U Ohn Myint - Our Shan State

Chapter (1)

Shan State as known to the Burmese

“The ninety-nine chieftains of Shan, the hundred and ten bees and the chieftains of Saw Kot” are the words that almost every Burmese person has heard in the plays and puppet shows, so all Burmese people know that the ninety-nine chieftains reside in the entire area east of the Ayeyarwady River, and that the Shan villages, Shan State, and the twelve regions of Laos are spread out.

Therefore, even if the Shan people never come to Kambawza, the place where the Ho Bon, the Ho Nan, the throne of the Sun King, and the abode of the Sun King, the Shan villages and the entire Shan country will be very beautiful, and the Su Li Moon Chun, the colorful moon, the golden eyes, the many large and small, the blue sky, the colors will be very beautiful, and the Shan people and the Shan people will be very cool because of the forest, the mountains, the streams, the waterfalls, the waterfalls, the wet land, and the yellow skin will be beautiful. The descendants of the Shan princess Saw Mon Hla, who was famous for her five-ton, three-fold beauty, are also famous. The Shan young women will also be beautiful because of the water of the forest, the land, and the water. All Burmese will imagine and see in their minds that they will have red cheeks and a body like a hawk.

The above are the feelings that the Burmese people have imagined and seen through the puppetry, drama, and historical narration of the play "Sinni Thipaw, Thar Pyin Pwee Nay Kamboja".

However, those who compare photographs of Shan men seen in some Western newspapers, magazines, and books may imagine a wild appearance with large headdresses, baggy trousers, loose headbands, clumsy bags, black teeth, and intricate tattoos.

Furthermore, the wise Burmese minister U Pao Oo himself, when he was sent to Sinni for a crime, wanted his Majesty the Emperor to consider the sufferings he had to endure, separated from the Golden City and the Golden Palace, and to live in a distant land.

""With a loud voice, Eaheb, and a kind of wine. If I were to come to this region, who would be happy?""

Thus, in the poem "Na Taung Kaew Yatu-Kay, it was clearly composed. The character and habits of the Shan people, who were drunk with khao, kasao and halao, and who were having fun, would have been guessed and calculated, even by the language.

In fact, the minister, U Pao Oo, was clearly and clearly presenting his suffering to his master, with the intention of seeking his master's sympathy and compassion.

Moreover, regarding the customs and habits of the Shan people, according to the statements of the writers of the Eastern people (Atheistan Ridgway Lb), the writers of the Shan country ( Colquhoun) , and the writers of the local geography ( Hammerton) , the Shan people are said to be fearsome with their dark red and black hairs, to be cruel with their witchcraft and strange customs, and to be immoral with many wives per man, which is a bad interpretation and misconception.

Unless you have visited Shan State, you should not be blamed for having such misconceptions and misconceptions.

Even our Burmese people are often portrayed in Western newspapers, journals, and magazines with photos of wild, unattractive, and ugly animals.

In addition to these points, there is another point that completely distorts the perception and opinion. This is nothing else. Shan State is a country rich in minerals such as gold, silver, iron, zinc, and lead. Due to the right climate and favorable soil conditions, rice, paddy, and other crops are abundant. For these reasons, it is not possible to say that the people of Shan State are rich and wealthy, but they are also people who can find and eat food in moderation.

In this way, some Burmese people, who think that Shan State is more open and easy to work in than Burma, venture to Shan State. However, they face many difficulties due to their different opinions and views.

Reports and personal experiences sometimes contradict each other. Those who have personally visited Shan State, as well as those who have read this book, will know that the perceptions and prejudices of many Burmese people are very different from the actual situation in Shan State.

Because in Shan State, the palaces and halls of the Ho Bon Hao Palace are all golden brown and have golden umbrellas and golden rice. The Shan people of the country also have a beautiful and youthful appearance due to the climate that is neither too cold nor too hot, the right season, and the good water and soil.

They do not have the same fearsome, savage appearance as many Shan images in foreign newspapers, journals, and magazines.

The clothes and appearance are not rough or vulgar. It can only be said that they are neat and tidy, in keeping with the customs of the people.

Their ideas and customs are not at all different from those of the Burmese people. They are just like the natural Burmese people, with their own preferences and characteristics.

In fact, there are differences only in some customs and traditions. But it is not a complete division like the South and the North. As the saying goes, although people are the same, they breathe differently, it is not possible to be completely one in terms of ideology and outlook. However, do not assume that we cannot travel together because our views do not coincide, nor do we say that we are not equal to our views, but the points in this book will clearly show that we are two peoples who are not opposed to each other.

The economy of the Shan people is very sad.

Shan State is actually much larger than Burma.