Möng Mao

Muang Mao, also spelled Möng Mao (မိုင်းမော; ) or the Mao Kingdom, was an ethnic Tai state that controlled several smaller Tai states or chieftainships along the frontier of what is now Myanmar, China, the states of Northeast India of Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh, principally set in the Dehong region of Yunnan with a capital near the modern-day border town of Ruili/Meng Mao. The name of the main river in this region is the Nam Mao, also known as the Shweli River.

Names
Möng Mao is Tai Nuea and Shan language name, also called Möng Mao Lông, which means "Great Muang Mao". The "Möng" means country or place. The "Mao" (ᥛᥣᥝᥰ) was evolved from "dizzy" (ᥛᥝᥰ), it is because the mother of legendary king Chao U Ting felt dizzy when she was brought to the sky by a bird. The name "Möng Mao" is still used nowadays, as the official Tai Nuea name of Ruili City (ᥝᥥᥒᥰ ᥛᥫᥒᥰ ᥛᥣᥝᥰ).

Kosambi was an Indian ancient country, Mong Mao used Kosambi as his Buddhistic classical name. "Kosambi" is also called "Guo-zhan-bi" (, 果占璧) in Ruili, modern Dai people give a new explanation of "Guo-zhan-bi" which is "place that produce fragrant soft rice".

In Chinese literature, Möng Mao was called Luchuan (麓川), first recorded in Yuanshi as the name of the administrative division "Luchuan Circuit" (麓川路). Some of literature also called Mong Mao as Baiyi (百夷), but most of the time this is a collective name of all the ethnic groups in south west of Yunnan, or specifically refers to Dai people.

In Burmese literature, Möng Mao was called Maw or Maw Shan. In the Manipur literature, such as Cheitharol Kumbaba use the name Pong refer to Mong Mao.

History


The chronicle of this region, titled the Möng Mao Chronicle, was written much later. Some scholars identify Möng Mao with the Kingdom of Pong, as well as with the kingdom of Luh Shwan mentioned in Chinese chronicles. Like most of Tai Yai history, the history of the Kingdom of Pong is largely legendary and existing chronicles and traditions include conflicting names and dates which have led to different interpretations.

Möng Mao arose in the power vacuum left after the Kingdom of Dali in Yunnan fell to the Mongol Yuan Dynasty around 1254. The Yuan ruled the region indirectly in what was known as the Native Chieftain System. This kingdom had asserted some unity over the diversity of ethnic groups residing along the southwest frontier of Yunnan.

After the Ming conquest of Yunnan the Möng Mao under Si Lunfa decided to submit to Ming authority. However, Möng Mao revolted in 1386 and led to the Ming–Mong Mao War (1386–1388). In 1448, a combination of Ming, Sipsongpanna, and other allied forces subjugated Möng Mao.

"Muang Mao" is sometimes used by authors to refer to the entire group of Tai states along the Chinese-Myanmar frontier including Luchuan-Pingmian (麓川平緬), Muang Yang, and Hsenwi , 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 Möng 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 Möng Mao Chronicle provide the lineage of Möng Mao rulers. The Shan chronicle tradition, recorded very early by Elias (1876), provides a long list with the first ruler of Möng Mao dating from 568 A.D. The dates in Elias for later rulers of Möng Mao do not match very well the dates in Ming dynasty sources such as Ming Shilu (Wade, 2005) and Baiyi Zhuan (Wade, 1996) which are considered more reliable from the time of the ruler Si Kefa. Bian-zhang-ga (1990), translated into Thai by Witthayasakphan and Zhao Hongyun (2001), also provides a fairly detailed local chronicle of Möng Mao.

Saophas
Mong Mao Long, or the white fog of Mong Mao Long, was founded in 56 BC by Hso Hom Hpa, a descendant of the ancient Tai King from Nawng Hsè, who sent his son Hkun Hkam Naw to built the city of Oung Pawng-Hsipaw

Later,the city became vacant. And was pioneered by Hkun Lai, who came from the city of Mong Ri Mong Ram, the city sited in the region called Koshanpye.

The city has gone through many events. Since the reign of Hso Hkan Hpa, their subsequent saopha have assassinated each other. The struggle for the throne led to Hso Kaa Hpa, son of Sao Chang Nyue from Mong Ri Mong Ram (different from Chao Chang Nyue, the 37th saopha of Mong Mao Long) and Mahadevi Phlak Hkam Hsen Mawng, daughter of Sao Tai Lung, the 45th (Sao Pam Myo Pung, his son the 46th saopha, handed over the throne to Hso Kaa Hpa) Hso Kaa Hpa had to evacuated from the Koshanpye. Across the Pad Kai mountain range into Assam in India to established a new kingdom called the Ahom Kingdom.

Mong Mao Long has a total of 81 saophas. Mao Long is currently located near the Burmese border. (located during the Hso Wak Hpa era saopha No.52) in Yunnan Province, which in the past Counting with the provinces in Burma it is a group of Mong Mao Lung, Mongmit, Mongkawng and Bammaw located nearby.

Saophas:

He was the one of descendants from Hkun Su the saopha of Nawng Hsè (He has younger brother name's Sam Lung Kung Maing (Sam Lung Hpa) became the saopha of Möngkawng) (He established the present of the city located) Vacant 1330-1339 Vacant 1445-1448
 * Hso Hom Hpa 56BC-24BC from Nawng Hsè
 * Hso Loum Hpa 24BC-16 bro
 * Hso Wei Hpa 16-37 son
 * Hso Tawn Hpa 37-75 son
 * Hso Guen Hpa 75-125 son
 * Hso Pung Mung 125-158 son
 * Vacant 158-171
 * Sao Hkam Sunt 171-217 son of Sao Hkam Möng from Hsipaw
 * Sao Sam Myat 217-263 son
 * Hso Mya Hpa 263-294 son
 * Hso Kern Hpa 294-314 son
 * Hso Kert Hpa 314-335 bro
 * Hso Kawn Hpa 335-346 bro
 * Hso Tan Hpa 346-372 son
 * Hso Kaw Hpa 372-394 bro
 * Hso Hang Hpa 394-420 son of Hso Tan Hpa
 * Hso Hkuan Hpa 420-470 son
 * Hso Huan Hpa 470-506 son
 * Vacant 506-568
 * Hkun Lai 568-638 from Mongri Mongram
 * Ai Dyep That Hpa 638-678 son of Hkun Lai
 * Hkam Pong Hpa 678 son of Sao Hkun Kyunt
 * Hkam Sap Hpa (Hkam Lap Hpa) son of Hkam Pong Hpa
 * Hkam Sip Hpa (Hkam Suep Hpa) 703-753 bro
 * Ni Hpa Maung 753-793 son
 * Sao Hkun Hpa 793-834 son
 * Hso Hkai Hpa 834-863 son
 * Hso Han Hpa 863-901 son
 * Hso Htao Hpa 901-933 son
 * Hso Powt Hpa 933-960 son
 * Hso Won Hpa 960-983 son
 * Hso Hon Hpa 983-995 son
 * Hso Hau Hpa 995-1014
 * Hso Lip Hpa 1014-1035
 * Hkun Kwat Hpa 1035-1050
 * Hso Tai Hpa 1050-1062 son
 * Hso Lung Hpa 1062-1081 son
 * Sao Sang Mwun 1081-1096 son
 * Sao Sang Yaw 1096-1103 son
 * Hso Tai Hpa 1103-1112 bro
 * Sao Sein Nga 1112-1123 son
 * Sao Lung Chu 1123-1137 bro
 * Sao Nga Chu 1137-1145 son
 * Sao Hkun Ming 1145-1163 son
 * Sao Hkun Kum 1163-1171 son
 * Sao Tai Pum 1171-1188 son
 * Sao Tai Lung 1188-1203 son
 * Pam Yau Pung (Pam Myo Pung) 1203-1210 son
 * Sao Ai Mo Kang Neng 1210 -1220
 * Hso Hkan Hpa (Hso Chi Hpa) son of Sao Ai Mo Kang Neng 1220-1250
 * Hso Piam Hpa 1250-1283 son
 * Hso Kam Hpa (Tai Peong, Tai Piam Hpa) 1283-1284 son
 * Sao Xiao Hpa 1284-1285 younger brother of Hso Piam Hpa
 * Hso Wak Hpa (Hso Wa Hpa) 1285-1315
 * Ai Puk 1315-1330 son
 * Hso Hkli Hpa (Tai Pong) 1339-1346
 * Hso Lung Hpa (Tai Lung) 1346-1396 son
 * Hso Ching Hpa (Hso Tit Hpa, Sao Lwei) 1396-1415 son
 * Hso Ween Hpa (Hso Ngan Hpa) 1415-1445 son
 * Sao Lam Kon Kam Hpa 1448-1461 (son of Hso Ween Hpa but some source told he is the uncle of Hso Wak Hpa)
 * Hso Ham Hpa (Hso Powt Hpa) 1461-1490 son
 * Hso Kaa Hpa (Hso Han Hpa) 1490-1496 son
 * Hso Pim Hpa (Hso Liu Hpa) his nickname is Kyie-poi-pei-ma 1496-1516 son
 * Sao Sai Lung (Hso Hom Hpa) 1516-1533 son
 * Vacant 1533-1604
 * Sao Poreing 1604-1611
 * Kan Kyaung Hpa 1611-1646 (son of Hso Hkwa Hpa the saopha of Wanmaw state)
 * Hso Luan Hpa 1646-? son
 * Hso Kying Hpa son
 * Hso Kyoen Hpa son
 * Hso Sueng Hpa ?-1699 son
 * Hso Bin Hpa 1699-1726 son
 * Hso Kyue Hpa 1726-? son
 * Hso Yin Hpa ?-1787 son
 * Hso Wan Hpa 1787-? son
 * Hso Jing Hpa (Hso Hung Hpa) ?-1814 younger brother
 * Hso Lueng Hpa 1814-? son
 * Hso Suan Hpa son
 * Hso Wing Hpa ?-1894 son
 * Hso Klai Hpa 1894-1928 son
 * Hso An Hpa 1928-1929 son
 * Hso Pa Hpa (Hso Wen Hpa) 1929-1955 son (ruled with Hso Kyang Hpa and Fang Hkuea Shang)
 * Hso Kyang Hpa (Thao Kying Pan) 1929-1940 (uncle of Hso Pa Hpa (Hso Wen Hpa))
 * Fang Hkuea Shang 1940-1942 (Hso Pa Hpa (Hso Wen Hpa)'s another uncle) from Mong Hkawn

Tai Ahom descendants
Chaolung Sukaphaa was the founder of the Ahom kingdom in what is now parts of Assam. A Tai prince originally from Muang Mao, founded the kingdom in what is now Charaideo region of Assam, in 1228 and existed for nearly six hundred years which led to the process of Ahomisation and in the process unified the various indigenous ethnic groups of the region under the banner of 'Ahom' that left a deep impact on the region. In reverence to his position in Assam's history the honorific Chaolung (Shan: ၸဝ်ႈလူင်) is generally associated with his name (Chao: lord; Lung: great).

Since 1996, December 2nd has been celebrated in Assam as the Sukaphaa Divawkh, or Axom Divawkh (Assam Day), to commemorate the advent of the first king of the Ahom kingdom in Assam after his journey over the Patkai Hills.