Mya Than Tint - Taungthaman Shwe Innkale Hnyin Sao Po (Vice)

Mask feeling

I was commissioned by Saya Mya Than Tint to draw the cover of the second part of his book “The Wind Blows from Taungthaman Shwe Inn” (Today Mandalay Bookstore). It has been almost twenty years since I have drawn illustrations for newspapers, movie posters, and theater posters.

However, my respect for the hardships and path of life that Saya Mya Than Tint had to walk, and for the literary generosity that Saya Mya Than Tint always gave to his readers, inspired me to try to create the cover of his book.

I once had the privilege of designing the covers of the book “War and Peace” and “Le Ru Thon Thon” translated by Bagan Book Publishers while I was still alive. Now, the teacher has passed away. It has been three years since his death. Now, I will no longer be able to see and enjoy the cover of “Taungthaman Shwe Inn Ka Le Nying Sao Po”. However, I will try to design it. I share the sorrow of the literary lovers and friends who loved and valued the teacher.

I read the first teacher's manuscript carefully and looked for the cover. I found that it was not a fiction genre but a moving documentary story about characters who had a prominent place in history.

This is the history of Myanmar in the late Yadanarbon period, when the Burmese feudal era came to an end and it fell under foreign rule.

It seems that the teacher received a vision through the wind when he arrived at Taungthaman Inn in Amarapura. Now, he has left it as a book in a single volume. It is found that the year, characters, plot, and details are accurately referenced from many local and foreign scriptures. The teacher even presented the differences and differences of opinion between the scriptures.

For me, it was a real historical event that marked a turning point (political, economic, social) in a country or a turning point in the wheel of destiny.

The Burmese King Thibaw, Queen Suphaya Lat, and the entire royal family were deposed and exiled to Ratanagiri, India, where they were met with a guerrilla revolution by Burmese nationalists who did not want the British to rule them.

The images of Andy and his followers, who were of all ethnic groups, defying the enemy with their unwavering determination and unwavering flag, despite their lack of weapons, have now become the cover of Sayar Mya Than Tint's book "The Wind Blows in the Mountain Shwe Inn".

Once upon a time...

We honor the natural dignity of the martyrs, patriots, and heroes who sacrificed themselves for the true liberation struggle for the country and the nation.

Painting by Maung Nyo Win, January 2002

" Explanation of the meaning of the mask "

Today, Mandalay Bookstore gave me the opportunity to design the cover for the second volume of “The Wind Blows in the South of the Silver Lake” by Saya Mya Than Tint. When I was designing the cover, I first read the first volume of Saya Mya Than Tint.

I have proofread the manuscript for the second volume, and I am reading the rough copy. This means that I have to read the first and second volumes with respect so that I do not miss any of the events that Mya Than Tint wants to present in the content of this book. This is the first task.

Because it is the last great history of the Konbaung period that is memorable for Sayar Mya Than Tint, and since it contains the situation after the death of King Thibaw, which will benefit everyone, the first cover was illustrated by artist Ko Wathon, and now, after Sayar Mya Than Tint’s death, I took full responsibility for the part that I wanted to commemorate with my work and worked diligently. When I was working, I took into consideration the reviewer’s perspective and tried to make the content easy to review, to cover the topics that Sayar Mya Than Tint wanted to express, and to make it my own. Finally, I decided to present the parts of the struggle of the Burmese people during that period.

After the Burmese patriots' office movement, I focused on depicting the role of King Thibaw. The subject was that the patriotic martyrs were considered bandits, rebels, and bad people, and were imprisoned and tortured. I decided to depict this role. After making that decision, I searched for information about this topic.

The information I have submitted to the review is not clear from the name of the author in the letter of Saya Mya Than Tint, so I have written to give priority to the part of ordinary rural farmers and to present the resentment and heartbreak felt by Burmese, real Burmese, and Burmese civilians as much as possible. There is no other purpose. | The main thing is that when writing, Saya Mya Than Tint also believes that it supports the survival and development of the patriotic spirit that Burmese patriots, native blood, and native spirit have been pushing forward to this day, and I write freely. .

These are topics that only a writer who is used to focusing on his own thoughts can think of. It is not a leisurely read. I want to give a historical background and explain it as a writer. Another thing I thought of to illustrate as a part of it was to illustrate King Thibaw's life in prison. Then, what is more powerful is that King Thibaw is personal, so I chose this. (If they are prisoners, will they be allowed or not? Will the book be delayed? I wrote this cover with half a feeling. Because the publisher's part also made me wait for a long time where I needed it, and I tried very hard to avoid any mistakes in the cover design. I hope you forgive me as much as possible and present the pictures to the audience.

With respect

The weeping King Kinwan, Suphaya Latt, and the assistant of the chief minister, Phan Chek

Meanwhile, Mandalay is in turmoil, for no other reason.

The news that the “Phoenix” arrived on October 26th was that an ultimatum had been sent to Mandalay. In fact, the ultimatum did not come with the “Phoenix”. It came with the “Ashley Eden”. However, the “Phoenix” was a powerful and fast ship, so it arrived in Mandalay later. “The Irrawaddy Flotilla Company ships, which regularly sailed to Mandalay, also came with the “Phoenix”. These ships did not dock at the port but anchored in the middle of the water. The order was to bring back from Mandalay more than eighty British subjects and Europeans.

The ultimatum arrived in Mandalay on October 30. It was the time of Lent, when the Burmese were observing the fast. Whether or not they received a reply from the Burmese government, the ship "Ashley Eden" was to leave Mandalay on November 6. There was no choice. The ultimatum had to be presented to the parliament on October 31. When the ultimatum was read out, King Thibaw was said to be in a very bad mood and could not speak properly.

The Prime Minister told Parliament that the ultimatum was not in accordance with British policy since 1880. His submission was also supported by other ministers. When they learned that Lord Dufferin had urged the ultimatum, they were incredulous. Since Lord Kimberley, successive Secretaries to India had treated Burma as an independent country, they argued.

King Taitar and his gang, however, prepared to take up arms and fight back.

At that moment, King Thibaw suddenly rose from the council and went into the inner hall. The meaning was that he did not like what was being discussed in the parliament. King Thibaw invited the religious leader to present his reasons. The religious leader urged him to accept the ultimatum. The Italian consul, Andreano, and the French consul, Frederick, also supported the religious leader's idea. The next day, November 1, the king went to see King Thibaw and Queen Suphaya Lat. Suphaya Lat was five months pregnant at the time, but she personally participated in the discussion. (The entire palace was expecting a son, the crown prince. However, it was a girl.)

Even at this critical moment, the parliament seemed to be splitting into two factions. The King and his party wanted to give a soft answer to the Governor-General of India, saying that they wanted to appease the anger of the “blacks” in this way, and that they had done so before. The Tait party, on the other hand, said that “the only way to meet the blacks’ demands was by war.”

The division between the two groups was not only a political problem but also a personal one. The King and the Kyaung-wan clan had always been comfortable with the Kyaung-wan clan. The King and the Kyaung-wan clan knew that if they accepted the British delegation, as per the demands of the ultimatum, they would gain influence. If they did, they thought they would be able to draft a constitution and carry out other reforms. The King and the Kyaung-wan clan had decided to carry out these reforms, but they had to put them off until 1879. However, in 1879, the British delegation was coming back. If they did, their reform project would have been successful. The King and the Kyaung-wan clan thought that the Kyaung-wan clan would be shocked.

The Titar clan also knew that they were notorious among the blacks. They were the ones who had rejected Bernard's offer of mediation in the Bombay Burmah Company case, and they knew very well that the Indian government would not forgive them for that. They also knew that the Indian government was also angry with them for their efforts to negotiate illegally with the Italian Consul Andreani on October 6th in the Timber Company case.

In addition to the King's clan and the King's clan, there were other groups in the palace. They were the people who enjoyed privileges in the palace. They were worried that if they accepted the ultimatum, they would lose their rights. For example, the French and Italians who were serving King Thibaw had not received their salaries for more than two years. They and Suphaya Lat's "kalams" (foreign spies) believed that if they accepted the British ultimatum, they would not receive the salaries and rights they were entitled to. Here, they also pretended that the ultimatum was of no importance. They reminded him that the King's clan and the King's clan were the ones who had also nullified the Treaty of Simla signed in 1882.

However, there was one person who was more important than these three groups. That was Suphaya Lat. Suphaya Lat would become the queen consort if she had a son. She also wanted her son to continue to rule in the Golden Palace. Her intention was very far-reaching. That was a key point in the discussion about whether or not to accept the ultimatum.

The first speaker in the parliament was King Tai Tar. He argued that the BBC had lied to King Thibaw, and that the ultimatum should be rejected, that the Indian government had never made any real inquiry into the matter, that if their ultimatum had been accepted, the new British envoy would have become the king of Burma, that the British, as the whole world knew, were shameless and lawless animals, and that they should be answered with war, and that he spoke as the commander-in-chief of a part of the armed forces, and that his men were as skilled in weapons and tactics as the foreigners.

At the end of this presentation, King Taita exclaimed, "Our great lord must win this war."

Suphaya Lat and many ministers also listened to King Thita's submissions. But King Thipao said nothing. He asked King Kinwan whether he should accept or reject the ultimatum. King Kinwan said that the information in the ultimatum was unfair and insulting, but that he had been to Europe twice and had seen the strength of the British army, and King Thita had never been outside Burma, and that as a commander-in-chief of a part of the Burmese army, the Burmese soldiers would not be able to resist the Indian army, and that the British ultimatum should be accepted for the time being, that the Burmese soldiers should be trained and educated in a few years, and that victory would be achieved then, but that victory could not be achieved at the present time, and that if necessary, the information in the ultimatum should be gradually extended and completed. In the meantime, King Kinwan concluded, we must make our own preparations.

Suphaya Latt condemned King Kinwan's report. The ministers were also afraid that if they accepted the ultimatum of the Kalas, they would be condemned. Among those who condemned King Kinwan was his permanent supporter, the Secretary of the Navy.

The secretary of the navy said that they should stand firm and resist under pressure from their father-in-law, King Tait. King Tait, supported by Suphaya Latt, said that they could incite rebellion in Lower Burma, that they could send 'bad swordsmen' from Upper Burma into British territory and force them to work, and that if they went to war, France would help them on the Burmese side.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had lived in France for ten years and had been to Paris twice as a traveling ambassador, knew France well. However, he did not dare to speak out against King Tai Ta or the Secretary of the Navy. Like the Secretary of the Navy, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was also under pressure from his father-in-law, King Tai Ta. However, this time, the Minister of Foreign Affairs supported King Kin Wan. Finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who had cried so hard, looked at his father-in-law, King Tai Ta, and said with a sob, “Because of your father, we will all lose our lives and the country will be lost.”

Until then, King Thibaw did not enter into the discussion. He did not say a word. He only asked the opinions of the ministers who were present at the meeting. Finally, King Kinwan made a last attempt to argue with the entire parliament. He said that the ancient ancestors had already lost Assam, Manipur, Arakan and Tanintharyi in the first Anglo-Burmese war, and had lost Bago and Rangoon in the second war. Will the living king be recorded in history as the one who lost the remaining Myanmar?

When he thought of such a disgrace, Thibaw leaned towards King Kinwan. It was clear that Thibaw was not on the side of King Taita's military regime. He was worried that if his wife, the king, accepted the ultimatum, his future son would never inherit the throne.

Queen Suphaya Lat interrupted, calling King Kinwan a coward, and mockingly said, “It would be better if Grandpa wore a robe and carried a stone.” Turning to the other maidens, she said, “Hey, bring a robe and a stone. Then the world will know what kind of person King Kinwan is.” Then, “Queen Suphaya Lat used the last weapon of women, crying. As women’s tears usually bring victory, Queen Suphaya Lat’s tears ended the debate,” wrote historian Ketan.

Here, Thibaw declared that there was no other option but to wage war. As was customary, after the conference was over, the parliament met in the palace and a formal decision was made. However, since Suphaya Lat was no longer around, most of the ministers expressed the view that a friendly reply should be sent, so that the ultimatum would not be accepted and the war would not be fought.

King Kinwan had written similar replies to appease the Kalas' anger. He could write the same now. If the Kalas rejected his vague reply, they would only lose their ministerial positions and part of their independence. If they rejected the ultimatum outright, he saw, they would have to go to war and lose everything.

The King was crying. He said that he would only write whatever the ministers asked him to.