Kengtung State


Kengtung, known as Menggen Prefecture or Möng Khün Chiefdom or Mueng Khuen Fu from 1405 to 1895, was a Shan state in what is today Burma. The capital and the residence of the ruler was Kengtung in the centre of the state. It was the only urban area in this mountainous state whose landscape is dominated by the Daen Lao Range.
Kengtung was the largest of the states in present-day Shan State and ranked first in the order of precedence at the time of the invasion of the Shan States by the British Empire. It was also the easternmost of the Southern Shan States, lying almost entirely east of the Salween and stretching eastwards to the Mekong. It was separated from the northern Shan state of Manglon by the Hka River.
Most of the early history of Kengtung is made up of myths and legends. At the time of British rule in Burma the Tai Yai people were the majority of the population in Kengtung state with other groups such as Akha and Lahu, forming sizeable communities. According to Wa tradition, in the distant past the territory had belonged to the Wa people who were displaced around 1229 and were later defeated by King Mangrai. The Wa now form a minority of only about 10% in Kengtung State despite having been —according to their myths— the original inhabitants.

History

Early kingdoms

According to local tradition, Khemāraṭṭha, the predecessor state, was founded in an unknown date in the distant past. It was ruled by the Tai Khün of the Tai Yai ethnic background. The current dynasty has its origins in the kingdom that was founded around 1243 by a prince named Mang Kun, said to be a delegate of King Mangrai.
Despite the ethnic affinity of the ruling Tai with the Siamese to the south, Kengtung was led by Saopha princes who historically preferred to pay tribute to the Burmese kings to the west. The King of Mandalay restricted himself to exacting a yearly tribute, often in the form of offerings of ritual gold flowers, leaving the Kengtung rulers largely alone. The Salween river also acted as a protective natural border in the West hampering communication with Upper Burma. On the other hand, the kingdoms of Lanna and Ayutthaya, as well as the Chinese to the northeast, were closer, more bellicose and had easier access to the territory.

Modern history

In 1760, following conflicting claims of political influence over Kengtung State, there was a war between the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty and the King of Burma, Hsinbyushin.
In 1802 Kengtung came under the rule of Chiang Mai, but with the help of the Burmese the former ruling dynasty was reinstated in 1814 and Mongyawng state was annexed.
Kengtung was historically located at the crossroads of the trade between China and Siam and 19th century sources talk about caravans crossing Kengtung on their way to Chiang Mai totaling yearly 8,000 mules loaded with goods from China.
During British rule in Burma the eastern border was demarcated by the colonial powers and the western part of Kengcheng was merged with Kengtung. Historically Kengtung also included the substates of Hsenyawt, Hsenmawng, Monghsat and Mongpu.
On 27 May 1942, during World War II, Kengtung State was invaded and its capital captured by the Thai Phayap Army. Following a previous agreement between Thai Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram and the Japanese Empire, in December the same year the Thai administration occupied Kengtung and four districts of Möngpan. The annexation of the trans-Salween territories historically claimed by Thailand was formalised on 1 August 1943 and the northern province of Saharat Thai Doem was established. Thailand left the territory in 1945, but officially relinquished its claim over Kengtung State only in 1946 as part of the condition for admission to the United Nations and the withdrawal of all wartime sanctions for having sided with the Axis powers.
The last ruler of Kengtung abdicated in 1959. The state became then part of Shan State and, despite the independence struggle of the latter, eventually part of Burma. After the 1962 military coup by General Ne Win all the privileges of the saophas were abolished.

Rulers

The rulers of Kengtung bore the title of Saopha; their ritual style was Khemadhipati Rajadhiraja.
The Kengtung Yazawin, also known as 'Padaeng Chronicle' and 'Jengtung State Chronicle', is a history of the rulers of Kengtung written in the 19th century in Burmese language. It was translated into English by Sao Saimong Mangrai.

[Saophas]

;Chinese records
Mang Kun and Mang Kyin were Yonnaka governors sent by Mang Lai. Marquess of Kengtung refers to a son of Mang Lai.
SaophaKhuen nameEnthroneDethroneChinese name
Mang Kun1263年1267年
Mang Kyin1267年1273年
Marquess of Kengtung--1273年1284年
Sao Nannan1284年1317年
Sao Shanmuwei1317年1324年
Sao Lai1324年1342年
Sao Sainan1342年1360年
Sao Yu1360年1370年
Sao Xipantu1379年1387年
Sao Ai'ao1387年1390年
艾乌萨1390年1403年
伊康伽1403年1416年Dao Ai
Sao Shan1416年1441年Dao Jiao；
Dao GUang
Sao Shan Sili 1441年1456年庆马辣
艾劳康1456年1474年
艾劳1474年1501年招禄
Sao Naojiang1501年1503年招帕雅？
赛考1503年？
赛蓬？？
绍山？？
绍康木？1523年
比亚江1523年1560年
绍蒙卡1560年1598年
绍康陶1598年1600年
绍蒙伽1620年1637年
绍温1637年1650年
绍因康1650年1659年
Sao Ao1659年？
Sao Mengsai？1682年
Sao Shanpi1682年1721年
Sao Mangxin1721年1739年
Sao Maung Nyo1739年1749年
Sao Mangshan1750年1787年
Sao Kaotai1787年1813年
绍摩诃加那1813年1857年
绍摩诃蓬1857年1876年
绍康胜1876年1881年
绍考泰1881年1886年
绍考康1886年1897年
绍考江因塔楞1895年1935年
绍考泰1935年1937年
绍赛隆1937年1959年

;Burmese records
Following the Thai occupation, a military governor was appointed for the administration of the annexed territories of Kengtung and Möngpan by Thailand.