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

Publisher's note

The book "The Wind Blows from Taungthaman Shwe Inn" by the late writer "Mya Than Tint", a monthly serial in Shumawa Magazine, has been delivered to readers.

It can be said that it is a book of personal history of the teacher. In writing this book, Saya Mya Than Tint referred to the books Myin Khun Uprising (U Wazira Buddhi), Mya Taung Sasana Hundred Years, History of King Kwin (U Maung Maung Tin), Mandalay City Charter (U Maung Maung Kyaw), Mandalay Centennial (Shwe Kai Thar), Konbaung Set Maha Razawin (U Maung Maung Tin), The State of Upper Burma in 1885 (Daw Kyan), THE MAKING OF BURMA. (DOROLTHEY WODMAN). THIBAW'S QUEEN. (FIELDING HALL), OUR BURMESE WARS. (F. WHITE). THE PAGODA WAR. (ATQ STEAWART). BURMA'S STRUGGLE AGAINST BRITISH IMPERIALISM. (1885-1895) (NI NI MYINT), MANDALAY. (F. KAR).

The library has tried its best to include historical and related photographs in the preparation of this book. The book published now is the first part of "The Wind Blows at Taungthaman Shwe Inn", and the part written in the New Fragrance Magazine will be published as the second part. In other words, this book is the memoir of Saya Mya Than Tint of Mandalay Library today.

If the reader is satisfied with this book, we will all remember and miss Sayar Mya Than Tint even more.

Arranger, publisher

Mandalay Library today

( 1)

Phoenix Mandalay

“Mandalay is like the Phoenix in Greek mythology. Just as the Phoenix rose from the ashes and became young again, Mandalay has also risen from the ashes and become young again.”

I began my speech at the Mandalay Literary Festival with the above words.

I once saw Mandalay in the ashes of the war. At that time, if you look east from the 84th Street in the center of Mandalay, you can see a huge fire that stretches all the way to the shore of Lake Aung San. If you look south, you can see the foot of the pagoda, if you look west, you can see the embankment next to the Ayeyarwady River, and if you look north, you can see the foot of Mandalay Hill. In the ashes, the huts look like islands. The walls of the huts have collapsed and are standing like ghosts in a dream. They are black from the fire. The large windows in the walls are like the eye sockets of a skull. The large iron bars are bent and stuck down. In some places, they are standing up. I remember a geometric picture of a seventh-grade student who had drawn a complicated puzzle without knowing how to draw it. The trees were black from the fire. The towers, turrets, and spires on the city walls were broken. The red walls were also dry and cracked in many places, with large piles of broken bricks. The moat around the city walls was no longer clear. The water was covered with moss and moss. The lotus forest was covered with moss.

We used to hear the song of the palace guard Tin when we were young, “There is only one palace left to see,” but now we don’t even see a palace left to see.

I was walking through the vast, ash-covered desert that was once Mandalay.

The Mandalay city wall was in ruins in many places. When we climbed Mandalay Hill, two lions at the foot of the hill were broken and destroyed. One of the lions had its head cut off. The iron roofs that U Khanti had built were also gone. The iron frames of some of the iron gates were bent. The pagodas and caves were in ruins. The statues were falling down. In one place, a large bronze bell had fallen. The trees growing on the hillside were broken into pieces and were completely bare. Iron helmets, cannon shells, and machine gun shells were scattered.

Mandalay is like a defamed virgin.

At that time, I didn't understand how intense the battle for Mandalay was. It was only when I grew up and read military history and military records that I realized how intense the battle for Mandalay was.

In February 1945, the Operations Department of the South East Asia Command issued a directive to the British 14th Army, which was fighting in Burma. The directive was (1) to destroy the Japanese forces massed around Mandalay and (2) to capture Rangoon before the monsoon season. The following is a written account of the battle for Mandalay by Field Marshal Sling, Commander of the 14th Army.

"...On February 24, General Rees's troops broke through the Kyauk Myaung front and descended into the eastern hills, providing a position for the Second Division to operate. The Second Division was able to break through the Japanese forces on the eastern bank the next day. Then, like a dam breaking, the two armies rushed southward like a torrent of water. The enemy troops were swept away by the current, leaving the remaining units as small islands that could offer little resistance. Soon, another division descended from Tha Beik Kyin to the south, and the remaining islands were also covered by water. By March 3, the 19th Corps was in plains where tanks could drive. The Japanese 15th Corps, which had been shattered in the Battle of Imphal, had clashed with the vanguard of Rees's troops and was driven back, and no further organized resistance was possible. On March 4, a report came from Rees that this was no longer possible. Rees's troops, having surrounded some Japanese remnants and camps, leapfrogged their troops, and the next day his troops reached the Chaungmae River. Chaungmae River was only eighteen miles north of Mandalay, and was the last natural obstacle before reaching Mandalay. The Japanese were prepared to defend themselves at Mattara, south of the Chaungmae River. However, Rees's mechanized column cleared the trenches and took Mattara by fighting in the town. As they approached Mandalay, enemy resistance became increasingly fierce. However, it was uncoordinated and sporadic. At dawn on March 8, Rees's 4th Brigade of the 19th Corps was attacking two miles east of the Mandalay area, Another brigade, the 8th Brigade, had arrived with a mechanized column on the northern outskirts of Mandalay. Around Mandalay, the Japanese resistance was sporadic. The Japanese troops did not seem to be aware of the situation. They were moving north of Mandalay. However, in two places, the Japanese were seen to be systematically massing their forces and putting up a fierce resistance. These were around Mandalay Hill and inside the Dufferin Fort (Nang Myo) in the city.

“Mandalay Mountain is a huge rock mountain, about eight hundred feet high, towering above the ground, and visible from the north-east of Mandalay. The whole mountain is covered with temples and pagodas, and the Japanese are well-equipped and well-armed, with heavy machine guns on top of them. There was heavy fighting all day and night on March 9. A battalion of Gurkhas, using grenades and mortars, tried to seize the ridge and break through the concrete structures on the mountain. Two days later, two and a half companies of a British battalion came in and attacked hard, but they could not take the mountain. The Japanese resisted until the last moment, and at last, they were driven out by large gasoline tanks and water cannons. Our troops, starting from March (11), They completely captured Mandalay Hill. When I visited Mandalay Hill shortly after it was captured, I saw burnt-out pagodas and pagodas, as well as many rotting corpses. In the distance, I could hear the sound of artillery fire. I could hear the sound of bombs exploding and the sound of machine guns firing, indicating that Mandalay was still being cleared.

"Another place where the Japanese held out was Fort Dufferin, also known as Dufferin, in the Mandalay Palace. The Mandalay Palace is a square wall surrounded by strong brick walls, with a park about a mile long and housing, government offices, buildings, and barracks. There is also the palace building of King Thibaw, the last king of Burma, built of stone. The palace's spires and arches are covered with cinnabar and gold. In addition to its wavy shape, the palace wall is twenty-four feet high, built as a thick brick wall, with a rampart about seventy feet wide at the bottom. A moat about two hundred yards wide was dug around the wall, and the moat was filled with water. Although the moat was filled with beautiful lotuses, it was a nuisance to our troops. My childhood plaything The Japanese were holding out in force in Fort Dufferin, which was like a small fortress, which posed a huge challenge for a scattered and poorly equipped army.

'In the following days, Reis's troops advanced through the city, fighting in and out of it. The casualties were heavy. It was not until March 15, when many officers were killed, especially by the sharpshooters, that our troops completely surrounded the palace walls.

I think the battle for Mandalay Walls will be like the Indian Rebellion when it surrounded the walls of Delhi. The artillery was moved to a distance of about five hundred yards to blow up the walls. Boats were prepared to cross the moat and ladders to climb the walls. The death squads were formed. The water pipes were prepared to enter the moat. On the night of March 16, our troops entered the city from the north-west and north-east sides of the wall, but the Japanese resisted with heavy machine-gun fire, and our troops retreated, risking their lives and picking up their wounded. On March 18 and 19, they tried to break through the moat, but failed. The losses were so great that the modern method of bombing the city walls was finally used. On March 13, bombs were dropped into the city walls, On March 16, 500-pound bombs were dropped on the walls, and an attempt was made to breach them. Even with the 5.5-inch guns, the bombs only hit the outer face of the walls, and could not penetrate the great wall behind them. Finally, a method called skip bombing was adopted. Mitchell bombers flew low and dropped 2,000-pound bombs into the moat, which fell into the water and hit the walls, exploding. After a long time of bombing, a hole about fifteen feet wide was opened in one of the walls. The troops were forced to rush in through this hole. However, this method was very dangerous and would certainly lead to a disastrous defeat. Therefore, I decided to abandon this method, leave Nan City and clear the city. In fact, capturing the palace wall has no military value other than the information value. Once the city is captured, the palace wall will inevitably fall. Therefore, it is decided to bypass the city wall and capture the city. I have prepared to bide my time.

“However, on the nights of March 19th and 20th, there was some unusual activity in the fort. After the morning bombardment, a group of Anglo-Burmese soldiers emerged from a gate carrying a white flag and the Union Jack. They said that the Japanese troops guarding the palace had slipped out of the large irrigation pipes and out of the southern wall of the palace the previous day. Most of the Japanese who escaped were cut off by our troops. Some were also captured from hiding in houses. Only a small number escaped. When our troops entered the palace, they found Japanese stores of food and ammunition, European and Anglo-Burmese civilian prisoners, and a large number of mines. As General Rees was a meticulous man, the Union Jack was raised as soon as the palace was taken. It was hoisted on the top of the city wall. The government house in the city where he had worked as the Secretary of War before the war was in ruins. Our greatest regret was that the palace of King Thibaw had been destroyed by fire. We tried to avoid the palace building, but we did not know whether it was because of our artillery and bombs, or because the Japanese had burned down the food storage. Almost all of my corps participated in the battle for Mandalay in their respective roles. The battle for Mandalay was a great victory for the entire army. Everyone must recognize this fact.”

At that time, I did not understand that the battle to capture Mandalay was such an important battle, such a difficult battle. It was only when I read military histories later that I realized how important and difficult the battle to capture Mandalay was in the war in Burma.

As I walked through Mandalay, Mandalay was still healing from the wounds of war, resembling a giant animal licking its wounds with its tongue.

One hot summer day, I was walking along Highway 84 when I saw the Mandalay Myoma Band coming in, playing instruments on the back of a car. The Myoma was returning to Mandalay after fleeing the war, singing and playing the song "Pyidaw Win" by Awan Sayar Nyha.

Saya Nyha's "Pyidawwin Song" has good lyrics, a beautiful voice, and fits the situation so well that it is stuck on everyone's lips.

“We, the members of the Myoma Association, live in the mountains of Sagaing, all our beloved friends, remember us every day, stay healthy, Myoma brothers, and the people of Shwe Mann, Sagaing is also a land of heaven in my heart, sometimes I miss my dreams and long to return, and I just want to reach it and take a step forward.”

“The time has come, it is near, my dear sisters, my dear friends, I will part for a while, may you and the city be able to accompany me, I have heard the sound of the Aung Si-shun, I will enter the land.”

I think it is a simple and beautiful story of the Mandalay Myo Ma who is fleeing the war in the Sagaing Hills. They are in the Sagaing Hills without any trouble, they ask if the people of Mandalay are healthy, they miss Mandalay every day even though they are in the Sagaing Hills, they are preparing to return to Mandalay, and now they have entered the land victoriously...

In the second stanza, Myoma and Sayar Nyha give new strength to the people of Mandalay.

“Mandalay, the golden city, our treasured homeland, beautiful and prosperous, as it was back then. Don’t think about that. Let’s plan for the future. Forget it and let it go.”

The poor, the poor, the rich, the people who are not able to stand it, especially the poor, are happy as before, the city association said. If it happens, it will be destroyed again, if it is destroyed, it will be created again, the youth of this era are strong and strong.”

Mandalay used to be beautiful and peaceful, but now it is a complete ruin. However, we should not be disappointed by the ruin. We encourage you to be happy and work on rebuilding, as we believe that creation and destruction are natural.

People standing on the side of the road clapped their hands and sang along to the song. The song immediately reached everyone's lips. It seemed to bring new energy to Mandalay, refreshing it from its melancholy and dejected state.

Shortly after the great fire in Mandalay in 1984, I went to Mandalay to ask about the fire. At that time, Mandalay was as black as Mandalay after the war. The walls of the buildings were blackened by the fire. The trees were bare and bare. The friends who had been burned were taking shelter in the homes of relatives and friends. Even then, they were still trying to feed us, so we had to apologize.

When I arrived in Mandalay in early December at the invitation of the Northeastern Township of Mandalay to give a literary lecture, Mandalay had already undergone a major transformation. On almost every street, I saw beautiful modern buildings and large restaurants.

I have seen Mandalay from the ashes twice. Both times, Mandalay immediately rose from the ashes and continued its journey forward. Mandalay does not feel sad or depressed. Mandalay does not miss the beautiful and prosperous times of the past. I have seen Mandalay always renewed to continue its journey forward.

A true Mandalay man might sell his burnt-out plot of land and go to the outskirts of the city. He might wander from the 84th Street to the shores of the Aung San Lake. He might wander from the foot of the city wall to the edge of the Maranyan River. But a Mandalay man is not discouraged. He is not bitter or resentful. He faces the world with a smile and a laugh. That feeling can be found in the music of a Mandalay man.

Some of the houses on the main roads in Mandalay are now in the hands of the natives, not the natives.

Although they may be doing well, the people of Mandalay need to work hard. If they do, they will only return to the palace walls.

The literary event organized by the Northeastern Township was held at the Dhamma Thala building on 84 | Main Road, Mandalay. The speakers were Tin Moe, Phong San Toe, Khin Swe Oo and us. When we arrived, the front of the Dhamma Thala was already full of bicycles. According to the bicycle owners, each one costs more than two thousand kyats. There were also many people walking and monks.

I was amazed and delighted to see the audience so active amidst such cool weather.

When it was my turn, I began my speech by saying that, as I had mentioned above, Mandalay had risen from the ashes after the war, and that I was delighted to see Mandalay rise from the ashes with an indomitable spirit this time too. I thought that Mandalay would always be young and fresh, like the Phoenix in Greek mythology. I could see this in Sayar Nyha's "Pyidaw Win Song," and that whenever I faced a difficult situation, "Pyidaw Win" would be a symbolic song that expressed the spirit of Mandalay.