Zaw Lwin Oo (Hinthata) - The Sword of the Power of the Myanmar King

Thank you

With this letter, I respectfully bow to my father and late mother, as well as to my teachers, mentors, and friends.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. U Maw Oo (Maw Oo-Say 2), a respected trauma and orthopedic surgeon and professor (head) of the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Medicine (1) | Yangon, who encouraged me many times to write this.

I would like to thank my beloved wife, Daw San San Aye (Nita), who repeatedly read and revised the manuscript; my daughter, Dr. Su Mon Lwin, who inspired me to write; my niece, Ma Ngu War Hlaing, who devoted herself to family chores so that I could write; and my sister, Ma Yu Yu Khaing, who provided me with the computer for typesetting.

U Tun Tun Win (District Party Committee Member, Yamethin District) from Pyaw Bwe Township, who made sure that there was no shortage of things to do during the visit to Minlan Village.

Special thanks to the Myanmar Solidarity Party (PSP). Also, to the U Thein Lwin family from Minlan North Village who helped me organize the tour and personally accompany me, and to Minlan

Special thanks to the master blacksmiths U Kyaw Nyunt, U Tin Shwe families, and U Kyaw Myint, U Win Maung families from Taung Village, as well as the blacksmiths, painters, and weavers from Min Lam Taung Village who answered all my questions without hesitation and showed me how to do it in practice.

Zaw Lwin Oo (Hinthata)

 

Praise

It has been many years since I read about swords from Minlan Village, Pyaw Bwe Township. The newspaper reported that the military schools, military insignia, and gift-giving ornaments in Myanmar were made by Minlan Village. It has been many years since I last read the newspaper name and the authors. Since then, I have been visiting Minlan

I wanted to study. However, I was not able to do so due to distance and lack of time. - About five years ago, I came across Minlan while traveling. I wanted to study in detail, but because I was a traveler and my schedule was not in sync with my schedule, I only asked if I knew.

At that time, as the newspaper columnist pointed out, various types of swords were made, including award swords, parade swords, commemorative swords, Japanese kendo sword models, Gurkha sword models, and divine swords.

I have observed it firsthand. The curiosity and interest that I already had increased even more.

I passed through Pyaw Bwe once more than a year ago, but I didn’t go to Min Lan. However, I noticed something special along the Yangon-Mandalay Highway in front of Min Lan village, where small shops were selling village products. Coincidentally, I had the opportunity to attend a training course that would last more than a month in Nay Pyi Taw. What made me even more excited was that I became close to a young man from Pyaw Bwe, and I asked him everything I wanted to know about Min Lan, and he enthusiastically invited me to come and study with me. So I went to Min Lan on vacation. At first, they only answered vaguely. After talking for a while, they became vague. When I asked them carefully, they told me everything I wanted to know. They explained it in practical terms.

Thus, I was able to document and write about Minlan, which I have been eager to know for many years. If you are interested in Minlan, you will be happy and satisfied that you have been able to reveal and write about a proud Burmese traditional craft. If there is any ambiguity, lack of understanding, or lack of understanding, it is only because of the author's poor research and presentation.

Knife

A sword is defined in the Myanmar dictionary as “a single-edged, bone-plated iron weapon for cutting, slicing, cutting, splitting, or piercing.” However, swords made of stone, swords made of non-ferrous metals such as bronze, silver, iron, lead, steel, and wood, and swords made of bamboo are also called swords. Swords come in various sizes, shapes, and uses. Depending on these differences, various terms also differ. Depending on their size and shape, they are called short, dagger, long sword, sword, and dagger. Depending on their shape, short swords are called daggers, maung cha swords, and long swords are called bird-shaped swords, saluphu swords, laykin swords, and belt swords.

Depending on the region where the sword was made, it is also called Pyaw Bwe Sword, Magway, Pyay Sword, Yangon, Khat Hteya, Wegyi Sword, Thayarwaddy, Panan Village, Sinni, Inle, Mong Naung Sword, Bhanmaw Sword, Khanti Sword, Moe Nai, and Moe Deung Sword. There are differences of opinion in Burmese literature regarding the use of the term Moe Deung Sword.

In the poem Sittwe Tamu by Taungdwin Shin Nyein Mae, a poem from the Nyaungyan period, “My horse is a coconut shell, my servant is a camel, my sword is a thunderbolt, my servant is a warrior with a lacquer cloth and a warrior’s appearance,” the poem is translated into prose, “Among horses, a horse with hair the color of a dried coconut shell is better.”

The black servants are modest in their duties. Among cloths, the best is the best. Among soldiers, the lover is the best because he is trusted by the lord.” However, scholars have different opinions about the poem “The sword is thunder.” In the selection of the poem in the Higher Myanmar Poetry Collection, it is found that “The sword is thunder” is easily interpreted as a sword made with lightning in the blade.” If we think about this meaning, we see that it is impossible to have lightning in the blade, but only a sword with lightning in the blade.

In the opening of Maymyo Moe Kyi's Myanmar Poems from the Nine Literary Periods (page 51), he writes, "The village of Moedin, between Innwa, Pinya, and Kyaukse districts, is a place where a good sword is produced. Moedin,

The Gway sword is very famous. The shape of the blade is U Waing, the shape of the bird is U Chun, the shape of the blood is smooth, and the sword is made neatly. The color of the steel is coming out with each stroke.” Similarly, U Bo Thin, a professor at the Department of Burmese Literature, Yangon University, who retired as the Rector of the University of Education, also wrote in his book on teaching Burmese poetry for high school students, “It came out of Mogeidwin village.”

It is seen that Moedin village is still located in Tada U Township, Kyaukse District, Mandalay Region, and Gwey village is located in Myit Thar Township, Kyaukse District.

Even if the swords mentioned are not famous nationwide, they are also famous in a region after the village where the sword was made or the blacksmith who made the sword. For example, the swords from Kyaik Village, Pakokku Township, Magway Region are known as Chaik Kyaik, Chaik Kyaik, etc., while the swords from Minlan Village, Pyaw Bwe Township, Mandalay Region are also known as Minlan.

It is famous. Also, the names of the blacksmiths who made the swords are often inscribed on the swords like advertisements, so they are known as Kyar Aung, Nya Win, etc.

Some are famous. In some regions, they are also known by the names of the villages in their respective districts or townships where they were produced. For example, the Nemi swords produced in Nemi Village, Angapur Township, Hinthada District are famous.

Burmese people usually wield swords according to their traditional customs. Different regions, different ways of using them,

Due to differences in ideology and cultural traditions, the size, shape, and use of swords vary from one ethnic group to another and from one region to another. Therefore, depending on the ethnic group that wields the sword, it is called a Burmese sword, a Shan sword, a Naga sword, a Kachin sword, a Rawan sword, or a Shan Chinese sword.

In the daily life of the Burmese people, the knife is an indispensable weapon. Usually, most people think of the knife as a rural tool. Although this idea is not wrong, it is often forgotten that it is also indispensable for those who live in cities. When going to rural areas, especially in the mountains, everyone always has a knife in their hands. For those who climb mountains, the knife is essential for cutting and clearing. However, in the kitchen of every city dweller, the knife is an indispensable household item. For beauty salons, hair salons (razors are an indispensable household item), as well as hospitals

Surgical knives are also an indispensable tool for clinics.

Similarly, the eight essential items for monks, namely, the robe, the robe, the bowl, the razor, the needle, the belt, and the water strainer, also include a type of knife, the razor. Therefore, the knife is an essential item for the religion.

Therefore, depending on the purpose for which the knife is used, it can be classified as a knife for cutting bamboo, a knife for cutting wood, a knife for cutting wood, a knife for cutting bamboo, a knife for cutting trees, a knife for climbing trees, a knife for clearing trees, a knife for clearing bushes, a knife for cutting grass, a knife for cutting branches, a knife for cutting reeds, a knife for cutting reeds, a knife for hunting, a knife for cutting fish, a knife for cutting grass, a knife for cutting straw,

They are also called as scalpel blades, cleavers, palm cleavers, military knives, surgical knives, shaving knives, razor blades, and so on.

Normally, a sword is used without any decoration. However, if the sword is to be used as a symbol or a symbol of prestige, it is better to decorate the sword.

They are used to decorate swords. When we say decorations, we mean the beautiful decorations made on the blade, the hilt, and the sheath. Depending on the decoration of the sword, they are called black sword, black sword, white sword, gold sword, white sword, thunder (thunder sword), gold sword, silver sword, Chinese sword, jade sword, ruby ​​sword, bronze sword, gold sword, silver sword, etc.

 

As mentioned above, no matter how different the size and shape of the knife are due to size, use, location, etc., the knife can be said to be an indispensable tool in social life. Since the beginning of surgery in the birth room, the knife has been used, and throughout human life, the knife has been indispensable in three important things: eating, dressing, and living. In addition, it can be said to be an indispensable tool in faith, traditional customs, life protection, nation-building, and friendship and peace between countries. Today, the world is in the era of technology, so even though the knife is no longer used as a main weapon, most countries still use the knife as a national symbol, symbol, and gift.

Furthermore, despite the advancement of modern weapons, the use of the sword in the final decisive battles of war remains crucial to this day. This is because in battles where you have to march through the jungle and fight, the sword is still used mainly for clearing paths and cutting down trees, while in silent and close combat, the bayonet, a type of sword, is still used as the main weapon.

In addition, the sword is considered a symbol of prestige, reflecting the level of success. Therefore, it is interesting to say that the sword is a good thing.

In fact, there is strong evidence that the knife has been in use since the Late Stone Age. In the search for ancient historical sites in Myanmar, the excavation of Pyada Lin Cave in Ywanyang Township, Taunggyi District, is a major discovery by the Burmese.

The Stone Age lifestyle was brought to light. The excavation of Pyadalin Cave revealed stone knives, stone axes,

Stone tools, stone chisels, and stone weapons were found in total, more than 1,600. Stone weapons were made from local limestone, but also from quartz, feldspar, igneous rock, and indigo. This is strong evidence that knives have been used in Myanmar since the Stone Age. Not only in Pyadalin Cave, but also in many other places in Myanmar, cutting tools that can be called Stone Age knives have been found. Especially, stone weapons are found along the Ayeyarwady River from Pakokku to Pyay. According to archaeological research, they are found most often between Nyaung U and Magway.

The book of Myanmar Swords by Min Yakkha states that three Neolithic swords, very similar to the three swords of today, were found by U Aung Thu, Thakin Tin Mya and Bo Tin Sein in Taung Kulaat near the villages of Pong Taung, Kaew Chaung and Kyawth in Upper Myanmar. In addition, 14 Neolithic weapons were collected from the villages of Khaing Chaung, Thapoth Lay and Maw Tong in Tanintharyi Region. Among these Neolithic weapons, various types were found, such as stone pestles for chopping wood, sickles, long swords with a sharp blade, a sharp blade, an axe blade, a pisap phut

It can be observed that it has been recorded under the title “Evidence of the Neolithic Age.” Therefore, it can be said that there is no dispute that knives have been used in Myanmar since the Stone Age.

Swords used in the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age have been discovered. During the excavation of the ancient city of Hanlin, a human skeleton was found, estimated to have been from the 2nd to 9th centuries AD. Remarkably, a two-edged bronze sword with a lance shape was found with the skeleton, as reported in the article “When Looking at the Past in Context” in the June 15, 1974 issue of the Yangon Times, Volume 1, No. 12.

Research on the Burmese Bronze Age and Iron Age was conducted in 1998 in Butalin Township, Sagaing Region.

It started in Nyaungkan area. Then, it was expanded to Mong Htoo in Butalin Township, Hanlin in Wetlet Township, Inte in Taungtha Township, Myin U Thari, Nyaungkan in Mahlaing Township, and

The excavations were carried out in the North, Pyaw Bwe Township, Ywa Htin Kone, U Myin, Htan Ti Bin, Tho Bo, Nyaung Kone, Meiktila Township, Myay Wai, Kume Township, Myo Hla, Yamethin Township, and Kan Thit Kone, Tha Si Township. In these excavations, along with other tools and decorations, iron tools such as double-edged swords with bronze handles, various types of polished aminpa axes, iron spearheads, hammers, sickles, and chisels were found. Thus, the Burmese have been using iron tools since prehistoric times.

It can be strongly demonstrated that knives were already being used with stone, bronze, and iron.

Swords used in the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age have been discovered. During the excavation of the ancient city of Hanlin, a human skeleton was found, estimated to have been from the 2nd to 9th centuries AD. Remarkably, a two-edged bronze sword with a lance shape was found with the skeleton, as reported in the article “When Looking at the Past in Context” in the June 15, 1974 issue of the Yangon Times, Volume 1, No. 12.

Research on the Burmese Bronze Age and Iron Age was conducted in 1998 in Butalin Township, Sagaing Region.

It started in Nyaungkan area. Then, it was expanded to Mong Htoo in Butalin Township, Hanlin in Wetlet Township, Inte in Taungtha Township, Myin U Thari, Nyaungkan in Mahlaing Township, and

The excavations were carried out in the North, Pyaw Bwe Township, Ywa Htin Kone, U Myin, Htan Ti Bin, Tho Bo, Nyaung Kone, Meiktila Township, Myay Wai, Kume Township, Myo Hla, Yamethin Township, and Kan Thit Kone, Tha Si Township. In these excavations, along with other tools and decorations, iron tools such as double-edged swords with bronze handles, various types of polished aminpa axes, iron spearheads, hammers, sickles, and chisels were found. Thus, the Burmese have been using iron tools since prehistoric times.

It can be strongly demonstrated that knives were already being used with stone, bronze, and iron.