The enduring Shwedagon Pagoda, symbol of Burmese (Myanmar’s) hope

YANGON, Myanmar — The first Burmese empire (1057) was founded by Anawrahta in Bagan, which today still has the ruins of their Golden Age when the great era of pagoda building began.  There were constant wars with Thailand then.

From 1519 to 1824, the Portuguese, Dutch and French established trade with Burma.  Between 1824 to 1895, Britain gained some regions of the country in the Anglo-Burmese war and was declared part of British India, but by 1937, Burma was separated from India. 

By the late 19th century, opium was widely established in Shan State and exported to neighboring Yunnan, Laos, Vietnam and Siam.  Within 50 years, the traffic had grown to encompass the world.

By 1939, the Communist Party of Burma was founded.  In 1941-45, Burma was occupied by Japan.  The Burma National Army started an anti-Japanese uprising and the Allies reconquered Burma.  By 1947, the Aung San-Attlee agreement initiating Constituent Assembly was signed.  However, after the election, Aung San and six members were assassinated.  (Aung San is the father of 1991 Nobel Peace awardee Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.)

After the 1948 independence, the Union of Burma left the British Commonwealth.  By 1962, General Ne Wins’s military coup started military rule until 1988.  Thus by 1989, the Burmese authorities implemented a series of name changes replacing colonial names.  The name of the country was officially changed from the “Union of Burma” to the “Union of Myanmar” and “Rangoon” became “Yangon.”

The Shwedagon Pagoda

Legend says it was the Mon who laid the foundation stone of the Shwedagon Pagoda 2,500 years ago.  Meantime, the old capital Bagan and its golden age came during the 12th century, when it acquired the name “city of the four million pagodas.” Today, there are more than a dozen major pagodas, the most famous of which is the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

The sheer number of Buddhist structures scattered throughout Myanmar is testimony to the seemingly endless desire of all Burmese to build temples, shrines, and above all stupas or zedi.  In spiritual terms, this has everything to do with merit-making, the possibility of an improved rebirth and compensation for transgressions committed in the present life.

It has been said that there is more gold on the Shwedagon Pagoda than in the vaults of the Bank of England.  Thus, Burma possesses a hidden kind of wealth.  The massive bell-shaped stupa is a treasure trove inside and out.

Land of Ethnic Diversity

There are approximately 135 separate nationalities living within the union.  Most numerous are the Bamar, originally migrants from the China-Tibet border, who make up 68 pecent of the population.  This people of the early empire of Burma (3000 BC – 9 AD), established themselves as a major power in the rice cultivation region.  They controlled trade routes between China and India from Bagan. 

The rest are the Shans up north; the fiercely independent Kaijin (Karen) who live in their own state Kawthoolei; the Rakhang; the Kachin; the Chin; the Naga; and the Mon who have assimilated Bamar cultures have their own state and are inheritors of the ancient civilization preceeding the Bamar.

At one time, during the British period, the population of Yangon was almost 60 percent Indian.  This figure has since declined due to ethnic discrimination and economic mismanagement.  Some Indians were well-educated and occupied middle and higher levels of administration and business during the colonial era.

Many Chinese left the major cities following independence, especially after the vicious anti-Chinese riots at Yangon in 1967.  Recently, however, Chinese migrants have been entering Burma in large numbers.  In the Kokang area of northern Shan State (known as Burma’s ‘Little China’), they form more than 80 percent of the population.  By working hard and sending their children to be educated in Western-type schools and universities, they soon occupied the middle and higher strata of modern society.

Three Jewels, Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path

In 1930, the year before the Shwedagon was half-destroyed by fire, a small earthquake caused minor damage.  Another earthquake in 1970 led the government to initiate the strengthening of the pagoda’s crown.  For all the Shwedagon’s roller-coaster history, the Burmese are convinced no lasting damage can befall it.  Whenever the pagoda has been endangered, the unfailing generosity of the local people has facilitated work to restore it to even greater glories.  Thus, it has become a symbol of endurance and hope for the people during their turbulent history.

Theravada Buddhism is the principal religion of about 80 percent of all Burmese people.  While there are significant numbers of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and primitive animists (especially among the northern hill tribes), it is safe to say that over 99 percent of the Bamar (Burman), Mon, Shan, and Palaung are Theravadins.

Theravada Buddhism upholds the “Four Noble Truths” expounded by Gautama Buddha in his first sermon:  “Life always has in it the element of suffering; The cause of suffering is desire; In order to end the suffering, give up desire and give up attachment.”