Revisiting the Concept of Siam: Historical and Geographical Scope During the Sukhothai Period

Abstract

This article focuses on the formation, evolution, and spatial referents of the historical–geographical concept of “Xian Kingdom” (Siam), aiming to deconstruct the conventional perception that simplistically equates it with the Sukhothai Kingdom. The study systematically examines key historical sources such as the Da De Nanhai Zhi, the New Yuan History, and the Great Ming Comprehensive Gazetteer, and employs cross-verification through methods drawn from historical geography and spatial analysis. The analysis shows that in Yuan and Ming Chinese records, the term “Xian Kingdom” refers to a geographic scope far exceeding the core territory of the Sukhothai polity. Specifically, the spatial description of “Xian Kingdom” in these texts extends south of Yunnan in the north, west of Anxi in the east, east of Myanmar in the west, and toward the South China Sea in the south—forming an expansive network that encompasses major city-states such as “Sugudi” and exhibiting a distinctly trans-regional and multi-centric structure. 

On this basis, the study argues that the “Xian Kingdom” was essentially a dynamic and evolving political–geographical entity with complex connotations, rather than a single dynasty with fixed territorial boundaries. Accounts in the New Yuan History and the Great Ming Comprehensive Gazetteer regarding its political structure and its role as a transportation hub further corroborate its character as a historically continuous regional system transcending any single regime. Therefore, understanding the “Xian Kingdom” as a comprehensive geographical concept that continuously developed and integrated over a long historical duration more accurately reflects its historical reality. 

The significance of this research lies in three aspects: first, it clarifies the historical connotations and spatial extent of the concept of “Xian Kingdom,” correcting longstanding scholarly misconceptions. Second, it reveals the fluidity and stratified nature of political entities in pre-modern Southeast Asia, offering new perspectives for understanding cross-cultural interactions and geopolitical configurations in the region. Finally, the study establishes a solid documentary and theoretical foundation for further inquiries into Southeast Asian historical geography, cross-border ethnic relations, and the history of civilizational exchange.