ABSTRACT
The Xishuangbanna Dai Nationality Autonomous Prefecture, as the Chinese term it, is situated in the southwestern part ofYunnan province in the People's Republic of China. It is known among the Thai people as Sipsongpanna, the land of the Tai Lue. Historically, Sipsongpanna had a long relationship with Lanna, the ancient kingdom of the northern part of Thailand. King Mangrai, who founded Chiang Mai as the capital of the Lanna kingdom in 1296, was a grandson of King Rung Kaen Chai of Jinghong (Cheng Hung) capital city of Sipsongpanna (Prinle Minister's Office 1971: 8).
