី សិរីធរ បវរឥន្ទបត្តបុរីរដ្ឋរាជសីមា មហានគរ or in English, “Kingdom of Cambodia with peace, glory and prosperity as the land of heaven.” While this name is rarely used besides in official documents, most people around the prefer to call this land Cambodia. The word Cambodia is thought to derive from the ancient name of the nation, Kambujadese (the land of Kampuja). The name Khmer Empire had been widely used in the past until around the 20th century, but it has since been scarcely referred to in modern society. Citizens of the country are Cambodian or Khmer.

The name of the capital city is Yasodharapura (យសោធរបុរៈ) or Glory-bearing City. Due to the difficulty in pronouncing the name, English speakers generally call it the City of Angkor.

Map of Cambodia

Political map of Cambodia.

History

Pre-History

According to archaeologists, native people had settled on the land since around 3500 BC. Small villages of around 100 people occur somewhere around 500 BC. Historians identify three main ethic groups: the Mon who lived along the rivers in modern day Pachempura, the Cham who lived along the coast of the South China Sea, and the Khmer who lived along the lower Mekong River between the modern day city of Chatomuk and Prey Nokor. They were living in small tribes consisting of around 50 to 100 families surrounding by a wooden fend and a ditch. Most were keen to cluster along rivers' banks and lakes. There are a few remains of decorated musical instruments which are now believed to be remnants of Cambodia's pre-Buddhist faith. Experts still have little or no idea what these people worshiped.

Foundation of Somavung Dynasty

The primeval history of the nation itself is passed down in tales. Like most bygone tales at the time, it is hard to separate truth from myth. There is no record as to how or by whom Khmer tribes were united. All modern historians know is that by the first century AD, the Khmer, Mon and Cham were creating small kingdoms of themselves respectively.

Earliest records on stones dates back to 207 AD telling a story (occurred before the year of 101) of an Indian prince who was exiled by his father. The prince set sail to the west hoping to arrive in the Roman Empire. For some unknown reason, his ship, instead sailed eastward just to find a civilization mysterious to the world.

Though, the real name of this civilization before the arrival of the Indian prince was lost to history, the Chinese missionaries called this place Funan. The capital city was Vyadhapura (modern day Prey Nokor). The ruling queen, Soma, ordered her navy to seize the prince's ship. Unbeknownst to the queen, the exiled prince was gifted with a magic bow from heaven before he left his kingdom which he used to sink all but the main ship of the queen's fleets. Faced with a weapon she couldn't defeat, Queen Soma surrendered. The prince was crowned as a new king. He married Queen Soma and took the name Kaundinya I. Together, they established the Somavung Dynasty (Dynasty of the Moon) and began the history of Cambodia.

Somavung Dynasty controlled a portion of the southern part of the modern-day Cambodia. Kings and Queens of this House had very a close relationship with India. The Somavung Dynasty, the Kingdom of Champa and the Kingdom of Pagan (Mon) were, at the time, the dominant forces in South East Asia.

Foundation of Sorvung Dynasty

To the north of the border lies another kingdom ruled by a little-known Sorvung Dynasty (meaning the Dynasty of the Sun). The early history of this dynasty is not known, but what is clear is that the Sorvung Dynasty was one of many vassal states of the Somavung Dynasty. Historians estimate that the Sorvung Dynasty was probably founded in the late 5th century AD.

The origin story of the Sorvung Dynasty was recorded on a stone tablet dating back to 943 AD. The story went that a prince named Kampu married to a princess named Meera. Princess Meera was gifted by the Sun god Surya to her parents as a gift to mankind, and that her descendants would one day rule the most powerful kingdoms. The rest of the story was about their wedding, which was attended by several nobles and deity.

The earliest mention of a king of Sorvung Dynasty is king Kamvusvayampuva. It is not clear if he was the founder of the dynasty or even if he was the Prince Kampu mentioned in the origin story.

It should be noticed that the current Naga Dynasty, who has ruled Cambodia since 802, was in direct bloodline from the Sorvung Dynasty as the founder, Jayavarman II was directly related to Mahipativarman, the last king of Sorvung Dynasty. It is also suspected that Sorvung Dynasty and Somavung Dynasty were in the same bloodline. Princes and princesses of Somavung dynasty were often married into other noble families to secure alliances and/or expend the influence of the kingdom. It is highly likely that either Prince Kampu or Princess Meera was of Somavung bloodline. King Jayavarman I and subsequent monarchs always claimed to be from the union of the sun and the moon.

The Unification of the Sun and the Moon

In 514 AD, future king Rudravarman murdered his brother, the legitimate heir to the throne, and crowned himself king. His action caused uprisings in the Capital. Many viewed the new king as a hungry-for-power coward, and the entire kingdom would be punished by the Gods if he sat on the throne. This resulted in weakening of the King's grip on power, and thus marked a long slow decline of Somavung dynasty. Unfortunately, around the same time severe floods hit the kingdom continuously for years. Archaeologists have found a stone tablet probably written by Hindi monks stating that, "[...]The gods of Heaven, who angry toward the act committed by the king, cry. Their tears flooded the land, and people were forced to move to high ground leaving their houses and animals drowned. Food was scarce. They couldn't plant rice on mountain peaks. People ate leaves and roots off trees just to survive.[...]". The kingdom was seriously weakened. Many vassal states broke away and declared independence. King Rudravarman remained in power until his death in 550 AD leaving behind a weak and seriously problematic kingdom.

King Sarvabhauma came to power after the death of his successor in 550 AD. Not much is known about him or his reign. Only one stone tablet dating back to 555 AD has been found which indicated the troubled king trying to protect the badly exhausted kingdom, "[...] Farmers came to the city to beg for food. If his farm is not destroyed by flood, it is burned and plundered by bandits. The army's food reserves are dwindling. They are barely able to stand - let alone fight off intruders. People trade gold and diamonds for rice.[...] To what extent should these poor souls endure? I am their father but powerless to relieve my children of hunger.[...]"

Historians think that the floods ended sometime between 518 and 523 AD. King Sarvabhauma clearly described a kingdom in deep issues, but historians found no account to what exactly drowned the country. Theories emerge that civil wars and foreign invasions were to blame for the decline of Somavung Dynasty.

Taken advantage of the crisis, King Bhavavarman I of Sorvung Dynasty announced his kingdom free of the Somavung’s control in 551 AD. The war between Sorvung and Somavung dynasty started some years later and lasted until 628 AD when King Ishanavarman I completely destroyed the remnant of the Somavung Dynasty. After the war, he declared the official unification of the land which was renamed the Kingdom of Kambujadese (later known as Cambodia). He moved the capital to the new place which he named after himself, Ishanapura (about 156 miles (250 km) east of the modern day capital).

The Turmoil of the 8th Century

In 681 AD after king Jayavarman I died without an heir, a new queen was crowned. Named Jayavedi, she was either the wife or daughter of Jayavarman I. Historians believe by the time she came to the throne, the central administration was already fragile which in turn encouraged many lords to break away. The kingdom was then engaged in civil war as the Queen's forces fought to maintain unification of the kingdom. For nearly a century, Cambodia was fractured and consumed by wars sapping the kingdom of its strength.

In 774 AD, the Srivijaya Empire from the south invaded the already fragmented nation. They burned and plundered the capital Ishanapura. The royal family - along with nearly 100,000 Khmer citizens - was forced to live in captivity on the island of Java. This was described as the darkest moment in the History of Cambodia.

The Birth of the Empire

Among those begin forced to abandon the country was a young prince whom name has been lost to history. While living in Srivijava Empire, he had spent childhood studying about politics, military, and what made the Srivijava Empire became so powerful. In 800 AD, with a couple of his closest advisers, he secretly left the island of Java with the goal to reunite the kingdom. He moved from place to place, united lords and people of different provinces. One historian described him, "[...] As though he has been blessed by the God Vishnu, the light reflected from the prince's eyes showered upon those as golden rays of the sun. Those who looked upon him put down their swords and knelt before the God king. The prince's voice rains down as though it rains sacred water from heaven. They whisper, that is our king [...]". After two years of traveling to every part of the kingdom, in 802 AD on the top of Kulan Mountain just north of the modern-day capital, the prince was crowned the first reign monarch of a reunited kingdom. He took the name Jayavarman II (Protector of Victory). He chose the city of Yasodharapura to be the capital city of the kingdom.

Khmer people always refer to this moment as the morning has begun. The new sun has risen on the ancient land, and once again, the Naga has returned.

Indravarman I (877-889)

Jayavarman II had united many parts of the nation back under one king, except one particular territory, which called themselves the Kingdom of Ou Dora Kambujadese (Kingdom of Northern Cambodia). Jayavarman II and his successor Jayavarman III had tried to incorporate the territory back into the nation with little success.

In 840 Prince Jaya Thorani Reach was born to the princess Kesorak Bopha Tevi, the daughter of Jayavarman II, and crowned prince Sattaya Vicheara of the Kingdom of Northern Cambodia. With her brother, Jayavarman III leaving no heir, her son became the next successor to the throne.

Diplomatic missions between the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Kingdom of Northern Cambodia occurs between 869-874 to negotiate the merging of the two kingdoms under one ruler, which fortunately were now possible. Therefore, when prince Jaya Thorani was crowned in 877, official ceremony was conducted where he was gifted two kingdoms from each of his parents. Western historians named the now Indravarman I as the first Emperor of the now Khmer Empire.

Emperor Indravarman I renamed the country to "the Kingdom of Cambodia with peace, glory and prosperity as the land of heaven.” This name has always remained as the nation’s official title until today.

The Beginning of Greatness

A succession crisis (1107-1113)

Following the death of Jayavarman VI in 1107, a succession crisis happened between two branches of the Imperial Family. Not much details is known since the several records were purposely destroyed and the two main sources for this period were written with under the direction of the winner.

For reason unclear, Jayavarman VI did not produce any legitimate children with his empress. Immediately after he passed, the oldest son of the late emperor's second brother was declared by the Imperial Council as the new monarch, Dharanindravarman I. Although his claim to the throne was strong, Dharanindravarman I did not rule without a challenger.

Prince Jaya Sorya Ransey was an illegitimate oldest son of the late emperor. His mother was the sole heir of an aristocratic family which at the time ruled the land in and around the city of Chanapura. The prince was 24 when his father died. Clever, brave and ambitious, he immediately pushed his claim for the Imperial throne and openly rebelled. The sources (which were written after the prince won the civil war) claimed that the nobles detested Dharanindravarman I as he was a weak indecisive ruler, so instead they threw their supports behind Prince Jaya Sorya Ransey. According the sources, the civil war ended in 1113 on a battlefield near the capital city, where Dharanindravarman I was killed.

"[...] The prince stood on his battle elephant in the thick of the battle. The sun's rays reflected of him with a golden color (his name Sorya Ransey means the sun's rays). To his enemy, the prince appeared like a god. [...] On seeing the pretender to the throne, our brave noble prince lept from his elephant toward the enemy elephant like an eagle hunting its prey. There, he drew a golden sword and ended the tyranny on which the people had suffered for so long. [...]"

Suryavarman II (1113-1150) the builder of Angkor Wat

Emperor Suryavarman II was crowned emperor in 1113 AD. He reigned along side Empress Suryavana Tevi. An ambitious military leader and now having the entire empire to his control, the new emperor embarked on several campaigns throughout his near four decades reign. He was credited in expand the nation's border west to the Irrawaddy river and created the region of Pachempura. He expanded the empire's influence north pass Phimai along the Mekong river directly competing with China and Dai Viet over the region which is now Oudorpura. To the south, Suryavarman II conquered half of the Malaka Peninsula moving the country's frontier from Okao to Sureen. To the East, he overtook the Kingdom of Charmpa in 1129 although Charmpa would slip from Yasodharapura's hands in 1170.

Back home, Suryavarman II played the game of aristocracy very well. He knew how to balance the power of the nobles and himself. This created a period of stability and peace throughout the empire which lasted until the invasion of Charmpa in 1177. Another of his legacy was the building of the largest sacred temple on earth, the great temple of Angkor War. The temple took more than 30 years to complete and would serve as his and his wife's tomb.

The emperor planned to invade Dai Viet in 1150 when he fell ill. Suryavarman II was on his sickbed for three months before he passed away leaving behind a young heir, Prince Jaya Viraka Neakea. He was one of the great builder and conqueror Cambodia would ever had.

Another succession crisis (1150)

It would seem like everything was fine since Suryavarman II had a legitimate male heir. However, when his mother, the empress Suryavana Tevi, was married to the late emperor in 1145, she was 17-year-old (her husband was 62). The young heir was only two-years-old when his father died, too young to govern. Normally the Imperial Council would take over the governing until the young emperor reached the age of 16 when he could rule alone. Unfortunately for the young prince, this time there was an alternative choice for the role of emperor. At this time, the Imperial Council was made up by several high-ranking nobles in the country.

Prince Jaya Vathon was a grand-nephew of the late emperor Suryavarman II (his father was a brother to Dharanindravarman I). He was 17 years old when his uncle died. According to tradition, a member of the Imperial Family who reached the age of 16 would be given a minor role in government to prepare them for greater roles later in life. Jaya Vathon was appointed by his uncle to the cabinet of the governor of Yasodharapura just three months before he died. Excellence in all qualities required of an emperor, he was seen by the Council as better suited for the role than the two years old toddler. In fact, letters passing between a high-ranking noble and the Council discussing about making prince Jaya Vathon emperor were later found when armed guards loyal to the empress raided the house of one of the members of the Imperial Council.

The empress Suryavana Tevi, who was 22 when she became widow, was not popular with the Council because her family, although of nobles birth, was the lowest of rank before her married to the late emperor. Her family had since hold some important positions in the government. To the rest of the aristocracy, the leap of social rank was too great to be tolerance. This created a tension that threaten to pull the country once again into civil war. The empress herself was described by contemporary records as ruthless and very clever. Now it seemed like her future and that of her young boy were uncertain at best; and thus, she was forced to act quickly.

She bribed the guards of the palace to her side, and sent instructions to her brother who was the governor of the Kompong Thom province (about 190km or 120 miles from the Capital) to mobilize his cavalry and moved to the Capital in the pretext of protecting the young heir. The Imperial Council was mad when the report of an army coming to the Capital without the emperor's order. They threatened to retaliate by calling other nobles to raise troops if the empress wouldn't back down. At this time, the empress ordered the raid on houses of many members of the Council which resulted in the discovery of the incriminated letters.

Around this time, the cavalry forces of her brother arrived and were let into the city by the city's guard, an act that was very much illegal. As the only person with troops in and around the Capital, the empress forced the Imperial Council to issue a degree in the name of the emperor to appoint prince Jaya Vathon as a new governor of the region of Pachempura despite the prince was too young to take up such a position. Pachempura was a new region where its people were still rebelling against the rule of Cambodia, and it was very far away from the Capital (a couple of months travel). She wished that Jaya Vathon would fail in his new role because he had no experience. This turned out later to be wrong, as in the future the prince would become the country's only hope.

Under threat of exposing the incriminated letters and the empress's loyal mans in the city, the Council backed down and did everything she asked. They did, at first, tried to get Jaya Vathon to leave and gather troop to overthrow the empress. However, understanding her intention and with the guideline of his first wife Jaya Tevi (who died in 1161 and was a sister of his second wife Anndra Tevi), Jaya Vathon refused the Council advise and instead voluntarily took up command as a governor to maintain the peace. It was recorded in a chronicle written after his death that the prince spoke to the Council "[...] Emperor sits on a golden and not a red throne. [...]"

Prince Jaya Vathon left the Capital 11 days before the death of Suryavarman II. The Imperial Council declared prince Jaya Viraka Neakea as emperor with his mother as co-ruler. It was just a show because the empress was the one to wield imperial power until her death 24 years later.

Suryavana Tevi the Mother (1150-1174)

With the incriminated letters in hands, the empress Suryavana Tevi could make sure to some extend that the nobles could not oppose her openly. Her relationship with the nobles and the Council was rocky and mutually suspicious. She tried to limit their influence in government to some success, while at the same time increased her family's control. It could be considered a great triumph that she managed to rule for 24 years without any rebellion from the nobles. She was ruthless in her fight against the aristocracy but genteel in her rule toward the people . In fact, she did a great job at being ruler that she was loved by the people.

Unlike her husband, she went down in history as a figure of a caring mother. She was also a great builder like her husband, but unlike her husband, she did not order a construction of a single stone temple. Instead, she ordered construction of many Barai (Cambodian super aqueducts) to expand the country's agricultural outputs. Food production surged to a level unseen before based on the recorded price of rice, which was 75% lower at the end of her reign compare to before. Empress Suryavana Tevi also worked on constructions of several roads that connected every provinces in the country allowing the military to react fast to troubles. In 1153 AD, she established diplomatic relations with the Byzantine Empire and the Islamic states while strengthening those with the neighboring countries. This marked the start of exchanged of ideas between Cambodia and the outside world. Trades increased where Cambodia exported spices, ivory, honey, rice, salt, sugar, and jewels. At the same time, the country learned about the cultures and success of other nations and started to adopt them. One such thing was the introduction of the strategy of the Roman army and gunpowder from China to the military, which she gave an official name, the Imperial Armed Forces.

In the field of education, the Empress supported the idea of public schools which she learned from Charlemagne. She introduced the idea of state sponsored education for children between the age of 10 and 16. Traditionally, boys were taught to read and write in pagodas for Buddhists and shines for Hindus, while girls were trained by their mothers at home. Suryavana Tevi started by established gender-based schools in cities with teachers who were paid by the government. Children could work in the morning and spent the hot afternoon learning literature, history, and Buddhism. Over the years, this idea spread first the provinces and then to small villages. She also founded the Imperial University of Cambodia in 1161 imitating the Library of Alexandra and the House of Scholar in Baghdad.

Because of her caring policies, Suryavana Tevi was loved by her people. Her policy of no military campaign created a period of peace. When she passed away in 1174, she left imperial treasury with more money than any other previous rulers.

Suryavarman III (1174-1177) the Leprosy King

Suryavarman III came to be the sole ruler of the nation after the death of his mother. If his mother had any great failure, it was that she was too focus on ruling the empire and did not properly prepare her son to take over. As the result, Suryavarman III quickly became very unpopular. He was no tyrant, but he never care about the day-to-day running of the country. He preferred to enjoy himself with parties, women, and drinks. While his mother held court every morning and worked privately in the afternoon, Suryavarman III ordered that the imperial court was to be in session every two days instead. The people hated him so much that there was a rumor swirling around that the emperor was punished by heaven when he killed a man who refused to kneel before him. His skin turned in appearance to resemble those with leprosy.

Taking advantage of an unpopular ruler, king Jaya Indravarman IV of the kingdom of Champa invaded Cambodia in 1177. When Suryavarman III called on his nobles, they didn't come to his aid. A combination of his mother's action and his own ineffectiveness as leader, the nobles defected to the other side.

Champa's Occupation (1177-1181)

Without support from his nobles and his people, Suryavarman III only managed to raise about 15,000 men from areas around the Capital city. King Jaya Indravarman IV sailed through the Mekong river and set up camp outside the city of Chatomuk. Suryavarman III met the invaders there, but sufficed to say the victory favored the 50,000 than the 15,000. Suryavarman III was killed in the battle, and the road to the Capital Yasodharapura laid open.

First let introduce the mess of Cambodian political boundary at this time first. The country was divided into three regions, Presh Nokor, Pachempura, and Malaka. Pachempura only extended north to Indrapura, Malaka only went from Okao to Sureen, and the northern border was marked by Loppupipura, Phimai, and Champar Sak (all of which belonged to the region of Presh Nokor). Because Malaka and Pachempura were new, they were both governed by just one governor each with power over the whole area. The regions were not yet broken up into feudalism because they were personally belonged to the emperor (only Presh Nokor was). Malaka was governed at the time by an old prince Jaya Sorya Bour (the youngest brother of Suryavarman II), and Pachempura was controlled by the exiled prince Jaya Vathon.

The news of the defeat reached the Capital and the Imperial Council. Despite their hatred toward Suryavarman III and his mother, the Council knew that the country was now in separate situation. Those who weren't already defected to the enemy started to prepare for they escape from the Capital. Their only hope seems to be the two princes in Malaka and Pachempura.

Knowing that Champa army would arrive in a few short days, the members of the council performed an improvise ceremony to remove the Reach Thea Nee See La (the Stone of the Capital) from Yasodharapura and collected the several symbols of imperial power before boarded a ship to Pachempura. By doing so, they ceremoniously prevent the country from losing its independent because technically the Capital was now moved. King Jaya Indravarman IV marched into Yasodharapura and allowed his men to blunder the city for days saved for the Imperial palace which he intended to stay in.

The Imperial Council met prince Jaya Sorya Bour in Malakarapura and informed him before moving to Pachempura. Jaya Sorya Bour called up his army and sent a large detachment to the north of Malaka.

In Pachempura, Jaya Vathon, who had for nearly 30 years served the country faithfully, learnt about what had happened. When the Council offered him the throne, he refused and said they should give it instead to his uncle Jaya Sorya Bour. He was right. His uncle, being a brother to the father of the late emperor, had a stronger claim to the throne than him who was the nephew to the defeated-in-the-civil-war emperor.

Jaya Vathon sent his men to protect the chock point of Loppupipura and he sailed with the rest to secure Teok Khev. In 1178, everything west of Purirum and Vimaya was under the control of the two princes. Jaya Vathon brought the Imperial Council to meet his uncle Jaya Sorya Bour in Korkhan. There he requested the Council to make his uncle the new emperor, but Jaya Sorya Bour did not accept the offer. Instead, he encouraged his nephew to take the throne instead by saying the one of the most memorable phrase in Cambodian history, "the back wave pushes the front" meaning the young replaces the old. Jaya Vathon was then proclaim emperor.

The final battle of happened in 1180 in the Tonle Sap lake. 60,000 men from both sides fought on the lake until the water turned red. Jaya Vathon emerged victorious, and his army retook the Capital city the next day. For the next half a year, Jaya Vathon would push the invaders out and reestablished the rule of the Naga dynasty.

Jayavarman VII (1181-1227) the Great and the Beginning of the Golden Age

In 1181, the 52 years old Jaya Vathon was formally crowned as Jayavarman VII. This was probably his greatest legacy that he took the throne only when the country really needed him. It's easy to imagine why Cambodia considered him one of the greatest emperor.

Jayavarman VII forcefully abolished the system of aristocracy in favor of meritocracy. This was easy due to the nobles' actions in the Champa invasion. However, the nobles did not go down without a fight, but their rebellions were put down soon enough. Even the Imperial Council was shocked. Jayavarman VII with his empress Anndra Tevi created the office of the empress with the final absolute power to go with it.

Jayavarman VII was also a great builder. He expanded roads and waterways to increase the movement of goods and people. He ordered the construction of many stone temples. In fact, Jayavarman VII built more temples than any other emperor before him. So much so that his successor abolished this tradition completely due to the immense burden on the treasury.

Another of his legacy was the reform of the Imperial Armed Forces. Officers and commanders would no longer be appointed by wealth and power but through merit. He introduced for the first time the policy in which family of dead or disabled soldiers would be received special care from the government, and a pension/land any retire soldier would receive after 15 years of service. Jayavarman VII founded the first military school, standardize training, and encourage research into military technology especially gunpowder technology.

In 1190, after nine years of plotting and waiting, King Jaya Indravarman IV of Charmpa once again matched his army into Cambodia to revenge his pride and honor. Better prepared this time, the Imperial Armed Forces inflicted devastating damage on Champa's forces.

Jayavarman VII was also a conqueror. He invaded and once at for all annexed Champa in 1192. He conquered Dai Viet in 1195. Between 1199 and 1210, he expanded Cambodian territory south to Singhapura (Malaka), and north to Trat and Nokorpura (Pachempura), and established two cities (Oudorpura and Sripura) in the buffer zone in the north competing with China's influence. His successor would later turn this zone into Cambodian fourth region of Oudorpura.

However, to secure the safety of Cambodia and to ensure that the new territory he just conquered would not revolt, Jayavarman VII put in motion a policy of forced relocation. He dispersed hundreds of thousands of conquered people to different parts of the country and opened the land to Cambodian settlers.

The most important legacy of Jayavarman VII was the creation of the rules of succession to insure peaceful transfer of power. This rule was so effective that it is still in use today.

Jayavarman VII passed away in 1227 after 46 years in power at the age of 98, the oldest monarch ever to pass away while being emperor. His favor of meritocracy to aristocracy paved the way for the country to move to the modern age. His reign was not clean by any standard, but he and his wife did many great things for the country and its people.

Jayavarman VIII (1228-1276)

Jayavarman VIII is considered by many to be the most logical leaders of the age. He was a great grandson of Jayavarman VII, and became an official heir when his father unexpectedly died before succeeded to the throne, and his father before him was in exile. Since he was 16 years old, the prince keened on traveling to learn about new cultures outside of the nation's border. He had been to India, Sri Langka, Srivijava, and China before he was called back in 1227 when the Emperor passed away and was crowned emperor a year later.

During his trip to Srivijava, the young prince noticed that the strategic location of an island of Pumini could help insure the safe trade route between China and India. If Cambodia could control this route, they would be in control the most important route of the Indian Ocean trades (the Monsoon trades) between Africa, Arab, India, and China which in turn would make the nation rich. To achieve this goal, in 1231, the Emperor commanded the building of city port Singhapura (city of lion) as the base of the Imperial Navy to patrol the pass of Malaka. Three years later, Cambodia landed a quarter of a million troops on the Island of Pumini. The war was ended in 1237 when the Srivijava Empire's army on the island surrendered. In 1255, Khmer also took control of Luzon Island, renaming it the Island of Buor (Island of the East). Native people the newly conquered lands were subjected to harsh treatment by their new master. By the end of the conquest, trade route between the Indian and Pacific Ocean was under Cambodian control. The sea between the islands and main land was then renamed the Sea of Suvannapumi (the Sea of the Golden Land).

In the north, Mongolian Army, in the command of Genghis Khan, planned to invade Cambodia after they have just took control of China. To their surprise, the Imperial Armed Forces hold them off twice at the siege of Sokour Tey in 1245 and again at Nokorreach Neyok in 1246. The third invasion was planned in 1247 to take to city of Oudorpura with two prongs assaults. A diversion force of 20,000 men was to attack Sokour Tey while the main force comprised of 300,000 troops would drive directly to Oudorpura. This plan was later abandoned. Genghis Khan himself realized that, no matter how fast they would moved, his army would not have reached the capital city of Yasodharapura before the main elements of the Imperial Army nearly 300,000 men that were still tied down in Pumini and Bour sailed back and regrouped in the capital. After the war with Champa, Jayavarman VII refortified the city's defenses, which in turn made it impossible for Mongolian army to capture it within days assuming they could have managed to go this far. Genghis Khan could not risked being this deep in the enemy's territory.

With the threat from the north eliminated and the south yielded large amount of taxes, Cambodia became very rich and powerful. Its GDP in 1260 would be around 90 billion USD in today money, based on the study conducted by the Imperial University of Cambodia.

One of Jayavarman VIII's legacy is the halt in stone temple construction. After 400 years of temple building (almost 2000 stone and brick temples), about 10% of tax revenue of Presh Nokor was needed to maintain it. Building bigger and bigger temples was how each emperor demonstrated their respected power and glory. Jayavarman VIII broke with tradition by turning to public welfare as his lasting legacy, which in his own word was "[...] cheaper and everyone can use it [...]". He greatly expanded construction of road, bridges, pagodas, ports, public shelter, public hospital, schools, and public housing. Jayavarman VIII joking said that "With the price of one stone temple, I can build houses for 100,000 people. And with the time to construct one stone temple, I can build a road from Singhapura to Oudorpura". Medium, big, and very big stone temple was no longer be built with later emperors preferred to show off their power with public welfare spending instead.

The Empire of the Sea

After the death of the Emperor Jayavarman VIII, Cambodia still enjoyed peace and prosperity unlike elsewhere. While most of Europe still struggled in the medieval ages, Khmer citizens, in contrast, were endowed with the highest standard of living of the planet. Cambodia had become the center for education, innovation, research, and finance. It competed with Arab peninsula in every field from military to world influence to trade. In 1398, with the invention of the printing press, Khmer books could even be found in procession of Middle East’s House of Scholars. By participating in the Indian Ocean Trades, the country ripped many benefits from an exchanging of ideas, technologies, medicines, and cultures.

Indravarman IV (1451-1482) - The Good Father

Indravarman IV succeeded to the throne in 1451 after his father's brief rule as Emperor. Nick name the "Good Father", this new Emperor had a reputation of having such a great caring altitude toward his subjects. Among many of his achievements were the abolishing the formality and separation of classes in Khmer society, overhauling the tax system, reforming the law code of the country, eliminating corruptions in high ranking officials, and introducing new public welfare benefits with the most prominent were free education for everyone and sanitation improvement in all cities. But perhaps his most famous accomplishment was the citizenship right of consolidated people act which was passed in 1456. This act granted the same citizenship status to those who had been integrated into the country with mutual benefits from public welfare and military protection as any Khmer citizen. Indravarman IV worked hard to incorporate and introduced, sometime by force, Khmer way of lives to native people. This allowed for more united people, after generations of implementation, under the tile of Khmer.

The Emperor Indravarman IV also altered the role of the Imperial Navy. Since its creation in 1155, the Imperial Navy's responsibility was a little more than support units during the Imperial Army oversea campaigns. In 1471, they had only 49 ships, and a third of those were transport vessels. With Cambodia being the center of trades in south Asia and all, merchant ships often be targets for pirates. One in 20 ships were attacked, and sometime entire crews were killed. Facing the issue, the Emperor Indravarman IV ordered an expansion of the Imperial Navy. The annual budget for the Navy rose from 9% before 1471 to 43% by the time the Emperor passed away in 1482. 200 more vessels joint the Imperial Navy, most were battleships. Outposts were established in strings of islands far out in the Indian Ocean to both protect the Monsoon trade route and intimidated other nations, an action of which causes diplomatic issues until today. At the end of the 15th century, the Imperial Navy's battleships could be seen as far as Japan and Northern Europe. The might of the Imperial Navy had spread Cambodian influence and culture far and wise. For a time, this nation had been seen as a golden land. Countless immigrants sneaked through the border to find new futures inside Cambodia. By 1500, more than 70 million people, one fifth of the world's population, were living under the country's influences.

The Emperor Indravarman IV passed away in 1482 at 66 years of age after months of fighting what seemed like cancer. History recorded that in the days leading to his death, thousands of people were praying day and night in front of the Imperial Palace. When flags in the Palace were brought down half-mass, as one historian put it, the cry were so deafening that no one in the Palace could hear nothing but the weep. The Emperor Indravarman IV were laid to rest in a stupa inside the Imperial Palace.

Harshavarman IV (1525-1531)

The Emperor Harshavarman IV was one of a handful monarchs who was not loved by the people. He wasn't a bad ruler because he was ruthless or making bad decisions. He was hated because he made no decision. Seen as incompetent emperor, Harshavarman IV spent most of his time hunting, partying, and going on vacations for months at the time. He prided himself as an artist, often painted of his experiences away from the city. In the six years of his reign, the Emperor often would not attended the daily meeting when monarch and officials gathered and discussed the nation's affairs. He trusted to the Imperial's Right Hand man to fill in on his duties. Taking advantage of the situation, the Emperor's right hand man, Sok, and the master of treasury, Sao, had been using the Emperor's name to take control of the court and enriched themselves. They diverted huge amount of cash meant for the nation's public welfare programs to their own pockets while denied any additional funding in the annual budget. These two also intervened when members of the Imperial Council voted to dethrone the Emperor, and at the same time persuaded Harshavarman IV not to voluntarily step down. Many in the Imperial Court were furious and often disapproved of the Right Hand Man's proposals calling it against the nation's interests.

Hoping to restore order in the Imperial Court, the Supreme General of the Imperial Armed Forces, Muuk, advocated a plan to arrest Sok and those involved through military coup. The plan was discovered, and Sok spent 84 Neal of gold (111 pound) from the Imperial treasury to bride those close to General Muuk to betray him. In the end, 11 military officials were either dismissed or exiled, three others including Muuk himself were executed, and many others in the Imperial Court were on the run for their lives.

The Emperor Harshavarman IV were killed on his hunting trip in 1525. Although his death were written down as accident, many believed it was not. Rumors circulated that the Imperial Council ordered his assassination, but there was no evident to convict them of it. The general public were in joy and demanded that all of those working for Sok and Sao to be tried. The master of the treasury was arrested shortly after the news of the Emperor's death reached the capital on the order of the Imperial Council, while the right hand man escaped to China. Sao was executed along with 23 other man convicted of large scale corruption. The Imperial Council voted for Harshavarman IV's cousin to succeed him.

The Naga was Sleeping (1546-1583)

Harshavarman V (1531-1557) and the Indochina-Khmer War

Afflicted by corruptions and severe mismanagement, Cambodia became much weaker than it was a decade before. The military became disorderly as many capable leaders were either dismissed, exiled or on the run. The political infrastructure were in disarray, and to make matters even worse, an estimated 14,300 Neal of gold (18,915 pounds) were lost from the Imperial Treasury.

In 1546, probably with inside information from the betray official Sok, the Ming Dynasty of China cut off diplomatic relation with Cambodia. Chinese forces was bursting through the Empire's northern frontier. The once-invincible Imperial Armed Forces were pushed inside their own territory the first time in more than 300 years. To make matter even worst, Mughal Empire declared war on Cambodia just a year later and began an assault from the west. China and Mughal signed a secret agreement to establish zones of influence after they captured the capital city of Yasodharapura. The Imperial Army were not just outnumbered two to one, they also lacked commanders who could handled the tasks at hands. The Navy was so spread out and powerless to help in-land battles. Town after town fell into enemies hands. Entire regions of Oudorpura and Pachempura were overrun. The Imperial Army could do nothing rather than slow down the opposing forces advance. Reports arrived at the capital describing atrocities inflicted on the civilian populations. Crops and livestock were plundered. Women were sexually assaulted while thousands were forced into slavery in foreign countries.

AH The Great Khmer Empire - 1545

Cambodia 1545

Three years of defeats were not enough to bring Cambodia to its knees. The large scale of the country, huge manpower, and the fact that they were fighting on their own soil helped to insure that Cambodia was still able to fight on. Harshavarman V once said he could replace a battalion of 1500 men in three days while his enemies would take three weeks. Even than, the situation was still bleak. By 1549,Indian forces captured Chanapura, just 18.5 Yoch (184.55 miles) West of Yasodharapura, and at the same time Chinese army surround the city of Kaothara trapping and cutting off supply lines for the 15,000 men defending the city. The Imperial Court and the Imperial Council urged the Emperor to leave the capital, but he refused. A month after seizing Chanapura, Indian forces were indeed matching toward Yasodharapura, but they were stopped by an element of the Imperial Army under the command of Major Huk. This was literally the first time that the Imperial Army was able to beat the enemy since the war began three years ago. 

AH The Great Khmer Empire - 1549

Cambodia 1549 - (Indochina-Khmer War)

Huk was one of the greatest generals in the history of Cambodia. He was originally a commander of the capital guards. He was famously known for his low key character with his men, and always endured the same risks and difficulties as common soldiers. He was promoted to General of the North immediately after his triumph. Huk abandoned the heavy infantry and rigid formations in favor of hit and run tactic. Using bamboo missiles to deal with war elephants and light artilleries coupled with rapid-fired ballistas, the Imperial Army slowly but surely pushed the enemies back. Huk also cast aside a standard stationary defend and instead created quick reaction troops to deal with counterattacks.

In recognizing of his accomplishments, the Emperor Harshavarman V promoted Huk as the General of the Imperial Army in 1550 and two years later to the Supreme General of the Imperial Armed Forces. The tide of war began to turn, although it would took another four more years before the war ended in 1554. The last major battle took place at the city of Pachempura in 1554. The battle of Pachempura was the last battle fought on Cambodian soil until the second world war. The personal diary of the General Huk gave a detailed account of this battle which lasted for nine days. Huk, himself, described the bravery of the 55,000 Indian forces who were ordered holding the city against the enemy nearly twice their size. The city wall itself wasn't breached until only 4,000 Indians were left. Even then, street-to-street fights were savage. The Emperor Harshavarman V, who personally commended the battle, was struck down in the thick of the fight. He was rushed to the rear seriously wounded. The Imperial physicians declared the Emperor's situation was hopeless. Harshavarman V managed, however, to cling on to life for hours until later that evening General Huk personally informed him that the city was liberated. The Emperor whispered his final words, "so Khmer wasn't lost in my time". Harshavarman V was the last Emperor to die in battle. His body was brought back to Yasodharapura, and a memorial was built on the site where the Emperor was struck down.

Harshavarman V's strong character was able to unite the country in time of serious threats. He might not a good general, but it is undeniably a great politician. However, he left a country in geographically, demographically, and financially ruins. The Indochina-Khmer war took a large toe on a country which was already weakening. In the aftermath, Cambodia suffered an estimated 2.4 million casualties. Oudorpura and Pachempura were almost completely destroyed. The government's debt soared to 6,000,000 Riel, 900 times larger than in 1546. Cambodian global influence shrank. Her military was triumph but exhausted.

Rajendravarman V (1559-1583), the Reconstruction, and the Band of Brothers

Rajendravarman V was the third son of Emperor Harshavarman V. The new Emperor was just seven years old when father died in battle. He came to the throne at the age of 12 after his two brothers untimely deaths. Rajendravarman V was ruling the Empire with his mother as co-Empress until his mother sudden death from malaria in 1564. Rajendravarman V was handed down the task of rebuilding a wounded nation with social unrests and deep financial crisis. His first task was to navigated a choppy sea of geopolitics with to insure his country continuous existent. Every main players in the region including China, India, Portuguese, and the Spanish wanted to squeeze and take over the Golden Land for themselves. The county, for the time being, lived in fear of another invasion from foreign powers especially the Spanish.

Previous emperors were trying to raise fund to pay interest rate and maintain the country. New taxes were introduced leading to widespread economic failure. Unemployment rate was skyrocketing to nearly 30%, by recent estimate. Previous emperors' attempt to tackle these problems by printing more coins leaded to a very high inflation rate. A new study found that between 1550 and 1560, Khmer currency's value dropped by half. These serious economic issues provoked civil unrests in every corners of the country. The southern regions of Pumini and Bour came close to break away.

At just 17 years old, Rajendravarman V had very little experience in both politics, economy, and military. However, he was surrounded by some of the most skillful men in the history of the country. With their helps, the Emperor devoted his whole life to rebuilding his nation.

For a millennium, laws had been added and changed without any real organized, and some of them were plane nonsense. At this point. Cambodia did not have a unified constitution, just a bunch of bills passed over the years. Rajendravarman V entrusted a task of repairing the broken law code to a respectable monk named Sangkha Bata. Sangkha Bata, in just 16 months, untangled this messy law code and compressed a-thousand-years worth of laws into just a mere 19 books set making the nation's law, for the first time, accessible and comprehensible. He also wrote the famous ''Guideline to proper behaviors'', which is still being taught today.

A great general of this time was Hurm of the Imperial Navy. Hurm enlisted back in 1535 at the age of 16 as a gunner on the deck of White Rabbit battleship. He rose through the rank to become captain of the Imperial Navy's flagship, the 75 guns Imperial Spear, and later the general of the whole Imperial Navy. Hurm learned from the Spanish and Dutch about maritime knowledge. As Rajendravarman V once put it, Hurm puts up a wooden wall that protects all of us from the long nose (Cambodian slang for European). His efforts would eventually lead to the dominant of Cambodian Imperial Navy on the world stage.

Rajendravarman V cut back federal taxes to encourage economic growth. He opened up more Imperial lands taxed freed to poor families who willing to work it. Unemployed individuals were hired to work under the Imperial projects such as infrastructure repairing, houses building, sanitation, and even community guards. The Emperor allowed rich families to purchase previously state owned businesses. Trades with the east and far west were encouraged. Rajendravarman V proposed a direct economic challenge with China and India instead of militarily. The government subsidized agricultural products. Grains, spices, and sugar were exported to the Europe and the middle East in greater quantities. Silk, iron work, and art were also booming.

New towns were built connected to the rest of the country by new roads and bridges. 5 millions hectare of woodlands and forests was converted into farms in a decade, a rate that would not be matched until the industrial revolution. Cities were once again growing. Cambodia started to make a come back. An increasingly connected people and their struggle forged a new idea of nationalism and a unified nation. Cambodia was on her way to inherit what was once Roman, the title of the world lone superpower.

All of these new policies had some unexpected consequences. More privately owned enterprises laid the foundation of capitalism. Slavery was favorable in plantations and factories as cost saving measures. This practice could hurt the economy as poor citizens were unemployed. In 1565, the Emperor outlawed slavery, an incredibly unpopular action among noble families. A conspiracy to assassinate the Emperor were plotted by many nobles threaten by this new law. When the plot were discovered, all were put to death while their families were exiled.

A bachelor emperor, Rajendravarman V was a hard working man, often stayed up overnight in his study. His health deteriorated. On September 19th, 1583, the beloved Emperor collapsed in his carriage while on a tour in the city of Okao. He was rushed back to Yasodharapura, but the Emperor drew his last breath on the flagship Imperial Spear. Rajendravarman V was forever remembered for his works to unified the people and the country in the face of recession. As one historian put it, "[…] Once there were ashes and charcoals, now there are marbles and gold.[…]"

Khmer the Superpower (1583-1943)

Rajendravarman VII (1592-1618) and the Beginning of the Age of Exploration

Cambodia emerged from the aches of war stronger than ever. By the end of the 16th century, the country's GDP was 300 billion Riel, 50% more than what it was before the war. Total population rose to 100 million. Trades brought new riches, cultures, and knowledge from every parts of the world. People began to move to cities to find new opportunities. Military was also expending. The Imperial Army numbered close to 850,000 personals. The Imperial Navy processed 950 ships and nearly 50,000 men. The Navy processed five coastal outposts in Africa and seven island outposts in the Indian Ocean. From the pass away of the Emperor Rajendravarman V to the invasion of the Japanese Empire in World War II, Cambodia would enjoyed three and half centuries of relative peace. The might of her military insured that no nation would directly challenged her. A new Superpower was born.

The Emperor Rajendravarman VII inherited the throne in 1592. Since the news of a discovery of a new continent arrived eight decades ago, Cambodia was in no position to plan colonization of the new world. First thing on a list of the new Emperor was to prepare for expeditions and establishing settlements in America. The Imperial Navy fleets reached the east coast of America in 1602 in what one day be called San Francisco. The Navy called this place Rachana Thevipura after the Queen Rachanathevi. The first wave of volunteers came in 1612. However, the colonization was later abandoned in 1750. An earthquake in 1615 coupled with high cost of project, and with two strong enemies on their border coupled with raising European influences in the region convinced the Emperor that colonization would not worth the expanse and effort.

No other places were colonized except a couple of islands which were used as outposts for the Imperial Navy. Unlike European nations, Cambodian lands were rich in resources to trade and sustain herself. Several expeditions followed, but their main goals were to explore new parts of the globe and find new markets. Cambodia signed separate expedition treaties with Portugal, Spain, Dutch, and Britain for free trades with those countries.

Prey Nokor in 19th Century

Prey Nokor, Cambodian largest city, in 19th Century.

Indravarman VI (1739-1757) and the action of the Empress

While Emperor Indravarman VII was a fine monarch who continued the works of the imperial family, his wife Empress Mollika Tevi was successfully in leaving an exemplary legacy that effected Cambodian society till today.

Mollika, the future empress, was born in 1698 into a very poor family in a village a short distance west of Okao. She grew up in a society with extreme wealth inequality, one where poor family such as her struggling to even "put rice in the pot". Her father was a worker, and spent everyday working for low paying labor back-breaking tasks. Her mother worked for a local firewood business where she hauled a load of wood into nearby villages and sold them. As a young girl, Mollika witnessed first-hand the class divided and the treatment poor family such as her received from the rich. Despite the family fortune, her parents determined to send her to school in the nearby town. When she was just 9 years old, her father died while working construction, and left the family in an ever deepen debt. A year later, her mother fell ill due to extensive hard labor. Just 10, Mollika had to take up her mother's works while still continued her education as her mother insisted that she would not abandoned school. In one instance, Mollika, while still in her class, ran house, when a rain came down, to shield her mother from leaking roof since she was still sick and couldn't move. As the rain stopped, she ran back to school, so she could do the thing she loved. Unfortunately, her mother died in late 1708, and soon after she was evicted by a landlord. Homeless, the orphan child wandered around the village begging and sleeping under trees.

Months later, she was recognized by her former teacher when he was in the village. Learning what had happened, he took his once clever student in and adopted her as his own. At 20 years old, Mollika got a scholarship, so she came to the Imperial University of Cambodia to continue her study and that when she met a man two years her senior, Prince Jaya Khemmarak. The pair married three years later. She became empress in 1739.

As empress, She aggressively pushed a massive long term social reform. Still being called the Mollika Tevi reform today, she aimed to raise standard of living of the poor, provided care as well as opportunities to struggling families, and reduce wealth gaps. She would spent her time as empress fighting for this reform. She also taught her son and her successor to continue to fight. It would take two centuries before the issues were solved as she envisioned it.

Today, Cambodia has the smallest wealth gap in the world, with the strongest middle class. Three quarters of Cambodian above 35 have a million USD in net worth or higher. Poverty vanished since 1970s. Cambodian believe that the Empress vision would have been realized sooner if it wasn't for WWII.

Jayavarman XIII (1757-1780) and the Industrial Revolution

News of the discovery of steam power prompted and forced Cambodia to quickly industrialized in order to survive. The Imperial University of Cambodia (IUC) was the first institute to build a first prototype of steam engine in 1755. Several scholars and engineers from the IUC have tried to convince the aging Indravarman VI the potential of steam powered engine. A conservative Emperor, who has never believed in mechanics engines, did not, however, approve its development.

A new Emperor Jayavarman XIII ascended the throne. At 43 years old, Emperor Jayavarman XIII was an ambassador in Britain and the Netherlands from 1740 until 1757. He understood how vital modern technology was to economic prosperity. After a month in office, the new Emperor granted the chief of IUC an unlimited support to develop prototypes of engines for locomotion. In 1771, the Emperor asked for business enterprises to compete for a government contract for building a railway line connecting the most populated city Prey Nokor to the capital Yasodharapura. The line opened to the public in 1779. Meanwhile, three more railways were being built connecting major cities such as Malapura, Pachempura, and Oudorpura to the capital. The Suvannapumi Station in Yasodharapura, the hub of all railways, was opened by Jayavarman XIII himself in 1779.

Railways wasn't the only thing born as a result of steam power. Factories all over the country were also modernized. The new technology allowed owners to cut down cost and produce goods cheaper and much faster in ever larger quantities. Farmlands yielded greater quantities of crops. The country's export tripled in value and growing. Ordinary citizens earned more than they used to be. Cheap produces and transportation created a dynamics society.

The military was also modernized and reformed. Strict regulations and requirements were placed to fight the issue of corruptions in the ranks. With increasingly productive industrial complex, military gears could be easily supplied. Rifles, cannons and gunpowder could be issued in larger quantities. Many more railways were being planed to accommodate deployments and mobilizations of the army. On the other hand, the Imperial Navy was also busy upgrading its arsenals. Since 1763, the Navy began testing prototypes of new generation steam power battleships. In 1776, full production began with the Navy's order of 20 ships.

The most noticeable event during his reign was the invasion of Spanish troops. However, the invasion posted very little threat to the survival of the country.

The Emperor Jayavarman XIII is credited with the successful introduction of what could be the biggest change in the history of Cambodia. Unlike China, India, and so many other countries, he made sure that Cambodia would never squeezed and carved up by European nations.

Jayavarman XIV (1780-1798) - The Last Conqueror and the Political Revolution

Jaya Vuthi Rithea was the second son of the Emperor Jayavarman XIII. His older brother was in Buddhism service a full 5 years before their father's death. He refused to leave monkhood and passed the throne on to his younger brother.

Cambodia continued to modernized and growth. By the end of Jayavarman XIV's reign, the country total GDP would be 850 billion Riel, three times what it was a century ago. Private enterprises came to dominate the economy. More railroads were built connecting more and more places within the nation. By 1798, Cambodia would have 10,000 miles of railways. Clocks were forced to synchronize to make train timetables possible. Cities all over were swelling with people. In the country's most populated city Prey Nokor with 4 million inhabitants, land and water pollution were so bad that in 1782 cholera broke out and killed hundreds of people. The sewer and waste managing system became clog. With the less interest with any matter but military, Jayavarman XIV allowed private enterprises to compete for and handle government projects. Slowly, the Emperor had started to loss monopoly on the economy.

The legacy of Jayavarman XIV was that he was the last emperor to personally leaded troops in Cambodia's last major invasion of another country. He obsessed with the idea of invading India and/or China in order to, as he expressed it, intimidate other nations. Historians argue his true intention as to prove himself as masculine since he was viewed as a mama boy. For whatever reason, the Emperor increased military spending by 20%, built up inventories, and infrastructures to accommodate his plan of military aggression. Against advices from the Imperial Council, government officials, and even high-ranking military generals, Jayavarman XIV gave the order to begin a campaign against the Mughal Empire in 1790. Three elements of the Imperial Army attacked from Pachempura. Another five elements attacked from Norkorpura while the largest force with nine elements attacked from Pulleav. The Imperial Navy quickly destroyed Indian naval forces, and sailed up to bombard many coastal towns and cities. In all, 600,000 men stomped across the border. With superior technology, the Imperial Armed Forces crushed all of Indian resistance, and nearly eradicated their entire army. In three years, the Imperial Army took the city of Arga which was about 200 km from the capital city Delhi. Left with no choice, the emperor of the Mughal Empire agreed to peace on Cambodian terms, and it was hush. India was to open a tax-free non restricted trade with Cambodia. India must allowed the Imperial Navy to use any port of their own choosing. India paid an equivalent of nearly 5 billion dollar in today money, and also, a large swell of land was thrown in a part of the deal. The Emperor proudly named the new region Jayavarmanpura (Land of Jayavarman) after himself. Jayavarman XIV made a bold statement to the world, with this campaign, who was the master of South Asia.

The campaign was, however, negatively perceived by every Cambodian citizens. The Imperial Armed forces suffered 50,000 casualties or 10% of the total troops involved in the three years of fighting. The war cost roughly 250 million Riel, and, to make matter worse, Cambodian people was burden with an expected 500 million Riel bills for developing the newly annexed territory in the next three years or so.

In 1796, after the news of the Emperor's plan for another military campaign with China, tens of thousands of people gathered in front of the Imperial Palace demanding the stop to the new campaign. More and more unrests were reported in the provinces as news spread. They were all demanding the cancellation of the planned military campaign. To prevent the issue from getting out of hand, Jayavarman XIV invited representatives of the crowd for personal audience with him on December 25th, 1796. After six days of negotiation, the campaign against China was canceled. During the discussion, Lord Som of the Imperial Council suggested the Emperor to create a new chamber for people's representatives here in the Capital to both made people happy, which would improved the Emperor's reputation, and avoided another civil unrest in the future. Just like that, a new political institute was born. They called it "Sa Phea" which means "National Assembly".

After the crisis, the Emperor Jayavarman XIV tried to improve his relation with the people. He tried to prove that public welfares was important to him. However, people's opinion changed very little. Even though the deal extracted from India was overwhelmingly in Cambodia's favor, the death of ten of thousands of soldiers could not be justified, said a professor at the Imperial University of Cambodia in 1797. Jayavarman XIV voluntarily stepped down in 1798, but the echo of this crisis followed him until his death in 1832. His brother was asked to leave monkhood and inherited the throne.

Modern Khmer (1943-Present)

Rajendravarman IX (1933-1975) the Greatest

When Emperor Rajendravarman IX came to power, the new age in the history of Cambodia has started. Although Cambodia would lose the title of the world number one superpower in his time, the Emperor Rajendravarman IX was considered as the greatest of all that had come before him. His reign was marked by peace, war on the largest scale, uncertainty, and possibly the greatest come back story of all time.

For more than a century, Cambodia was at absolute peace. An increasingly large networks of trades and the match of technology brought about the period of prosperity never seen before. With the might of her army, the strength of her economy, and the fame of her reputation, 290 million people proudly called her home by the outbreak of World War II. Little did she knew that she would soon be rocked by the biggest storm of her life yet.

The Emperor Rajendravarman IX inherited the throne at 29 years old. He earned Doctorate degree in Economy from the Imperial University of Cambodia just two years before he stepped into power. Rajendravarman IX was never in the line of succession since he was not the son of the previous Emperor. In fact, he was a child to the previous Emperor's brother. He was a postdoc at Harvard University when the Imperial Council called him back. Ishanavarman V's only son married an American causing him to loss his claim to the throne.

Wars have been going on just outside of Cambodia's border. Between 1932 and 1943, the Japanese Empire had just taken controls of Indonesia, the Philippine Islands, Taiwan, parts of China, and Papa New Genie. Roughly speaking, two third of Cambodian border was to the Japanese Empire.

Before 1939, situation in Cambodia remained relatively calm. Everything began to turn when the news of the Nazi invasion of Poland rocked the nation. The alliance between Japan and Germany coupling with the growing power of the Japanese Empire at her doorstep had started to get on the nerve of everyone around the country. The National Assembly pushed the Emperor to increase military build up.

Desiring partly by Cambodia's immense natural resources especially oil, Japan declared war with Cambodia on February 9th, 1940. Two imperial powers clashed produced a big bang all around the world. Japanese Army had repeatedly attacked from the North, but they were always pushed back by the Imperial Army.

Story on water wasn't so romantic. With just 2 small aircraft carriers, the Imperial Navy's situation was hopeless. They were crushed in almost every encounters by superior forces. By May of 1941, Japanese navy cut Cambodia in half. Smaller islands were under Japanese control. The islands of Pumini and Bour struggled to stay in the fight. Until August of 1943, three quarter of Pumini and almost all of the entire Bour region were lost. Without total control of the sea, reinforcing and resupplying the two regions were next to impossible. Japanese bombing campaigns ricked havocs on the country, but the Imperial Air Forces denied the Japanese total control over the sky. This was the first time since the Indochina-Khmer war in 1546 that a foreign force caused serious damages inside the nation's border.

Rajendravarman IX order the Imperial Navy to protect the Andaman Sea west of the country at all cost. For three years with the lost of more than 70,000 men and 300 ships, the Imperial Navy kept the Japanese navy from overrun the last sea trading route. Meanwhile, more than 10 million new volunteers and conscripts were drafted into the military. Civil industries was ordered to manufacture military hardware. By the end of the war, Cambodia would have 5 times more ships, 60 times more tanks, and 330 times more aircrafts than Japan able to produce in the entire war.

Nearly two years after the war had broken out, Cambodia breathed a sign of relieve. Cambodia and the United States signed the mutual military agreement in January 1942. Cambodian first aircraft carrier became operational since the lost of the pervious two, while 5 more would followed in the same year. Two new fighters was introduced after 2 years of development, the KF-42 Lighting for the Air Force and the KFC-11 Swordfish for the Navy. Both were more than capable to take on the Japanese Zero. Cambodian spy stole the blueprint of the German abandon project of anti-aircraft missile. In March of 1943, Cambodian wired guided surface-to-air missiles called the Spear were deployed. Beginning in November 1942 at the battle of Singhapura, the Imperial Navy started to gain the upper hand partly due to Japanese disaster at Midway island. Starting in 1943, the Imperial Navy opened a connection between the city of Singhapura and Pichpura allowing supply and men to the island of Pumini for the first time since the second half of 1941. The last of Japanese attempted of making a landing assault near the city of Prey Nokor was unsuccessful. In June 1943, the main base of the Imperial Navy at Koh Kandal was taken back. Two months later and until the end of the year, the Imperial Army dispatched a million troop the Pumini to retake the island.

Starting 1944, Cambodian material superiority began to show. A new long-range bomber, the KB-21 Rain Cloud, with the range of 5,800 mile (9,334 km) was introduced. The Imperial Air Force established a base near the city of Sattaya for the bombing campaigns against the Japanese homeland in April 1944. In June of the same year, the United State also established a forward air force base near Sattaya with the same purpose.

The Japanese Navy was pushed out of Cambodian maritime territory in May of 1944. In September, the Imperial Army began the campaign to liberate the region of Bour. Cut off from supply, the Japanese Army was quickly overwhelm. Except for a few pocketsof resistances, both campaigns in Pumini and Bour were announced a success in March of 1945. Since the start of 1945, the Imperial Navy was also sent to fight in the Pacific theater with the American. The Army, however, was only involved in the Okinawa campaign before the war ended.

The aftermath of the war did not look good for the future of Cambodia. Around 622,000 soldiers were killed, and another 1.7 million civilians lost their lives. Most of the civilian deaths occurred on the Japanese captured regions to the South. 2.1 million other were physically disabled. Pumini and Bour were completely destroyed. On the mainland, major economic cities like Prey Nokor and Chatomuk suffered large scale damages from bombing. Only the region of Jayavarmanpura and Pachempura sustained minor damages. Cambodia suffered huge negative economic growth. The country GDP dropped by 11% in six years. In 1944, the United States overtook Cambodia as the world largest economy.

the Emperor Rajendravarman IX relinquished monarch monopolies on a few remaining market sectors. Industry, agriculture, and infrastructure were subsidized. Several government-paid-privately-build projects were laid down. A discovery of new oil near Chanapura sped up the economic recovery. It took two decades for the country to become her old self. During the Cold War, Rajendravarman IX declared in 1947 that his country would remained politically neutral, but would openly traded with any country regardless of their political ideology. In 1955, Cambodia was invited to be a member of the UN Security Council along side the US, UK, France, and the USSR.

In 1967, the Center of Space Exploration and Aerodynamics Research (CSEAR [si-si-ar]) was established. The first successful mission to the moon in 1979. In 1998, Cambodia joined a project to build the International Space Station (ISS).

In 1953, Cambodia successfully detonated a nuclear bomb following by a first test of thermonuclear bomb in 1956. The country still boosts an impressive military forces. The Imperial Armed Forces has been involved in several UN peacekeeping missions and recently the war against terrorist.

Rajendravarman XII (2016-Present)

Rajendravarman XI is the 61th Emperor of the Naga Dynasty and a current reigning monarch of Cambodia. He came on to the throne in 2016 at the age of 31 years old after his father abdicated. The Empress Botoumkesor Kalyanni reigns by his side.

he Emperor Rajendravarman XI fully supports developments in Science and Technology. He increases funding to the Cambodian National Research Foundation by 45% and the Center for Space Exploration and Aerotech Research (CSEAR) by 36%. He also launches a program designed to encourage more women to work in the field of Science and Engineering. As of now, Cambodia is the only country actively supports for more female scientists and engineer.

Geography

Cambodia is located in South-East Asia. The country is 2,714,270 sq km (1,047,985.51 sq mi) by landmass. It borders China to the North, India to the West, and Indonesia and the Philippines to the South. Cambodia is divided into seven regions:

Presh Nokor

The name Presh Nokor roughly translates to "King's Landing". The capital city Yasodharapura is located here. The oldest region of the country, Presh Nokor is the most populated region with 84,726,605 people. It is also the economic and political hearth of the country. It accounts for 25% of the country total GDP with just 24.2% of the population

Oudorpura (Land of the North)

Oudorpura is the poorest region with the least population of only 7,527,364 people (2.15%). Mountains are the dominate landscapesdd of the region. 90% of the land is forest reserved. Its GDP is 2% of the Nation's.

Pachempura (Land of the West)

Pachempura is the second richest region in the country with 21% of the total GDP. It lies between the Salween River and the Irrawaddy River which are main highway for trade and access to the sea. Its economy is heavily depending on service sectors and mining. 71,597,483 people (20.45%) are living here.

Jayavarmanpura (Land of Jayavarman)

The youngest region of the country is home to 45,339,237 people (12.95%). Jayavarmanpura's main economy is cloth and electronic manufacturing. Its economic output accounts for 13% of the country GDP.

Malaka

Malaka is the second agriculture region of the nation with the population of 58,993,525 people (16.85%). The region is important naval bases for the Imperial Navy. The most important city is Singhapura (land of lion) located at the Southern edge of the country. It is vital to the nation's economy as 1/3 of the global trade networks converged at this city. Malaka constitutes 17% of Cambodian GDP.

Pumini

Pumini is the agriculture-richest region produced more than three quarter of the country total agriculture outputs. It is home to 38,687,148 people (11.05%) with 10% of the country GDP.

Bour (East)

Nicknamed the back of a whale due to the frequent of storms and earthquakes in the region, Bour is home to 43,238,578 people (12.35%). Its economy are mainly service sectors and small scale industries. Bour's economy accounts for 12% of the country total GDP

The country is divided into two territories. The mainland consists of Presh Nokor, Oudorpura, Pachempura, Jayavarmanpura, and Malaka. The island territory consists of two regions, Pumini and Bour.

Economy

Despite its political system, Cambodia practices a capitalistic economy. The nation GDP in 2015 is reported at 17.8 trillion USD with a growth rate of 2.5%.

Cambodia is the second largest importer and the third largest exporter. Trade deficit in 2015 was 615 billion USD. India, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, United Kingdoms, and the United States are Cambodian biggest trade partners. The largest import commodity is oil while agricultural products, electronic, and arm-trade are the main exports. The country produces an average of 7 million barrels of oil a day, but it imports another 25 million barrels daily to keep up with nation consumption.

Private sectors accounts for 93% of the total economic output. The service sectors constitutes a third of the nation GDP. Mining industries also big in Cambodia supplying huge amount of copper, lead, magnesium, zinc, titanium, and uranium. Agriculture is estimated to be just 1.5% of GDP. Cambodia is the largest exporter of rice, fish, and meat. Cambodia produces an outstanding work in art and literature. The province of Pailin is renounced for its expertise in working with precious metals and stones.

Consumer spending comprises 75% of Cambodian economy in 2016. The country labor force consisted of 164.8 million people. Cambodia is ranked as the second highest workplace productivity per person in the world. Unemployment rate is 2.5%. Cambodian economy took a large hit during the 2008 global recession, which resulted in millions unemployment nationwide. Since late 2009, the situation has started to improve.

Presh Nokor is the richest region with the largest economy of 4.82 trillion USD in 2016, followed by Pachempura with 3.39 trillion USD, Malaka with 3.21 trillion USD, and Jayavarmanpura with 2.68 trillion USD. The rest are Pumini with 1.78 trillion USD, Bour with 1.61 trillion USD, and Oudorpura with 0.36 trillion USD.

The national average GDP per capita is USD 56,658. Presh Nokor is the richest region per person with an average of USD 58,531, followed by Pachempura with USD 58,182, and Malaka with USD 57,162. The other regions GDP per capita are below the national average, Pumini with USD 51,274, Jayavarmanpura with USD 56,877, Bour with USD 55,052, and Oudorpura with USD 52,705.

Education

Cambodian public education is operated by the Imperial government. Cambodian citizens are entitled to 14 years of free education. Children are required to start schools at the age of three (in kindergarten) until high schools. Child education is mandatory. 15% of children enroll in private schools, while homeschooled are not recognized. The basic literacy rate is approximately 99%. The country spend an average of 15,000 USD per student.

Cambodia has one of the most opened higher education policies in the world. The government provides free tuitions for public universities. Of Cambodian 25 and older, 97% graduated from high school, 91% earned a bachelor's degree, and 50% earned graduate degrees. The United Nations assigns Cambodia an Education Index of 0.99.

Strange Traditional Education

Cambodian has a strange education policy resulted from its own culture. After high schools, all students are required to join the "tradition education" typically lasts for six months. Women participate in "Chuul Mlub" training, while men have to serve in monk-hood.

In the past, "Chuul Mlub" training (or staying in a shadow) was conducted to prepare young women for wife/mother duties. Girls who had their first period would be confined in her room and barred from interacting or being seen by men including her own fathers. During this time, she would be taught all the rules of being a wife and mother while receiving beauty treatments at the same time. This training could lasted from three to nine months depending on the family wealth. After she "coming out of a shadow", there would be a reception mainly served as an announcement by her family that she was married-ready.

Before public schools were widely spread across the country, Buddhist pagodas were the only places where boys could learn to read and write. Pagodas made and preserved literature works since the 3rd century. Young boys served in monk-hood between four to six years. Those who "graduated" and left monk-hood were called "Ann Tit". Today, Cambodian refers to those with doctorate degree as "Bann did", which derived from "Ann Tit". Men could only married after he had served as monk.

Today, "Chuul Mlub" training is conducted in specialized institutes reserved only for women. These practices are the connection between the past and the present society. It is seen as a must for all Cambodian. Without it, they cannot get into universities or married or, in many cases, get a job.

Political Institutes

Cambodia practice a form of hereditary absolute monarchy. The Emperor is chosen from the Imperial family. The Imperial family resides in the Imperial Palace of Yasodharapura, in the capital city of Yasodharapura. Many have criticized the country for its political system in the modern time. However, surveys repeatedly show that Cambodians are happy with the system due to peace and prosperity they have known for the last 2000 years. The current emperor is Rajendravarman XII who was crowned in 2016 at the age of 35 years old.

In her 2000 years of history, the form of politic in Cambodia have evolved. As of today there are 6 political institutes.

The Office of Emperor : Executive Branch (The Imperial Government)

This political institute is responsible for daily administration of the country, executing and enforcing the laws. The head of this branch is the Emperor who is also the head of state.

Below the Emperor, Uparach is the highest government position reserved only for non-Royal personnel. Uparach is a 5 years term and acts as the deputy to the Emperor. Uparach is selected by the Emperor himself, but only those with decades of experience in executive agencies can be considered. Uparach can fill in for the Emperor's place if needs arise.

Both the Emperor and Uparach oversee the country's 14 ministries as listed below, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Education Science and Technology, Ministry of Transportation and Communication, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Economy Finance Labor and Commerce, Ministry of Tourism Religion and Culture Reservations, Ministry of Environment Energy and Resources Management, Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Social Work and Public Corporations, Ministry of Intelligence.

Since the scare of revolution in Europe, successive emperors voluntarily transferred some powers to the National Assembly. Emperor cannot creates laws, approve government spending, declare war, or make peace without the consent of the National Assembly.

The National Assembly : Legislation Branch

This political institute was created in 1796 as a result to the nationwide civil unrest following a planned military campaign against China by Emperor Jayavarman XIV. The National Assembly comprises of 353 representative elected by the people every five years. In the past, the head of the most respected family in the province was chosen as representative. The election system was only introduced in 1820. In 1889, with the exercising of power by the Empress Borvor Vatey Tevi, Cambodia adopted the alternative voting system to choose the head of the National Assembly and single transferable vote to choose representative.

The national wide election for the representatives and the head of the National Assembly happens at the same date every 3 years, 2nd Saturday of December. The new term starts on the 1st of January.

Each representative is entitled to a special right in which they cannot be arrested or fired for speaking out. Although their action is condemned if they openly dissed the Emperor, they will not loss their position. They work for 4.5 day a week and are required to hold three town hall meeting a week on Friday afternoon and Saturday. A two third vote by representatives can overrule the Emperor or the Head of the National Assembly.

The head of the national assembly, him or herself a representative, has unanimous power that can overrule an Imperial degree, yet can also be vetoed by the Emperor.

Traditionally, the National Assembly's task was to represent the interest of the people. They evaluate laws, confirm positions of ministers and Uparach, vote on annual spending, levy taxes, and act as a counter-balance to the Imperial power. Every new laws put forward by the Emperor and his office must pass by the National Assembly before it can be implemented. Since 1811, the National Assembly has been allowed to draft up and put forward new laws. These laws must be approved by the Emperor before it too can be implemented.

The Imperial Council

The Imperial Council was officially acknowledge as a political institute by Emperor Indravarman I in 883. Members of the Imperial Council are the head of Buddhist monks, retired high-ranking government officials, retired high-ranking judges, retired scholars, retired generals, and retired representatives. The head of the Imperial Council can be either former Empress or the head of Buddhist monks.

The Imperial Council does not have any true political responsibility. The Imperial Council's job is to oversees his behavior and choose the next successor to the throne. They can publicly condemned an action of the Emperor, deem him incompetent, and vote him out of power. The Imperial Council also responsible for ruling the country in the brief period between the outgoing and oncoming Emperors, or as Cambodians call it "the time of changing the Earth". In the past, their responsibility also included upkeep the Imperial Palace, oversaw tradition ceremonies, arranging the Emperor's marriage, tutoring young princes and princesses, filling in for the Emperor's absent, and writing down history.

Members of the Imperial Council serve with no salary and are provided with accommodations in the capital. They are high on the list of priority personals to be evacuated in the event of national emergency. They are expected to run the country when the government and/or the national assembly cannot function.

Although with no political power, being in the Imperial Council is the most respected position in Cambodia. Only experience and distinguish person can be offered and accepted into this institute.

The Imperial Academy

The Imperial Academy is not a political institute, but it does have some influences through "expert opinions". If a law, bill, or regulation is questioned by the Imperial Academy, Cambodian people will not fully support it.

The Imperial Academy's members are professors from higher education institutes. Their jobs, in the political aspect, are to evaluate the law being passed in their expertise.

The Institute of Buddhist Study

Members of the institute are head monks from various pagodas around the nation. They can questions the religious aspect of any law being passed but have no power to stop it. Like the Imperial Academy, this institute has influence but no political power.

The Office of the Empress

By Cambodian laws and traditions, the Empress is the absolute ruler of the nation. Her word is final and cannot be overruled by anyone or any institute. The Empress works to promote women around the country, as well as maintains the relationship between the people and the imperial family. She usually doesn't involve in the drafting or debating of any law being passed.

Historically, empress uses her power to deal with issues that are too polarized to be solved. Major reforms such as, social, taxes, education, voting, and economy has one time or another could only be passed due to her absolute power that forced, with the penalty of death, politicians and officials to implement it.

Foreign relations

Cambodia established contact with European power since 12th century when diplomats had been sent to the Byzantine Empire. Since then, the country continued to see Europe and the Middle East important trade partners.

Today, India is Cambodian biggest market, following by the US, Europe, and China. The United States is Cambodian closest political and military ally. The US has 3 military bases in Cambodia, and both sides frequently conduct joint military exercise. The relationship with the US becomes more important since the escalation of maritime dispute with China in the sea of Suvannapumi (the South China Sea).

Cambodian relation with China is economically mutually beneficial yet politically not-good. The main dispute is in the sea of Suvannapumi (the South China Sea), where China claims belonging to them. Historically, Cambodia has controlled the sea since the reign of Jayavarman VIII in the 13th century. Chinese navy has several time flirt with Cambodian maritime border.

Internal Issues

Due to low birth rate and long life expectancy (80.1 years), Cambodia are now has to deal with large elder population. Retirement support from the government proves to be very costly. In the recent year, the Imperial Government prolongs the age of retirement from 65 to 70 years old. Companies are now obligated to cover retirement support for their employers which previously had been covered by the government.

Illegal immigration is also a pressing issue. Each year, an estimated 150,000 people from China and India crosses the border without any legal document to find better jobs. Most are caught and sent back, but many continue to evade detection. They are susceptible to danger of hush working environment with no legal protection.

Cambodia has the second largest economy in the world. Therefore, it is also one of the worst carbon emission. In 2007, the Government has started to invest in renewable energy. A total of 20 billion USD has been spent since and yet little is getting in return.

Nuclear weapons is a hot debate in recent time. By the time the cold war had ended in 1991, the nation had produced and stocked pal nearly 2500 nuclear warheads. There are representatives who want to reduce the number to just 500 because nukes are useless in modern society and also are very expensive to maintain.

Demographics

Cambodia has a large population of 350,109,945 inhabitants. 99% of the citizens identify themselves as Khmer. There is almost no trace of native people thanks to a policy by the Emperor Indravarman IV to incorporate native people into Khmer culture, both peacefully and forcefully. In the 1800s, an average woman had 7.2 children. Today, the overall fertility rate is 1.03 child per women. Life expectancy is 80.1 years from birth. 75% of the population are living in metropolitan areas.

Buddhism is the state religion with 95% of the people identified as Buddhist. Hinduism was Cambodia’s first major religion when it was introduced by the king Kaundinya the First back in the 1st century AD. Buddhism became more popular when the Emperor Jayavarman VII became the first monarch to convert to Buddhist in 1181. Freedom to practice religion is written in the nation's law. Christianity is the second religion with 1.9% followed by Islam 1.8%.

The official language of the nation is Khmer. Originated from the Austroasiatic language family, Khmer language is influence by Sanskrit (Indian ancient language) and Pali (Buddhism language) throughout its 2000 years of evolution. English is the second widely spoken language. Since 1960s, English has been taught since primary schools. Most Cambodian especially the young generation can read and write English skillfully.

As of 2016, 92% of Cambodians age 18 and over were married, 1% were widowed, 3% were divorced, and 5% had never been married. Women hold the majority of service sectors while men dominate in agriculture and manufacture. The average age of married is 27 for men and 25 for women.

Around 500,000 Cambodians identify as not heterosexual. Same-sex marriages and homosexual had never been illegal in Cambodia since the legal battle between 1710-1738.

Culture

Religion and Belief

From the 1st century AD until 1181, most of the citizens and their emperors were practicing Hinduism. In 1181, the Emperor Jayavarman VII was the first to adopt Buddhism. As of now, 95% of Khmer are Buddhist. Even though Hinduism is no longer existed in the country, traces of it can be found in everyday life and even inside the practice of some Buddhism’s ceremonies.

In the past, the people of Khmer believe that their nation was being looked after by a Naga’s king living under the sea of Suvannapumi. The tale telling of a story that the Naga’s king dry a huge portion of land which previously being submerge under the sea in which he gave as a present for the people of Khmer on the coronation day of their first king, Kaundinya the First. Archeologists, amazingly, find out that the large portion of land from the city of Chatomok to where the Mekong River meets the sea today used to be covered by sea water.

Architecture

Cambodia produced numerous temples and majestic monuments to celebrate the divine authority of the Emperors. Khmer architecture is influenced mostly by Indian culture but is so difference that most people mistakenly believe that it is an unique independence architecture.

Khmer architects blend religion and belief into their works. The famous five peaks and moat of the great temple Angkor Wat represents Mount Meru reflecting the Hindu belief of where gods are residing with its and surrounded by seas represented by ponds and moats.

Stone temples are the trade mark of Khmer architecture. The great temple of Angkor Wat, the largest sacred structure in the world, is the pinnacle of Khmer achievement. Constructed in just 37 years, Angkor Wat remains the source of prize for modern Cambodian. Since its completion in 1150, no temples are to be build bigger and taller than Angkor Wat due to the issue of time and labor consuming and costly price in term of finance and human lives. Queen Suryavana passed this policy in the year of 1160.

Since the interaction with European nations, Khmer architecture had since introduced many of Europe's great achievements into their work. Khmer is renounced for its ability to consolidate other culture and blend it into its own existing culture.

Cuisine

Rice is the staple grain in Cambodian daily consumption. Fresh-water fish is also an important part of the diet. Khmer people consume fish more than any country in the world with approximation of 290 kg per person per year. Some of the fish can be made into Prahok or Amok for longer storage. Prahok is a traditional food, not familiar to many foreigners.

Another traditional dish is call Nom Banh Chok (នំបញ្ចុក). It is made from rice and looks a lot like noodles. Tropical fruits are also included in the daily diet. Mangoes and bananas are very popular. Coconut milk is used widely in deserts along with pumpkin and red soy.

French influence on Khmer cuisine includes the Cambodian red curry with toasted baguette bread. The toasted baguette pieces are dipped in the curry and served. Cambodian red curry can also served with rice or with Nom Banh Chok. Rice with pork or chicken is called Cambodian fast-food, usually served for breakfast, along with a dish called Kuy Teav, which is originated in China.

Sport

Soccer is the national sport of Cambodia. Soccer was introduced as a result of trades with the British during the 1880s. Soccer was not instantly popular until its appearance in the Summer Olympic Game in 1900. Today, most schools and every province throughout the country have their own soccer teams. Other sports such as volleyball, bodybuilding, field hockey, rugby union, golf, and baseball are gaining popularity. Volleyball is by far the most preferred sport - excluding soccer.

There is a number of native sports still existing today including traditional boat racing, buffalo racing, traditional boxing, traditional wrestling and Bokator (Khmer martial art). Aside from boat racing and Bokator, other sports are widely restricted to local competitions. Traditional boat racing is held in November annually for three days as part of the Water festival.

Traditional Measurement

Metric system has become the country's legal measuring system since 1892. However, before this, Cambodia had its own traditional system being used for nearly 2000 years.

Length

1 Thnab (ធ្នាប់) = 021⁄32 in = 5⁄3 cm

1 Chom Am (ចំអាម) = 77⁄8 in = 20 cm

1 Kukh (គក់) = 153⁄4 in = 40 cm

1 Hat (ហត្ថ) = 1911⁄16 in = 50 cm

1 Phyeam (ព្យាម) = 2.187227 yd = 2 m

1 Sen (សិន) = 43.74453 yd = 40 m

1 Kea Vuth (គាវុត) = 2.485485 mi = 4 km

1 Yoch (យោជន៍) = 9.941939 mi = 16 km

Weight

1 Lin (លី) = 0.001322774 oz = 0.0375 g

1 Hun (ហ៊ុន) = 0.01322774 oz = 0.375 g

1 Chin (ជី) = 0.1322774 oz = 3.75 g

1 Dom Leung (ដំឡឹង) = 1.322774 oz = 37.5 g

1 Neal (នាឡិ) = 21.16438 oz = 600 g

1 Chong (ចុង) = 66.13868 lb = 30 kg

1 Hap (ហាប) = 132.2774 lb = 60 kg

• ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ​មាន​ព្រះ​រាជមហេសី​ ២ អង្គ ​គឺ​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជទេវី និង​ព្រះ​នាង​ឥន្រ្ទទេវី។​ ព្រះ​មហេសី​ទាំង​ពីរ​​អង្គ ជា​បង​ប្អូន​បង្កើត​ ​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជាទេវី រៀប​អភិសេក​មុន​ពេល​ដែល​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ឡើង​សោយរាជ្យ។​ ក្រោយ​ពេល​ដែល​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជាទេវី បាន​សោយ​ទីវង្គត​ទៅ ទើប​ព្រះ​នាង​ឥន្រ្ទទេវី ដែល​ជា​ព្រះ​រៀម បាន​​ឡើង​ឋានៈ​ជា​អគ្គមហេសី។ ​​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ​មាន​ព្រះ​រាជមហេសី​ ២ អង្គ ​គឺ​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជទេវី និង​ព្រះ​នាង​ឥន្រ្ទទេវី។​ ព្រះ​មហេសី​ទាំង​ពីរ​​អង្គ ជា​បង​ប្អូន​បង្កើត​ ​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជាទេវី រៀប​អភិសេក​មុន​ពេល​ដែល​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ឡើង​សោយរាជ្យ។​ ក្រោយ​ពេល​ដែល​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជាទេវី បាន​សោយ​ទីវង្គត​ទៅ ទើប​ព្រះ​នាង​ឥន្រ្ទទេវី ដែល​ជា​ព្រះ​រៀម បាន​​ឡើង​ឋានៈ​ជា​អគ្គមហេសី។
• ផ្ទាំង​សិលា​ចារឹក​ដ៏​ធំ​មួយ​នៃ​ប្រាសាទព្រះខ័នស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ខេត្តសៀមរាប អតីត​ទី​ក្រុងខែ្មរ​មហា​អស្ចារ្យ​រុង​រឿង ដែល​​លោក គែ្លហ្សិ៍ បាន​ប្រទះ​ឃើញ គឺ​លោក ហ្ស៊ក សេដែស ជា​ជន​ជាតិ​បារាំងសែស ដែល​បាន​បោះពុម្ព​​ផ្សាយ កាល​ពី​ឆ្នាំ ១៩៤១។ ការ​ផ្សព្វ​ផ្សាយ​នូវ​ទិន្នន័យ​ដ៏​សំខាន់​បំផុត ពាក់​ព័ន្ធ​ទៅ​នឹង​ព្រះ​រាជជីវប្រវតិ្ត​របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ័្មន ទី ៧ ព្រះ​មហា​វីរក្សត្រ​នៅ​សម័យ​មហានគរ។ មតិ​មហាជន​ខែ្មរ​មួយ​ចំនួន​ មិន​ទាន់​បាន​ជ្រាប​អំពី​ព័ត៌‌មាន​ចម្បង​ទាំង​នេះ​ឲ្យ​បាន​ច្បាស់​លាស់​នៅ​ឡើយ​ទេ។ ប៉ុនែ្ត អ្នក​ឯក​ទេស​ខាង​ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ត​កម្ពុជា​ បាន លើក​យក​មក​បក​ប្រែ​ក្រៅ​ផ្លូវ​ការ ជូន​ជន​រួម​ជាតិ​ខែ្មរ ទុក​ជា​ការ​ចេះ​ដឹង​ទូទៅ​ខាង​ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ត​មួយ​កម្រិត​ទៀត ។ គួរ​រំលឹក​ផង​ដែរ​ថា សិលា​ចារឹក​នេះ (k-៩០៨) មាន​ចារ​ជា​អក្សរ​ទាំង​អស់​ចំនួន ១១១ គាថា។ បណ្ឌិត​បុរាណវិទូ​ខែ្មរ លោក មីសែល ត្រាណេ បាន​លើក​ឡើង​ថា ១៨ គាថា​ដើម​នៃ​សិលា​ចារឹក​នេះ មាន​លក្ខណៈ​ដូច​គ្នា​បេះ​បិទ​ទៅ​នឹង​ខ្លឹមសារ​នៃ​សិលា​ចារឹក​ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម។ លោក​បណ្ឌិត​បាន​ធ្វើ​ការ​បក​ប្រែ​នូវ​គាថា​មួយ​ចំនួន ជា​ពិសេស គាថា​ជីវប្រវត្តិ​របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជ័យវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ដូច​ត​ទៅ​នេះ៖
• « ជា​ព្រះ​រាជា​មួយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាន​ព្រះ​រាជា​ទាំង​ពួង នៃ​ដែន​ដី​ដែល​នៅ​ដៃ​មាន​កាន់​យ៉ាង​ណែន មនុស្ស​គោរព​សក្ការៈ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ជា​គតិបណ្ឌិត​ដ៏​ឆ្នើម​ក្នុង​ចំណោម​គតិបណ្ឌិត​ផង​ទាំង​ឡាយ ជា​ព្រះ​រាជបុត្រា​របស់​ព្រះ​រាជា ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ស្រុតវរ័្មន និង​ព្រះ​បាទ​ស្រីស្រេស្ថវរ្ម័ន ជា​មនុស្ស​ល្អ​ប្រពៃ តាម​រយៈ​ព្រះ​សម្មិទ្ធិ​ដ៏​រុង​រឿង​ថ្កើង​ថ្កាន ជា​ប្រភព​នៃ​វង្ស​ក្សត្រ​ដ៏​បរិសុទ្ធ » (គាថា​ទី ៦) ។« ព្រះ​អង្គ​ជា​ព្រះ​អាទិត្យ​នៅ​លើ​មេឃា ដែល​ជា​វង្ស​ត្រកូល​កម្ពុជា​ ដែល​បាន​ប្រសូត​ឡើង​នៅ​លើ​ភ្នំ​ខាង​កើត​នៃ​ជយាទិត្យបុរៈ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​ដាស់​បេះដូង​ផ្កា​ឈូក​នៃ សព្វ​សត្វ​លោក​ ជា​ឃ្លាំង​នៃ​ភាព​ត្រចេះ​ត្រចង់ ជា​អធិរាជ​នៃ​ស្រេស្ថបុរៈ » (គាថា​ទី ៧)។« ប្រសូត​ឡើង​ក្នុង​មហា​នគរ​នៃ​គ្រួសារ​ខាង​ព្រះ​មាតា​ ដែល​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​ចែង​ចាំង​នូវ​កាំ​រស្មី​ព្រះ​កិត្តនាម​ល្អ​ប្រពៃ​ឥត​ខ្ចោះ ភ្លឺ​ថ្លា​ដូច​ព្រះ​នាង​លក្ស្មី​ ​ព្រះ​នាង​បាន​នាំ​មុខ​កំពូល​ស្រ្តី​ទាំង​ឡាយ (គឺ​ព្រះ​រាជិនី) កម្ពុជរាជលក្ស្មី » (គាថា​ទី ៨)”។« ស្វាមី​នៃ​ដែន​ដី​ឯ​ភវបុរៈ ព្រះ​បាទ​ភវរ្ម័នទេវៈ ប្រកប​ដោយ​សម្រស់​ដ៏​ភ្លឺ​ថ្លា ដែល​នាំ​មក​នូវ​មន្ត​សេ្នហ៍​ចំពោះ​ព្រះ​រាជនគរ​របស់​ទ្រង់ ។ ពោរ​ពេញ​ទៅ​ដោយ​ទេពកោសល្យ​ ជា​ប្រភព​កំណើត​នៃ រាជវង្សានុវង្ស ដូច​អ្នក​ដែល​បាន​ប្រកប​ដោយ​កាំ​រស្មី​អមតៈ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​សម្រាល​នូវ​ភាព​ឈឺ​ចុក​ចាប់​របស់​ប្រជានុរាស្រ្ត​របស់​ទ្រង់ » (គាថា​ទៅ ៩)។« អ្នក​ដែល​មាន​អាកប្បកិរិយា​ល្អ ភាព​ល្បីល្បាញ វីរភាព ដែល​គេ​មិន​អាច​ស្តី​បន្ទោស​អ្វីៗ ទាំង​អស់​បាន​ឡើយ ហើយ​ទ្រង់​បាន​ប្រសូត​ក្នុង​ត្រកូល​របស់​អ្នក​នោះ ព្រម​ទាំង​បាន​បង្កើត​នូវ​កិច្ចការ​សម្រាប់​មនុស្ស​គ្រប់​មជ្ឈដ្ឋាន ព្រះ​បាទ​ស្រី​ហស៌‌វរ្ម័ន ជា​អ្នក​បំផ្លាញ​សេចក្តី​រីក​រាយ​របស់​សត្រូវ​ក្នុង​ចម្បាំង ហើយ​មាន​ព្រះ​រាជសកម្មភាព​ដ៏​ថៃ្ល​ថ្លា​ ដែល​បាន​ផ្សព្វ​ផ្សាយ​ចេញ​ពី​វាចា​គ្រប់​ទិស​ទី » (គាថា​ទី ១០)។« តាម​រយៈ​ព្រះ​មហាក្សត្រ និង​ព្រះ​រាជមហេសី​នេះ ព្រះ​នាង​ស្រី​ជយរាជចូឌាមនី បាន​មាន​កំណើត​ឡើង » … « ប្រៀប​ទៅ​នឹង​ធាត្រី​ដែល​បង្កើត​ឡើង​ដោយ​ភាព​រឹង​ប៉ឹង ដូច​កមលា ដោយ​សោភ័ណភាព​ ដូច​​អរុណោទ័យ ដោយ​អាកប្បកិរិយា​ដែល​មិន​អាច​ស្តី​បន្ទោស​បាន​ឡើយ ដូច​បៃត្រី​ដែល​បាន​ចាប់​កំណើត​ដោយ​សប្បុរសធម៌‌ » (គាថា​ទី ១១-១២)។« បាន​សោយ​រាជសម្បត្តិ នៅ​ឯ​ស្រី​មន្ត​យសោធរបុរៈ ព្រះ​មហាក្សត្រ​ជយវរ្ម័នទេវៈ ក្រោយ​ពី​ផ្ទាញ់​រលក​នៃ​ពួក​សត្រូវ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​បោះ​បង្គោល​រហូត​ដល់​សមុទ្រ បង្គោល​នៃ ជ័យ​ជំនះ​គ្រប់​ទិស​ទី ព្រះ​អង្គ និង​បុព្វការីជន​ប្រថាប់​នៅ​ឯ​មហិធរបុរៈ » (គាថាទី ១៣) ។« ព្រះ​រាជបុត្រី​របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ស្រីហស៌‌វរ្ម័ន បាន​ឲ្យ​កំណើត​ទៅ​មហាបុរស​មួយ​រូប គឺ ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ប្រកប​ដោយ​ថាមពល​ចែង​ចាំង​ដូច​ភ្លើង​ក្រហម​ឆ្អៅ បៀ្រប​ដូច​ទៅ​នឹង​ព្រះ​នាង​អទិតិ ដែល​បាន​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​ព្រាហ៌្មសី​ក្លាយ​ទៅ​ជា​សេ្តច​នៃ​ពពួក​ទេវតា ដែល​ដោយ​សារ​ការ​ប្រណិប័តន៍​ដ៏​ល្អប្រពៃ​ដើម្បី​ការ​ការ​ពារ​ដែនដី បាន​សម្លាប់​ពួក​មេ​ទ័ព​បច្ចាមិត្ត » (គាថា​ទី ១៨)។
• រួម​សេចក្តី​មក គ្មាន​អ្វី​សង្ស័យ​ឡើយ ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ពិត​ជា​វង្ស​មហាក្សត្រា​ខែ្មរ​យ៉ាង​ពិត​ប្រាកដ​ ដែល​បាន​ត​ពូជ​ពង្ស​ពី​ព្រះ​មហា​វីរក្សត្រ​នា​សម័យ​នគរ​ភ្នំ និង​ចេនឡា ដ៏​មាន មហិទ្ធិប្ញទិ្ធ​គួរ​ឲ្យ​ស្ញប់​សែ្ញង ហើយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ក៏​ជា​មហា​បុរស​រដ្ឋ ​ដែល​បាន​ការ​ពារ​ដែន​ដី​ខែ្ម​រយើង ដោយ​មាន​ការ​លះ​បង់​ខ្ពស់ រក​អ្វី​បៀ្រប​ពុំ​បាន​ឡើយ។ [១]
• ស្នាម​ព្រះ​ហស្ត​ក្នុង​ការ​ក​សាង​ផ្លូវ​ជាតិ​ធំៗ ចំនួន ៥ ខែ្ស​ក្នុង​រជ្ជកាល​ព្រះ​អង្គ មិន​ត្រឹម​តែ​ក​សាង​នូវ​មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ​និង​ធម្មសាលា ប្រាសាទ​ច្រើន​រាប់​មិន​អស់​ទេ ក្នុង​រជ្ជកាល​ព្រះអង្គ ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ក​សាង​ផ្លូវ​ជាតិ​ធំៗ ចំនួន ៥ ខែ្ស សម្រាប់​ការ​ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​ឆ្លង​កាត់​អាណាចក្រ ។ លោក វង់ សុធារ៉ា សាស្រ្តាចារ្យ​សិលាចារឹកសាស្រ្ត និង​ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ត​ខែ្មរ និង​ជា​អនុប្រធាន​ដេប៉ាតឺម៉ង់​ប្រវត្តិវិទ្យា​នៃសាកលវិទ្យាល័យភូមិន្ទភ្នំពេញ បាន​មាន​ប្រសាសន៍​ឲ្យ​ដឹង កាល​ពី​ពេល​ថ្មីៗ នេះ​ថា ក្នុង​រជ្ជកាល​ព្រះ​អង្គ ព្រះ​មហា​វីរក្សត្រ​អង្គ​នេះ​បាន​ទ្រង់​ក​សាង​ផ្លូវ​គមនាគមន៍​​សំខាន់ៗ ចំនួន ៥ ខែ្ស ។ ខែ្ស​ទី ១ ផ្លូវ​ខាង​លិច​ ចាប់​ពី​យសោធបុរៈ​កាត់​ភ្នំ​ស្រុក តម្រង់ ទៅ​ស្តុក​កក់​ធំ និង​បន្ទាយ​ឆ្មារ។ ខែ្ស​ទី ២ ផ្លូវ​នៅ​ប៉ែក​ពាយ័ព្យ​ប្រទេស ពី​យសោធបុរៈ​ទៅ​ប្រសាទ​ពិមាយ។ ខែ្ស​ទី ៣ ផែ្នក​ខាង​ជើង (មិន​ដឹង​ច្បាស់) គេ​រៀប​រាប់​បែប​ជា​ផ្លូវ​វង់​មួយ គឺ​ចេញ​ពី​រាជធានី ទៅ​កាន់​ទី​ក្រុង​ជយវតី ជយសិង្ហវតី ជយវីរតី ជយរាជគិរី ស្រីសុវីរបុរី មក​ដល់​យសោធបុរៈ​វិញ។ ចំណែក​ខែ្ស​ទី ៤ ផ្លូវ​ឦសាន​ ពី​រាជធានី​យសោធបុរៈ​ទៅ​កាន់​រាជធានី​របស់​ចាម និង​ទី ៥ ផ្លូវ​ខាង​កើត ពី​យសោធបុរៈ ទំនង​ជា​តម្រង់​ទៅ​សម្បូរ​ព្រៃ​គុក ដែល​គេ​អាច​ឃើញ​ដាន​នៃ​សំណង់​ស្ពាន​បុរាណ​ជា​ច្រើន តាម​ដង​ផ្លូវ​ជាតិ​លេខ ៦ ចាប់​ពី​ស្ពាន​បុរាណ​នៅ​កំពង់​ក្តី​រហូត​ដល់​ដំ​ដែក ។ លោក​សាស្រ្តាចារ្យ វង់ សុធារ៉ា បាន​បន្ត​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ការ​ក​សាង​ផ្លូវ​គមនាគមន៍​ចំនួន ៥ ខែ្ស​នេះ នៅ​តាម​ផ្លូវ​ព្រះអង្គ បាន​ក​សាង​ធម្មសាលា និង​ភ្លើង​បំភ្លឺ​ចំនួន ១២១ កនែ្លង សម្រាប់​ជា​ជម្រក​សាធារណៈ​ ដល់​អ្នក​ធ្វើ​ដំណើរ​ទូទៅ។ លោក​បន្ត​ថា ក្នុង​សិលា​ចារឹក​ប្រាសាទ​ព្រះខ័ន បាន​បន្ត​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា តាម​ផ្លូវ​ពាយ័ព្យ មាន​ធម្មសាលា​ចំនួន ១៧ ផ្លូវ​ខាង​ជើង មាន​ធម្មសាលា​ចំនួន ១៤ និង មាន​ភ្លើង​ផ្លូវ​ឦសាន មាន​ធម្មសាលា​ចំនួន ៥៧ រួម​ទាំង​ភ្លើង​និង​1នៅ​សូរ្យបវិត​ គី​ភ្នំជីសូរ1 នៅ​វិជយាទិត្យ​និង ១ នៅ​កល្យានសិទ្ធកៈ ទំនង​ជា​ត្រូវ​នឹង​ស្រុក​រំដួល ខេត្តស្វាយរៀង ។ បនែ្ថម​ពី​នោះ ធម្មសាលា​សល់​ចំនួន ៣០ ដោយ​សារ​មិន​មាន​អត្ថបទ​សិលា​ចារឹក ធម្មសាលា​ដែល​នៅ​សល់ ទំនង​ជា​សង់​តាម​ផ្លូវ​ខាង​លិច និង​ខាង​កើត តាម​កឆរ​បញ្ជាក់​របស់​លោក​សាស្រ្តាចារ្យ វង់ សុធារ៉ា ។ លោក​បាន​បន្ត​ថា ក្រៅ​ពី​នេះ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​ក​សាង​មន្ទីរពេទ្យ ដែល​ភាសា​ជំនាន់​នោះ​ហៅ​ថា អារោគ្យសាលា មាន​ចំនួន ១០២ កនែ្លង ប្រកប​​ដោយ​គឿ្រង​តង្វាយ​ដ៏​ច្រើន​អនេក សម្រាប់​ផ្គត់​ផ្គង់​ជីវភាព និង​សកម្មភាព​នៅ​តាម​មន្ទីរ​ព្យាបាល​នីមួយៗ ពេទ្យ​ជំនាញ ពេទ្យ​ជំនួយ អ្នក​បុក​ថ្នាំ អ្នក​ដាំ​ទឹក អ្នក​បម្រើ​ការ​ផេ្សងៗ ដែល​សរុប​មាន​ប្រមាណ ៩០ នាក់ សម្រាប់​មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ​នីមួយៗ ។ លោក​សាស្រ្តាចារ្យ វង់ សុវធារ៉ា បាន​បន្ត​ដោយ​គូស​បញ្ជាក់​ថា « អ្នក​ជំងឺ​គ្រប់​ឋានៈ​សង្គម អាច​ទទួល​ការ​ព្យាបាល​ ដោយ​គ្មាន​ការ​រើស​អើង » (សិលាចារឹក​សាយ​ហ្វុង លេខ K ៣៦៨)។ លោក​បនែ្ថម​ថា ដោយ​សារ​ព្រះអង្គ​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់​លើ​សុខុមាលភាព​នេះ ហើយ​ដែល​រហូត​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​អ្នក​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​ខ្លះ​សង្ស័យ​ថា ព្រះ​អង្គ​កើត​ឃ្លង់​ ដោយ​​អ្នក​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​ទាំង​នោះ​ គ្រាន់​តែ​ពឹង​ផែ្អក​លើ​ការ​បក​ស្រាយ​រូប​ចម្លាក់​នៅ​លើ​ជញ្ជាំង​ប្រាសាទបាយ័ន និង​រឿង​ព្រេង​និទាន​សេ្តច​គម្លង់ ដែល​គេ​ប្រឌិត​ឡើង នៅ​ពេល​ក្រោយ​ប៉ុណ្ណោះ ។ [២]

អំពី​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ (ព្រះ​រាជា​ដ៏​មាន​មហិទ្ធិឫទ្ធិ) និង​ព្រះរាជវង្ស)

• ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ជា​ព្រះ​រាជា​ដ៏​មាន​មហិទ្ធិឫទ្ធិ​ខ្លាំង​​ពូកែ​ចុង​ក្រោយ​នៃ​រាជាណាចក្រ​អង្គរ ។ អ្នក​ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ត​អំពី​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា លោក អៃម៉ូនីញ៉េរ៍ (Aymonier) បាន​សិក្សា​ពី​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ និង​សន្និដ្ឋាន​ថា ជា​ក្សត្រ​បង្កើត​សម័យ​ដ៏​រុង​រឿង​នៃ​ប្រទេស។ ការ​បង្រួប​បង្រួម​ជាតិ​របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ចាប់​ផ្តើម​ចុះ​ផ្សាយ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រឹត្តិបត្រ សាលា​បារាំង​ចុង​បូព៌ា‌ ដោយ​សារ​លោក ល្វីស៍ ហ្វ៊ីណូត៍ (Louis Finot) នូវ​អត្ថបទ​សិលា​ចារឹក​សំស្រ្កឹត​មួយ ដែល​ប្រទះ​ឃើញ​ដោយ​លោក ហ្ស៊ក ម៉ាស្ប៉ឺរ៉ូ (Georges Maspero) នៅ​ត្រង់​សាយ​ហ្វុង (Say Fong) ជិត​ក្រុង​វៀង​ចន្ទន៍ ដែល​ផ្តល់​ព័ត៌‌មាន​ពី​ការ​ក​សាង​មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ​នៅ គស ១១៨៦។ លោក ល្វីស៍ ហ្វ៊ីណូត៍ (Louis Finot) បាន​កត់​សម្គាល់ថា សិលា​ចារឹក​នេះ​មាន​ន័យ​ដូច​សិលា​ចារឹក នៅ​សសរ​ស្តម្ភ ដែល​គេ​បាន​រក​ឃើញ​នៅ​ឈូង​សមុទ្រ​សៀម ជិត​ព្រំ​ដែន​កូសាំងស៊ីន (កម្ពុជា​ក្រោម) ហើយ​ព្រះ​នាម ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ត្រូវ​បាន​រំលឹក​ជា​ញឹក​ញាប់ នៅ​ក្នុង​សិលា​ចារឹក​ចាម​ថា ជា​អ្នក​ចម្បាំង​មួយ​យ៉ាង​ធំ ។ លោក​បាន​សន្និដ្ឋាន​ថា « សិលា​ចារឹក​ដែល​មាន​ចាប់​ពី​ប្រទេស​លាវ​ខាង​ក្រោម ទៅ​ឆេ្នរ​សមុទ្រ​អណ្ណាម និង​ទៅ​ទឹក​ដី​កូសាំងស៊ីន​ខាង​ក្រោម​ខ្លះ បាន​រៀប​រាប់​ពី​ជោគ​ជ័យ​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ ខ្លះ​ទៀត​អំពី​អំពើ​ល្អ​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ។ ទាំង​នេះ​បាន​បំភ្លឺ​ពី​រូបភាព​នៃ​ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​អង្គ​នេះ​ពី​ក្នុង​ភាព​ងងឹត​នៃ​អតីតកាល​របស់​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា » ។
• ភាព​ងងឹត​ក៏​បាន​រសាយ​ដោយ​សារ​ការ​អត់​ធ្មត់​ក្នុង​ការ​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​រយៈ​ពេល ៤០ ឆ្នាំ របស់​លោក ល្វីស៍ ហ្វ៊ីណូត៍ ។ ព្រះ​នាម​របស់​សេ្តច​អង្គ​នេះ គេ​ទើប​នឹង​បាន​ស្គាល់​នៅ គ.ស. ១៩០០ ពេល​គេ​បង្កើត សាលា​បារាំង​ចុង​បូព៌ា ។ ឥឡូវ​នេះ គេ​ចាត់​ទុក​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ជា​ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​ដ៏​ខ្លាំង​ពូកែ​មួយ​អង្គ​ក្នុង ចំណោម​ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​ដ៏​ខ្លាំង​ពូកែ​ផេ្សង​ទៀត​នៃ​ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​ពង្រីក​ទឹក​ដី​យ៉ាង​ធំ​បំផុត គិត​ទាំង​ប្រទេស​ចម្ប៉ា​ផង និង​ក​សាង​ប្រាសាទ​ជា​ច្រើន​ពាស​ពេញ​ប្រទេស។ សិលា​ចារឹក​ជា​ច្រើន ដែល​ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​បន្សល់​ទុក​មាន​សិលា​ចារឹក​បី គឺ​ សិលាចារឹក​តាព្រហ្ម ព្រះ​ខ័ន និង​បន្ទាយ​ឆ្មារ ដែល​ព្រឹត្តិបត្រ​នៃ​សាលា​បារាំង​ចុង​បូព៌‌ា (Bulletin de L’École française d’Extrême-Orient) បាន​បោះ​ពុម្ព​ផ្សាយ។ បទ​បញ្ញត្តិ​នៃ​មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ​ ក្នុង​សិលា​ចារឹក​នៅ​ផែ្នក​ខាង​ក្រោម មក​ពី​ប្រាសាទ​ភិមាន​អាកាស ដែល​គេ​បាន​ប្រទះ​ឃើញ នៅ​ គ.ស. ១៩១៦ ក្នុង​ព្រះ​បរម​រាជវាំង​អង្គរ​ធំ និង​សិលា​ចារឹក​ចាម​មួយ​នៅ​មីសឺន (Mỹ-Sơn) គឺ​លោក ល្វី ហ្វ៊ីណូត៍ បាន​បោះ​ពុម្ព​នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រឹត្តិបត្រ​នៃ​សាលា​បារាំង។ ព្រះ​បាទ ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ខ្លាំង​ពូកែ​ដូច​ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​បារាំងសែស ព្រះ​នាម ល្វី ទី ៧ (Louis VII) និង ហ្វ៊ីលីព្ព ​អូហ្គុស្ត (Philippe Auguste) ដែល​រជ្ជកាល​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​សម័យ​ជាមួយ​គ្នា។
• ព្រះ​រាជពង្សាវតារ​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ ត្រូវ​បាន​គេ​ស្គាល់​យ៉ាង​ច្បាស់​លាស់។ ព្រះ​វរ​រាជ​បិតា​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ សោយ​រាជ្យ​រយៈ​ពេល​យ៉ាង​ខ្លី​ក្នុង​រវាង គ.ស. ១១៥៥។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ត្រូវ​ជា​បង​ប្អូន​ជីទួត​មួយ​នឹង ព្រះបាទសូរ្យវរ្ម័នទី២ ដែល​ទ្រង់​បាន​ធ្វើ​សង្រ្គាម​រហូត​ដល់​តុងកឹង និង​ក​សាង​ប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្ត ជា​ប្រាសាទ​ចេតិយ​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ។ ព្រះ​វរ​រាជ​មាតា​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ ជាប់​សាលោហិត​ទៅ​នឹង​ព្រះ​សន្តតិវង្ស​ពី​បរទេស ដែល​គ្រប់​គ្រង​ប្រទេស​ជិត​ពេញ ស.វ. ទី ១១ និង​ព្រះ​រាជិនី​កម្ពុជា​សម័យ​បុរេអង្គរ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន​ប្រសូត​​នៅ​រវាង គ.ស. ១១២០ ឬ​យ៉ាង​យូរ​ណាស់ គ.ស. ១១២៥ ក្នុង​រជ្ជកាល ព្រះបាទសូរ្យវរ្ម័នទី២ ហើយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​រៀប​អភិសេក ពី​កេ្មង​បន្តិច ជាមួយ​ក្សត្រី​ជយរាជទេវី ដែល​ព្រះ​នាង​មាន​ឥទ្ធិពល​ខ្លាំង​ទៅ​លើ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ក្នុង​ការ​គ្រប់​គ្រង​ប្រទេស ។
• ក្រោយ​មក ព្រះ​អង្គ​ត្រូវ​បញ្ជា​ឲ្យ​លើក​ទ័ព ទៅ​វាយ​ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា​នៅ​តំបន់​វិជ័យ (បច្ចុប្បន្ន​ខេត្ត​ប៊ិញ​ឌិញ ប្រទេសវៀតណាម)។ អវត្តមាន​នៃ​ព្រះ​ស្វាមី​បាន​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជទេវី​ធ្លាក់​ព្រះ​កាយ​ទៅ​ក្នុង​អន្លង់​ទុក្ខ ដែល​សិលា​ចារឹក​នៃ ព្រះបរមរាជវាំង​ សរសេរ​ដោយ​ព្រះនាងឥន្រ្ទទេវី ត្រូវ​ជា​បង​បង្កើត​របស់​ព្រះនាង។ សិលា​ចារឹក​បាន​រៀប​រាប់​ថា ព្រះ​នាង​ស្ថិត​នៅ​អន្លង់​ជ្រោះ​ទឹក​ភែ្នក ទួញ​សោក​ដូច​នាង​សិតា​ព្រាត់​ប្រាស​ពី​ព្រះ​ស្វាមី ព្រះ​នាង​សុំ​បន់​ស្រន់​សូម​ឲ្យ​ព្រះ​ស្វាមី​វិល​វិញ មធ្យោបាយ​បំភេ្លច​ទុក្ខ​សោក​ដ៏​មហិមា​នេះ ព្រះ​នាង​បាន​បួស​ជា​បស្វី​ក្នុង​ព្រាហ្មណ៍សាសនា និង ក្រោយ​មក បួស​ក្នុង​ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា ។
• សិលា​ចារឹក​បាន​សរសេរ​ថា « ទទួល​ការ​សិក្សា​អប់​រំ​ពី​បង​ស្រី​បង្កើត ព្រះ​នាង​គិត​ថា ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធសាសនា​ជា​ទី​ស្រឡាញ់​ពេញ​ចិត្ត ព្រះ​នាង​ប្រកាន់​យក​មាគ៌‌ា​របស់​ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនា ដែល​ជា​មាគ៌‌ា​ដ៏​ស្ងប់ ដើម្បី​ឆ្លង​កាត់​ភ្លើង​ទុក្ខ និង​សមុទ្រ​នៃ​សេចក្តី​ឈឺ​ចាប់ »។ នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ គង់​នៅ​ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា ព្រះ​បិតា​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ គឺ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ធរណី ន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន​ទី ២ ទ្រង់​ចូល​ទិវង្គត ហើយ​ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​ដែល​ស្នង​រាជ្យ​បន្ត​ ព្រះ​នាមយ សោវរ្ម័ន ទី ២ ដែល​គេ​មិន​ស្គាល់​ពី​ជីវប្រវត្តិ ។ ក្នុង​រជ្ជកាល​របស់​ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​អង្គ​នេះ មាន​ព្រឹតិការណ៍​សោក​សៅ​មួយ ដែល​មាន​ចារ​នៅ​ក្នុង​សិលា​ចារឹក និង​រូប​ចម្លាក់​នៅ​ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយឆ្មារ។ សិលា​ចារឹក និង​រូប​ចម្លាក់​ប្រាសាទ​នេះ បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ព្រះបាទយសោវរ្ម័នទី២ ត្រូវ​រាហុ​វាយ​លុក​ដូច​ពេល​មុន សូរ្យគ្រាស ឬ​ចន្រ្ទគ្រាស តែ​បាន យុវក្សត្រ​មួយ​អង្គ ជួយ​សង្រ្គោះ ទំនង​ជា​ព្រះ​រាជ​បុត្រ​ណា​មួយ​របស់​អនាគតព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ។
• សិលា​ចារឹក​សរសេរ​ថា « នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ភរតរាហុ​បះ​បោរ​ប្រឆាំង​នឹង​ព្រះ​បាទ​យសោវរ្ម័ន ដើម្បី​វាយ​លុក ដណើ្តម​ព្រះ​រាជវាំង កង​ទ័ព​ការ​ពារ​ទី​ក្រុង​ បាន​បាក់​ទ័ព​រត់​អស់… ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ចូល​ប្រយុទ្ធ។ ទាហាន​ពីរ​នាក់ បាន​ចូល​រួម​ប្រយុទ្ធ​ជាមួយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ ហើយ​បាន​ទទួល​ជ័យ​ជំនះ​លើ​ភរតរាហុ » ។ ប៉ុនែ្ត ព្រះបាទយសោវរ្ម័នទី២ បាន​ត្រូវ​មន្រ្តី​ជាន់​ខ្ពស់​ម្នាក់​ដណ្តើម​រាជ្យ​ ដោយ​យក​នាម​ថា ត្រីភូវនាទិត្យ នៅ គ.ស. ១១៦៥។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន ក៏​ប្រញាប់​ប្រញាល់​យាង​ត្រឡប់​មក​ពី​ចាម្ប៉ា ដើម្បី​ជួយ សង្គ្រោះ​ព្រះបាទយសោវរ្ម័នទី២។ សិលា​ចារឹក​បាន​បន្ត​ទៀត​ថា « ប៉ុនែ្ត ព្រះ​បាទ​យសោវរ្ម័ន ទី ២ ត្រូវ​អ្នក​ជ្រែក​រាជ្យ​ធ្វើ​គុត ហើយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន ក៏​គង់​នៅ​ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ដើម្បី​រង់​ចាំ ពេល​វេលា​ល្អ​នឹង​ស្រោច​ស្រង់​ស្ថានការណ៍ ដែល​ពោរ​ពេញ​ទៅ​ដោយ​អំពើ​ឧក្រិដ្ឋ ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ក្សត្រី ដែល​​កៀ្រម​ក្រំ​ដោយ​ទុក្ខ ពីព្រោះ​ព្រះ​ស្វាមី​អវត្តមាន ក៏​រលាយ​ពី​សេចក្តី​ទុក្ខ​ព្រួយ​វិញ ដោយ​ព្រះ​នាង​ចង់​ឃើញ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​រំដោះ​ប្រទេស​ពី​មហាសមុទ្រ​ទុក្ខ​ដែល​បាន​លិច​លង់ » ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន ដែល​បាន​យាង​ត្រឡប់​មក​ដល់​ប្រទេស​យឺត​ពេល និង​បាន​ឃើញ​អ្នក​ជ្រែក​រាជ្យ​នៅ​លើ​រាជបល្ល័ង្ក ព្រះ​អង្គ​ក៏​មិន​ទ្រង់​យាង​ត្រឡប់​ទៅ​ចាម្ប៉ា​វិញ​ឡើយ និង​ដោយ​សារ​មាន​ការ​ជួយ​ទស្សនៈ​ពី​មហេសី​ផង ព្រះ​អង្គ​ក៏​គង់​នៅ​កម្ពុជា « រង់​ចាំ​ពេល​វេលា​ល្អ​សម​ស្រប » ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ត្រូវ​រង់​ចាំអស់​រយៈ​ពេល ១៥ ឆ្នាំ ។ ក្នុង​​ពេល​ជាមួយ​គ្នា​ ដែល​នៅ​កម្ពុជា​មាន​ការ​ជ្រែក​រាជ្យ នៅ​ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា​ក៏​មាន​ការ​ជ្រែក​រាជ្យ​ដែរ នៅ គ.ស. ១១៦៦-១១៦៧ ព្រះ​នាម​ ជ័យ​ឥន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន។ សេ្តច​អង្គ​នេះបាន​លើក​សួយ​សារ​អាករ​ទៅ ថ្វាយ​សេ្តច​អាណ្ណាម ព្រះ​នាម លី អាញ់តុន នៅ គ.ស. ១១៧០ ដើម្បី​ឲ្យ​ប្រទេស​នេះ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​អព្យាក្រឹត ។
• ក្នុង​​ពេល​​នេះ ព្រំ​ដែន​ខាង​ជើង​នៃ​ប្រទេស​ចម្ប៉ា ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ភាព​ស្ងប់​ស្ងៀម ហើយ​សេ្តច​ជ្រែក​រាជ្យ​ចាម ក៏​លើក​ទ័ព​វាយ​លុក​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា។ សិលា​ចារឹក​ភិមាន​អាកាស​សរសេរ​ទៀត​ថា « ព្រះ​បាទ​ជ័យ​ឥន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន (សេ្តច​ចាម) ឥត​កោត​ខ្លាច​ដូច​ក្រុង​រាពណ៍ នៅ​លើ​រថ កាន់​អាវុធ​វាយ​ប្រយុទ្ធ​ប្រទេសកម្ពុជា »។ ប៉ុនែ្ត ការ​វាយ​លុក​នេះ​ពុំ​បាន​ទទួល​ជោគ​ជ័យ​ទេ។ សេ្តច​ចាម​នាម​ជ័យឥន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន បាន​ដូរ​យុទ្ធវិធី​ពី​វាយ​តាម​ជើង​គោក ទៅ​វាយ​តាម​ជើង​ទឹក​វិញ។ នៅ គ.ស. ១១៧៧ សេ្តច​ចាម​អង្គ​នេះបាន​លើក​ទ័ព​ជើង​ទឹក​ចូល​វាយ​ខែ្មរ ដោយ​មាន​ចិន​លិច​សំពៅ​ម្នាក់ ជួយ​នាំ​ផ្លូវ។ ទ័ព​នោះ​បាន​ចូល​តាម​ទនេ្លមេគង្គ ហើយ​ឡើង​រហូត​ដល់​បឹងទនេ្លសាប។ ក្រុង​អង្គរ​ត្រូវ​ធ្លាក់​ក្នុង​កណ្តាប់​ដៃ​ចាម ហើយ​សេ្តច​ជ្រែក​រាជ្យ​ត្រីភូវនាទិត្យវរ្ម័ន ក៏​ត្រូវ​ធ្វើ​គត់​ក្នុង​សមរភូមិ។ កង​ទ័ព​ចាម​ក៏​ចូល​កាន់​កាប់​ទី​ក្រុង ហើយ​បំផ្លិច​បំផ្លាញ និង​ប្រមូល​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្តិ​យ៉ាង​សន្ធឹក​សន្ធាប់​អស់​ពី​ទី​ក្រុង។ ព្រះ​រាជបល្ល័ង្ក​ត្រូវ​នៅ​ទំនេរ គ្មាន​ព្រះ​មហាក្សត្រ​សោយ​រាជ្យ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន ឈេ្វង​យល់​ថា ពេល​វេលា​ល្អ​បាន​មក​ដល់​ហើយ។ ប៉ុនែ្ត មុន​នឹង​ប្រកាស​ជា​សេ្តច​សោយ​រាជ្យ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ត្រូវ​រំដោះ​ប្រទេស​ចេញ​ពី​ការ​គ្រប់​គ្រង​របស់​បរទេស។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ក៏​បាន​លើក​ទ័ព​ដេញ​កម្ចាត់​ពួក​ចាម​តាម​ជើង​ទឹក ដូច​ដែល​មាន​រូប​ចម្លាក់​នៅ​លើ​ជញ្ជាំង​ប្រាសាទបាយ័ន និង​ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយឆ្មារ ហើយ​បាន​រំដោះ​ប្រទេស​ទាំង​មូល។ បួន​ឆ្នាំ​ក្រោយ​ការ​ឈ្លាន​ពាន​របស់​ចាម​នៅ​ គ.ស. ១១៧៧ នៅ គ.ស. ១១៨១ ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​បាន​សុខ​សន្តិភាព ហើយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន ក៏​ប្រកាស​ឡើង​គ្រង​រាជ្យ។ នៅ​ក្នុង​ពេល​ជាមួយ​នោះ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន ក​សាង​រាជធានី​ឡើង​វិញ។ « ទី​ក្រុង​យសោធបុរៈ ដូច​ជា​ស្រី​ក្រមុំ​ម្នាក់​ក្នុង​ត្រកូល​ខ្ពង់​ខ្ពស់ បាន​ផ្សំ​ផ្គុំ​ជាមួយ គូ​ដណ្តឹង​របស់​ខ្លួន​ក្នុង​តណ្អា ដែល​ពុះ​កញ្ជ្រោល​លម្អ​ទៅ​ដោយ​រាជវាំង​អំពី​ត្បូង​មាន​តម្លៃ និង​គ្រប​ដណ្តប់​ទៅ ដោយ​កំផែង។ គូ​ស្វាមី​ភរិយា​នេះ បាន​ធ្វើ​ពិធី​អាពាហ៍ពិពាហ៍​ដោយ​ព្រះ​រាជា​ ដើម្បី​បង្កើត​សុភមង្គល​នៃ​សត្វ​លោក​ ក្រោម​ជ័យ​ជំនះ​ដ៏​ធំ​ធេង ដែល​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ដណ្តើម​យក​បាន » ។ សិលា​ចារឹក​មួយ​នៅ​ជ្រុង​កំពែង អង្គរធំ បាន​សរសេរ​ថា រាជបុរី​ដែល​ព្រះ​រាជា​រៀប​ពិធី​អភិសេក​នោះ គ្មាន​អ្វី​ក្រៅ​ពី​ទី​ក្រុង​អង្គរ​ធំ​ទេ ពុំ​មែន​ប្រាសាទ​បាខែង​នៅ​ចុង ស.វ. ទី ៩ ឡើយ តែ​ជា​ទី​ក្រុង​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​ ដែល​មជ្ឈមណ្ឌល​ជា​ប្រាសាទបាយ័ន។ ក្នុង​ពេល​ដែល​ចាម​ចូល​លុក​លុយ​ប្រទេស​នា​ គ.ស. ១១៧៧ តាម​អ្នក​ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ​ចិន ឈ្មោះ ម៉ា ទួន​លិន ថា ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​ជយវរ្ម័ន « បាន​សច្ចា​ថា នឹង​សង​សឹក​សត្រូវ​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ ហើយ​កិច្ចការ​នេះ អត់​ទ្រាំ​ដោយ​ស្ងាត់​កំបាំង​រយៈ​ពេល ១៥ ឆ្នាំ » ។ ប៉ុនែ្ត មុន​នឹង​សម្រេច​សេចក្តី​សច្ចា​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ ដើម្បី​ធ្វើ​សង្រ្គាម​នឹង​ចាម​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស ព្រះ​អង្គ​ត្រូវ​បង្រ្កាប ការ​បះ​បោរ​នៅ​ផែ្នក​ខាង​ត្បូង​នៃ​ទឹក​ដី​បាត់ដំបង។ ដើម្បី​បង្រ្កាប​ការ​បះ​បោរ​នេះ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​បញ្ជា ក្សត្រ​ចាម​មួយ​អង្គ នាម វិទ្យានន្ទន៍ ឲ្យ​លើក​ទ័ព​ទៅ​បង្រ្កាប​បាន​រាប​ទាប​ឡើង​វិញ។ គួរ​បញ្ជាក់​ថា ក្សត្រ​ចាម​នេះ​បាន​មក​រស់​នៅអង្គរ​តាំង​ពី​កេ្មង​ម៉េ្លះ សិលា​ចារឹក​ចាម​នៅ​មី​សឺន​ បាន​សរសេរ​ថា « កាល​ពី​កុមារភាព​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ នៅ គ.ស. ១១៨២ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍ បាន​យាង​មក​គង់​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា។ ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា (គឺ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ឡើង​សោយ​រាជ្យ​ឆ្នាំ​មុន) បាន​ទត​ឃើញ​លក្ខណៈ ៣៣ យ៉ាង​របស់​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់។ ក៏​មាន​ព្រះ​ទ័យ​ស្រឡាញ់​សព្វ​ព្រះ​រាជងឲហ្ឫទ័យ ហើយ​​ព្រះ​​អង្គ​បង្រៀន​វិទ្យាសាស្រ្ត និង​ក្បួន​យុទ្ធសាស្រ្ត​ដល់​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់ នៅ​ពេល​ដែល​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​គង់​នៅ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា រាជាណាចក្រ​នេះ​មាន​តំបន់​មួយ​ឈ្មោះ មល្យង ដែល​មាន​មនុស្ស​អាក្រក់​រស់​នៅ ហើយ​បាន​ងើប​បះ​បោរ​ឡើង ប្រឆាំង​នឹង​ព្រះ​មហាក្សត្រ​ខ្មែរ។ ព្រះ​រាជា​បាន​ទត​ឃើញ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​នេះ​ពូកែ​ខាង​សឹក​សង្រ្គាម ក៏​បញ្ជា​ឲ្យ​ដឹក​នាំ​កង​ទ័ព​ខ្មែរ ដើម្បី​ទៅ​បង្រ្កាប​ការ​បះ​បោរ នៅ​មល្យង​នេះ​បាន​ទទួល​ជោគ​ជ័យ។ ដោយ​សារ​គុណ​បំណាច់​ ព្រះ​មហា​ក្សត្រ​ខែ្មរ​ទ្រង់​​ព្រះ​រាជទាន​កិត្តិយស និង​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្តិ ដែល​មាន​តម្លៃ​ខ្ពស់ៗ ដល់​ទ្រង់​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍ » ។
• នៅ គ.ស. ១១៩០ ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ធ្វើ​ឲ្យ​ប្រទេស​ដាយ​វៀត (នៃ​មហារាជា លី​ កៅ​ទន់) នៅ អព្យាក្រឹត ដើម្បី​ឲ្យ​ងាយ​ស្រួល​ក្នុង​ការ​វាយ​ចាម ក្នុង​ឆ្នាំ​ដដែល​ ឱកាស​ល្អ​ហុច​ឲ្យ​ដោយ​សេ្តច ចាម​ជ័យឥន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន ទី ៤ លើក​កង​ទ័ព​មក​វាយ​ខែ្មរ​ម្តង​ទៀត។ តើ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ទ្រង់​លើក​ទ័ព ប្រឆាំង​នឹង​ការ​វាយ​លុក​របស់​ចាម​ឬ​យ៉ាង​ណា ? សិលា​ចារឹក​នៅ​ប៉ោ​នគរ (ឯ​ញ៉ា​ត្រាង) បាន​សរសេរ​ទុក​ថា « ព្រះ​អង្គ​វាយ​យក​បាន​រាជធានី​នៃ​ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា និង​ប្រមូល​យក​លិង្គ​ទាំង​អស់ »។ ជោគ​ជ័យ​នេះ​បាន​ ដោយ​សារ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​​បញ្ជា​ទ្រង់​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍​លើក​ទ័ព​ទៅ​ទប់​ទល់។ ទ្រង់​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍​វាយ​យក បាន​ក្រុង​វិជ័យ (ប៊ិញ​ឌិញ) ហើយ​ចាប់​សេ្តច​ចាម​ជ័យ​ឥន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន​ទី ៤ ជា​ឈ្លើយ មក​ថ្វាយ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​លើក​ព្រះ​អនុជ​ថៃ្ល​របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ឈ្មោះ អិន (អនុជ​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជទេវី) ឲ្យ​ឡើង​សោយ​រាជ្យ​នៅ​វិជ័យ ដោយ​មាន​ព្រះ​បរមនាម​​ថា សូរ្យជយវម៌‌ទេវៈ រួច​ព្រះ​អង្គ​លើក​ទ័ព​បង្ហួស​ទៅ​វាយ​យក​បាណ្ឌុរង្គ (ផាន​​រ៉ាង) ហើយ​ឡើង​សោយ​រាជ្យ​នៅ​ទី​នោះ ដោយ​មាន​ព្រះ​រាជ​បរមនាម​ថា សូរ្យវម៌‌ទេវៈ ។ ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា​បាន​ចែក​ជា​ពីរ​ផែ្នក មួយ​ផែ្នក​គ្រប់​គ្រង​ដោយ​ព្រះ​រាជា​ខែ្មរ និង​មួយ​ផែ្នក​ទៀត​ដោយ​ក្សត្រ​ចាម វិទ្យានន្ទន៍។ តែ​មិន​យូរ​ប៉ុន្មាន ពួក​ចាម​នៅ​វិជ័យ ​បះ​ឡើង ដោយ​បណេ្តញ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ម្ចាស់​អិន រត់​ចូល​មក​ស្រុក​ខែ្មរ​វិញ ហើយ​លើក​សេ្តច​ចាម​ ព្រះ​នាម រសុបតិ ឲ្យ​ឡើង​សោយ​រាជ្យ​ជា​ជំនួស​វិញ។ ឆ្លៀត​ឱកាស​នេះ ព្រះ​រាជា​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍​បាន​បង្រួប​បង្រួម​ប្រទេស​ចាម​ឲ្យ​មាន​ឯកភាព​ឡើង​វិញ ក្រោយ​ពី​បាន​ធ្វើ​គុត​ព្រះ​ជ័យ​ឥន្រ្ទវរ្ម័ន ទី ៥ (រសុបតិ) ហើយ​ឡើង​សោយ​រាជ្យ​ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា​ទាំង​មូល ពី គ.ស. ១១៩២ ដល់ ១២០៣។ នៅ គ.ស. ១១៩៣ និង ១១៩៤ ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ ទ្រង់​បាន​សាក​ល្បង​ឲ្យ​ព្រះ​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍​ទទួល​ស្គាល់​អំណាច​ព្រះ​អង្គ​វិញ តែ​ឥត ប្រយោជន៍ រហូត​ដល់ គ.ស. ១២០៣ ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​បញ្ជា​សេ្តច​ចាម​មួយ​អង្គ​ទៀត ព្រះ​នាម អុង​ធនបតិក្រាម ដែល​ត្រូវ​ជា​ឪពុក​មា​របស់​ទ្រង់​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍ ឲ្យ​លើក​ទ័ព​ទៅ​វាយ​កម្ចាត់​ក្មួយ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ទាល់​តែ​បាន។ ចាប់​ពី គ.ស. ១២០៣ ដល់ ១២២០ ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា​ក៏​ក្លាយ​ទៅ​ជា​អាណាខេត្ត​របស់​ខែ្មរ។ ការ​លូក​ដៃ​ច្របូក​ច្របល់​នៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រទេស​ខាង​កើត ដែល​ជា​ប្រទេស​ជិត​ខាង ពុំ​បាន​ទប់​ស្កាត់​មិន​ឲ្យ​ព្រះ​អង្គ ពង្រីក​ទឹក​ដី​ទៅ​ខាង​ជើង និង​ខាង​លិច​នៃ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ឡើយ គឺ​នៅ​ក្នុង​រជ្ជកាល​នេះ​ហើយ ដែល​សិលា​ចារឹក​សាយ​ហ្វុង (ជិត​ក្រុង​វៀងចន្ទន៍) បាន​បញ្ជាក់​ពី​កាលបរិចេ្ឆទ ហើយ​អ្នក​ប្រវត្តិសាស្រ្ត​ចិន បាន​និយាយ​ពី​អំណាច​របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​ភ្ជាប់​ទឹក​ដី​មួយ​ផែ្នក​នៃ​ឧបទ្វីប​មឡាយូ និង​វាត​អំណាច​រហូត​ដល់ប្រទេសភូមា។ ម្យ៉ាង​ទៀត សិលា​ចារឹក​មួយ​នៃ​ប្រាសាទព្រះខ័ន​បាន​ឲ្យ​ដឹង​ថា ទឹក​មន្ត​ត្រូវ​បាន​ផ្តល់ ដោយ​ព្រាហ្មណ៍​សូរ្យភក្ត និង​ព្រហ្មណ៍​ឯ​ទៀត​ទាំង​អស់​ក្នុង​ព្រះ​បរម​រាជវាំង ព្រះ​រាជា​នៃ​យវនៈ និង​ព្រះ​រាជា​ពីរ​អង្គ​នៃ​ប្រទេស​ចម្ប៉ា។ ព្រាហ្មណ៍​សូរ្យភក្ត​ ប្រហែល​ជា​មេ​នៃ​ព្រាហ្មណ៍​ទាំង​អស់​ក្នុង ព្រះបរមរាជវាំង។ ព្រះ​រាជា​នៃ​យវនៈ គឺ​ជា​អធិរាជ លី អាញ់​តុង (Lý Anh Tông) ដែល​សោយ​រាជ្យ​នៅ គ.ស. ១១៧៥ មាន​ព្រះ​បរមនាម​សម្រាប់​រាជ្យ​ថា លីកាវ​​តុង (Lý Cao Tông) និង​សោយ​រាជ្យ​រហូត​ដល់ គ.ស. ១២១០។ ព្រះ​រាជា​ពីរ​អង្គ​នៃ​ប្រទេស​ចម្ប៉ា គឺ​ព្រះ​រាជា​សោយ​រាជ្យ​នៅ​ក្រុង​វិជ័យ (ប៊ិញ​ឌិញ) ដែល​ត្រូវ​ជា​ព្រះ​អនុជ​ថៃ្ល​នៃ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ និង​ព្រះ​រាជា​ដែល​សោយ​រាជ្យ​នៅ​បាណ្ឌុរង្គ (ផាន​រ៉ាង) គឺ​ទ្រង់​វិទ្យានន្ទន៍ ដែល​ការ​ពារ​ដោយ​ព្រះ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧។
• គេ​បាន​ដឹង​ថា ការ​ថ្វាយ​ទឹក​មន្ត​មាន​ន័យ​ថា ទទួល​ស្គាល់​ការ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្នុង​ចំណុះ​នៃ​ប្រទេស​ដែល​គេ ថ្វាយ​នោះ។ ទំនៀម​នេះ​ នៅ​មាន​រហូត​ដល់​សព្វ​ថៃ្ង​នេះ។ នៅ​ក្នុង​រាជវាំង​ក្រុង​ភ្នំពេញ ឬ​បាងកក នៅ​ពេល​ពិធី​អភិសេក​សេ្តច​ឡើង​សោយ​រាជ្យ ទឹក​មន្ត​សម្រាប់​ធ្វើ​ពិធី​ គឺ​ជា​ទឹក​ដែល​ទទួល​បាន​ពី​ទនេ្ល​សំខាន់ៗ​ នៃ​ប្រទេស និង​ពី​ខេត្ត​ផេ្សងៗ នៃ​ព្រះ​រាជាណាចក្រ ។ ការ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្រោម​ចំណុះ​ប្រទេស​កម្ពុជា​ នៃ​ប្រទេស​ចាម្ប៉ា​ទាំង​ពីរ មិន​យូរ​អងែ្វង​ដូច​នៅ​ក្រោម​អំណាច​របស់​ជ្វា អំណាច​របស់​មហារាជ​អណ្ណាម​ឡើយ ។ ក្រោយ​ពី​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយរាជទេវី​សោយ​ព្រះ​ពិរាល័យ​ទៅ ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ បាន​រៀប​រាជាភិសេក​ជាមួយ​ព្រះ​នាង​ឥន្រ្ទទេវី ដែល​ជា​ព្រះ​រៀម​បង្កើត​របស់​ព្រះ​នាង​ជយទេវី។ ក្សត្រី​អង្គ​នេះ​ជា​ស្រ្តី​សម្បូរ​ទៅ​ដោយ​ចំណេះ​វិទ្យា។ ព្រះ​នាង​បាន​ទទួល​តំណែង​ជា​សាស្រ្តាចារ្យ​ក្នុង​វត្ត​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធសាសនា​មួយ ហើយ​បាន​ក​សាង​សិលា​ចារឹក​ភិមាន​អាកាស ដែល​ជា​ប្រភព​យ៉ាង​សំខាន់​ទាក់​ទង​នឹង​ព្រះ​ជីវប្រវត្តិ​នៃ​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧។ គេ​មិន​ដឹង​ច្បាស់​ថា ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ សោយ​ទិវង្គត​ទៅ​នៅ​ឆ្នាំ​ណា​ទេ។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ទំនង​ជា​សោយ​រាជ្យ​រហូត​ដល់ គ.ស. ១២១៨។ ព្រះ​អង្គ​មាន​ព្រះ​មរមនាម​ថា មហា​បរម​សៅគត។ ព្រះ​នាមនេះ​ស​ឲ្យ​ឃើញ​ថា ព្រះ​អង្គ​ជា​ពុទ្ធសាសនិកជន​មួយ​រូប តែ​ទោះ​បី​យ៉ាង​ហ្នឹង​ក៏​ដោយ ក៏​ព្រះ​អង្គ​មាន​ព្រាហ្មណ៍​បុរោហិត​មួយ​រូប ឈ្មោះ ឫសីកេស (ឫឞិកេឝ) ដែល​ជា​សក្ខីភាព​ប្រាប់​ថា សាសនា​ព្រាហ្មណ៍​នៅ​ពេល​នោះ នៅ​មាន​ឥទ្ធិពល​ខ្លាំង​គួរ​សម​ដែរ។ តាម​រូប​បដិមា​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧ មាន​សាច់​មាំ ព្រះ​កេស​មាន​ផ្នួង​សក់​តូច។ លក្ខណៈ​នេះ​មាន​ច្បាស់​នៅ លើ​ក្បាច់​ចម្លាក់​ជា​ច្រើន គេ​បាន​ឃើញ​រូប​បដិមា​ពីរ គឺ​មួយ​នៅ​អង្គរធំ និង​មួយ​ទៀត​នៅ​ប្រាសាទ​ពិមាយ​ជិត​គោរាជ (โคราช ខូរ៉ាត) (នគររាជ) ដែល​ថែ​រក្សា​នៅ​សារមន្ទីរ​ក្រុង​បាងកក។ រូប​បដិមា​ទាំង​ពីរ​នេះ គឺ​ជា​ព្រះ​រូប របស់​ព្រះ​បាទ​ជយវរ្ម័ន ទី ៧។
• អំពី​កាលបរិចេ្ឆទ​នៃ​ការ​សោយ​ទិវង្គត គេ​ពុំ​បាន​ដឹង​ពិត​ប្រាកដ​ទេ។ គេ​ចោទ​ជា​សំណួរ​ថា តើ​ព្រះ​អង្គ មាន​ព្រះ​រោគ​អ្វី ដែល​​នាំ​ឲ្យ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​សោយ​ទិវង្គត ? មាន​រូប​ចម្លាក់​ពីរ​នា​សម័យ​នោះ គឺ​រូប​ចម្លាក់ នៅ​ហោជាង​ប្រាសាទ​តូច ដែល​គេ​ហៅ​ថា មន្ទីរ​ពេទ្យ ស្ថិត​នៅ​ខាង​កើត​ប្រាសាទ​តាកែវ។ លោក វិកទរ ហ្គោលូបេវ (V. Goloubew) បាន​សិក្សា​យ៉ាង​ល្អិត​ល្អន់​លើ​ក្បាច់​ចម្លាក់ ដើម្បី​សែ្វង​យល់​អំពី​រឿង « សេ្តច គម្លង់ » ប៉ុនែ្ត ពុំ​មាន​រូប​បដិមា​ណា ដែល​ត្រូវ​នឹង​រឿង​នេះ​ឡើយ។ ហើយ​លោក​បាន​ផ្តល់​អត្ថបទ​របស់​លោក​វេជ្ជបណ្ឌិត ម៉េស៍ណារដ៍ (Mesnard) ជា​នាយក​វិទ្យាស្ថាន​ប៉ាស្ទ័រ នៅ​ក្រុង​ព្រៃ​នគរ បាន​ប្រគល់​ឲ្យ​គាត់ នៅ គ.ស. ១៩៣៤ អំពី​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ​លើ​ក្បាច់​ចម្លាក់​នៃ​ប្រាសាទ​បាយ័ន​ដូច​ត​ទៅ ៖
• « កំភួន​ដៃ និង​ដៃ​នៃ​អ្នក​ជំងឺ ជា​វត្ថុ​បំណង​នៃ​ការ​ព្យាបាល​យ៉ាង​យក​ចិត្ត​ទុក​ដាក់ ពី​ស្រ្តី​ដែល​នៅ​ព័ទ្ធ​ជុំវិញ។ កាយវិការ​នៃ​ស្រ្តី​ម្នាក់ មាន​លក្ខណៈ​ដូច​ជា​ចាប់​កាន់​ត្រចៀក​ខាង​ស្តាំ បើក​ឲ្យ​ធំ ដើម្បី​ឲ្យ​គេ​ចាប់​អារម្មណ៍​ទៅ​លើ​ចំណុច​ដែល​សំខាន់​បំផុត »។
• « អវយវៈ​ក្រោម​ ទ្រ​ដោយ​វត្ថុ​មួយ​នៅ​ក្រោម​ជង្គង់ »។
• « ស្រ្តី​ម្នាក់​លើក​ជើង​ស្តាំ​របស់​មនុស្ស​នោះ ដោយ​ដៃ​ឆេ្វង និង​ដៃ​ស្តាំ​ដូច​ជា​រឹត​ច្របាច់​គក់​ជើង​ឆេ្វង »។
• « កាយវិការ​នៃ​ស្រ្តី​ទាំង​នេះ ដូច​ជា​ចង្អុល​បង្ហាញ​ថា មនុស្ស​នោះ​មាន​ជំងឺ​នៅ​ចុង​អវយវៈ គឺ​ជំងឺ​ឃ្លង់?» ការ​កត់​ចំណាំ​សំខាន់​មួយ​ទៀត​នៅ​ជិត​ខ្លួន នៃ​មនុស្ស​នោះ​ មាន​ថូ​មួយ ដែល​ដាក់​ផែ្ល​ឈើ​រាង​មូល​ពេញ។ ផែ្ល​ឈើ​នេះ​ប្រហែល​ជា​ផែ្ល​ក្របៅ (Chaulmoogra) ។ ដើម​ក្របៅ (Hydnocarpus anthelmintica) ជា​ដើម​ឈើ ដែល​ដុះ​ពាស​ពេញ​ព្រៃ [៣]។

I. ការរៀបចំកងទ័ព

 ក្នុងសម័យនោះ កងទ័ពខ្មែរត្រូវបែងចែកជា កងទ័ពជើងគោក និង កងទ័ពជើងទឹក។

កងទ័ពជើងគោក ស្ថិតនៅក្រោមអំណាចដឹកនាំរបស់ឧកញ៉ាចក្រី ហើយត្រូវបែងចែកជា ៤ពួក៖

- ពួកទ័ពដំរី ១

- ពួកទ័ពសេះ ១

- ពួកទ័ពរថ ១

- ពួកទ័ពថ្មើរជើង ១

ទ័ពទាំង ៤ពួកនេះរួមគ្នាទៅ លោកអោយឈ្មោះហៅថា ចតុរង្គ ហើយត្រូវបានរាជការចិញ្ចឹមទុកអោយមាននៅប្រចាំការជានិច្ច។

ទ័ពដំរី : ដំរី​ជា​សត្វ​ពាហន​ដ៏​សំខាន់​១​។ ក្នុង​សម័យ​បុរាណ​គេ​អាច​ប្រៀប​សត្វ​ដំរី​ទៅ​នឹង​រថ​ក្រោះ​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​បាន ក្នុង​ពេល​ធ្វើ​ចំបាំង​គេ​ប្រើ​សត្វ​ដំរី ក្នុង​ការ​ដឹក​នាំ និង ក្នុង​ការ​លុក​ចូល​វាយ​ទ័ព​ខាង​សត្រូវ​។ ដោយ​ហេតុ​នេះ​ហើយ រាជ​ការ​ខ្មែរ​តាំង​ពី​បុរាណ​រៀង​មក​ដរាប​ដល់​បច្ចុប្បន្ន​នេះ​បាន​តាំង​ភ្នាក់​ងារ​ ១​ក្រុម​ហៅ​ថា ក្រុម​ដំរី មាន​មុខ​ងារ​ជា​អ្នក​ថែ​រក្សា​ដំរី​ព្រះ​រាជ​ទ្រព្យ​ទាំ​ងអស់ និង ទាក់​ដំរី​ព្រៃ​យក​មក​ផ្សាំង​បង្ហាត់​អោយ​បាន​បទ​តាម​ដែល​ត្រូវ​ការ ទុក​សំរាប់​ប្រើ​ក្នុង​រាជ​ការ​។

ទ័ពសេះ និង ទ័ពរថ : ទ័ព​ទាំង​ពីរ​ប្រភេទ​នេះ ឡើង​សេនា​បតី​ជើង​គោក​ជា​មួយ​គ្នា​។ សេះ​ជា​សត្វ​ពាហន ១​ដែល​គេ​និយម​ប្រើ​ណាស់ ក្នុង​ការ​ធ្វើ​សង្គ្រាម ព្រោះ​វា​មាន​ល្បឿន​ចាត់​ការ​បាន​ឆាប់​ទាន់​ពេល​វេលា​។ ទ័ព​រថ ប្រើ​រថ​ទឹម​សេះ​ក៏​មាន ប្រើ​រទេះ​ទឹម​គោ​ក៏​មាន​។

ទ័ពថ្មើរជើង : គឺ​សំដៅ​យក​ពួក​សេនា​ទា​ហាន ដែល​មិន​ត្រូវ​ជិះ​ដំរី​សេះ ឬ​រថ​។ ទ័ព​ទាំង​៤ ពួក​ខាង​លើ​នេះ​សុទ្ធ​តែ​បាន​ទទួល​ការ​បង្វិក​បង្ហាត់​ក្នុង​ក្បួន​យុទ្ធ​វិធី​តាម​សម័យ​និយម​យ៉ាង​ជំនាញ​ៗ​។ អែក​សារ​ខ្មែរ​មួយ​បាន​សរ​សេរ​ថា : «ការ​ហាត់​យុទ្ធ​វិធី​ក្នុង​ជាន់​នោះ ក៏​គឺ​ការ​ហាត់​គុន​ដាវ គុន​ល្បុក្ក​តោ គុន​ដំបង ហាត់​កាប់​ដោយ​ដាវ​ ដោយ​ផ្កាក់ ហាត់​ចាក់​ដោយ​លំពែង ហាត់​បាញ់​ដោយ​ធ្នូ ហាត់​ដាល់ ហាត់​ចំបាប់ ហាត់​ជិះ​ដំរី ដូច​យ៉ាង​បញ្ចុះ​មន្ដ​អាគម- យ័ន្ដ​នៅ​អាវ នៅ​កន្សែង​សំរាប់​ជួត​ក្បាល សាក់​តាម​ខ្លួន នឹង​ផឹក​ថ្នាំ​គង់​ជា​ដើម និង​សិក្សា​ក្នុង​ក្បួន​កល​យុទ្ធ មាន​តំរា​ពិ​ជ័យ​សង្គ្រាម​ជា​ដើម​សឹង​ប្រកប​ដោយ​យុទ្ធ​វិធី​ផ្សេង​ៗ​ជា​ច្រើន បំរុង​ទុក​សំរាប់​ប្រើ​ការ​ក្នុង​យាម​មាន​សឹក​សង្រ្គាម​»​។

ក្រៅ​ពី​ទាហាន​ដែល​ប្រ​ចាំ​ការ​ទាំង​៤ ពួក​ខាង​លើ​នេះ នៅ​មាន​ទា​ហាន​ក្រៅ​តំណែង​នេះ សំដៅ​យក​យុវ​ជន ដែល​នៅ​ក្នុង​ព្រះ​រាជា​ណា​ចក្រ​ទាំង​មូល ពួក​នេះ​មិន​បាន​កែន​មក​អោយ​នៅ​ប្រចាំ​ការ​ទេ ដោយ​អនុញ្ញាត​អោយ​នៅ​ធ្វើ​ការ​រក​ស៊ី​តាម​ទី​លំ​នៅ​រៀង​ខ្លួន តែ​បាន​ដាក់​អោយ​ជា​ភារៈ​របស់​អ្នក​រាជ​ការ​ដែល​គ្រប់​គ្រង​និគម ស្រុក​ខេត្ដ​នោះ ចាត់​ការ​បណ្ដុះបណ្ដាល​វិជ្ជា ខាង​ទាហាន និង​អោយ​មាន​និស្ស័យ​ចិត្ដ​ជា​ទាហាន​ទូ​ទៅ​ក្នុង​ប្រ​ទេស​តាម​របៀប​ដូច​មាន​ពោល​ហើយ​ខាង​ដើម... ទាហាន​ពួក​នេះ​ពិត​មែន​តែ​មិន​បាន​កែន​មក​នៅ​ប្រចាំ​ការ តែ​ព្រះ​រាជ​កំនត់​ត្រា​ទុក​ថា ត្រូវ​កែន​មក​ធ្វើ​ការ​សម​យុទ្ធ​ក្នុង​ក្រុង​ថ្វាយ​ ព្រះ​ករុណា​ម្ចាស់​ផែន​ដី​ទត និង ធ្វើ​ពិធី​បង្កក់​ប្រ​សិទ្ធិ ពិធី​ផឹក​ទឹក​ពិភទ្ទ​សច្ចា​រាល់​ៗ​ឆ្នាំ​ក្នុង​១​ឆ្នាំ​២​ដង​។

II កងទ័ពជើងទឹក

ទ័ព​ប្រ​ភេទ​នេះ​ត្រូវ​ស្ថិត​នៅ​ក្រោម​ការ​ដឹក​នាំ​របស់ ឧក​ញ៉ា​ក្រលា​ហោម​។ រៀង​រាល់​ឆ្នាំ​ទ័ព​នេះ​ត្រូវ​ប្រជុំ​ធ្វើ​សម​យុទ្ធ ដូច​ទ័ព​ជើង​គោក​ដែរ ឃើញ​មាន​ស្នាម​ធ្វើ​រៀង​មក​ដល់​សម័យ​បច្ចុប្បន្ន តែ​ក្លាយ​ទៅ​ជា​ការ​ប្រណាំង​ទូក​សំរាប់​មើល​លេង ក្នុង​អោកាស​បុណ្យ​បណ្ដែត​ប្រ​ទីប​បូជា​ព្រះ​ពុទ្ធ​បាទ និង​បុណ្យ​បូជា​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​ទៅ​វិញ​(២១)​។

III ចំណែកទ័ព

តាម​អែក​សារ​ខ្លះ និង​តាម​ការ​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​របស់​អ្នក​ប្រ​វត្ដិ​សាស្រ្ដ​ខ្មែរ ជា​ពិសេស​ការ​ស្រាវ​ជ្រាវ​ខាង​ប្រ​វត្ដិ​សាស្រ្ដ​ខ្មែរ (២៣)​យើង​អាច​ដឹង​ពី​ការ​បែង​ចែក​ទ័ព​ខ្មែរ​ទោះ​ជា​ខាង​ជើង​គោក​ក្ដី ខាង​ជើង​ទឹក​ក្ដី មាន​​ដូច​ត​ទៅ​៖

- ពួក : នេះជាអែកភាពតូចបំផុតនៃកងទ័ព មានមេពួកម្នាក់ ជាអ្នកគ្រប់គ្រង។

- ក្រុម : មាន មេ ឬ នាយក្រុម ម្នាក់ជាអ្នកគ្រប់គ្រង។

- កងរយ : មានទាហានចំនួន ១០០នាក់ ប្រៀប​បាន​នឹង​អនុ​សេនា​ធំ​១ ក្នុង​ពេល​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​មាន​មេ​បង្គាប់​ម្នាក់​ជា​អ្នក​គ្រប់​គ្រង​។

- កងពាន់ : មានទាហានចំនួន ១០០០នាក់ មាន​មេ​បង្គាប់​ការ​ម្នាក់​ជា​អ្នក​គ្រប់​គ្រង​។

- កងទ័ពតូច ឬ កងពល : មានទាហានចំនួន១០ ០០០ នាក់ មាន​មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ​កង​ពល​ម្នាក់​ជា​អ្នក​គ្រប់​គ្រង​។

- កងទ័ព ឬ កងទ័ពធំ ឬ កងទ័ពហ្លួង : មាន​ទាហាន​ចំនួន​មួយ​សែន​នាក់ មាន​មេ​បញ្ជា​ការ​កង​ទ័ព​ម្នាក់​ជា​អ្នក​គ្រប់​គ្រង ឬ ព្រះ​រាជា​អង្គ​អែង​តែ​ម្ដង​ជា​មេ​បញ្ជាការ។

IV ទ័ពបិសាច

ក្នុង​ករណី​ខ្លះ ដោយ​ទ័ព​មនុស្ស​មាន​ចំនួន​មិន​គ្រប់​គ្រាន់ គេ​អាច​ពឹង​ពាក់​ដល់​ពួក​ទ័ព​បិសាច​អោយ​មក​ជួយ​យក​អាសា​បាន​។ រឿង​នេះ​មាន​លក្ខណ​អស្ចារ្យ​បន្ដិច ប៉ុន្ដែ​រាជ​ពង្សាវ​តារ​ខ្មែរ​បាន​កត់​ត្រា​ទុក​មក ហើយ​មាន​លំនាំ​ជា​ព្រិត្ដិ​ការណ៍​ប្រវត្ដិ​សាស្រ្ដ​មួយ​យ៉ាង​ពិត​ប្រាកដ​។ យ៉ាង​ណា​មិញ នៅ​គ.ស ១៥១៦ ទ័ព​ខាង​ស្ដេច​កន បាន​ដេញ​តាម​ទ័ព​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា ហើយ​ទៅ​លោម​ព័ទ្ធ​បន្ទាយ​ពោធិ​សាត់​អស់​រយ​ពេល ១២​ខែ តែ​វាយ​លុក​ចូល​ពុំ​បាន​សោះ​។ គ្រា​នោះ តា​ពេជ បាន​ធ្វើ​ពលិ​កម្ម​បូជា​ជីវិត ទៅ​កែន​ទ័ព​បិសាច​ដោយ​លោត​ចូល​ទៅ​ក្នុង​រណ្ដៅ​មួយ​ដែល​មាន​សុទ្ធ​តែ​អាវុធ​ស្រួច​ៗ​។

គ្រឿង​សាស្រ្ដា​វុធ និង​យុទ្ធូប​ករណ៍​ គេ​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​ថា​ មាន​គ្រឿង​សស្រ្ដា​វុធ​ខ្លះ​ជា​របស់​ស្ដេច​ទ្រង់​រាជ ឬ របស់​ស្ដេច​ក្រាញ់​និង សស្រ្ដា​វុធ​ខ្លះ​ទៀត​អាច​ប្រើ​ជា​ទូ​ទៅ​ក្នុង​កង​ទ័ព :

- ព្រះខាន់រាជ ឬ ព្រះខាន់ជ័យ និង លំពែងជ័យ (សូមមើលសេចក្ដីអិធិប្បាយត្រង់វគ្គនិយាយពីគ្រឿងសំរាប់រាជ)

- ព្រះខាន់រង ឬ ព្រះខាន់ជ័យស្រី មានរូបតូចជាងព្រះខាន់រាជ។

- ព្រះខាន់ស្ដេចត្រាញ់ ដែលព្រះរាជាទ្រង់ប្រទានអោយស្ដេចត្រាញ់គ្រាដែលចេញទៅឈរត្រួតត្រាស្រុក(បុរាណហៅថា ឆីស្រុក)។

- ធ្នូ ជាអាវុធមួយសំរាប់ព្រះរាជាផង សំរាប់ប្រើទូទៅផង។

- ស្នា

- ទួន : មានលក្ខណប្រហែលគ្នានឹងលំពែង ប្លែកតែនៅគល់ដងមានភូ។

- ដាវវែង ដាវខ្លី

- ផ្គាក់ ច្បូក

- លំពែងខ្លី លំពែងវែង។

- ដំបង

- ខែល

- ក្រឹស

- កាំ​ភ្លើង​តូច កាំ​ភ្លើង​ធំ ជា​អាវុធ​ដែល​ច្រើន​តែ​ទិញ​ពី​ពួក​អឺរ៉ុប​នៅ​ស្រុក​ជ្វា ម៉ាលាយ​យូ​។ ក្នុង​ដំណាក់​ការ​ចុង​ក្រោយ​នៃ​ចំបាំង​រវាង​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា និង ស្ដេច​កន គេ​ឃើញ​ទាំង​សង​ខាង​បាន​ចាត់​អោយ​ទិញ​អាវុធ​ធុន​នេះ​រាប់​ពាន់​ដើម​យក​​មក​ប្រើ​។

ចំណែកយុទ្ធូបករណ៍ គេឃើញមាន៖

- អាវក្រោះ : គឺអាវស្រាបដែក មានតែស្ដេចសឹក នឹង​ពួក​មេ​ទ័ព មេ​កង​ប្រើ​សំរាប់​ការ​ពារ​ព្រួញ និង​ដាវ​លំពែង​។

- អាវយ័ន្ដ : គឺអាវដៃខ្លីហើយមានគូរជាយ័ន្ដ បញ្ចុះសាច់មន្ដអាគម។

- យ័ន្ដតេជ ឬ កន្សែងយ័ន្ដ : គឺជាសំពត់បួនជ្រុង ហើយមានបញ្ចុះមន្ដអាគម។

- ទង់ជាតិ : ទង់សំរាប់ជាតិខ្មែរ

- ទង់មហារាជ : ទង់សំរាប់ស្ដេចទ្រង់រាជ

- ទង់ជ័យ : ទង់ប្រចាំកងទ័ព។

- ស្គរជ័យ : ស្គរដែលប្រើក្នុងចំបាំង វាយសំរាប់​ប្រជុំ​ពល និង​សំរាប់​ប្រកាស​អោយ​រេហ៍​ពល​ដឹង​ថា​មាន​ជ័យ​ជំនះ​ហើយ​។

- គងជ័យ : សំរាប់ប្រើក្នុងក្បួនទ័ព

- ភ្លេងស្គរជ្វា ឬ ខ្លងខែក។

ក្នុងមួយវង់មានចំនួនស្គរ២ ស្រលៃ​១​។ ភ្លេង​នេះ​គេ​លេង​ក្នុង​ពេល​លើក​ទ័ព​ចេញ​ទៅ​ច្បាំង​ដើម្បី​ជា​គ្រឿង​សំរើប​ចិត្ដ​ទាហាន​សេច​ក្ដី​ដក​ស្រង់​ខាង​ក្រោម​នេះ​ អាច​បង្ហាញ​ពី​ទិដ្ឋ​ភាព​ក្នុង​ការ​រៀប​ចំ​ក្បួន​ទ័ព​ចេញ​ដំណើរ ការ​ប្រើ​យាន​ជំនិះ និង​យុទ្ធូប​ករណ៍​ផ្សេង​ៗ​(២៤)​។

ខណ​នោះ​ស្ដេច (ព្រះ​ធម្ម​រាជា​ទី​១) ទ្រង់​គ្រឿង​រាជ​រន​រង្គ​យុទ្ធ ស្រេច​ហើយ​ស្ដេច​ឡើង​គង់​ព្រះ​ទីនាំង​ហត្ថី​ ចង​គ្រឿង​គជា ហរណៈ បាំង​នូវ​ព្រះ​បរម​ស្វេត​ច្ឆត្រ​ឆើត​ឆាយ ដោយ​នូវ​អភិ​រម​សែន​ត្វាន ទង់​ជ័យ​ប្រ​ពៃ​រន្ទាល​ច្រាល​ឆ្អៅ​គ្រប់​កង​គជ​សារ អស្សា​ពាជី​យោធី​ព្រៀង​ព្រម មក​ស្ថិត​ចាំ​ស្ដេច​នៅ​ព្រះ​លាន​ជ័យ​។ លុះ​បាន​ពិជ័យ​រិក​ល្អ​ហើយ ហោ​រា​ក៏​គោះ​គង​ទូង​ស្គរ អ្នក​មុខ​អ្នក​ការ​ក៏​ប្រគំ​រងំ​ដោយ​នូវ​តន្រ្ដី ភ្លែ​ភ្លៀវ​លេង​ស្គរ​ជ័យ​ល្វាល​​ល្វៃព្យូ​ហៈ ទ័ព​ចេញ​ចាក​ព្រះ​មហា​នគរ​ទៅ​ឧត្ដរ​ទិស​។

អំពីចំបាំង

I ប្រភេទចំបាំង

ក្នុងសម័យកាលដែលលើកយកមកសិក្សានេះ គេសង្កេតឃើញមានចំបាំង ៣ប្រភេទដូចតទៅនេះ៖

ចំបាំងគ្នាក្នុងស្រុក : ចំបាំង​ប្រភេទ​នេះ​សុទ្ធ​តែ​បណ្ដាល​មក​ពី​វិបត្ដិ​ក្នុង​រាជ​វង្ស​។ ចំបាំង​រវាង​ព្រះ​ស្រី​រាជា ស្រី​សុរិ​យោ​ទ័យ​ ស្រី​ធម្ម​រាជា​១៤៧៥ - ១៤៨៥ និង ចំបាំង​រវាង​ស្រី​សុគន្ធ​បទ ស្ដេច​កន ចន្ទរាជា ១៥០៩ - ១៥១២ រួច ១៥១៦ -១៥២៥ សុទ្ធ​តែ​ជា​ចំបាំង​គ្នា​អែង​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ក្នុង​ស្រុក​ទាំ​ងអស់​។​

ចំបាំង​រំដោះ​ទឹក​ដី : ចាប់​ពី​សត​វត្ស​ទី​១៣ រៀង​មក ខ្មែរ​យើង​ត្រូវ​បាត់​បង់​ទឹក​ដី​ចាប់​ពី​វាល​ទំនាប​នៃ​ទន្លេ​មេ​នាម រហូត​មក​ដល់​ព្រំ​ប្រទល់​ខេត្ដ​បាត់​ដំបង សៀម​រាប​។ ចាប់​តាំង​ពី​រជ្ជ​កាល​ព្រះ​ស្រី​រាជ​ រាល់​រជ្ជ​​កាល ព្រះ​សត្ថា​ទី១ ខ្មែរ​យើង​តែង​បាន​លើក​ទ័ព​ទៅ​វាយ​រំដោះ​យក​អាណា​ខេត្ដ​ដែល​ត្រូវ​បាត់​បង់​ទៅ​ក្នុង​កណ្ដាប់​ដៃ​សៀម​នោះ​មក​វិញ​។

ចំបាំង​ការ​ពារ​ជាតិ : ក្នុង​ករណី​ខ្លះ​ជន​ជាតិ​ជិត​ខាង​មាន​សៀម លាវ បាន​លើក​ទ័ព​ចូល​មក​វាយ​ខ្មែរ​ក្នុង​បំណង​ពង្រីក​ទឹក​ដី​របស់​គេ ដោយ​យក​លេស​ផ្សេង​ៗ​។ ដោយ​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា​ទ្រង់​ប្រ​កែក​មិន​ព្រម​ថ្វាយ​ដំរី​ស ព្រះ​ចៅ​សៀម​បាន​លើក​ទ័ព​ចូល​វាយ​ខ្មែរ​ពីរ​លើក លើក​ទី​១ នៅ​សៀម​រាប លើក​ទី​២ នៅ​ពោធិ​សាត់​។ ក្រោយ​មក​ក្នុង​រជ្ជ​កាល​ព្រះ​បរម​រាជា​ទី​៤ ដោយ​ប្រ​ជល់​ដំរី​ចាញ់​ស្ដេច​ខ្មែរ ស្ដេច​លាវ​បាន​លើក​ទ័ព​ចូល​វាយ​ខ្មែរ​ពីរ​លើក​។ ប៉ុន្ដែ​ទាំង​ទ័ព​សៀម ទាំង​ទ័ព​លាវ សុទ្ធ​តែ​ត្រូវ​ទទួល​បរា​ជ័យ​ថយ​ទៅ​វិញ​ទាំង​អស់​។

II យុទ្ធសាស្រ្ដ និងកលយុទ្ធ

ជា​ទូទៅ​ គេ​សង្កេត​ឃើញ​ថា ទោះ​នៅ​ក្នុង​ច្បាំង​ប្រ​ភេទ​ណា​ក៏​ដោយ សុទ្ធ​តែ​មាន​គោល​ដៅ​ចំបាំង​តែ​មួយ គឺ​វាយ​ដណ្ដើម​យក​ទឹក​ដី និង​ប្រជា​រាស្រ្ដ ហើយ​ប្រសិន​បើ​វាយ​យក​មិន​បាន​ទឹក​ដី​ទេ ក៏​គេ​ខិត​ខំ​កៀរ​យក​អោយ​បាន​មនុស្ស​មក​ខាង​គេ​ដែរ​។ ដោយ​ហេតុ​នោះ​ហើយ ទើប​យើង​ឃើញ​ថា នៅ​ក្នុង​វង្វង់​ព្រំ​ដែន​ទឹក​ដី​ខ្មែរ​សព្វ​ថ្ងៃ​នៅ​មាន​ជន​ជាតិ​បរ​ទេស​ខ្លះ​ដែល​រស់​រាន​រហូត​ដូច​ជា​ជន​ជាតិ​ភូមា នៅ​ប៉ៃ​លិន​ខេត្ដ​បាត់​ដំបង ជន​ជាតិ​លាវ នៅ​បារាយណ៍​នៅ​បាភ្នំ​ជា​ដើម​។ នៅ​ក្នុង​ការ​ធ្វើ​ចំបាំង​ទាំ​ងបី​ប្រភេទ​ដូច​បាន​ពោល​រួច​មក​ហើយ​នោះ ឃើញ​ថា​គេ​ច្រើន​តែ​ច្បាំង​ដោយ​ទល់​មុខ​គ្នា គឺ​ថា គូ​បដិ​បក្ខ​ទាំង​សង​ខាង​លើក​ទ័ព​ធំ​ទៅ​ទល់​គ្នា​លើ​សមរ​ភូមិ​តែ​ម្ដង (Guerre de front) ។ ចំណែក​ឯ​របៀប​រាយ​ទ័ព​លើក​ទៅ​ប្រយុទ្ធ​នឹង​ខ្មាំង​សត្រូវ គេ​ឃើញ​មាន​របៀប​សំខាន់​តែ​មួយ​ដែល​គេ​ច្រើន​ប្រើ​មាន​ដូច​ត​ទៅ​៖

- ទ័ពមុខ Le corps d' avant garde

- ទ័ពស្ដាំ Le Corps de droite

- ទ័ពឆ្វេង Le Corps de gauche

- ទ័ពហ្លួង ឬ ទ័ពធំនៅកណ្ដាលគេ (Le corps principal)

- ទ័ពក្រោយ (Le corps d' arrière garde)

គួរគប្បីបញ្ជាក់ថា ក្នុង​ករ​ណី​ខ្លះ ទ័ព​មុខ និង ទ័ព​ក្រោយ ពុំ​ឃើញ​មាន​ផង​ទេ ប៉ុន្ដែ​មាន​ទ័ព​ដែល​មាន​មុខ​ងារ​ពិសេស​ខ្លះ​គឺ​ទ័ព​ក្រវែល ទ័ព​ស្ទាក់ ទ័ព​ជន្ល ទ័ព​បង្កប់​។

- ទ័ពក្រវែល គឺពួកទាហានដែលគេ​អោយ​ដើរ​ល្បាត ដើម្បី​ឃ្លាំ​មើល​ចលនា និង​សកម្ម​ភាព​របស់​ទ័ព​សត្រូវ​។

- ទ័ពស្ទាក់ គឺពួក​ទាហាន​ដែល​មាន​បេ​សក​កម្ម​រា​រាំង​កុំ​អោយ​ទ័ព​សត្រូវ​ទាក់​ទង​គ្នា​បាន ឬ កុំ​អោយ​ទ័ព​សត្រូវ​ផ្នែក​ណា​មួយ​ទៅ​ជួយ​ផ្នែក​ណា​មួយ​ទៀត​បាន​។

- ទ័ពជន្ល គឺពួកទាហានដែល​គេអោយ​ទៅ​មុន សំរាប់​ទាក់​ទាញ​ទ័ព​សត្រូវ​ដេញ​តាម​។

- ទ័ពបង្កប់ គឺពួក​ទាហាន​ដែល​គេ​បង្កប់​ក្នុង​ព្រៃ​មិន​អោយ​សត្រូវ​ដឹង មាន​បេ​សក​កម្ម​ងើប​វាយ​ផ្ទប់​សត្រូវ​គ្រប់​ទិស កាល​ណា​ពួក​នេះ​ធ្លាក់​ក្នុង​អន្ទាក់​របស់​គេ​។

ចំពោះ​ទាហាន​ក្នុង​ប្រ​ភេទ​ទ័ព​ទាំង​ប៉ុន្មាន ដូច​បាន​រៀប​រាប់​មក​ហើយ​នោះ ឃើញ​ថា មាន​ចំនួន​មិន​ស្មើ​គ្នា​ក្នុង​កង​ទ័ព​ម្ខាង​ៗ​។ ចំនួន​នេះ​តែង​តែ​ផ្លាស់​ប្ដូរ​ទៅ​តាម​កាលៈ​ទេសៈ គឺ​ថា​ទៅ​តាម​លទ្ធ​ភាព​ដែល​គូ​បដិ​បក្ខ​អាច​កែន​បាន​តិច ឬ​ច្រើន​។ ជា​ទូ​ទៅ​គេ​សង្កេត​ឃើញ ទ័ព​មុខ ឬ​ទ័ព​ស្រួច តែង​មាន​ចំនួន​ច្រើន​ជាង​ទ័ព​ស្ដាំ និង ​ឆ្វេង ដែល​មាន​ស្មើ​គ្នា​។ អែ​ទ័ព​ក្រោយ មាន​ចំនួន​ប្រហាក់​ប្រ​ហែល​នឹង​ទ័ព​ស្ដាំ​ឆ្វេង​ដែរ​។ មាន​តែ​ទ័ព​ហ្លួង ឬ ទ័ព​ធំ​ទេ​ដែល​មាន​ចំនួន​ទាហាន​ច្រើន​ជាង​គេ​។ ឯ​ទ័ព​ក្រវែល ទ័ព​ជន្ល ទ័ព​បង្កប់ មាន​ចំនួន​ទាហាន​ប្រ​ហែល​ៗ​គ្នា ហើយ​តិច​ជាង​គេ​ផង​។ ខាង​ក្រោម​នេះ​ជា​ឧទា​ហរណ៍​មួយ​ពី​ចំណាត់​ទ័ព​សំរាប់​ចូល​ច្បាំង​ ៖

- ទ័ពមុខ : ២០ ០០០នាក់

- ទ័ពស្ដាំង : ១០ ០០០នាក់

- ទ័ពឆ្វេង : ១០ ០០០នាក់

- ទ័ពហ្លួង : ៤០ ០០០នាក់

- ទ័ពបង្កប់ : ៥០០០នាក់

ក្នុង​ផ្នែក​កល​យុទ្ធ ជូន​កាល​គេ​ធ្វើ​កល​ជា​ចាញ់ ហើយ​បើ​សត្រូវ​ដេញ​តាម​ទៅ​នោះ​ច្បាស់ ជា​ត្រូវ​ពួក​ទ័ព​បង្កប់ និង ទ័ព​ស្ទាក់​ងើប​ឡើង​វាយ​ផ្ទប់​យក​ឈ្នះ​ជា​មិន​ខាន​។

ក្នុង​ករណី​ដែល​ទ័ព​ម្ខាង​ៗ​ប្រ​យុទ្ធ​ហើយ​ទន់​ដៃ​ជាង​ទ័ព​ម្ខាង​ទៀត​នោះ គេ​ច្រើន​ថយ​ចូល​ការ​ពារ​ខ្លួន​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ ដូច​កាល​ទ័ព​ព្រះ​បាទ​ស្រី​សុគន្ធ​បទ ថយ​ចូល​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​ស្ទឹង​សែន ទ័ព​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា ថយ​ចូល​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​ពោធិ​សាត់ ទ័ព​ស្ដេច​កន ថយ​ចូល​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​ស្រលប់​ពិ​ជ័យ ទ័ព​ព្រះ​ស្រី​សុរិ​យោ​ពណ៌​ ថយ​ចូល​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​លង្វែក​។ អែ​ទ័ព​ម្ខាង​ទៀត​ក៏​មក​ធ្វើ​ការ​ឡោម​ព័ទ្ធ​អស់​ពេល​ជា​ច្រើន​ខែ​។ បន្ទាយ​នីមួយ​ៗ សុទ្ធ​តែ​មាន​សើន​ មាន​ប៉ម​សំរាប់​ការ​ពារ​មាំ​ណាស់ អែ​ទ័ព​នៅ​ខាង​ក្នុង សុទ្ធ​តែ​បាន​ប្រ​មូល​ស្បៀង​ទុក​បំរុង សំរាប់​រស់​នៅ​អោយ​បាន​យូរ​ពេល​។ ម្លោះ​ហើយ​ទ័ព​ម្ខាង​ទៀត​ដែល​ធ្វើ​ការ​ឡោម​ព័ ទ្ធ​នោះ​មិន​ងាយ​ចូល​វាយ​លុក​យក​បន្ទាយ​បាន​ដោយ​ងាយ​ៗ​ទេ​។ ស្ដេច​កន អោយ​ទាហាន​ធ្វើ​កល​ជា​ក្បត់​រត់​ចូល​ខាង​ព្រះ​បាទ​ស្រី​សុគន្ធ​បទ ហើយ​រក​អោ​កាស​ល្អ​ចូល​លុក​ធ្វើ​គត​ព្រះ​អង្គ​បាន​។ ពេល​នោះ​ស្ដេច​កន ក៏​វាយ​លុក​ចូល​យក​បាន​បន្ទាយ​ទៅ​។ កាល​ទ័ព​សៀម​លើក​ទ័ព​ចូល​ព័ទ្ធ​បន្ទាយ​លង្វែក​លើក​ទី​១ វា​មិន​អាច​វាយ​យក​បន្ទាយ​នោះ​ទេ ព្រោះ​មាន​របង​រិស្សី ព័ទ្ធ​ពី​ក្រៅ​ក្រាស់​ពេក​។ ដោយ​ហេតុ​នោះ​សៀម​បាន​ធ្វើ​កល​បាញ់​ប្រាក់​ដួង​ចូល​ក្នុង​របង​រិស្សី​មុន​នឹង​ដក​ថយ​ទៅ​វិញ ហើយ​បញ្ជូន​ចារ​បុរស​អោយ​មក​ស៊ើប​យក​ការណ៍​អោយ​ដឹង​ថា តើ​ខ្មែរ​ខ្លោំង​ពូ​កែ​ដោយ​សារ​អ្វី​។ក្រោយ​មក ដោ ​យ​សារ​ខ្មែរ​យើង​នាំ​គ្នា​ឆ្ការ​ព្រៃ​រិស្សី ដើម្បី​យក​ប្រាក់​នោះ​រហូត​ធ្លុះ​ធ្លាយ​អស់ ទើប​ទ័ព​សៀម​អាច​វាយ​លុក​ចូល​យក​បន្ទាយ​បាន​។ កាល​ដែល​ទ័ព​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា ទៅ​ព័ទ្ធ​ស្ដេច​កន​នៅ​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​ស្រលប់​ពិជ័យ ហើយ​យក​មិន​បាន​នោះ ព្រះ​អង្គ​​ទ្រង់​ចាត់​អោយ​ប្រកាស​ថា ព្រះ​អង្គ​នឹង​វាយ​បន្ទាយ​អោយ​ទាល់​តែ​បាន​ ហើយ​នៅ​ពេល​យក​បាន​បន្ទាយ​នោះ ជន​ណា​ដែល​នៅ​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ នឹង​ត្រូវ​ដាក់​អោយ​ទៅ​ជា​អ្នក​ងារ​។ ម្យ៉ាង​ទៀត​ខាង​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា បាន​ឃោ​សនា​ថា​ ព្រះ​ចៅ​សៀម​បាន​បញ្ជូន​កង​ទ័ព​មួយ​មក​អោយ​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា​ទៀត​។ ពាក្យ​នេះ​ធ្វើ​អោយ​មនុស្ស​នៅ​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​ មាន​ការ​ភិត​ភ័យ​យ៉ាង​ខ្លាំង​។ នៅ​ពេល​យប់​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា ទ្រង់​បាន​ចាត់​អោយ​ដុត​ស្មៅ​ស្ងួត​នៅ​ជុំវិញ​បន្ទាយ​។ មនុស្ស​នៅ​ក្នុង​បន្ទាយ​ឃើញ​ដូច្នេះ​រិត​តែ​ភិត​ភ័យ​ខ្លាំង​ថែម​ទៀត ដោយ​នឹក​ស្មាន​ថា ភ្លើង​ទាំង​នោះ​ជា​កន្លែង​ជំរុំ​របស់​កង​ទ័ព​សៀម​មែន​។ ម្លោះ​ហើយ​ទ័ព​ស្ដេច​កន ក៏​នាំ​គ្នា​ពពាក់​ពពូន​រត់​ចេញ​ពី​បន្ទាយ ដោយ​ខ្លាច​គេ​សំលាប់​ផង និង​ ខ្លាច​គេ​ដាក់​អោយ​ទៅ​ជា​អ្នក​ងារ​ផង​។ គឺ​ដោយ​ហេតុ​នោះ​ហើយ ទើប​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា អាច​យក​បន្ទាយ​ស្រលប់​ពិ​ជ័យ និង​ចាប់​ស្ដេច​កន​បាន​។

III សកម្មភាពចិត្ដសាស្រ្ដក្នុងពេលធ្វើចំបាំង

ក្នុង​ពេល​ធ្វើ​ចំបាំង មេ​ម្ខាង​ៗ តែង​តែ​ផ្ដល់​រង្វាន់​ដល់​សេនា​ទាហាន​ ដែល​មាន​ថ្វី​ដៃ ដើម្បី​ជា​ការ​លើក​ទឹក​ចិត្ដ នៅ​ពេល​ផ្អាក​សង្រ្គាម​ម្ដង​ៗ តែង​តែ​មាន​ការ​ប្រលង​ថ្វី​ដៃ ហើយ​បើ​ឈ្មោះ​ណា​បាន​ជា​សេនា​ទាហាន​ហើយ យស​សក្ដិ​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្ដិ​ ជា​រង្វន់​មិន​គ្រាន់​តែ​បាន​ត្រឹម​ឈ្មោះ​នោះ​ទេ តែ​បាន​ដល់​គ្រួសារ​ខ្លួន​ទៀត​។ នៅ​រដូវ​វស្សា គេ​ច្រើន​តែ​ព្រម​ព្រៀង​គ្នា​រំសាយ​កង​ទ័ព បើក​អោយ​ទាហាន​ត្រលប់​ទៅ​ជួប​ជុំ​ប្រពន្ធ​កូន​ផង និង​អោយ​មាន​​អោកាស​ធ្វើ​ស្រែ​ចំការ​យក​ស្បៀង​ចិញ្ចើម​គ្រួសារ និង​ចិញ្ចឹ​ម​កង​ទ័ព​ត​ទៅ​ទៀត​។

ដើម្បី​អោយ​អ្នក​ស្រុក និង​កង​ទ័ព​គូ​សត្រូវ​ចូល​ខាង​ខ្លួន គេ​តែង​តែ​ឃោ​សនា​បង្ហាញ​នូវ​លក្ខណៈ ត្រឹម​ត្រូវ​ពេញ​ច្បាប់​ខាង​គេ ហើយ​បង្ហាញ​ពី​លក្ខណៈ មិន​គាប់​ប្រ​សើរ​របស់​គូ​បដិ​បក្ខ ដូច​ខាង​ព្រះ​ចន្ទ​រាជា តែង​តែ​ឃោសនា​ប្រាប់​រាស្រ្ដ​ថា​ ព្រះ​អង្គ​ជា​ពូជ​ពង្ស​ក្សត្រ ចំណែក​កង​ស្ដេច​កន ជា​ពល​ព្រះ​មនុស្ស​ក្នុង​វណ្ណៈ​ថោក​ទាប​ជា​ដើម​។ នៅ​ពេល​លើក​ទ័ព​ទៅ​វាយ​ត្រង់​តំបន់​ណា​ដែល​ម្ខាង​ទៀត​ធ្លាប់​កាន់​កាប់ គេ​តែង​បញ្ជូន​អ្នក​មាន​វោ​ហារ​ថ្វី​មាត់ អោយ​ទៅ​និយាយ​បញ្ចុះ​បញ្ចូល​ចៅ​ហ្វាយ​ស្រុក និង ប្រជា​រាស្រ្ដ​អោយ​ចូល​ខាង​ខ្លួន​គេ​ជា​មុន​សិន​។

ក្នុង​ការ​ធ្វើ​ចំបាំង គេ​តែង​ចេញ​បញ្ជា​ហាម​ប្រាម​មិន​អោយ​ទាហាន​ទៅ​រំលោភ​ជិះ​ជាន់​ប្លន់​យក​ទ្រព្យ​សម្បត្ដិ​ពី​ប្រជា​រាស្រ្ដ​ឡើយ​។ បើ​មាន​ជន​ណា​ល្មើស​ច្បាប់​ធ្វើ​អោយ​រាស្រ្ដ​ក្ដៅ​ក្រហាយ នោះ​នឹង​ត្រូវ​ទទួល​ទណ្ឌ​កម្ម​រហូត​ដល់​ត្រូវ​ប្រហារ​ជីវិត ម្យ៉ាង​ទៀត ខាង​ស្ដេច​បាន​បញ្ជា​អោយ​យក​រាជ​ប្រកាស​ទៅ​បិទ​នៅ​តំបន់​សត្រូវ​កាន់​កាប់​ថា បើ​ជន​ណា​មាន​ចិត្ដ​ស្មោះ​ត្រង់ ព្រម​ចុះ​ចូល​បំរើ​ព្រះ​អង្គ​ពី​អីលូវ​ទៅ ព្រះ​អង្គ​នឹង​លើក​ទោស​អោយ តែ​បើ​ផ្ទុយ​ទៅ​វិញ​កាល​ណា​ស្រុក​រាប​ទាប​ហើយ ព្រះ​អង្គ​នឹង​ទុក​ជា​ក្បត់​ហើយ​ត្រូវ​ទទួល​ទោស​ជា​ទំងន់ មាន​ការ​ដាក់​អោយ​ទៅ​ជា​អ្នក​ងារ​ជា​ដើម​។

អំពីជីវ​ភាព​សង្គម

I ថ្នាក់សង្គម

ទោះ​បី​ខ្មែរ​បាន​ទទួល​អិទ្ធិ​ពល​ពី​អិណ្ឌា​ក្នុង​ការ​បែង​ចែក​មនុស្ស​ក្នុង​សង្គម​ជា​វណ្ណៈ​ក៏​ដោយ ក៏​សង្គម​ខ្មែរ​ពុំ​មាន​លក្ខណៈ​ដូច​សង្គម​អិណ្ឌា​បេះ​បិទ​ទេ​។ យ៉ាង​ណា​មិញ​ក្នុង​សង្គម​អិណ្ឌា​គេ​បាន​បែង​ចែក​មនុស្ស​ជា ៤​វណ្ណៈ​គឺ៖

- វណ្ណៈទី១ ជាវណ្ណៈរបស់ពួក ព្រាហ្មណៈ

- វណ្ណៈទី២ ជាវណ្ណៈរបស់ពួក ក្សត្រិយៈ

- វណ្ណៈទី៣ ជាវណ្ណៈរបស់ពួក វៃស្យៈ

- វណ្ណៈទី៤ ជាវណ្ណៈរបស់ពួក សូទ្រៈ

ចំណែក​អែ​ក្នុង​សង្គម​ខ្មែរ​សម័យ​នោះ ពុំ​មាន​ចែក​ជា​វណ្ណៈ​ទេ តែ​ចែក​ជា​ថ្នាក់​ទៅ​វិញ ហើយ​មាន​ទាំង​អស់​៥​ថ្នាក់​ដូច​ត​ទៅ​ ៖

រាជវង្សានុវង្ស : ផ្ទុយពីសង្គមអិន្ឌា ក្នុងសង្គមខ្មែរគឺពួក ក្សត្រិយៈ អ្នកគ្រប់គ្រងប្រទេសជាថ្នាក់សង្គមដែលខ្លួនខ្ពស់ជាងគេ។ តំនែងធំៗទាំងប៉ន្មាន ច្រើនតែបានពួកក្សត្រិយៈ ជាអ្នកកាន់កាប់។

ពួកមន្រ្ដី : ពួកនេះមានអែកសិទ្ធិច្រើន ដូចជាមិនបាច់បង់ពន្ធ និង មិនបាច់បំពេញកិច្ចការធារណៈជាដើម។ ពួកមន្រ្ដីជាន់ខ្ពស់ និង ពួកចៅហ្វាយស្រុកសុទ្ធតែបានព្រះរាជាតែងតាំងឡើង ហើយត្រូវធ្វើសច្ចាប្រនិធានថាស្មោះត្រង់បំរើព្រះអង្គជានិច្ច។