Mac Cuu

Mac Cuu, born Mo Jiu (鄚玖; 1655–1736) was a Chinese adventurer who played a role in relations between Cambodia and the Nguyen court.

He was born in Leizhou, Guangdong. Sometime between 1687 and 1695, the Cambodian king sponsored him to migrate to Banteay Meas, where he at first served as chief of a small Chinese community, with the Khmer title Okna. By 1700, he had established an independent kingdom at Ha Tien, known variously as Gangkouguo (港口國), Bendiguo, or Hexian Zhen in Chinese, and Cancao, Peam, or Pontomeas by Europeans. The town of Ha Tien was originally known under the Khmer ព឵ម name of Piem or Peam (also Pie, Pam, Bam), the Khmer for "port", "harbour" or "river mouth".

Mac Cuu later switched allegiance to the Nguyen. He sent a tribute mission to the Nguyen court in 1708, and in return received the title of Tong Binh of Ha Tien. He died in 1735.

Mac's son, Mac Thien Tu, was born in 1700 to a lady from Bien Hoa. He also had a daughter, Mac Kim Dinh, who was married to the son of the Chinese general Tran Thuong Xuyen. as more Vietnamese invaded the region, the kingdom was annexed by the Nguyen and merged with Vietnamese territory in 1800s. A genealogy of his clan is Ha Tien tran Hiep tran Mac thi gia pha.