著者

太田 常藏

出版者

東南アジア学会

雑誌

南方史研究 (ISSN:2185050X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.1959, no.1, pp.71-79,A12, 1959-06-30 (Released:2010-10-22)

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‘Wu t'u’ is one of the names given to Burma. Yang Ping-nan's ‘Hai-lu’ is an important material, on the authority of which I have given careful consideration to the name of ‘Wu t'u’. The following may be suggested as the origins of ‘Wu t'u’:1. the land of ‘Hei-shui’ which means the River Irrawaddy.2. the transcription of ‘waddy’ from ‘Irrawaddy’.3. the transcription from Orissa, which is the home of the emigrants to Burma.4. the transcription of ‘waddy’ from Hamthawaddy, which is the name of ‘Talaing’ kingdom.Of the above, the last one (i. e. 4) is considered to be most apposite to the case for reasons given below:a. ‘Wu t'u’ was the name early given to Lower Burma.b. From ancient times until to-day, the Burmese had a great love for the name of ‘Hamthawaddy’.c. ‘Pegu-catechu’ was called ‘Wu-tieh-t'u’.Considerations have further been given in this report to the reason why opium is called ‘Wu t'u’, and suggestions made as to the origin of the name of ‘Po-ssu’ in South-East Asia which, like ‘Wu t'u’, may probably be the transcription of ‘waddy’ from Hamthawaddy.