AYEDAWBON TREATISES1 ก -- 7 ก Soe Thuzar Myint2 กก กก กก กก -- - ก กก -ก ก 7 ก -- Abstract ก ก ก Researchers on Myanmar’s history have found the Ayedawbon treatises to be a ก highly momentous Myanmar literary ก genre which give a record of historical events, next in significance to the ก Myanmar chronicles. The Myanmar term กกกก- ‘Ayedawbon’ is synonymous with the Thai term, Chotmaihet or Kotmaihet and it - deals with an account or report of กก- particular events.3 Owing to circumstances and the time consuming กกก-- nature, never before has anyone attempted กกก to translate these famous works into the English language. There are some works ก by Myanmar scholars on Ayedawbon kyans but they do not highlight the section involving Siam-Myanmar relations. Thus, 1 (--) This paper is a part of the by studying Ayedawbon treatises, scholars author’s PhD dissertation entitled “Siam- of Thai studies will acquire new insight, Myanmar relations from 16th to 19th century reach new interpretations and gain access through the perspective of the Ayedawbon to richer source materials. The data used treatises”. in this article relies on a historical 2 ( ) Author of “The Portrayal of Battle of Ayutthaya in Myanmar Literature”, 3 Aye Kyaw, Dr., ‘Burmese sources for Lan Na PhD graduate from the Thai Studies Program, Thai History, p. 247. Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University. Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 02:20:44PM via free access Ayedawbon Treatises approach and is primarily based on from Thaton. 4 The old Chammadevi documentary materials. I have surveyed chronicle mentions that when a cholera seven Ayedawbon treatises which have epidemic broke out, the people of been handed down from generation to Haripunjaya relocated temporarily to generation. We have found invaluable Thaton. Relations continued throughout historical facts which were not mentioned the Mangrai dynasty starting from the time in Siamese and Myanmar chronicles. In of King Mangrai of Chiang Mai, founder addition, these treatises refer to Siam- of the Lan Na kingdom. After the Myanmar warfare in detail. This paper establishment of the Tai kingdoms of Lan focuses on the significance of the Na, Sukothai and Phayao, the relationship Ayedawbon treatises and the cryptic between Myanmar and these early descriptions of seven Ayedawbon treatises. kingdoms of Siam had become manifold. Cultural exchanges multiplied after 'the Introduction war of the demise of Queen Suriyothai' and 'the war of the white elephants' during the Taungoo period. Dr. Ba Han, the Owing to rivalry over control of the lower learned lexicographer, wrote in the journal part of Myanmar including Tenasserim of the Burma Research Society: ‘The wind and the wars of territorial expansion, long of change in regard to both the matter and conflicts between Myanmar and Siam manner of dramatic performance came ensued for more than four hundred years from Siam, now Thailand. In the irony of from the 16th to 19th century. In spite of the things Siam whose relations with Burma fact that the history of the two countries' were punctuated by recurring wars relationship is so full of conflict, exercised a paramount influence on the Myanmar-Thai history is more than just a growth of the Burmese Drama. Burma history of warfare. attacked Ayuthia, the then Siamese capital no less than six times. Yet the aftermath of As wars with Siam raged on over centuries, each war was a cultural gain to Burma to a the interaction between the two countries 5 greater or less degree.’ increased significantly in terms of politics, economics and culture. Among them, the In subsequent periods namely Nyaung Yan cultural aspect is more spectacular, so to and Konboung, people to people contact speak. Myanmar and Siam share many and interactions between the two countries similarities dating back centuries. grew to a great extent. The Konboung era Myanmar has had historical contact with has been dubbed 'the Golden Age of Siam since the Dwarawadi period through Mon in the lower part of Myanmar. 4 Relations between the two countries date Aroonrut Wichienkeeo, ‘Lan Na Relations back to the reign of Queen Chammadevi with Myanmar,’ Comparative Stuies on of Haripunjaya (Lamphun) when Literature and History of Thailand and Myanmar (Yangon, 1997), p. 56. Theravada Buddhism was imported into 5 Ba Han, Dr.,’The evolution of Burmese Haripujaya, first from Lopburi and later dramatic performances and festival occasions,’ JBRS, vol. 49, pt.1 (June 1966) p.8. 45 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 02:20:44PM via free access MANUSYA: Journal of Humanities Regular 18.2, 2015 Literature' in Myanmar because Enaung when studying Myanmar- Siam relations. Zat, 6 the first Myanmar court drama, As we are well aware, both Myanmar and followed by Ramayana which was brought Siamese literature can boast a respectable by the prisoners of war of 1767 to the antiquity. However, very little is actually Myanmar court, paved the way for the known by scholars of both countries blossoming of Myanmar dramatic plays. except for a few professional historians Moreover, Myanmar adapted Siamese who know of both literatures and this vast songs and created (35) new classical field has yet to be investigated verses such as taydat,7 dwaygyo,8 laygyo,9 systematically. bawle,10 etc. Myanmar classical literature has several What's more, the Crown Prince Thado genres written in prose or in poetic form Minsaw in King Bodawpaya's reign was which provide a historical account of ordered to form an eight member successive dynasties. Examples of commission to translate the stories and prominent prose writings in Myanmar plays that has been brought back from literature are: Yazawin, 11 Αyedawbon Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai over the treatises, 12 Dhamathat, 13 Royal orders, previous two decades. Therefore, many Myitarsar,14 Hlauk Htone,15 Amaydawphyay writings and poems reflecting Myanmar- Kyan, 16 Sitan, 17 Minkhandaw Sardan, 18 and Siam relation are copious in Myanmar Thanyawgadipani,19 as well as others. literature. As Myanmar literature grew, poetry Likewise, Thailand has had many great became the most popular form. The kings as well as heroes and heroines who flexibility of the Myanmar language, have risen from past conflicts with because of its monosyllabic and tonal Myanmar. Heroic struggles between these nature and its lack of many consonantal people have been portrayed in novels, finals allowed poetry to utilize various plays, films and in school text books. rhyme schemes. There are over fifty forms Furthermore, Royal chronicles, literary classics and historical novels relating to the wars with Myanmar are ever present in 11 chronicle. Thai literature. 12 records of the struggle by the king 13 law books. 14 letters of affection, not love letters. Thus, in the context of Siam-Myanmar 15 relations, Myanmar and Siamese classical a compilation of learned discourses or memorable sayings presented to the king by literature have become a source of history scholars or ministers 16 a compilation of questions and problems 6 Prince Inao play posed by the king, or learned ministers, with 7 type of Myanmar lyric poem. answers given by venerable monks or eminent 8 kind of Myanmar poem consisting of two scholars stanzas. 17 revenue inquest 9 kind of four stanza verse. 18 Treatise on Royal Ceremonies 10 plaintive song. 19 Treaties on orthography 46 Downloaded from Brill.com10/02/2021 02:20:44PM via free access Ayedawbon Treatises of verse such as Pyo,20 Yadu,21 Mawgun,22 emphasis on the life of a particular king eigyin, 23 Igyin, 24 angyin, 25 thagyin, 26 but on events in Rakhine region. Kargyin, 27 tajagyin 28 . Each one of them has it own rules and composition. They are In his book On Both Sides of the worth studying as they supply a mass of Tenasserim Range, Sunait Chutintaranond historical facts and figures. rightly points out that the Mawgun, Eigyin, Chronicles, and Ayedawbon kyans are all All researchers accept that out of the texts invaluable sources for the study of in prose and in poetic form, the Myanmar-Siam warfare, providing details Ayedawbon treatises are one of the which cannot be found anywhere in Thai momentous genres in Myanmar literature. documents.30 In fact, they are next in significance to stone inscriptions and chronicles. They are Most people give full priority only to the the historical account of the struggle of Chronicles and conveniently forget to pay one king and his military campaigns both attention to the Ayedawbon treatises. It at home and abroad. According to Dr. Hla would not be an exaggeration to say that if Pe, they are a subsidiary source in we neglect this prominent genre of Myanmar historiography.29 Myanmar literature in studying Myanmar- Thai relations, we would be like trying to In spite of the fact that these Ayedawbon catch a moon beam or a blind man looking treatises are few in number, they are of for a black cat in a dark room that isn't immense importance and they are one of there. Owing to the reasons above and the the vital genres in Myanmar literature. It significance of the Ayedawbon treatises in should also be noted that though most Myanmar literature, I chose to focus on Ayedawbon treatises focus on individual this genre. kings, some Ayedawbons such as Dhanyawadi Ayedawbon does not place Ayedawbon Treatises As mentioned earlier, the Ayedawbon 20 poems based on the Jataka Tales treatise is basically a detailed record of the 21 lyrical ode on the seasons, love struggle by one person. It matters not 22 record of important events whether he was successful in his 23 a royal lullaby 24 endeavour. History has shown that there a kind of folk song were many brave people who struggled for 25 song sung by royal raft men 26 melodious song about past events their causes and eventually gained 27 martial song possession of the throne but others, such 28 a kind of Myanmar classical song with the same opening and closing note 29 Hla Pe, U.