The formation process of Champa states in Vietnamese history

Abstract

Studies on Lam Ap, Hoan Vuong and especially the Champa period have long received attentions of both domestic and foreign scholars. This was particularly the case as archaeological discoveries made by French scholars during early decades of the 20th century revealed much important information about the existence and decline of many Cham territories/states in the Central Vietnam. This comes with an adverse fact that Chinese and Vietnamese sources about Lam Ap, Hoan Vuong, and Chiem Thanh (Champa) is not much, and sometimes inconsistent due to interval distance, mis-compilation, or the lack of dynastic attention,... and these records cause many difficulties in the process of studying Champa history. One major challenge among them is what kind of Cham political system - centralized or federal and its nature, and how it operates,... These questions have received research attention of many generations of scholars at home and abroad, ... This article bases on approaches of cultural studies, history and religious history to clarify the process of state formation, development and decline of the Champa kingdom. The main research methods are document analysis and historical study to clarify: 1. The premise for the birth of the Champa states; 2. Separation, unity and the decline of the Champa states and and finally, a concluding remark.