If one travels
from Yangon, the capital of Myanmar by train to the north for about 686 miles,
one will come to a town called Mong Kawng, pronounced Mogaung by the Myanmar.
On the outskirts of the town there is a wooded grove where one can find a
cluster of shrines dedicated to the Guardian Spirits of the region. The biggest
shrine belongs to Sam Long Hpa, also known as Sao Sam Long, or Sam Long
Kyem-Mong, or Sao Sam Tar, who made Mong Kawng the centre of his power in his
quest to annex northern Arakan (Rakhine), Manipur and Assam and bring them all
under his rule.
According to
legend, Mong Kawng was established four times. Each time it was established at
a different site and no one has been able to ascertain with any exactitude the
date of its establish- ment. The Tai people had migrated into Myanmar during
the early, still illiterate period in history, and had founded many petite states
in Northern Myanmar and in the area now known as the Shan State. Later these States became
centres for expansion under their legendary heroes. States like Mong Mao,
Se-Lan, Hsenwi, Shipway, Mong Nai, Mong Mit. Mong Kawng, Mong Yang, and Vieng
Hso were in existence when their legendary history came to be recorded.
According to
its legend, the first Mong Kawng was founded by the eldest son of Sao Nang La,
a blind princess who was the daughter of Emperor Udibwa and his Queen Kainaya
Dewi Maha-Hti. The blind princess was said to have been placed on a raft which
was set adrift down the Ayeyawady (Nam Kio in Tai or Shan) River. When
the raft reached the mouth of the Nam Bauk (or Chaung Bauk in Myanmar) near
Sabenago, it ran aground. Getting off the raft onto dry land, the princess met
a white tiger, who had been her husband in a previous existence, so she married
the tiger and eventually gave birth of four sons. Since they were descendants
of the white tiger, the four brothers were named Hso (Hso in Tai or Shan means
Tiger) Kaw Hpa, Hso Ngan Hpa, Hso Hkan Hpa and Hso Hom Hpa, respectively. When
the four brothers reached adulthood, they were sent to visit their grandfather,
Sao Wongti who was the Emperor in China. Their mother entrusted them with a
priceless ring, which was to be shown to their grandfather, and she also
instructed them to narrate the story of their mother to the Emperor. The
Emperor recognized the ring, and after he heard the story of their mother, he
acknowledged the four brothers as his grandsons. They stayed at their
grandfather's Court for some time to learn statecraft and military strategies
and tactics. Then they were sent back to their native land, in the areas near
the Ayeyawady River. They returned by different routes. Before they left China
they were presented with gifts by their grandfather.
The first
brother was given a "Kawng," (Kawng in Tai or Shan means Drum) the
second a "Mit," (Mit in Tai or Shan means Dagger) the
third a "Nok Yang," (Nok Yang in Tai or Shan means an
Egret or Paddy Bird) while the fourth received nothing but was told to ask his
father the White Tiger for land of his own.
The eldest
brother with the gift of a Kawng (or drum), came down to the place where Mong
Kawng now stands. When he reached the spot he was greatly surprised to hear the
drum he had brought along bringing forth melodious sounds of its own accord. He
took it as a signal to build a city there. A city was accordingly built and
named Vieng (Vieng in Tai or Shan means City, Vieng Kawng means Drum City)
Kawng or the Drum City. Later the name of the place was changed to Mong Kawng
in Tai (or Shan) and Mogaung in Myanmar.
The second
brother travelled down the Shweli River, and came to a place where his Mit (or
dagger) stood upright on the ground. He took it as a sacred sign to establish a
new city. A city was then built and named Vieng Mit or the City of the Dagger.
Nowadays the place is known as Mong Mit in Tai (or Shan) and Momeik in Myanmar.
The third
brother continued on his journey until he came to a field where his egret
screamed loundly and he took that as a good omen and built a city there, called
Vieng Yang, the City of the Nok Yang or Egret. Now the place is known as Mong
Yang in Tai (or Shan) and Mohnyin in Myanmar.
The fourth son
came back to his father and asked for land of his own. The father gave him land
on which he built a city called Vieng Hso, the City of the Tiger. It is still
called Vieng Hso in Tai (or Shan) and Wuntho in Myanmar. The exact dates as to
when these cities were built are not certain, bit according to legend they were
built in the year 300, 301, 302, and 303 Myanmar Era (938 A.D. et sequential)
The four sons
of Sao Nang La and their descendants ruled over these cities for many generations.
But did Sao Nang La marry a real white tiger? Would it be possible for a tiger
to marry a human wife and produce human children? Who was this tiger? The
ancient Tai, especially those who belonged to the ethnic group of Tai Nay, had
family names. The custom, especially among the ruling families, was to belong
to certain "Hern" (Hern in Tai or Shan means "House") known
as the Tiger, the Bear, the Seal, the Dragon and so on. In view of this custom
of family system Sao Nang La must have married someone who belonged to the
Tiger ruling family.
There is
another legend describing how Mong Kawng was established. According to this
story, Mong Kawng was founded by a descendant of Hkun Lu, the legendary ruler
of Mong Mao in the Shweli his State, Mong Mao to his brother Hkun Lai and
proceeded along the Shweli River till he reached the region where Mong Yang and
Mong Kawng now stand. He was then said to have built a city for himself, then
sent for his sons and relatives, who came down en masse and built towns and
cities in this area.
The towns and
cities built by the descendants of Hkun Lu, according to legend, are as
follows:
1.Ai Hkun Long King
of Tung Kung or Tagaung (Ta Kawng in Tai or Shan means Drum Ferry)
2.Hkun Hpa King of Mong Yang or Mohnyin
3.Hkun Ngu King of Lamung Tai or La Bông
near Ching Mai
4.Hkun Kawt
Hpa King of Yôn Lôn or Mong Yawng
(Probably Mong Yong, the former
capital of
Keng Cheng)
5.Hkun La King
of Mong Kela or Kale (Kale, situated on the right bank of the Chin-dwin River,
above Mingin)
6.Hkun Has King of Innwa, and possessor of
the Ruby Mine of Mong Mit.
7.Hkun Su King
of Mong Yawng, on or near the Uyu River where his father Hkun Lu had also reigned.
The third Mong
Kawng was said to have been established by Sam (Sam means three in Tai or
Shan) Long (Long means great in Tai or Shan) Hpa (Hpa means sky in Tai or
Shan) or Sao Sam Long, or Sam Long Kem-Mong (Kem-Mong means Prince
Regent in Tai or Shan) or Sao Sam Tar (Tar means eye in Tai). Sao Sam Tar
therefore means the Chief with the third eye, not in the literal sense, but
merely to indicate that he was a man with foresight, or a very clever person).
He was the second son (in fact he was probably the third child because he used
Sam, and there could have been a sister between the two brothers in age) of Sao
Hkam Neng who ruled over Mong Mao, the Tai Kingdom, for a long time. Sao Hkam
Neng had two sons, the first was named Khun Yi Kang Hkam and the second son was
named Sam Long Hpa. Hkun Yi Kang Kham ascended the throne in 1152 A.D., and he
assumed the title Sao Hso Hkan Hpa. He also established a new capital Sè Lan,
there were many petite States in the Northern Shan States and each State was
ruled by its own chief called a Sao Hpa (Saohpa means Lord of the Sky in Tai
or Shan, and the words are pronounced as "Sawbwa" in Myanmar). The
states were independent of one another.
The first
priority of the two brothers, Sao Hso Hkan Hpa and Sao Sam Long Hpa was to
consolidate their position and to bring all the petite states in the area under
their rule, through diplomatic means, if possible. Sao Hso Hkan Hpa therefore
first summoned Sao Hkun Tai Paw, the Chief of Mong Yin; Sao Noi Che, the Chief
of Hsen Se, and all the rulers of Hsen Wi States to submit to him and accept
his suzerainty over them. The Chiefs, of course, refused. So Sao Hso Hkan Hpa,
with his army, invaded Mong Nan and Mong Yin and defeated Sao Hkun Tai Paw, the
leader of the defiant group. Sao Hkun Tai Paw fled down to Vieng Ta Pok in
Hsipaw. Realizing his inablility to head off Sao Hso Hkan Hpa, he made peace
with him, and gave away princess Nang Ai Hkam Hpaung in marriage.
Sao Hso Hkan
Hpa, using the same strategy, first sent ten messengers to Sao Tai Hkon of Mong
Mit, Sao Tai Hkai of Sung Ko, Sao Tai Tao, Sao Tai Ting and Sao Hkam Awn of
other States, demanding that they submit to his rule. But those rulers refused
to accept him as their overlord and killed seven of his messengers. Sao Hso
Hkan Hpa then attacked them with his army. Sao Tai Hkon, the leader of the
opposing group, was captured and executed at Sung Ko. The other chiegs then
surrendered and submitted to his rule. Sao Tao Hkai was then appointed Sao Hpa
of Sung Ko, and later of Mong Mit as well.
After that Sao
Hso Hkan Hpa turned his attentions towards the Tai provinces in Southern
Yunnan. He invaded Sè Long, Mong Sè Yung, Sang Mu and Aw Pu Kat, captured them
all and brought them under his rule Sao Wong Ti of China surrendered these
lands and made peace with Sao Hso Hkan Hpa in 1195 A.D.
Upon his
return to Sè Lan, Sao Hso Hkan Hpa raised another army and marched towards the
south to annex Lan Sang, Keng Hsen, Keng Hung, Keng Tung, La Song, La Pong, La
Hkong, Mong Hwang, Hpahsa Taung and Keng Mai to his domain. From this conquered
region he exacted an annual tribute consisting of twenty four viss of gold,
three hundred viss of silver and twenty two elephants. His successful campaign
in this region spurred his interest in invading Hsip Hsaung Panna of Mong Yon,
Mong Lu and this region was taken over without resistance.
Now to return to
the military expedition led by Sam Long Hpa, who according to legend, had been
ordered by his brother to take over the former Tai State of Mong Kawng, and add
it to the expire they were building. Sao Long Hpa and his army managed to annex
Mong Kawng without any difficulty. He then established a new city, the third
Mong Kawng, on the banks of the Nam Kawng, and laid the foundation for a new
line of Sao Hpas, who accepted the suzerainty of the Mao Kings. Sao Sam Long
Hpa appeared to have been quite a military genius and a trustworthy general of
his brother Sao Hso Hkan Hpa, as he undertook a series of military campaigns
under the direction of his brother, with great success. He used not only
military might but diplomacy as well in subduing his foes. After having annexed
all the Tai principalities from the east and from the south into his expire,
sao Hso Hkan Hpa ordered his brother Sam Long Hpa to launch military
expeditions into northern Arakan (Rakhine), into Manipur and into Assam. With
his well-organised army Sam Long Hpa crossed the Chindwing River and marched
towards northern Rakhine and captured the towns and cities in that area. He
then proceeded to Manipur and Mong Wehsali Long with a strong army of nine
hundred thousand men, well prepared to overcome even the stiffest resistance.
He took along with him his outstanding generals, Sao Hso Kai and Sao Hso Yen.
When they
reached Wehsali Long, legend has in that some cowherds reported the arrival of
the huge army from Kawsampi, the land of White Blossoms and Large Leaves, and
the rulers and ministers of Wehsali Long surrendered without offering any
resistance. The rulers of Wehsali also promised to send twenty five ponies,
seven elephants, twenty four viss of gold and two hundred viss of silver every
three years as tribute. Sao Sam Long Hpa accepted the terms of the agreement
and terminated his military campaign against Wehsali Long. He also established
the Ahom Shan dynasty, after the submission of the area to the Mong Kawng
Kings.
According to
the Shan Chronicles, the Mao Kingdom under the leadership of Sao Hso Hkan Hpa
and his brother, Sao Sam Long Hpa, at its zenith encompassed the following
areas and principali –ties:
1.Mong Mit,
comprising seven Mongs, namely Bhamo, Molai (this could refer to the Mole river
or Mong Lai), Mong Long, Ong Pawng Shipway, Sung Ko and Tagaung.
2.Mong Kawng
or Mogaung, comprising ninety-nine Mongs, among which the following were the
most important – Möng Lông (Assam), Kahse (Manipur), part of Arakan (Rakhine),
the Yaw Country, Kale, Hsawng Hsup, Möng Köng, Möng Yawng, Möng Kawn (in the
Hukawng Valley), Singaling Hkamti, Möng Li (Hkamti Long), Möng Yang (Mohnyin),
Möt Sho Bo (Shwe bo), Kummung-Kumun (the Mishmi Country), Hkang Sè (the Naga
Country), etc.
3.Hsen Wi,
comprising forty-nine Möngs,
4.Möng Nai
5.Küng Ma
6.Keng Hsen,
the present Thai Province of Chiang Saen on the Mekong;
7.Lan Sang
(the Myanmar referred to it as Lin Zin and the Chinese Lan-tsiang), Vieng Chan
(Vientiane), Luang Prabang.
8.Pagan
(Bagan)
9.Yôn
(Chiangmai and the neighbouring states)
10.Keng Lông
(probably Keng Hung, the Sip Song Panna, called Chêli by the Chinese)
11.Keng Lawng,
(said to be the country north of Ayuthia, where there were many ruined
capitals)
12.Möng Lem
13.Tai Lai
(possibly Ta-li-Fu)
14.Wan Chang
(Yang Chang)
15.Tawng Peng
Loi Long
16.Sung-bo (in
the Kachin State)
17.The Karen
(Kayin) country
18.Lawaik
19.Lapyit
20.Samu (not
easily identitiable)
21.Lahkeng
(Arakan, probably meaning that portion not under Mong Kawng)
22.Lang Sap
(?)
23.Ayuthia
(Thailand)
24.Htawe
(Tavoy)
25.Yunsaleng
According to
the Chronicles, both Sao Hso Hkan Hpa and Sao Sam Long Hpa were considered to
be military heroes of the Mao period. Both brothers were highly qualified
Statesmen, and military they were both considered geniuses, but Sao Sam Long
Hpa exceeded his brother in the eyes of the chronicles. He was nicknamed Sao
Sam Tar for his foresight and farsightendness in civil as well as military
affairs. He was also very loyal to his brother Sao Hso Hkan Hpa.
Despite his
fine qualifications as a civil and military leader, and despite his successes
in his military expeditions to Arakan, Manipur and Mong Wehsali Long, Sao Sam
Long Hpa was not rewarded by his brother the King of Mong Mao. In the end Sao
Sam Long Hpa met with a tragic end. After his easy conquest of Mong Wehsali
Long through diplomacy, his two generals Sao Hso Yen and Sao Hso Han Kai became
very jealous of his achievements, and sent a messenger to the Mao King with the
story that Sao Sam Long Hpa had conquered Wehsali without a fight and that
secret trems had been agreed to between the ruler of Wehsali and Sao Sam Long
Hpa to dethrone Sao Hso Hkan Hpa. On hearing this story and believing that his
brother was conspiring against him, Sao Hso Hkan Hpa sent poisoned food to Sao
Sam Long Hpa, who unsuspectingly took the food and died instantly to become the
Guardian Spirit of Mong Kawng, to be worshipped by the Shans and other people
living in the area.
His mother,
according to the legend, was greatly distressed at the death of her son, Sao
Sam Long Hpa. Her two sons, together, had garnered great and glorious
achievements for the Mao Empire. The Tai people still hold the two brothers in
great admiration and affection. They are proud of the prominent part the two
brothers have played, as legendary heroes in Tai history. Sao Sam Long Hpa is
particulary remembered, and he is still prayed to, because the Tai believe that
he can still help them and protect them in every aspect of their daily life.
His mother
mourned his death for months. Then, one day when a grand dinner was held in
honour of the glorious achievements of the Mao Empire, under the leadership of
Sao Hso Hkan Hpa, the mother decided to teach her son, who had poisoned his own
brother, a lesson. She placed a single chopstick instead of a pair near his
bowl of rice. When Sao Hso Hkan Hpa had taken his seat at the table and was
about to begin his meal, he found he couldn't, because there was only one
chopstick instead of two. He looked inquiringly at his mother, who then said;
"If you can't hold onto your food with one chopstick, how can you expect
to hold onto the country without your brother? You are very stupid to have
killed your brother, Sao Sam Long Hpa."
This story was
retold by word of mouth form generation to generation for such a long period of
time that it has become a recorded legendary history.
PU LOI HOM and
PU LOI TUN
Ref:
Hsen Wi
Chronicle
Hsipaw
Chronicle
Mong Mit
Chronicle
Mong Kawng
Chronicle
Scott, J.
George. Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States, Vol I, Part I.
The Superintendent, Government Printing Press, 1900, pp. 187-330.
Harvey, G.E. History
of Burma from the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824, the Beginning of the English
Conquest. London and New York. Longmans Green, 1925.
Retype from:
Golden Jubilee Shan States Magazine, Page 182 to 186.
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