ser khan fa history - shan

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w.w.Cochrane


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(Marx, Lenin)(Genghis

Khan) (Libia) (Omar Muktar)

(Spain) (El Cid)

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1298

1314 1364 (Empire)

(Assam)

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Gazetteer of Upper Burma & the Shan States

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(Fiction)

(Poem) (Movie)

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(Copyright)

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18.11.93

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25.6.94

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1000 1994


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(A History of South -East Asia) D.G.E. Hall

1438-1465 -

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(Wang Chi)


(Mohnyin)

1446

[ 176-177]


A Prince of Mao was the only Shan that ever united these squabbling states

into one solid Kingdom..Even the Hsenwi Chronicle breaks through its shell

of self-adulation and sums up its estimates of this Shan King's character in the

words: He was a mighty King.

(W.W.Cochrane, ''The Shans'')

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(1) 25

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(4) 15

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''Everything will come to those who wait.''

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1295

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1298 3

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1058 (1044-1077)

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(Kublai

Khan 1215-1294) 1287

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1298

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1300

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Shan State and the British Annexation - 25.01.1301

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1555


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(10) 1310

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(19)

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1311

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W.W.Cochrane

The Shans - Shan Kings could name as their successors

anyone they wished, but any appointee might be rejected by the Official

Board, who were supposed to be the representatives of the people, though

not chosen by them. (confirm)

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With supreme confidence in himself, Hsohkhanhpa commanded the other

princilpalities to submit and acknowledge his (suzerainty ? ). He apparently

had foreseen their refusal and had prepared for it. With a large army, he

attacked and conquered their appendages in turn.

W.W.Cochrane ''The Shans."

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(6)

(10) (4) (4)

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(Cultural revolution)

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1317

(Governor General Yun Kuei)

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1364 73 - 53

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SURKHANFAH

An ever-Refreshing Inspiration

Dedicated to Sao Yanfaah Hsenwi (1912-72)

who wrote "Shan History"

I wanted so much to read about him. But, to my eternal disappointment,

nobody I knew was writing about him except in bits and pieces or in

connection with other Shan historic figures. So I resolved myself to take up

the pen and, to my pleasant surprise, it became a bestseller.

To many, he was a Shan Genghis Khan, but to those who knew him better, he

was not merely a conqueror but also foremost, a nation-builder.

W.W.Cochrane wrote in "The Shans": A prince of Mao was the only Shan that

ever united these squabbling states into one solid kingdomEven the Hsenwi

Chronicle breaks through its shell of self-adulation and sums up its estimates

of this Shan King's character in the words: He was a mighty King.

He was born in 1291 in the palace of Wiangwai, then the capital of the Mao

State, a city on the Mao River called Shweli by the Burmese. His father was

Khun Pharngkham, his mother Sao Nang Awn. He was the second of the

young queen's triplet sons.

Through the jealous intrigues of other queens, Nang Awn was accused of

bearing children of a lover and was banished from the court together with her

newborn children. However, princess E Khamliang, the King's second daughter


of another consort, was believed to have looked after them during their exile-

in a distant village called Kaimaw.

Two years later, a rival queen learning that Sao Nang Awn and her sons were

still and well, sent assassins to kill them: Fortunately for the poor queen and

her children, the plans were leaked to Princess E Kham Liang, who at once

dispatched her trusted guards to protect them.

During the ensuing fight and flight, the first of the triplets, Khun Ai Ngam

mong, was reported to have disappeared. Some say he reappeared as a wise

monk who became his brother's chief counselor later.(This was the version

that I liked and subsequently adopted it in my telling of the story).

The third triplet, Khun Sarm Long, Later to be known as Ssrmlongfah the

Conqueror, was successfully smuggled out to Monggawng(Mogawng in

Burmese), a state in the northwest, where Princess E Khamliang's younger

sister, Nang Arm-aw, resided with her husband, the Prince of Monggawng.

The second triplet, Khun Yi Kharngkham(who was to become Surkhanfah),

being ill, was with his mother. The few guards sent by E Khamliang were

killed, and the young queen fled with her son into a cave only to be

confronted by a fierce tiger and his family.

Legend says the big cat was none other than the White Tiger, considered to

be the king of tigers. (The Tiger is the national emblem of the Shans, sho, like

the noble beast, are intensely individualistic. Thus whenever unity is achieved

among Shans, it is said: the White Tiger has come.)


The White Tiger received his uninvited guests warmly and chased off the

frightened assassins, who believed both the mother and child were killed by

the White Tiger and reported this news to the rival queen.

The infant, Khun Yi Kharngkham, then grew up in peace and safety among

the tigers and their cubs. He played with them while his mother worked in the

fields nearby. While playing, he was playfully scratched by his mates on his

back and front, and as a result, became known as "Surkhan"(Tiger Scratches).

"Fah"(Heavenly or Celestial) was the title he was to receive only upon

becoming king.

He was later taken to Nawngsae(Tali), where his eldest half-sister, Ye Kham

Long, lived, to be brought up and educated there.

In 1295, Khun Pharngkham, died and, believed by many to have left no living

male issue, E Khamliang was crowned as the ruling queen. (Burmese history

regards Shin Sawbu, the Mon queen, as the only female ruler in Burma). She

was said to have accepted the crown only because her half-brothers were still

in their infancy and were therefore not ready to don the crown.

Sixteen years afterwards, in 1311, she died leaving the kingdom without a

ruler. A horde of neighboring princes vied with each other for the vancant

throne, among whom was Surkhan a.k.a. Khun Yi Kharngkham, who finally

proved himself to be Khun Pharngkham's legitimate son by slaying a fearsome

bear with his bare hands and taming a hungry tiger before his astounded

spectators.

To his superstitious audience, this spectacular act was divine evidence of his

mother's innocence, which led to the triumphant return of both mother and


son to the court. No doubt his younger brother, Sarmlongfah, who was by

then already the prince of Monggawng, another his brother-in-law's death,

also helped to turn the Official Board of Succession's decisions in Surkhan's

favor with the help of his well-trained army.

Cochrane wrote: "Shan Kings could name as their successors anyone they

wished, but any appointee might be rejected by the Official Board, who were

supposed to be the representatives of the people though not chosen by

them."

Surkhanfah ruled for 53 years and during his reign, he helped to improve the

Shan script. He also introduced as system where every citizen had a role to

fulfill both in times of peace and war.

Youths under 20 were schooled to read and write, to practice self-discipline

and shoulder responsibility, and to fight as warriors in wars.

Men between 20-40 were trained to become leaders, trained in commerce and

trade and to be good family men.

Men 40 upward were trained to become good administrators and teachers.

According to Zai Zai Zuen, a well-known linguist and historian, Surkhanfah

also didn't neglect the role of women in Shan society. He taught them: "Men

are handsome because of their bravery; Women are beautiful because of their

literacy," "Women who are skillful in martial arts win wars" and "Shan women

engage in affairs of state, their glory shall fill Heaven."

Having thus carefully prepared his people, both morally and physically, for two

years, he began his quest for unification, in the ways of his time, in 1313.


He is recorded to have conquered and, on many occasions, won over by his

diplomacy, charm and wit, a vast region which included most of today's

Burma, Southeastern Yunnan, Western Laos, Northern Thailand and Assam in

northeastern India.

To some observers, the story of his conquest of southwestern Yunnan, Known

as Lanzao(Land of a million princes) and better known as Nanchao (a

corruption of Lanzao), seem incredible. Shan historians however note that his

ascendancy came at a time when China, under Mongolian rule, was going

through a period of flux and instablility Surkhanfah simply saw his chance and

took it.

A point of observation is also appropriate here: Laos is known as "Lanxang"

(Land of a million elephants) while northern Thailand, "Lanna"(Land of a

million paddy fields) pointing to a linguistic affinity and commonality which

historical scholars should not ignore before they blithely dismiss and claim

that Lanzao or Nanchao is not Shan at all.

He successfully repulsed another Chinese invasion in, 1362 (some say after a

duel in which he, at 71, cut off his opponent's head).

Two years later he died peacefully at Wiang Tasop-oo, his third and final

capital. (His second capital from 1313-1363 was Selan, between today's Nam

Kham and Muse).

After his death, his successors tried to preserve his legacy but they were not

successful. In 1405, 41 years later, the Chinese defeated Surkhifah and Surn

gamfah and the Mao Kingdom, which had been founded by Khun Terngkham

in 753 A.D., came to its end.


I was not satisfied with my penmanship asked if anybody could help.

Help, when it came, appered in a different but welcoming form. My colleague,

Saengjuen Sarawin, took it to his press, straightened out my raw Shan and

asked a mutual friend, Sailed, to do the illustrations. Then the manuscript was

read by a friend in Lashio, who published it and distributed on Shan New

Year's Day of 1994. It was an instant success.

Since then, it has been printed twice and made into photocopies several

tiems. Still, there are inquiring buyers asking for it yet, reports a distributor.

Surkhanfah's cave was also rediscovered, and has become a place of

pilgrimage and devotion for many Shans since, thanks to the tireless efforts of

Saifah, a well-respected leader of the Shan literacy movement.

Surkhanfah's name was also given to a famous fighting force of the Shan

State Army a few years ago.

So, if you're someone who is looking for somebody to blame for the revival of

Shan natioinalism don't look far.

The junta and Surkhanfah are each and both guilty, the former for their

relentless and unceasing abuse of the Shan people, and the latter for

remaining a symbol and inspiration for today's Shan youth, as he was for

yesterday's.

Khuensia Jaiyen

1 Nov, 1999.


- (San

Kuo)

(Lo Kuang Chung)

1361

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?

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