Chi Tu was an ancient kingdom mentioned in the history of China. The Sui Dynasty annals describe an advanced kingdom called Chi Tu in 607, when Chang Chun was sent as an ambassador there. The location of Chi Tu was disputed to be around Kelantan or Pahang state in Malay Peninsula, or in Songkhla and Pattani Province of southern Thailand. The best evidence to support the Kelantan theory was when the envoys left Chi Tu, the sail took 10 days to reach Champa, this indicates the kingdom was located somewhere 'red earth' around the main river of Kelantan. The inscribed Buddhagupta Stone found in Kedah mentioned a Raktamrttika, meaning "red earth land".
History
The Chi Tu kingdom is believed to have existed as early as 100 BC to the 6th century AD. The royal family's name was Chu-dan and the king was Li-fo-duo-se. According to Chinese records, Chi Tu was built by kit mow peoples who sailed from the coast of Funan. Centuries later, the local inhabitants, replaced Funan peoples. "... Chi Tu is a derivation nation of Funan, located in within the southern sea, sailing hundred days to reach, the majority terrain was red, thus named Red Earth Kingdom. East bordering Po-Lo-La, West bordering Po-Lo-So, South bordering Ho Lo Tan, thousands of square miles in land area. The king has three wives and the kingdom embraced Buddhism ...". Chi Tu kingdom along with Langkasuka, Kedah and others were early important trade centers. During this period, ships coming from China and Funan stop at the coast of Malay Peninsula. They get the local porters to transport the goods, using rafts, elephants and manpower along the Early transpeninsular routeway and part of the ancient Spice Route. By the 800 AD, the Chi Tu kingdom went into decline.
Location
Scholars do not agree on the location of Raktamaritika. While some consider it in the area of Phatthalung / Songkhla area, or Kelantan. The ruins around the Songkhla lake such as Bang Kaeo in Phatthalung or Sathing Phra in Songkhla then might be one of the cities of Raktamaritika.
Songkhla vicinity theory
The inscription of the Buddhagupta Stone found in Kedah mentioned a Raktamaritika, the meaning is red earth land, to be the home town of a seafarer named Buddhagupta. The old name of Songkhla is Singgora, which coincides with the fact that according to the Chinese chronicles the capital of Chitu was Sing-Ha and also the nearby Singhanakhon district. This name may also be related to Tambralinga because there is "Tam" in this name as same as Raktamaritika and Tampapanni. And this state has appeared in 642, the same area of the central Malay peninsula after Chitu has already faded away from the history. The best evidence supporting this theory is the mention that when the envoys left Chitu, the sailing took 10 days to reach Champa, which indicates the kingdom was located at the 'red earth' areas such as Rattaphum because Rattaphum means red earth as well.
