林邑之先，因漢末交阯女子徵側之亂，內縣功曹子區連殺縣令，自號為王。無子，其甥范熊代立，死，子逸立。日南人范文因亂為逸僕隸，遂教之築宮室，造器械。逸甚信任，使文將兵，極得眾心。文因間其子弟，或奔或徙。及逸死，國無嗣，文自立為王。其後范佛為晉揚威將軍戴桓所破。宋交州刺史檀和之將兵擊之，深入其境。至梁、陳，亦通使往來。

The origins of Linyi date back to the end of the Han Dynasty. Taking advantage of the rebellion of the woman Zheng Ce [Trưng Trắc] in Jiaozhi, Ou/Qu Lian, the son of [an administrative clerk in] the District Labor Section, killed the district magistrate and proclaimed himself king.

He had no sons, so his sister’s son [sheng 甥], Fan Xiong, succeeded him. When [Xiong] died, his son Yi succeeded him.

Fan Wen, a native of Rinan, became a servent to Yi amidst the turmoil. He subsequently taught Yi how to build palaces and manufacture weapons. Yi trusted him deeply and placed him in command of the troops, and [Wen] completely won the hearts of the masses. Wen then sowed discord among [Yi’s] sons and kinsmen, causing some to flee and others to be exiled. When Yi died, the state was left without an heir, so Wen established himself as king.

Later, Fan Fo was defeated by Dai Huan, the “General Who Displays Might” of the Jin Dynasty. Tan Hezhi, the regional inspector of Jiaozhou under the [Liu] Song Dynasty, led troops to attack them, penetrating deep into their territory. Down through the Liang and Chen Dynasties, they continued to exchange envoys.

其國延袤數千里，土多香木金寶，物產大抵與交阯同。以塼為城，蜃灰塗之，東向戶。尊官有二：其一曰西那婆帝，其二曰薩婆地歌。其屬官三等：其一曰倫多姓，次歌倫致帝，次乙他伽蘭。外官分為二百餘部。其長官曰弗羅，次曰可輪，如牧宰之差也。王戴金花冠，形如章甫，衣朝霞布，珠璣瓔珞，足躡革履，時復錦袍。良家子侍衞者二百許人，皆執金裝刀。有弓、箭、刀、槊，以竹為弩，傅毒於矢。樂有琴、笛、琵琶、五絃，頗與中國同。每擊鼓以警眾，吹蠡以即戎。

The country extends for several thousand leagues. The land abounds in fragrant woods and gold treasures, and its products are generally the same as those of Jiaozhi. They use bricks to build their city walls, coating them with lime made from clam shells, and their doors face east.

There are two high officials: the first is called xinapodi 西那婆帝 [senapati], and the second is called sapodige 薩婆地歌. Their subordinate officials are of three ranks: the first is called lunduoxing 倫多姓, the next gelunzhidi 歌倫致帝 [kurung. . .?], and the next yitajialan 乙他伽蘭.

The outer officials are divided into over two hundred departments. Their leaders are called fuluo 弗羅 [pura?], and the next rank is called kelun 可輪 [krung?], similar to the distinction between local officials [in China].

The King wears a gold floral crown shaped like the Zhangfu cap. He is dressed in dawn cloud [zhaoxia 朝霞] cloth, adorned with pearls and necklace garlands. He wears leather sandals on his feet and, at times, brocade robes.

About two hundred sons of noble families serve as his bodyguard, all holding gold-decorated swords. They possess bows, arrows, sabers, and lances. They use bamboo to make crossbows and apply poison to the arrows.

Their musical instruments include the zither, flute, pipa [lute], and five-stringed instruments, which are quite similar to those of the Middle Kingdom. They beat drums to alert the masses and blow conch shells to signal for war.

其人深目高鼻，髮拳色黑。俗皆徒跣，以幅布纏身。冬月衣袍。婦人椎髻。施椰葉席。每有婚媾，令媒者齎金銀釧、酒二壺、魚數頭至女家。於是擇日，夫家會親賓，歌儛相對。女家請一婆羅門，送女至男家，壻盥手，因牽女授之。王死七日而葬，有官者三日，庶人一日。皆以函盛屍，鼓儛導從，輿至水次，積薪焚之。收其餘骨，王則內金甖中，沉之於海；有官者以銅甖，沉之於海口；庶人以瓦，送之於江。男女皆截髮，隨喪至水次，盡哀而止，歸則不哭。每七日，然香散花，復哭，盡哀而止，盡七七而罷，至百日、三年，亦如之。人皆奉佛，文字同於天竺。

The people have deep-set eyes, high noses, and curly, black hair. It is their custom to go barefoot and wrap their bodies in a length of cloth. In the winter months, they wear robes. Women tie their hair into mallet-shaped buns. They use mats made of coconut leaves.

Whenever there is a marriage, the matchmaker is ordered to take gold and silver bracelets, two jars of wine, and several fish to the woman’s family. A date is then chosen, and the husband’s family gathers relatives and guests to sing and dance facing one another. The woman’s family invites a Brahman to escort the woman to the man’s house. The groom washes his hands, leads the woman, and receives her.

When a king dies, he is cremated after seven days; officials after three days; and commoners after one day. In all cases, the corpse is placed in a casket. Led by drums and dancing, it is carried to the water’s edge, where firewood is piled up and the body is burned.

The remaining bones are collected. For a king, they are placed in a gold urn and sunk into the sea; for officials, in a copper urn sunk at the seaport; and for commoners, in an earthenware jar sent into the river.

Men and women alike cut their hair short. They follow the funeral procession to the water’s edge, lamenting until their grief is exhausted, then they stop; upon returning home, they do not cry. Every seven days, they burn incense, scatter flowers, and weep again, stopping once their grief is exhausted. This ceases after seven times seven [forty-nine] days. At one hundred days and at three years, they do the same.

The people all worship the Buddha [Fo 佛], and their writing script is the same as that of India [Tianzhu 天竺].

高祖既平陳，乃遣使獻方物，其後朝貢遂絕。時天下無事，羣臣言林邑多奇寶者。仁壽末，上遣大將軍劉方為驩州道行軍總管，率欽州刺史甯長真、驩州刺史李暈、開府秦雄步騎萬餘及犯罪者數千人擊之。其王梵志率其徒乘巨象而戰，方軍不利。方於是多掘小坑，草覆其上，因以兵挑之。梵志悉眾而陣，方與戰，偽北，梵志逐之，至坑所，其眾多陷，轉相驚駭，軍遂亂。方縱兵擊之，大破之。頻戰輒敗，遂棄城而走。方入其都，獲其廟主十八枚，皆鑄金為之，蓋其有國十八葉矣。方班師，梵志復其故地，遣使謝罪，於是朝貢不絕。

After Emperor Gaozu [Wen] had pacified the Chen Dynasty, [Linyi] sent envoys to offer local products; but subsequently, the tribute missions ceased. At that time, the empire was at peace, and the ministers spoke of Linyi possessing many rare treasures.

At the end of the Renshou era [c. 604 AD], the emperor dispatched General-in-chief Liu Fang as the Commander-in-Chief of the Huanzhou Route Marching Army. He led Ning Changzhen, the regional inspector of Qinzhou; Li Yun, the regional inspector of Huanzhou; Commander Qin Xiong; along with over ten thousand infantry and cavalry and several thousand convicts to attack them.

Their king, Fan Zhi, led his followers to battle riding upon giant elephants. Fang’s army was at a disadvantage. Thereupon, Fang dug many small pits and covered them with grass, then used his troops to provoke the enemy.

Fan Zhi marshaled all his multitudes and formed a battle array. Fang engaged him and then feigned retreat. Fan Zhi pursued him until they reached the location of the pits. Many of his troops fell in, and they became terrified and threw one another into panic; the army consequently fell into chaos. Fang unleashed his soldiers to attack them and soundly defeated them.

[Fan Zhi] fought frequently but was defeated every time, so he finally abandoned the city and fled. Fang entered their capital and captured eighteen temple tablets, all cast from gold, implying that their kingdom had lasted for eighteen generations.

Fang withdrew his army. Fan Zhi recovered his former territory and sent envoys to apologize for his offenses. Thereupon, the tribute missions continued without interruption.