Nirat Travels to Guangdong: Inaccuracy in the Thai-Chinese Relations History during the Thonburi Period

Abstract

Nirat Travels to Guangdong or Phraya Mahanuphap’s Travels to China composed by Phraya Mahanuphap, is a literary work during the Thonburi Period, which records the historical event of “The King of Thonburi appointing envoys to establish and develop diplomatic relations with Qianlong Emperor, the emperor of China at that time” in detail. Therefore, it has attracted widespread attention from both Thai and Chinese historians who are interested in researching Thai-Chinese relations during the Thonburi – Emperor Qianlong Period. However, owing to not understanding or not noticing the differences of the Thai and Chinese traditional calendar at that time, there are confusion and inaccuracy on the departure date of King Taksin’s envoys in research and studies. The study examines the differences between the ancient calendars used in both Thailand and China, as well as methods and rules of converting these dates of traditional calendars into dates in the modern Gregorian calendar. The research results of the study are as follows: the Thai envoys departed from Thonburi on June 19, 1781, arrived in Guangzhou on July 23, 1781, departed heading to Beijing on October 19, 1781, and the audience with Emperor Qianlong most likely on March 9, 1782.