Mong Mao
Encyclopedia
Mong Mao or Mao kingdom was an ethnically Dai
state that controlled several smaller Tai states or chieftainships
along the frontier
of what is now Myanmar
and China
in the Dehong region of Yunnan
with a capital near the modern-day border town
of Ruili
. The name of the main river in this region is the Nam Mao, also known as the River Shweli
.
The chronicle of this region, titled the Mong Mao Chronicle, was written much later.
Mong Mao arose in the power vacuum left after the Kingdom of Dali
in Yunnan fell to the Mongols
around 1254. This kingdom had asserted some unity over the diversity of ethnic groups residing along the southwest frontier of Yunnan. In 1448, a combination of Ming
, Sipsongpanna, and other allied forces subjugated Mong Mao.
"Mong Mao" is sometimes used by authors to refer to the entire group of Tai states along the Chinese-Myanmar frontier including Luchuan-Pingmian, Mong Yang/Mong Yawng?? (Chinese: Meng Yang), and Hsenwi
(Chinese: Mu Bang), even though specific place names are almost always used in Ming
and Burmese
sources .
The center of power shifted frequently between these smaller states or chieftainships. Sometimes they were unified under one strong leader, sometimes they were not. As the Shan scholar Sai Kam Mong observes: "Sometimes one of these [smaller states] strove to be the leading kingdom and sometimes all of them were unified into one single kingdom...The capital of the kingdom shifted from place to place, but most of them were located near the Nam Mao river (the "Shweli" on most maps today)"
The various versions of the Mong Mao Chronicle provide the lineage of Mong Mao rulers. The Shan chronicle tradition, recorded very early by Elias (1876), provides a long list with the first ruler of Mong Mao dating from 568 A.D. The dates in Elias for later rulers of Mong Mao do not match very well the dates in Ming dynasty
sources such as the Ming Shi-lu
(Wade, 2005) and the Bai Yi Zhuan
(Wade, 1996) which are considered more reliable from the time of the ruler Si Ke Fa. Kazhangjia (1990), translated into Thai
by Witthayasakphan and Zhao Hong Yun (2001), also provides a fairly detailed local chronicle of Mong Mao.
Dai people
The Dai peoples is one of several ethnic groups living in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture , but by extension can apply to groups in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Burma when Dai is used to mean specifically Tai Lue, Chinese Shan or even...
state that controlled several smaller Tai states or chieftainships
Saopha
Saopha, Chaofa, or Sawbwa was a royal title used by the rulers of the Shan States of Myanmar . The word means "king" in the Shan and Tai languages...
along the frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
of what is now Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
and China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in the Dehong region of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
with a capital near the modern-day border town
Border town
A border town is a town or city close to the boundary between two countries, states or regions. Usually the term implies that it is one of the things the town is most famous for. Border towns can have highly cosmopolitan communities, a feature they share with port cities...
of Ruili
Ruili
Ruili City is a county-level city in Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan province, southwest China.It is a major border crossing between China and Myanmar, with Muse town located across the border.- Name :...
. The name of the main river in this region is the Nam Mao, also known as the River Shweli
Shweli River
Shweli River is a river in Myanmar . Also known as Nam Mao in Shan and Lung Chuan Chiang in Chinese, it forms part of the boundary between Burma and China. It is one of the tributaries of the country's chief river, the Ayeyarwady, and arises in Yunnan Province of China...
.
The chronicle of this region, titled the Mong Mao Chronicle, was written much later.
Mong Mao arose in the power vacuum left after the Kingdom of Dali
Kingdom of Dali
Dali or Great Li was a Bai kingdom centred in what is now Yunnan Province of China. Established by Duan Siping in 937, it was ruled by a succession of 22 kings until the year 1253, when it was conquered by an invasion of the Mongol Empire. The capital city was at Dali.- History :The Kingdom of...
in Yunnan fell to the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
around 1254. This kingdom had asserted some unity over the diversity of ethnic groups residing along the southwest frontier of Yunnan. In 1448, a combination of Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
, Sipsongpanna, and other allied forces subjugated Mong Mao.
"Mong Mao" is sometimes used by authors to refer to the entire group of Tai states along the Chinese-Myanmar frontier including Luchuan-Pingmian, Mong Yang/Mong Yawng?? (Chinese: Meng Yang), and Hsenwi
Theinni
Theinni or Hsenwi is a town in northern Shan State of Burma, situated near the north bank of the Nam Tu River and now the centre of Hsenwi Township in Lashio District. It is 28 miles north of Lashio. It is 2,100 feet above sea level...
(Chinese: Mu Bang), even though specific place names are almost always used in Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and Burmese
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
sources .
The center of power shifted frequently between these smaller states or chieftainships. Sometimes they were unified under one strong leader, sometimes they were not. As the Shan scholar Sai Kam Mong observes: "Sometimes one of these [smaller states] strove to be the leading kingdom and sometimes all of them were unified into one single kingdom...The capital of the kingdom shifted from place to place, but most of them were located near the Nam Mao river (the "Shweli" on most maps today)"
The various versions of the Mong Mao Chronicle provide the lineage of Mong Mao rulers. The Shan chronicle tradition, recorded very early by Elias (1876), provides a long list with the first ruler of Mong Mao dating from 568 A.D. The dates in Elias for later rulers of Mong Mao do not match very well the dates in Ming dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
sources such as the Ming Shi-lu
Ming Shi-lu
The Ming Shilu , or the Veritable Records of the Ming, contains the imperial annals of Ming dynasty emperors and is the single largest historical source for the dynasty and "plays an extremely important role in the historical reconstruction of Ming society and politics." After the fall of the Ming...
(Wade, 2005) and the Bai Yi Zhuan
Bai Yi Zhuan
The Bai Yi Zhuan is a description of the Thai polity of Mong Mao in 1396 written by two envoys, Qian Guxun and Li Sicong, sent by the Ming court in China to resolve conflicts between the Ava kingdom in Burma and Mong Mao, also known as Luchuan-Pingmian. The description includes the history,...
(Wade, 1996) which are considered more reliable from the time of the ruler Si Ke Fa. Kazhangjia (1990), translated into Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
by Witthayasakphan and Zhao Hong Yun (2001), also provides a fairly detailed local chronicle of Mong Mao.
List of Monarchs
| Chinese name | Years | Length | Succession | Death | Tai Name | Other names |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Si Ke Fa Si Ke Fa Si Ke Fa is the Chinese name given to the ethnic Tai ruler who ruled over the Kingdom of Mong Mao from 1340 to 1371. Different transliteration of his name in his native Tai language give his name as "Hso Kip Hpa" or "Sa Khaan Pha".... |
1340–1371 | 31 years | natural | Hso Kip Hpa | Sa Khaan Pha | |
| Zhao Bing Fa | 1371–1378 | 8 years | son | natural | ||
| Tai Bian | 1378/79 | 1 year | son | murdered | ||
| Zhao Xiao Fa | 1379/80 | 1 year | brother of Zhao Bing Fa | murdered | ||
| Si Wa Fa | ? | ? | brother | murdered | Hso Wak Hpa | |
| Si Lun Fa | 1382–1399 | 17 years | grandson of Si Ke Fa | Hso Long Hpa | ||
| Si Xing Fa | 1404–1413 | 9 years | son | abdicated | ||
| Si Ren Fa | 1413-1445/6 | 29 years | brother | executed | Hso Wen Hpa | Sa Ngam Pha |
| Si Ji Fa | 1445/6-1449 | son | executed | Sa Ki Pha, Chau Si Pha | ||
| Si Bu Fa | 1449-? | |||||
| Si Lun Fa | ?-1532 | murdered | Sawlon | |||
External links
- Crucible of War: Burma and the Ming in the Tai Frontier Zone (1382-1454), by Jon Fernquest