Saya San
Encyclopedia
Saya San was a noted monk
, a Burmese medicine man
and the leader of the Burmese peasant revolt of 1930-1931 and pretender to the Burmese throne. He led the first concerted effort to forcefully resist British domination.
forces. This was an attempt to rebel against the British Administration and its tax policies in particular.
In 1929 the British proposed new taxes on the Burmese people as well as a forestry bill that would forbid the cutting of trees (Burma’s prime asset) without British consent. In December 1930, Saya San allegedly organized a local revolt against the payment of the capitation tax (poll tax) which quickly grew beyond his control and turned into an uncoordinated national revolt. The series of movements spread from the district of Tharrawaddy (three and a half hours from Rangoon) to neighboring districts throughout Lower Burma. Official reports claimed that Saya San was a "minlaung" or pretender-king who would restore the monarchy and revitalize the declining Buddhist religion. Seeking to resurrect traditional institutions and networks, Saya San reportedly built a palace on the mountain Alantaung and held a coronation ceremony complete with symbols of the Burmese court. Followers of Saya San were said to have been tattooed with a special image of the Garuda (Galon) that not only would protect them from bullets, but symbolized their mission to rid the kingdom of the British and other foreigners. While some scholars have suggested that economic hardship was at the heart of the revolts, others have suggested that initiating a new golden age of Buddhism was an important reason.
The resulting uprising required more than two years and 10,000 British troops to quell, ending with Saya San’s execution by hanging. Recent scholarship has raised many questions about Saya San's role in the revolt. It is thought by some now that the British falsified and overstated Saya San's role in the revolt so as to make his execution seem more meaningful than it actually was. Several details of the trial, including a diary produced by the police which outlines Saya San's plan, are not considered to be trustworthy. In addition, focus on the traditional character of the rebellion has been argued to have ignored the growing connections between urban nationalists and rural communities since the 1920s. Nationalist associations (wuthanu athins) and politicized elements of the monkshood had been interacting with local leaders for some time, introducing new strategies and ideas concerning reform.
While Burmese Buddhists considered the uprising a failure, it did mark a turning point for some in Burmese politics. The uprising led to the formation of a new generation of political leaders such as Ba Maw
and U Saw
who participated in the trial for the defense. Additionally, it helped demonstrate the sangha
’s ability to mobilize the local people to resist the colonization movement. Saya San is remembered as a nationalist hero who led the masses against the colonial state.
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, a Burmese medicine man
Medicine man
"Medicine man" or "Medicine woman" are English terms used to describe traditional healers and spiritual leaders among Native American and other indigenous or aboriginal peoples...
and the leader of the Burmese peasant revolt of 1930-1931 and pretender to the Burmese throne. He led the first concerted effort to forcefully resist British domination.
History
In 1924 the General Council of Buddhist Associations appointed the 45-year old Saya San to head a committee surveying the living conditions of the Burmese peasantry. In the course of the 1927 survey, Saya San (along with a growing number of urban activists and political monks) changed the focus of their work and began inspiring the peasants to resist BritishUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
forces. This was an attempt to rebel against the British Administration and its tax policies in particular.
In 1929 the British proposed new taxes on the Burmese people as well as a forestry bill that would forbid the cutting of trees (Burma’s prime asset) without British consent. In December 1930, Saya San allegedly organized a local revolt against the payment of the capitation tax (poll tax) which quickly grew beyond his control and turned into an uncoordinated national revolt. The series of movements spread from the district of Tharrawaddy (three and a half hours from Rangoon) to neighboring districts throughout Lower Burma. Official reports claimed that Saya San was a "minlaung" or pretender-king who would restore the monarchy and revitalize the declining Buddhist religion. Seeking to resurrect traditional institutions and networks, Saya San reportedly built a palace on the mountain Alantaung and held a coronation ceremony complete with symbols of the Burmese court. Followers of Saya San were said to have been tattooed with a special image of the Garuda (Galon) that not only would protect them from bullets, but symbolized their mission to rid the kingdom of the British and other foreigners. While some scholars have suggested that economic hardship was at the heart of the revolts, others have suggested that initiating a new golden age of Buddhism was an important reason.
The resulting uprising required more than two years and 10,000 British troops to quell, ending with Saya San’s execution by hanging. Recent scholarship has raised many questions about Saya San's role in the revolt. It is thought by some now that the British falsified and overstated Saya San's role in the revolt so as to make his execution seem more meaningful than it actually was. Several details of the trial, including a diary produced by the police which outlines Saya San's plan, are not considered to be trustworthy. In addition, focus on the traditional character of the rebellion has been argued to have ignored the growing connections between urban nationalists and rural communities since the 1920s. Nationalist associations (wuthanu athins) and politicized elements of the monkshood had been interacting with local leaders for some time, introducing new strategies and ideas concerning reform.
While Burmese Buddhists considered the uprising a failure, it did mark a turning point for some in Burmese politics. The uprising led to the formation of a new generation of political leaders such as Ba Maw
Ba Maw
Dr. Ba Maw was a Burmese political leader, active during the interwar and World War II period.-Early life and education:Ba Maw was born in Maubin. Ba Maw came from a distinguished family of mixed Mon-Burmese parentage which bred many scholars and lawyers...
and U Saw
U Saw
U Saw aka Galon U Saw was a leading Burmese politician and Prime Minister during the colonial era before the Second World War. He is best known for his role in the assassination of Burma's national hero Aung San and other independence leaders in July 1947, only months before Burma gained...
who participated in the trial for the defense. Additionally, it helped demonstrate the sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
’s ability to mobilize the local people to resist the colonization movement. Saya San is remembered as a nationalist hero who led the masses against the colonial state.