The Khmer Lands of Vietnam: Environment, Cosmology and Sovereignty

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ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA Southeast Asia Publications Series the Khmer Lands of Vietnam environment, Cosmology and sovereignty ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA Southeast Asia Publications Series since 1979 the southeast asia Publications series (seaPs) has brought some of the best of australian scholarship on southeast asia to an international readership. it seeks to publish leading-edge research by both young and established scholars on the countries and peoples of southeast asia across all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences with particular encouragement to interdisciplinary and comparative research. seaPs is now published for the asian studies association of australia by nUs Press, a unit of the national University of singapore, in alliance with the University of hawai‘i Press in north america and the nordic institute of asian studies (nias) in europe. Editorial Board Professor edward aspinall (australian national University) (editor) Professor andrew Walker (australian national University) (editor) Professor Barbara andaya (University of hawai‘i and University of hawai‘i Press) Professor Colin Brown (Universitas Parahyangan) associate Professor John Butcher (Griffith University) Professor (emeritus) david Chandler (monash University) associate Professor helen Creese (University of Queensland) Professor robert Cribb (australian national University) Professor howard dick (University of melbourne/newcastle) dr Jane drakard (monash University) associate Professor Greg fealy (australian national University) Professor robert elson (University of Queensland) Professor Barbara hatley (University of tasmania) Professor Virginia hooker (australian national University) Professor Paul hutchcroft (australian national University) Professor rey ileto (national University of singapore) Gerald Jackson (nias – nordic institute of asian studies) dr Paul Kratoska (nUs Press, national University of singapore) Professor tim Lindsey (University of melbourne) Professor (emeritus) Campbell macknight (australian national University) Professor anthony milner (australian national University) Professor anthony reid (australian national University) Professor merle ricklefs (national University of singapore) Professor Kathryn robinson (australian national University) associate Professor mina roces (University of new south Wales) Professor Krishna sen (Curtin University of technology) associate Professor maila stivens (University of melbourne) associate Professor Philip taylor (australian national University) Professor adrian Vickers (University of sydney) Website: http://iceaps.anu.edu.au/asaa_publications/southeast_asia.html the Khmer Lands of Vietnam environment, Cosmology and sovereignty Philip Taylor ASIAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA in association with NUS PRESS and NIAS PRESS © 2014 Philip Taylor First published by: NUS Press National University of Singapore AS3-01-02, 3 Arts Link Singapore 117569 Fax: (65) 6774-0652 E-mail: nusbooks@nus.edu.sg Website: http://www.nus.edu.sg/nuspress ISBN: 978-9971-69-778-5 (Paper) Published in Europe by: NIAS Press NIAS – Nordic Institute of Asian Studies Øster Farimagsgade 5, DK–1353 Copenhagen K, Denmark Tel: (+45) 3532 9501 • Fax: (+45) 3532 9549 E-mail: books@nias.ku.dk • Website: www.niaspress.dk ISBN: 978-87-7694-139-0 The Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) is a research and service institute located at the University of Copenhagen and collaborating closely with the wider Nordic Asian Studies community. NIAS works to encourage and support Asian Studies in the Nordic countries as well as actively participating in the international scholarly community in its own right. In so doing, NIAS has published books since 1969 and in 2002 launched NIAS Press as an independent, not-for-profit publisher aiming at a premium reputation among authors and readers for relevant and focused, quality publishing in the field of Asian Studies. All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without written permission from the Publisher. Cataloguing-in-Publication Data for the book is available from the National Library, Singapore and the British Library. All plates in the book are provided by the author. Cover image: Pchum Ben Ancestor Festival, Wat Knong Srok, Tra Vinh (Photo: Philip Taylor) Printed by: Mainland Press Pte Ltd ...