The book under review is also available online for free in PDF format at: and please note that it is better to download the uncompressed version for better image qualities, but one needs to be patient when downloading it. Since the book contains lots of images the format is in large file size. The print version of this book is available POD only on order request directly through the publisher's website. Hence, this book publication is not only environmental friendly but also independent from the main stream or more traditional way of publishing.
This book presents accounts of Tai Shan rulers since the earliest time, with a focus on historical accounts of the Shan States over the one hundred years preceding 1962 including the periods of British colonial rules.
When I first saw the title of this book, what immediately came to mind was a more common Shan word, which has a variation of Romanised scripts including ‘saohpa’ or ‘saopha’ or ‘sawbwa’, a term formally referring to the heads of each of the historical Shan States, namely the ruling system of the Tai cultural areas, now covering the regions of current Shan State and other parts of Myanmar, northern Thailand, southern China and north-eastern India. The term ‘saohpa’ literally means ‘lord of the sky’ (sao: lord, owner; hpa: sky). The Shan States before and during the British colonial rule had several saohpas (heads of the states) and for those with longer histories and larger lands were known as saohpa long, meaning ‘great lords of the sky’ and hence the title of this book, even though the book also covers historical accounts of both normal ‘lord of the sky’ and ‘great lord of the sky’ rulers of the Shan States. Thus, the historical accounts from a Tai Shan perspective have been narrated in this book through the use of alternative Romanisation of names and places different from those used by other academics and Western authors, who adopted the Burmese way of using the Shan terms. The aim of using these terms closer to Tai Shan tongue is clearly stated by the author: “I have used mostly Shan names in the hope that they may survive.” (p. 22), and I would also like to add that these terms will be very helpful to researchers for cross referencing or comparative studies.
What is remarkable about this book is that it employs a ‘new’ terminology as demonstrated by the term ‘Tai Shan’ being assigned as the name of an ethnic group of people who call themselves ‘Tai’. The Burmese, and then Westerners, adopted the additional word ‘Shan’. Hence, while the individual terms ‘Tai’ and ‘Shan’ are not new, the use of the two words together ‘Tai Shan’ is new in academic publishing, even though it has been used elsewhere; sometimes the two words were separated with ‘/’ (i.e. Tai/Shan).
Another remarkable feature of this book is the way in which the author presents her material in the latter section, giving accounts of the lives and work of the thirty-four princely rulers, who each ruled for varying numbers of years, from the British period through to Burma's independence and how they abdicated their powers. The presentation is divided into five chapters, from seven to twelve: the Northern Shan States, the Eastern Shan States, the Inner Shan State, the Central Shan States, the Mye Lat States: the Middle Lands, and Sharing the Plateau States. Interestingly, there is no chapter for ‘Southern Shan States’ as one would expect because the term was widely used during the British colonial times and is in use even today. Instead, areas which were normally referred to as belonging to southern Shan States, are in this book classified as being part of the Central Shan States, and those areas usually referred to as areas of Central Shan States, are in this book in the division of the Inner Shan States. I assume that this unfamiliar sub-dividing, reflects the history of suzerainty on the Shan plateau, at least from the perspective of former princely rulers and that this history informs the layout of this book.
Another significant feature, and my favourite aspect of this book, is that it highlights the historical narratives of those thirty-four Shan rulers or/and their states. For example, when talking about Yawnghwe, the home state of the author, emphasis is on the narrative of the famous Phaung Daw U pagoda and the Inle Lake, both of which are among the best tourist attractions of the country. Likewise, when writing about Laikha State, the focus is on the 1946 Panglong Conference, which was graciously hosted by Sao Num, the Saohpa of Laikha, held in Panglong, a market village then under the rule of Laikha State. Similarly, there are many highlighted historical accounts from other Shan States, including that of the Prince of Mawk Mai, whose earlier name was Nai Noi but who became known as ‘Saohpa Kolan’ for his bravery and charismatic character; he had remarkable relations with a contemporary Burmese King in Mandalay and is credited with the founding of the city of Mae Hong Son, which is located in the east of Mawk Mai, now on Thai side of the Myanmar-Thailand border. The book also covers historical accounts of other ethnic groups who shared lands and cultures with the Tai Shan, such as the Pa-O in the Hsahtung State, the Kachin in Hsenwi State, the two Wa States.
In brief, I would like to say that this book is a masterly overview from a living member of the Shan princely elite, covering in particular historical accounts of the Shan States during the century of British colonial rule. The book offers sources of information gathered not only from historical records made by colonial officials but also from living members of Tai Shan ruling families. Thus it puts forward a new well-balanced perspective of the colonial era. It includes photographs of historical events and family trees of members of the princely families providing illustrations and insight into Tai Shan cultures as well as historical perspectives of the Shan Plateau.
