The Kingfisher

This small bird had a large impact on the kingdom of Angkor and its trade with the Chinese empire.

Unexpected Trade Goods

Although the surviving structures at Angkor seem isolated today, the Angkorian empire that we depict in the Virtual Angkor project was closely connected with wider circuits of trade and diplomacy. In the above image, you can see a snapshot of how the world of Virtual Angkor is handcrafted. You might also notice an unexpected trade good.

The blue-eared kingfisher, which is native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, was an extremely important trade good from the region. The most valuable parts of the small bird were its feathers, which were prized for their vibrant colors and used as pigments in jewelry, headdresses, and other decorative items 

 The trade in kingfisher feathers between the Angkorian and Chinese empires flourished between 802 and 1431 CE. The primary consumers were in China, which was a vast economic and political superpower in this period. This trade was a central part of the Angkorian economy, and even helped fund the creation of Angkor Wat. Additionally, the Khmer people traded these feathers in exchange for porcelain, paper, sulfur, canvas, cloth, iron and copper tools, wooden combs, and other Chinese products.    

The Khmer empire was not the only source of kingfisher feathers. In an important article Roderich Ptak shows that such feathers were sourced from across Southeast Asia including modern day Thailand and Vietnam and as far afield as Sri Lanka. Ptak concludes that “kingfishers and their feathers were highly esteemed in China and regularly brought in from Southeast Asia over a long period of time.” This indicates that the desire for kingfisher feathers did not end with the Angkorian empire—jewelry has been made incorporating these feathers as late as 1933, which will be explored in the next section.

In a book focused entirely on kingfishers, Ildiko Szabo writes that “We should not underestimate the importance of this trade good.” The kingfisher could be traded in many forms, and it was not just its feathers that were valuable. For one, the bird, if traded live, could also become a type of exotic pet, rather than an animal product. However, most notably, the feathers could be taken from either living or dead birds and used as decorative inlays in jewelry and other goods.

Jewelry and Ornamentation

The name for jewelry and other ornamentations that utilized kingfisher feathers was tian-tsui, which literally translates as “dotting with kingfisher.” The first record of tian-tsui dates back to 300 BC, and the practice lasted for over 2000 years until the Chinese government classified kingfishers as a Class 2 Protected Animal during the Chinese Communist Revolution. 

Because of the fragility of the pieces, the technique was mostly reserved for hair ornaments, brooches, and other similar pieces reserved for special occasions. Additionally, their use was reserved for the Imperial Court.

Examine the two tian-tsui examples below.

Note the vibrancy of the kingfisher feathers. This color would be impossible to reproduce throught the use of available pigments at the time, leading it to be highly valued—and higly priced.

The Cost of Colour

The kingfisher was sought after because of the unique and eye-catching appearance of their feathers. They had to be handled extremely carefully to ensure that the feathers were not damaged, and thus the colour was ruined. 

Unsurprisingly Not surprisingly the massive trade resulted in environmental degradation. The kingfisher was almost hunted to extinction during the height of its trade.

Further Reading

Daguan, Zhou. A Record of Cambodia: The Land and Its People. Translated by Peter Harris. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books, 2007.

Szabo, Ildiko. Kingfisher. London: Reaktion Books, 2009.