New Exploration on the Etymology of Xishuangbanna’s Ancient Name “车里” (chē lǐ)

Abstract

The etymology and meaning of the term “车里” (chē lǐ) have long been a subject of debate among scholars. Mr. He Ping proposes a new interpretation of its origin and meaning from the perspectives of philology and phonetics. However, the author of this paper holds different views, and deems that Mr. He Ping’s conclusion lacks a solid foundation, so this paper discusses about it from a linguistic perspective. Since Panya Zhen’s establishment of the Jinglong Jindian Kingdom in 1180, the administrative divisions of Xishuangbanna during successive dynasties’ have been centered around Jinghong. As a result, “景陇”, “彻里”, “车里”, and “景洪”, might be potentially different transliterations of the Dai language term “Chiang Rong,” all meaning “City of Dawn.” Hence, a more compelling argument can be made that “车里” and “彻里” originate from place names rather than being derived from the name of a pagoda.