Shwe U Daung and the Burmese Sherlock Holmes: to Be a Modern Burmese Citizen Living in a Nation‐State, 1889 – 1962
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Shwe U Daung and the Burmese Sherlock Holmes: To be a modern Burmese citizen living in a nation‐state, 1889 – 1962 Yuri Takahashi Southeast Asian Studies School of Languages and Cultures Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of Sydney April 2017 A thesis submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Statement of originality This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge, the content of this thesis is my own work. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or other purposes. I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work and that all the assistance received in preparing this thesis and sources has been acknowledged. Yuri Takahashi 2 April 2017 CONTENTS page Acknowledgements i Notes vi Abstract vii Figures ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Biography Writing as History and Shwe U Daung 20 Chapter 2 A Family after the Fall of Mandalay: Shwe U Daung’s Childhood and School Life 44 Chapter 3 Education, Occupation and Marriage 67 Chapter ‘San Shar the Detective’ and Burmese Society between 1917 and 1930 88 Chapter 5 ‘San Shar the Detective’ and Burmese Society between 1930 and 1945 114 Chapter 6 ‘San Shar the Detective’ and Burmese Society between 1945 and 1962 140 Conclusion 166 Appendix 1 A biography of Shwe U Daung 172 Appendix 2 Translation of Pyone Cho’s Buddhist songs 175 Bibliography 193 i ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I came across Shwe U Daung’s name quite a long time ago in a class on the history of Burmese literature at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. At that time, I knew him only as a name in my textbooks, but in 1995 I noticed his name again. In that year, when I was doing research on the latest trends in popular literature in Myanmar, I became aware of Shwe U Daung’s significant influence on today’s Burmese literature. I would like to thank first of all Mr. Min Thein Kha who drew my attention to Shwe U Daung’s significance. The results of my 1995 research showed Mr. Min Thein Kha was the most popular author in Myanmar at that time. He was not only well‐known as a novelist and short story writer but also an experienced fortune teller. When I asked him about his literary works, he confessed how much he had been inspired by Shwe U Daung. Without this event my interest in Shwe U Daung would never have been aroused and this thesis would not have been written. As I have always been interested in the topic of the acceptance of modernity by non‐Western countries, this research also began with that approach. In furthering my investigation, I have been supported by many people with a variety of expertise. The University of Sydney has given me enormous intellectual assistance in developing my interest into an academic inquiry. I am extremely grateful to my supervisor Professor Adrian Vickers for introducing me to a variety of disciplines that helped me understand the culture and history of non‐Western countries. One of the fascinating issues in the interaction between Western and non‐Western countries which Professor Vickers drew my attention to was the role of the Theosophical Society in imperial and colonial history. Investigation of this little‐known aspect of the history of Myanmar brought me into contact with different aspects of modern Burmese culture. During the period of my research I have been a slow researcher, as I often had to struggle with my work schedule and family affairs. I deeply thank Adrian for his continuous encouragement and patience. My research also owes a great deal to my former supervisor Dr. Jim Masselos, who supervised my research for the degree of MPhil and who reminded me of the importance of studying colonial Burmese history in relation to India. I also thank Dr. Keith Foulcher for his advice from the viewpoint of political culture and literature. Professor Michele Ford, Director of the Sydney Southeast Asian Centre, also provided me with invaluable advice in a number of areas. The Centre gave me encouragement through its many programs and also organised an intensive Burmese language course where I was given an opportunity to teach. I also appreciate the many academic suggestions I received from Dr. Dwi Noverini Djenar and Dr. Vannnessa Hearman. I am grateful to Professor Barbara Caine for allowing me to attend a seminar on biography writing in the School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry. Information about colonial ii India from Professor Soumien Mukerjee, Associate Professor Tim Allender and Dr. Pankaj Mohan was also valuable, as was Dr. Mark Allon’s explanation of Buddhism modernity. One aspect of my research has been the acceptance of detective stories, a genre of modern Western literature, by Asian countries. In this regard Sydney University’s Oriental Society and the Department of Japanese Studies have given me stimulating opportunities. The Society’s fiftieth anniversary conference held in 2006 was one of my earliest opportunities to make a presentation on the topic of ‘San Shar the Burmese Sherlock Holmes’. I also deeply thank Dr. Yasuko Claremont of the Department of Japanese Studies who invited me to join the Shinseinen (New Youth magazine) project. This research, on the Japanese historical magazine that played a major role in the introduction of the detective story to Japan, was enormously helpful for my study of the same topic in Burmese history. I also appreciate the continuous support for my research by Dr. Olivier Ansart, Chair of Department of Japanese Studies and staff members Dr. Seiko Yasumoto and Dr. Chun‐fen Shao. The University of Sydney also financially assisted my travel to London to attend a seminar on the Nu period, held at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and for research at the British Library in 2007. The seminar, organised by Dr. Michael Charney, was truly inspiring and I appreciated the comments by Dr. Charney and feedback from his wife, Dr. Atsuko Naono, who is also a researcher on modern Burmese history. The persons whom I met at this seminar supported me even after the event itself. Dr. Bo Bo Lansin often provided me with precious information on Burmese literature. Ms. San San May, librarian at the British Library, helped me to obtain documents. From outside the University of Sydney, I have received various forms of support from scholars and institutions. The Theosophical Society’s headquarters in Adyar, India, sent me pages of photocopies of rare historical documents. Although I have not met her personally, I would also like to express my gratitude to Dr. Alicia Turner. As very little research has been done on Theosophy and Myanmar, the opportunity to read her analysis of this topic was truly valuable. In Australia, through my attendance at the biannual ASAA (The Asian Studies Association of Australia) conference I was able to meet many brilliant scholars. Dr. Kyaw Zaw Win’s research on modern Burmese political history, conducted at the University of Wollongong, became a valuable resource for my study. The opinions of Dr. Peter Friedlander of the Australian National University on the Theosophical Society in India were also very helpful. Professor Sekhar Bandyopadhyay from Victoria University and Associate Professor Devleena Ghosh from the University of Technology, Sydney, also provided me with valuable comments on Myanmar‐India history. Information about Burmese Buddhism from Ms. Mee Mee Zaw of the University of Western Australia was also extremely valuable. iii Analysis presented at the Australian National University’s biannual ‘Myanmar Update’ conference on changes in Burmese politics and economics also became an important resource for my thesis. Especially beneficial were discussions with Mr. Trevor Wilson, Dr. Nicholas Farrelly, Dr. Andrew Selth and Dr. Jane Ferguson. With Mr. Chit Swe (Burmese diplomat and a PhD candidate at ANU) whom I met at the conference, I had a wonderful opportunity to exchange opinions about San Shar the detective. I am also grateful to the warm encouragement for my research from my supervisors and colleagues at my work place, the School of Culture, History and Languages, at the Australian National University. I am very grateful to some Japanese scholars working on Burmese studies who have encouraged my research over a long period. Professor Ryuji Okudaira, Emeritus Professor at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, has helped me with his deep knowledge of Buddhism and Burmese society. I also thank Professor Kei Nemoto at Sophia University. As a historian of modern Burma, he has been a constant source of inspiration for me. In 2014 he also kindly invited me to give a series of lectures at his university on Burmese literature and traditional music. I also thank Professor Katsumi Tamura, former Director of the Ethnology Museum in Osaka, who constantly encouraged my research on Burmese literature. I would like to extend my gratitude for the valuable comments, especially relating to Burmese language and literature, from my former lecturer Ms. Yasuko Dobashi and mentors and colleagues: Professor Keiko Tosa and Associate Professor Kenji Okano, at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, as well as Emeritus Professor Midori Minamida, Associate Professor Sayuri Inoue from the Department of Burmese, Osaka University. I also appreciate the serious interest in Shwe U Daung and Burmese detective stories and the comments on my research from the Japan Sherlock Holmes Association and the Hayakawa Shobo Press, a mystery story‐oriented publisher. Without supporters living in Myanmar my research would not have been possible. I would like to extend my gratitude to Mr. Khin Maung Tin, advisor for the Ministry of Culture. His deep love and extensive knowledge of Burmese literature and music was an enormous help to me.