Cambodia was a state that existed before Angkor, written in Chinese documents. In the middle of the 3rd century, the Chinese emissaries were sent to Cambodia, which was called "ANACHAK PHNOM" but the Chinese called it "FUNAN"�. One of the Chinese emissaries wrote the legend about this country as following: There was the Indian brahman named "HUNTIAN" and his followers made a trip from India by ship, and arrived in ANACHAK PHNOM, ruled by the princess named "LEW-YEE" who was the king's daughter .

She ordered the army to be ready to fight and departed by boat to attack Huntian's ship. After attacking a while without success, Huntian raised his magic bow, shot on the princess'boat, wrecking and sinking it. Finally, she got lost and defeated by Huntian. She had no choice but to marry him. Later, Huntian became a successor and ruled the kingdom of ANACHAK PHNOM. Historians-based on the ruin monuments, inscriptions and the excavations at the ancient port "OKEO"� in the lower Mekong in the south of Vietnam-found that there was a Khmer kingdom, created in Southeast Asia that the Chinese called "FUNAN"� dominated over the neighboring Indianised states, including the state of Chenla in northern Cambodia. From the 1st -6th centuries, many kings have taken the throne and set up a larger state. During this time, most trading was done on the seas with China, Champa, India, and several countries in Europe such as the ROMANS.

according to the excavations at the ancient port "OKEO"� indicated, it was a big city where goods such as metal, gold, jewelry, valued things such as horn, elephant tusks, pearls, and wood were exchanged. Over the later half of 6th century, FUNAN began to decline, as the western territory was seized by Chenla. Historians believe that the Angkor borey in Takeo province used to be a former capital city of ANACHAK PHNOM. The last king's name ISHANAVARMAN I, who ruled and unified Chenla, making it a peaceful and prosperous country. He created the city in Kompong thom (on the road No. 6 to Phnom Penh) and constructed the pre-Angkorian temples "SAMBO PREY KUK"� During his reign, the two religions used were Brahmanism and Buddhism. They used Sanskrit which came from India. The people wore "Kben"� but no shirt, and their houses were made of wood raise up from the ground, and they were also skilled producers and artists. They made big ships for trading and for war. Also, they made canals and dams for irrigation systems. During the reign of king ISHANAVARMAN I, he was unafraid of the smaller warring states that threatened to attack him. Later, these small warring states were united under JAYAVARMAN I , in the middle of the 7th century. Finally, after the death of king ISHANAVARMAN I, Chenla was divided into two rival states, known as "land Chenla"� and "water Chenla"�

- Land Chenla was in northern Cambodia, near Wat phou temple (south of Lao today).
- Water Chenla was centered further south of Kompong thom.

During this time when Chenla was separated and experiencing unrest, JAVA (Indonesia) invaded. The king and his family were killed, and his royal court was arrested. At the end of the 8th century, there was a race of Thai who lived in the south of China (YUNANN), who fled down south, between Khmer and Mayanmar. At the east border, in what is now Vietnam, the Cham people created the state name "Champa."�