Mueang ( mɯ̄ang, ), Muang ( mɯ́ang, ; Tai Nuea: ᥛᥫᥒᥰ muang), Mong ( mə́ŋ, ), Meng () or Mường (Vietnamese) were pre-modern semi-independent city-states or principalities in mainland Southeast Asia, adjacent regions of Northeast India and Southern China, including what is now Thailand, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, parts of northern Vietnam, southern Yunnan, western Guangxi and Assam.
Mueang was originally a term in the Tai languages for a town having a defensive wall and a ruler with at least the Thai noble rank of khun (), together with its dependent villages. The mandala model of political organisation organised states in collective hierarchy such that smaller mueang were subordinate to more powerful neighboring ones, which in turn were subordinate to a central king or other leader. The more powerful mueang (generally designated as chiang, wiang, nakhon or krung – with Bangkok as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) occasionally tried to liberate themselves from their suzerain and could enjoy periods of relative independence. Mueang large and small often shifted allegiance, and frequently paid tribute to more than one powerful neighbor – the most powerful of the period being Ming China.
Following Kublai Khan's defeat of the Dali Kingdom of the Bai people in 1253 and its establishment as a tutelary state, new mueang were founded widely throughout the Shan States and adjoining regions – though the common description of this as a "mass migration" is disputed. Following historical Chinese practice, tribal leaders principally in Yunnan were recognized by the Yuan as imperial officials, in an arrangement generally known as the Tusi ("Native Chieftain") system. Ming and Qing-era dynasties gradually replaced native chieftains with non-native Chinese government officials.
In the 19th century, Thailand's Chakri dynasty and Burma's colonial and subsequent military rulers did much the same with their lesser mueang, but, while the petty kingdoms are gone, the place names remain.
Place names
Place names in Southwestern Tai languages
Cambodia
In Khmer, "moeang" (មឿង) is a word borrowed from the Thai language meaning "small city" or "small town." Usually used as a place name for villages. Moeang Char Moeang Prachen
China
The place-name of Mueang is written in Chinese script as or , which written in Tai Nuea language as ᥛᥫᥒᥰ and in Tai Lue language as ᦵᦙᦲᧂ.
Laos
Laos is colloquially known as Muang Lao, but for Lao people, the word conveys more than mere administrative district. The usage is of special historic interest for the Lao; in particular for their traditional socio-political and administrative organisation, and the formation of their early (power) states, described by later scholars as Mandala (Southeast Asian political model). Provinces of Laos are now subdivided into what are commonly translated as districts of Laos, with some retaining Muang as part of the name: Muang Sing Muang Xay Former Muang Muang Phuan (modern Phonsavan, capital city of Xiangkhouang Province) Muang Sua
Myanmar
Mong Mao
Mong Hsat
Mong Hpayak
Mong Ton
Mong Nai
Mong Ping
Mohnyin (former Mongyang State) Mogaung (former Mongkawng) Momauk Mogok Momeik
Northeast India
Ahom kingdom – The Mueang (currently the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in North-East India), established by a Tai Prince Sukaphaa in 1228 with 9000 Tai People migrated from Mong Mao called as Ahom by local people, transformed itself into a huge kingdom by the 17th century that withstood the might of the Mughal Empire.
Thailand
Thailand is colloquially known as Mueang Thai. After the Thesaphiban reforms of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, city-states under Siam were organized into monthon (, Thai translation of mandala), which was changed to changwat () in 1916. Mueang still can be found as the term for the capital districts of the provinces (amphoe mueang), as well as for a municipal status equivalent to town (thesaban mueang). In standard Thai, the term for the country of Thailand is ประเทศไทย, rtgs: Prathet Thai.
Mueang toponyms
Mueang still forms part of the placenames of a few places, notably Don Mueang District, home to Don Mueang International Airport; and in the Royal Thai General System of Transcription Mueang Phatthaya () for the self-governing municipality of Pattaya.
Nakhon mueang
Nakhon () as meaning "city" has been modified to thesaban nakhon (), usually translated as "city municipality". It still forms part of the name of some places. Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Nakhon Lampang Nakhon Nayok Nakhon Ratchasima Nakhon Si Thammarat Nakhon Thai Renu Nakhon