THE 
\ 
JOURNAL 
OF 
THE INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO 
AND 
EASTERN ASIA* 
DETAILS RESPECTING COCHIN CHINA. 
By the Right Reverend Dlt. Le FEVRE, 
Bishop of IsmropolU and Vicar Apostolic of Lower 
Cochin China * 
FORMATION OF THE MONARCHY. 
In the course of the fifteenth century, the King of Torigking 
took possession of some provinces dose to his kingdom, and sub¬ 
ject to the King of Ciampa. In the sixteenth century a family 
of Tongking, called a Ngu yen,” who had rendered many services 
to the King, was by him raised to the dignity called “Chua," which 
was the first dignity after that of the -King called u Vua.” The 
descendants of Chua Ngu yen obtained the governorship of the two 
provinces taken away from the King of Ciampa. In the same 
century this family shook off the yoke of the King of Tongking, 
and this gave birth to the kingdom of Cochin China, which was 
thus called by the Portuguese to distinguish it from Cochin on 
the Malabar Coast. The natives called it first “An Nam” (the 
peace of the south) a name which is still commonly given to it, 
but its official name, after many changes, is at present 4i I)ai Nam/' 
•f 
* Written by his Lordship for this Journal at the instance of the Honora¬ 
ble Colonel Buttenvorth, C. B., Governor of the Straits Settlements. 
¥QL. I. NO. a. 
C 
