Place names

Laos (老撾)

A polity with a Tai elite, Laos is noted in the MSL as being one of the six “pacification superintendencies” of Yun-nan. It was the predecessor of the modern state of Laos. The Ming Shi notes the territory of Laos extending "east to Shui-wei (水尾), south to Jiao-zhi, west to Ba-bai, north to Che-li. Sixty eight [day] stages to the north-west lies the Yun-nan Provincial Administration Commission [Kun-ming]" (Gong Yin 1985; 205). The MSL references can be compared and contrasted with literature including Coedes (1966, 1968), Evans (2003), Hoshino (1986), Le Boulanger (1931), Mangrai (1981a), Stuart-Fox (1998) and Viravong (1964). For information on further Chinese sources relating to this polity, see Chen, Xie and Lu (1986; 312-13, 978-80), Dao Yong-ming (1989; 429-37), Fang Guo-yu (1987; 1026-28) and Gong Yin (1985; 203-05 and 1992; 623-24). Jing Zhen-guo (1985) collects together most of the known classical Chinese references to Laos.