Ethnic origin of Tai in Myanmar

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Introduction

This article explores the origin of the Tai Yai and other Northwestern Tai in Myanmar and Yunnan.

 The word Shan is given by the ethnic Burmese and is a corruption of the word 'Siam' which is the old name for Thailand. However, the Shan people refer to themselves as Tai Yai.

This Tai group is different from the Southwestern Tai group in Thailand and Laos that was explored in another article.

This article looks at its earliest history citing all Chinese, Burmese and Tai history books to get a comprehensive picture instead of relying only on Tai history book which might be biased or inaccurate.

Homeland

The Northwestern Tai is a branch of the Kra-Dai people.

Their earliest homeland was in northwestern Yunnan bordering northern Myanmar.
Northwestern Tai's homeland

Compare their homeland with the homeland of the Southwestern Tai which is in northwestern Vietnam.

Original homeland

Starting from the Tang dynasty (618-907 AD), wars in northern China sent massive number of Han Chinese immigrants to Guangdong and Guangxi.

As a result of this mass migration, the native Northern Tai people began to move from the You River basin in Guangxi directly into Yunnan. 

They followed a different path from the Southwestern Tai. Refer to map below of the Pearl River basin.
Migration to Yunnan

The linguist Luo Yongxian noticed that there are many Northern and Central Tai linguistic features found in Northwestern Tai languages that are not found in Southwestern Tai languages suggesting a split from Guangxi province later than the Southwestern Tai people who migrated in 8th century AD.

There is also a trail of other Northwestern Tai speakers such as Huayao Tai that lies in this route providing further evidence that their migration path is different from the Southwestern Tai.

The native Lolo-Yi people (a branch of Sino-Tibetan people) have already occupied most parts of eastern and central Yunnan by that time which could be the reason why the northwestern Tai migrated further into western Yunnan.

Some researchers have mistaken Ai-Lao Kingdom (300 BC-69 AD) in western Yunnan as a Tai kingdom when it was actually the kingdom of the native Palaungic people (Refer to the 'Ethnic origin of Palaung' article) because the Northwestern Tai people hadn't migrated there yet. The early Tai mixed up their origin with other ethnic groups by thinking they were the natives of Yunnan.

First wave of migration

In 835 AD or 10th century AD, Khun Lung and Khun Lai established Mong Mao state in Mao (Shweli) River basin in northwestern Yunnan. 

The uncertain year is due to their chronicles such as Mong Mao, Shweli and Kosampi chronicles which gave conflicting dates to the founding year of the state. According to linguistic evidence and Chinese history, it's unlikely to be earlier than the 9th century AD.
Earliest Northwestern Tai states

In the 10th century AD, the Tai followed the Shweli River down to establish Hsenwi (Theinni) which is the first Tai state in Shan Plateau . 

In the 10th century AD, the Tai followed the Irrawaddy River to establish Mong Yang (Mohnyin) which is the first Tai state in northern Myanmar.

Second wave of migration

The second wave of migration into Myanmar and Assam started from the 13th century AD.

In 1228 AD, Prince Sukapha, a prince of Mong Mao, established Ahom kingdom in Assam.

In 1215 AD, the Tai expanded north to establish Mong Kawng (Mogaung) in Upper Myanmar.

The Tai expanded further south to establish states such as Hsipaw (Thipaw) in 1200s, Mong Nai (Mone) in 1223 AD, Mong Mit (Momeik) in 1238 AD in Shan Plateau. 

During their expansion west into Chindwin River basin, the town of Kale was annexed and made into one of their control centers.
Second wave of migration - Ahom king (inset)

Starting from Seua Khaan Faa's rule (1335-1369 AD), Mong Mao Kingdom controlled all the Northwestern Tai states during the 14th to 16th century AD. 
Mong Mao at its greatest extent - Seua Khaan Faa (inset)

During 1557-1563 AD, the Burmic kingdom of Taungoo annexed the Northwestern Tai states in Myanmar.

British colonization

After the Anglo-Burmese Wars (1824-1885 AD), the British annexed a total of 33 Northwestern Tai states including Ahom Kingdom when the Tai people fought together with the Burmic people against the British.

In 1948 AD, Burma/Myanmar got its independence from the British and the Tai states in Shan Plateau officially became Shan State of Myanmar.

The Shan State Army is still fighting against the Burmese army for independence as agreed in the Panglong agreement signed in 1947 AD.

Northwestern Tai religion

The Northwestern Tai adopted Theravada Buddhism from the Burmic people whereas the Southwestern Tai adopted the same religion from the Khmer people.

Tai Ahom adopted Hinduism instead of Buddhism.
Mao River in Yunnan

Northwestern Tai languages

Northwestern Tai languages are tonal and largely monosyllabic. 

The original writing script was adapted from the Burmese script in the 13th century AD. The two main variants are Tai Neua and Shan scripts.

The Tai Neua script is usually drawn with a Chinese brush.
Mapping of two Northwestern Tai scripts

The video below showcases the Northwestern Tai's culture and language with a song.

Northwestern Tai subgroups 

There are four branches
  • Northern: Tai Neua/Tai Mao, Tai Ya/Huayao Dai, Tai Sai 
  • Southern: Tai Yai/Shan
  • Western: Tai Khamti, Tai Leng/Shan Ni, Tai Turung, Tai Phake, Tai Aiton
  • Assam: Tai Ahom, Tai Khamyang

Northern:
  • Tai Neua, who descended from Mong Mao, live in Dehong prefecture in northwestern Yunnan.
  • Tai Ya originally lived in the adjacent region to the east of Dehong but escaped to southern Yunnan at the end of Ming dynasty (17th century AD) because of their involvement in a local rebellion.
Southern:
  • Tai Yai, who descended from Hsenwi, live in Shan State in Myanmar and also found in Mae Hong Son in northern Thailand bordering Shan State. 
Western:
  • Tai Khamti descended from Mong Kawng. Some Khamti migrated to Assam due to oppression by the Burmese kings during 18th century AD.
  • Tai Phake left northern Myanmar in 1775 AD before migrating to Assam.
  • Tai Turung reached Assam only in 19th century AD.
Assam:
  • Tai Ahom lost their original language and adopted the Indo-Aryan language of Assamese.
  • Tai Khamyang came to search for Prince Sukapha during 13th century AD and later settled in Nong Yang lake in the border of Assam and Burma.

Closest ethnic relatives

The Northwestern Tai's closest ethnic relative is the Northern Tai speakers such as Northern Zhuang and Bouyei in Guangxi province of China. Refer to 'Ethnic origin of Zhuang' article for more details.
Northern Zhuang (inset - Bouyei)

Conclusion

Contrary to popular beliefs, the Northwestern Tai, who came from northern Guangxi of China, are not the natives of Yunnan. 

From Yunnan, they migrated further to Myanmar where they adopted Buddhism from the Burmic people and also migrated to Assam. 

By the mid 16th century AD, they became the ethnic majority in Shan State of Myanmar. 
Water splashing festival in Dehong of Yunnan

Related links

Ethnic origin of Southwestern Thai

Sources

  • The Hypothesis of a New Branch for the Tai Languages. Luo Yongxian. 2001. University of Melbourne
  • Great lords of the sky: Burma's Shan aristocracy. By Sao Sanda Simms.
  • Lak Chang: A Reconstruction of Tai Identity in Daikong. By Yos Santasombat.
  • The Early Syām and Rise of Mäng Mao: Western Mainland Southeast Asia in the “Tai Century. By Ken Kirigaya. 
  • The Ai-Lao and Nan Chao/Tali Kingdom: A Re-orientation. Author: Grant Evans. 
  • History and Development of the Shan Scripts. By Sai Kam Mong.
  • The Myth of the "Three Shan Brothers" and the Ava Period in Burmese History. By Michael Aung-Thwin Assoc Prof University of Hawaii.
  • Imperial Gazetteer of India, vol.18, pg. 137.
  • Burma: Shan domination in the Ava period. By Aye Chan. Journal of the Siam Society 2006 Vol. 94.
  • Hsenwi Chronicle.
  • For Turung community of Assam: https://www.jcu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/1099605/Turung_a_variety_of_Singpho_language_spo.pdf
  • Panjok, Muhi Chandra Shyam. 1981: History of Tai Khamyang Group of Great Tai Race.
  • The costume of the Tai Sai Women (Huayao Tai). By Bernard Formoso.
  • https://kknews.cc/history/42zl4ev.html
  • https://kknews.cc/history/pnrx5y8.html
  • https://kknews.cc/history/42zl4ev.html
  • https://kknews.cc/history/nmboapg.html
  • https://kknews.cc/travel/r89bp9n.html
Last updated: 16 April 2021
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