Mueang


Mueang, Muang, Möng, Meng or Mường were pre-modern semi-independent city-states or principalities in mainland Southeast Asia, adjacent regions of Northeast India and Southern China, including what is now Thailand, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, parts of northern Vietnam, southern Yunnan, western Guangxi and Assam.
Mueang was originally a term in the Tai languages for a town having a defensive wall and a ruler with at least the Thai noble rank of khun, together with its dependent villages.
The mandala model of political organisation organised states in collective hierarchy such that smaller mueang were subordinate to more powerful neighboring ones, which in turn were subordinate to a central king or other leader. The more powerful mueang occasionally tried to liberate themselves from their suzerain and could enjoy periods of relative independence. Mueang large and small often shifted allegiance, and frequently paid tribute to more than one powerful neighbor – the most powerful of the period being Ming China.
Following Kublai Khan's defeat of the Dali Kingdom of the Bai people in 1253 and its establishment as a tutelary state, new mueang were founded widely throughout the Shan States and adjoining regions – though the common description of this as a "mass migration" is disputed. Following historical Chinese practice, tribal leaders principally in Yunnan were recognized by the Yuan as imperial officials, in an arrangement generally known as the Tusi system. Ming and Qing-era dynasties gradually replaced native chieftains with non-native Chinese government officials.
In the 19th century, Thailand's Chakri dynasty and Burma's colonial and subsequent military rulers did much the same with their lesser mueang, but, while the petty kingdoms are gone, the place names remain.

Place names

Place names in Southwestern Tai languages

Cambodia

In Khmer, "moeang" is a word borrowed from the Thai language meaning "small city" or "small town." Usually used as a place name for villages.
The placename "mueang" is written in Chinese characters as p=měng, which is equivalent to and, both of which are spoken in China.
Script in EnglishName in Tai NueaName in Tai LueScript in ChineseCommon used name
Möng Maoᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥛᥣᥝᥰ勐卯Ruili
Möng Hkwanᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥑᥩᥢᥴᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦃᦸᧃ勐焕Mangshi
Möng Wanᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥝᥢᥰ勐宛Longchuan
Möng Tiᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥖᥤᥰ勐底Lianghe
Möng Naᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥣᥲ勐腊Yingjiang
Moeng La ᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦟᦱ勐拉Simao
Moeng Laᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦟᦱᧉ勐腊Mengla
Moeng Haiᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥞᥣᥭᥰᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦣᦻ勐海Menghai
Möng Lemᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥥᥛᥰ孟连Menglian
Möng Chengᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥐᥪᥒ勐耿Gengma
Möng Longᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥨᥒLongling
Möng Möngᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥛᥫᥒᥰ勐勐Shuangjiang
Meng Lam or Möng Langᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥣᥛᥰ勐朗Lancang
Möng Htongᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥗᥨᥒᥴ勐统Changning
Meng Tsungᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥓᥧᥒᥰYuanjiang
Meng Then or Möng Hköngᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥗᥦᥢᥴFengqing
Möng Myenᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥛᥦᥢᥰ勐缅Tengchong or Lincang
Möng Sè or Moeng Saeᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥔᥥᥴᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦵᦉKunming
Meng Haᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥑᥣᥰ
Meng Ha or Möng Yaᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥑᥣᥴ
Möng Hköᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥑᥫᥰ
Möng Nyimᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥒᥤᥛᥰ勐允
Moeng Caeᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥓᥥᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦵᦵᦋᧈ勐遮
Möng Hsaᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥔᥣᥴ勐撒
Möng Yangᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥕᥣᥒᥰ勐养
Möng Tumᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥖᥧᥛᥰ勐董Mengdong
Meng Tenᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥖᥦᥢᥰ勐典Mengdian
Möng Tingᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥖᥤᥒ孟定
Meng Limᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥤᥛᥴHuangcao-Ba
Moeng Luangᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥨᥒᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦷᦟᧂ勐龙
Meng Loongᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥘᥩᥒᥴ勐弄
Möng Mawᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥛᥨᥝᥱ勐磨Jiucheng Township
Moeng Hamᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥞᥛᥰᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦣᧄ勐罕
Meng Heuᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥞᥥᥝᥰ勐秀Mengxiu Township
Meng Kaᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥐᥣ勐戛Mengga
Meng Yue勐约
Möng Hpawng or Moeng Phongᦵᦙᦲᧂ ᦘᦳᧂ勐捧
Meng Dui勐堆
Meng Ku勐库
Meng Yoongᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥕᥩᥒᥰ勐永
Meng Kengᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥐᥦᥒᥰ勐简
Meng Sengᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥔᥫᥒᥴ勐省Mengsheng
Meng Jiao勐角Mengjiao Dai, Yi and Lahu People Township
Meng Nuo勐糯
Meng Xian勐先
Meng Nong孟弄
Möng Pan勐班Mengban Township
Meng Da勐大
Moeng Lae 勐烈
Meng Ma勐马
Meng Suo勐梭
Meng Ka勐卡
Meng La勐拉
Meng Qiao勐桥
Meng Òng勐旺
Moeng Hun勐混
Moeng Man勐满
Meng A勐阿
Meng Song勐宋
Moeng Òng勐往
Moeng Nun勐仑
Meng Ban勐伴

Laos

Laos is colloquially known as Muang Lao, but for Lao people, the word conveys more than mere administrative district. The usage is of special historic interest for the Lao; in particular for their traditional socio-political and administrative organisation, and the formation of their early states, described by later scholars as Mandala. Provinces of Laos are now subdivided into what are commonly translated as districts of Laos, with some retaining Muang as part of the name:
Thailand is colloquially known as Mueang Thai. After the Thesaphiban reforms of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, city-states under Siam were organized into monthon, which was changed to changwat in 1916.
Mueang still can be found as the term for the capital districts of the provinces, as well as for a municipal status equivalent to town. In standard Thai, the term for the country of Thailand is ประเทศไทย, rtgs: Prathet Thai.

Mueang toponyms

Mueang still forms part of the placenames of a few places, notably Don Mueang District, home to Don Mueang International Airport; and in the Royal Thai General System of Transcription Mueang Phatthaya for the self-governing municipality of Pattaya.

Nakhon mueang

Nakhon as meaning "city" has been modified to thesaban nakhon, usually translated as "city municipality". It still forms part of the name of some places.
is noted for having been the site of two ancient cities: Mueang Sema and Khorakhapura. Pali púra became Sanskrit puri, hence Thai บุรี, บูรี, all connoting the same as Thai mueang: city with defensive wall. "Khorakhapura" was nicknamed "Nakhon Raj," which as a portmanteau with Sema, became Nakhon Ratchasima. Though dropped from the name of this mueang, Sanskrit buri persists in the names of others.
  • Buriram
  • Chonburi
  • Sing Buri
  • Suphan Buri
  • Thon'''buri'''

    Vietnam

  • Muong Cha
  • Muong La
  • Mường Lay
  • Muong Lat
  • Muong Khuong
  • Muong Nhe
  • Muong Te
  • Muong Thanh

    Etymology