The Shan States or Mong Tai we call it in our Tai language is situated in the hub of Asia sandwiched in between India, China and mainland Southeast Asia. Map Of Our Shan State. The country lies on the Shan Plateau with an elevation of 5000 - 9000 feet above sea level with Mount Loileng at 8,777 feet in Mong-Yai. However average elevations are 2000 – 4000 feet. It is covered with dense tropical-temperate forests, pine and tropical hardwoods, streams, rivers and waterfalls making it a verdant land of natural beauty. the country a natural and beautiful land.
The Nam Khong or Salween River is the principal river bisecting the country – with its source on the Tibetan Plateau, flowing southwards to the Indian Ocean through Yunnan, the Shan country, Karenni, Karen & Mon States to the Gulf of Martaban at the City of Moulmein. Many tributaries of the Salween, such as the Nam Taeng, Nam Parng and Nam Nim all enter the Salween near the Town of Kun Hing (Kun Haeng: thousand islets) where many islets by the hundreds are formed. Further east the Nam Ma, Nam Kha and Nam Sim flows into the Salween and in the north The Nam Mao or Shweli and its tributaries flows westwards to join the Irrawaddy. The Nam Khawng or Mekong form the boundary between Laos and Mong Tai ( Shan States) for length of 120 miles, then flows through Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam into the Gulf of Thailand; and tributaries such as Nam Loei and Nam Kok flow eastward through Kengtung to the Mekong.
The Nam Zawgyi, Nam Tamphat and Nam Bilu in the south are all famous by their capacities as natural waterways; and because the Shan rivers flow through deep valleys and mountain ranges, many rapids and waterfalls are be found throughout the Shan country - with the biggest Nam Taeng Falls near the town of Keng Tawng, in Mong-Nai Township. The second are Om-pu Falls on the Nam Parng near Mong-Su anf though there are numerous waterfalls, the only one, Marnsarm Falls on the Nam Yao in Hsipaw County or Township is harnessed for hydro-power to supply electric to the surrounding towns and to the Bawdwin Mines at Panghai in Namtu County. The inland lake of Inlay or Nong Hai Ya , in Yawnghwe County, 14 by 7 miles, is noted for its “ floating” villages and market gardens, its silk-weaving and the unique “leg-rowers”. Both hot and cold springs are countless and some have been developed as resorts and recreation centres.
Capital: Taunggyi or Tonti
People and Population: Estimated at 8 – 10 million. The Shan identify ourselves as "Tai", which means "free men" while "Shan" is a Burmese rendering of “Siam” due to a peculiarity of the Burmese tongue. We are a member of a very large “Tai Speaking Peoples” who are spread across from Assam in northeast India, through Burma & the Shan States, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and southwest China in the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and Guandong where it is said 600 millions Tai or Dai live today.
Our particular Tai or Shan dialect is spoken in Shan States, in some parts of Kachin State, some parts of Sagaing Division in Burma, in parts of Yunnan, and Mae Hong Son Province in northwestern Thailand. We have own script alphabet derived from India through the introduction of Buddhism. Tai like Thai is pentatonic though the Tai Neur or Tai Mao of Yunnan has six tones. However the Shan Phonology Committee including the representatives of the Tai-long or Tai-yai Shan, Tai Mao, Tai Khamti, and Tai Khuen devised a common Tai or Shan Script in 1974 so as to harmonize and reconcile the various Tai/Shan script and dialects and introduced six tone symbols.
Shan is still the first language of the majority despite Burmese occupation efforts of imperial neo-colonialism to stamp it out and many are conversant in English, it being a legacy of having been a past British Protectorate. Shan men wear long baggy trouser unlike the Burmese, who wear longyis or sarongs. Through the introduction of Theravada Buddhism, which is predominant, we are tolerant of other faiths and Hinduism, Christianity, Islamism and animisms flourish in our land.
Ethnic groups of the Shan State: There are more than 20 ethnic national groups in Shan states. The Shan identify themselves as "Tai", which means "free men" while "Shan" is a Burmese language term. The majority are Shan or Tai. But as a nation we are a multicultural and multiethnic nation and the other ethnic groups are: Palaung, Pa-O, Kachin, Wa, Lahu, Akha and Kokang Chinese.
Shan or Tai (Thai call us Thai-yai meaning Elder Thai): 68% of the total populations are Tai/Shan and are the predominant ethnic group. Most Shan are farmers and livestock breeders who predominantly live in the valleys and lowlands.
Palaung or Ta-arng:Are some 7% of the total populations who call themselves “Ta-arng”. They are concentrated in the northern mountainous region of Namhsan or Tawngpeng. They are usually tea planters producing black gEnglish tea, pickled tea and green Shan & Chinese. Many have now moved to the central and southern Shan mountains due to the upheaval caused by Burmese occupation and they are introducing tea culture in those area.
Pa-O: The Pa-o ethnic group are also about 7% and are found in the southern part of the Shan State. The grows agricultural cash crops such as potatoes, cabbages, garlic and especially the cheroot-leaves or tonti for local and Burmese cheroot industries. They came into the Shan land as refugees in the 10th century following the sack and destruction of their kingdom of Thaton in Lower Burma by King Anawratha of Pagan who took their King Manuha to Pagan as Pagoda Slave. They were welcomed and given land grants to settle by an earlier Saopha or Ruler of Yawnghwe.
Wa: Are about 5% of the population. They inhabit the eastern mountains along the Salween and the areas bordering China. The Wa make their living on the harsh mountain slopes and valleys using the old slash and burn methods.
Kachins: They live in the northern region where the Shan States borders with the Kachin State. The Kachin breed livestock and grow vegetables, corn and rice in remote mountain villages.
Dhanu: These people are settled in the rolling lands on the western slopes of the Shan Plateau bordering Burma. The Dhanu work on their paddy fields and vegetable farms.
Intha-s: They live in Nong Hai Ya or Inlay Lake, in Yawnghwe County, in “floating” villages and market garden on floating “islands”. They are industrious silk weavers and fishermen; and are famous for their unique “leg-rowers” and the annual Paung-daw-u Festival.
Lahu are found east of the Salween along the mountainous border region along the Shan States and Thailand border.
Akha live mostly in the border areas between the Shan State and Laos.
Kokangnese are found in the northeastern Shan State close to the Yunnan Province. They farm, breed livestock and conduct cross border trading with China.
Padaung or Kayan settled in the south around Mong-Pai County where farming is their livelihood. Their womenfolk are known as ‘giraffenecks’ because of the brass or silver rings worn round their necks as adornments.
Lisu or Lisaw are scattered in the north and southern Shan State in remote mountainous region settlements and practice their traditional slash and burn farming agriculture.
Yang-lam live around Mong-Su and Kesi-wansam in the central region and live on primitive farming.
Liju live in the area of Kokang State in the north. They rely on livestock raising and hill-farming.
Chinese and Indian immigrants are found throughout the country and are mostly traders, shopkeepers and money-lenders. Some also live on farming and livestock breeding.
Burmese or Burmans are scattered throughout Shan States as the Burmese regime’s “government” employees in offices, schools and administrative centers. They also came in to find work as manual laborers and hired hands doing various jobs in towns and in the countryside.
Many other ethnic groups such as the En, Dhanor, Palay, and others can be found making their living on primitive hill farming . The diverse population from different ethnic communities have always lived harmoniously together for thousands of years sharing hardships and prosperity in times of peace and war.
The high Shan Plateau is generally cooler than Burma or Thailand since it is mountainous and at higher elevations. There are three seasons: Monsoon or rainy season from May to October, Cold season from November to January, and Summer from February to April. Annual rainfalls average between 40-60 inches. The overall temperature is equable throughout the year; it being not too cold and not too hot. One town can reach over 100F while just a few hours’ drive away 77F is normal. Cold winter brings the temperature down to 40F in hill-station towns and 60F in the valleys where morning fog lasts till mid-day. Annual rainfall averages between 40-60 inches, and flash flood of rivers and streams occur during the rainy season causing landslides and flooding in the valet floors.
Agriculture
Primarily a self-sufficient agricultural economy, being blessed with fertile soil, it produces rice, tea, cheroot leaves, tobacco, potatoes, oranges, lemon, pears, and opium. Cattle-and horse-breeding is also a common sight in low grasslands. Added to the fact that it is rich in mineral resources and abundant in teak and other tropical hardwoods. There is no reason why the Shan States could not become one of the richest and economically dynamic countries in Southeast Asia, given a favorable a stable political environment,
Most Shan are farmers (rice, vegetables, soybeans and fruit); some are miners (rubies and other precious stones) and tree cutters (teak). Old methods are used, little machinery being available. Before 1996 the Shan were responsible for up to 50% of the world’s opium production and the surrender of opium king Khun Sa to the Burmese in February 1996 has not reduced the growing of the opium poppy because of the demands of the Burmese occupation troops for the villagers to deliver opium or pay hefty fines at best, to arrest, torture and death – making a mockery of SPDC’s advertised drug eradication policy. Shan State is rich in natural resources; indeed the bulk of the so-called Burmese natural resources are in the Shan States. It is rich in mineral resources such as silver, lead, gold, copper, iron, tin, wolfram, tungsten, manganese, nickel, coal, mica, antimony, fluorite, marble, gemstones and uranium which the occupying SPDC Burmese regime exploits to their sole benefit the local population benefiting in any way except as lowly paid daily wage labourers. Many undiscovered mineral resources remain to be found as evidenced by several recent geological reports.
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