Sao Saimong
Encyclopedia
Sao Sāimöng or Sao Sāimöng Mangrāi (13 November 1913 – 14 July 1987) was a member of the princely family of Kengtung. He was a government minister in Burma (now Myanmar
) soon after independence; he was also a scholar, historian and linguist. His wife, Mi Mi Khaing, was also a scholar and writer.
Kawng Kiao Intaleng
(who had succeeded as ruler of Kengtung in 1895). Early in his life, Sao Saimong was sent to Bangkok to become a novice monk at the Wat Thepsarin in Bangkok, since it was his father's hope that he would eventually become the chief abbot of Kengtung. In the 1920s Sao Konkaeu Intaleng attended a durbar in India, and realized that all of his sons should be given a western education to be successful, so Sao Saimong was called back from Bangkok and sent to the Shan Chiefs' School in Taunggyi
, a school founded by the British administration to train the sons of ruling families. From there, he went on to attend Rangoon University, and then on to the University of London. Returning to Burma in 1940 during the start of the Second World War, he was soon swept into war to serve with the British army. He was evacuated to India, and returned to Burma soon after the war. Several of his elder brothers were boys and Sao Saimong had not expected to rule Kengtung. But he did so briefly on his return from India, since the heir apparent, his nephew, Sao Sai Long, had not yet finished his studies in Australia.
In 1947, after the Shan principalities agreed to become part of the Union of Burma, Sao Saimong had an administrative career in independent Burma and was Chief Education Officer for Shan and Kayah State
s. He was instrumental in the design of the revised script for Shan
.
Like most of the other former rulers of the Shan States, Sao Saimong was imprisoned when General Ne Win
took power in 1962. After six years in prison he was released in 1968. After his release, he settled in Taunggyi
, and in 1969 he was ordained as a monk in one of the Kengtung
monasteries. In his scholarly career he was invited to Cornell University
, the University of Michigan
and Wolfson College, Cambridge
. At Cambridge University Library
, in 1982 and 1983, he worked with Wilfrid Lockwood and Andrew Dalby
on the Scott Collection, formed by J. G. Scott
, British administrator in the Shan States, whose activities he had already chronicled in his 1969 publication The Shan States and the British Annexation.
Although it is neither compulsory nor customary in Myanmar to take a surname, the family chose the surname Mangrāi after the medieval king Mangrai of Chiangmai (northern Thailand), traditional founder of Kengtung, from whom they trace their descent; this surname therefore appears on Sao Saimong's later publications.
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....
) soon after independence; he was also a scholar, historian and linguist. His wife, Mi Mi Khaing, was also a scholar and writer.
Biography
Sao Saimong was the first son of the fourth wife, Nang Daeng, of SaophaSaopha
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...
Kawng Kiao Intaleng
Sao Kawng Kiao Intaleng
Sao Kawng Kiao Intaleng succeeded his brother to become the 53rd ruler of the Shan state of Kengtung in 1895. He, his first wife, and his sister, Princess Tip Htila, all attended the Delhi Durbar in 1903 in a party of Shan princes guided by J. G. Scott. After this journey, in 1905, he built a new...
(who had succeeded as ruler of Kengtung in 1895). Early in his life, Sao Saimong was sent to Bangkok to become a novice monk at the Wat Thepsarin in Bangkok, since it was his father's hope that he would eventually become the chief abbot of Kengtung. In the 1920s Sao Konkaeu Intaleng attended a durbar in India, and realized that all of his sons should be given a western education to be successful, so Sao Saimong was called back from Bangkok and sent to the Shan Chiefs' School in Taunggyi
Taunggyi
-Transportation:The main access to Taunggyi is by road. A railway line that passes through Taunggyi was recently built in 1995, but at the moment it offers no passenger service. Regular railway passenger service to the rest of the country is through the town of Shwenyaung, twelve miles to the...
, a school founded by the British administration to train the sons of ruling families. From there, he went on to attend Rangoon University, and then on to the University of London. Returning to Burma in 1940 during the start of the Second World War, he was soon swept into war to serve with the British army. He was evacuated to India, and returned to Burma soon after the war. Several of his elder brothers were boys and Sao Saimong had not expected to rule Kengtung. But he did so briefly on his return from India, since the heir apparent, his nephew, Sao Sai Long, had not yet finished his studies in Australia.
In 1947, after the Shan principalities agreed to become part of the Union of Burma, Sao Saimong had an administrative career in independent Burma and was Chief Education Officer for Shan and Kayah State
Kayah State
Kayah State is a state of Myanmar. Situated in eastern Myanmar, it is bounded on the north by Shan State, on the east by Thailand's Mae Hong Son Province, and on the south and west by Kayin State. It lies approximately between 18° 30' and 19° 55' north latitude and between 94°40' and 97° 93' east...
s. He was instrumental in the design of the revised script for Shan
Shan language
The Shan language is the native language of Shan people and spoken mostly in Shan State, Burma. It is also used in pockets of Kachin State in Burma, in northern Thailand, and in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. Shan is a member of the Tai–Kadai language family, and...
.
Like most of the other former rulers of the Shan States, Sao Saimong was imprisoned when General Ne Win
Ne Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
took power in 1962. After six years in prison he was released in 1968. After his release, he settled in Taunggyi
Taunggyi
-Transportation:The main access to Taunggyi is by road. A railway line that passes through Taunggyi was recently built in 1995, but at the moment it offers no passenger service. Regular railway passenger service to the rest of the country is through the town of Shwenyaung, twelve miles to the...
, and in 1969 he was ordained as a monk in one of the Kengtung
Kengtong
-Bibliography:*J. G. Scott, Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States. 5 vols. Rangoon, 1900-1901.*Sao Sāimöng Mangrāi, The Pādaeng Chronicle and the Kengtung State Chronicle Translated. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1981- External links :...
monasteries. In his scholarly career he was invited to Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and Wolfson College, Cambridge
Wolfson College, Cambridge
Wolfson College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Wolfson is one of a small number of Cambridge colleges which admit only students over the age of 21. The majority of students at the college are postgraduates, with around 15% studying undergraduate...
. At Cambridge University Library
Cambridge University Library
The Cambridge University Library is the centrally-administered library of Cambridge University in England. It comprises five separate libraries:* the University Library main building * the Medical Library...
, in 1982 and 1983, he worked with Wilfrid Lockwood and Andrew Dalby
Andrew Dalby
Andrew Dalby is an English linguist, translator and historian who has written articles and several books on a wide range of topics including food history, language, Classical texts, and Wikipedia.-Education and early career:...
on the Scott Collection, formed by J. G. Scott
James George Scott
Sir George Scott, KCIE was a Scottish journalist and colonial administrator who helped establish British colonial rule in Burma, and in addition introduced soccer to Burma ....
, British administrator in the Shan States, whose activities he had already chronicled in his 1969 publication The Shan States and the British Annexation.
Although it is neither compulsory nor customary in Myanmar to take a surname, the family chose the surname Mangrāi after the medieval king Mangrai of Chiangmai (northern Thailand), traditional founder of Kengtung, from whom they trace their descent; this surname therefore appears on Sao Saimong's later publications.
Published Works of Sao Sāimöng
- The Shan States and the British Annexation. Cornell University, Cornell, 1965; 2nd ed., 1969
- The Pādaeng Chronicle and the Jengtung State Chronicle Translated. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1981
Sources
- Sao Sāimöng Mangrāi, The Pādaeng Chronicle and the Jengtung State Chronicle Translated, p. 278
- The Guardian [Rangoon], 16 July 1987