Chinese in Burma
Their Role and Contribution in Burma (An Essay)
Dr Maung Maung Nyo
(Tayoketan Zay, Yangon)
Preamble
I was born in a family of Dho Bamar Thakhin. My father was Thakhin Hla Maung,
educated at
My father’s elder brother U Kyaw Zan was also Laphone educated and he was
over six foot tall. My father told me he (U Kyaw Zan) was selected for the British
Army in the WW I, but the war ended before he was sent and he ended in
Monywa doing politics as he was unmarried and his parents could afford well.
(Thanbuddhay Cedi, Monywa)
My grand father was one of the richest men in Monywa district that I did not have
the opportunity to enjoy. Since mygrandfather U Thar Din was a self made man
he donated liberally to all religious and national organizations in Monywa district
resulting in his sons becoming Thakhin (Members of the Dho Bamar or
Our Burman Association).
(The Chindwin River and Monywa)
Monywa was politically and religiously active before the WW II as Thakhin
Kodaw Hmaing used to live in Monywa and wander about to Chaung U,
Ahlon (Badon), Budalin, Salingyi, Yinmabin etc to organize people for Thakhin
movement. Ledi Sayadaw was also in his zenith of fame and popularity.
(Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing, GOM of Burma)
My father used to accompany him. I still remember my father asking me
to find a good photo of Thakhin Kodaw Hmaing in 1953/54 when I was going
to
our home, that of Thakgin Kodaw Hmaing and Bogyoke Aung San.
(General Aung San)
My father was involved with the Asia Youth Organisation during the Japanese
Occupation and he knew a lot of people in Monywa striving for anti-Japanese
Resistance activities. He mentioned Yebaw Htay, Linyone Maung Maung, U Chit,
Daw Ahmar and Daw Ngut. Yebaw Htaw later became a member of the Political
Bureau of the CPB and died in the jungle.
(Linyone Maung Maung Talking to Dagon Taryar with NOM on
Extreme Right)
Linyone Maung Maung went underground after independence with the CPB,
but he came back above ground and died as a famed writer and journalist.
U Chit was a college student who became a B.A. ,B.L advocate
and chairman of the Monywa District NUF after 1956. He was a Chinese.
(Sitting Statue of Ledi Sayadaw on the Left in Brown Robe)
So was Daw Ngut who became my primary teacher and she was involved in
social and political activities of Monywa for women affairs. Daw Ahmar
became a leader of the Thakhin Soe’s CP (B) and died after Thakhin Soe
surrendered.As such we did not differentiate between Chinese and Burmans in
Monywa when it comes to education, politics or social affairs. Maybe we have
Anyarthar mentality of looking at every body as human and equal.
My Chinese or Chinese-blooded Friends
During my 3rd and 4th standard I have a friend called Maung Noe. He was about
one or two inches taller and looked more robust than I was, but he was very
good-nature and he accompanied me wherever I went and he played with me
all the time. He was weak in mathematics and I had to teach him sometime.
He used to bring Chinese snacks whenever he had any Chinese Festival
celebrations. “Is your religion different from us?” I once asked him. “No, we also
worship Buddha and monks, but we have Chinese tradition and festivals”, he told
me “Good, I like Chinese food”, I said. We parted when I moved to the
Then, at the
Chinese sisters, Ma Wein Haw and Ahlin. They were every good in study and
they always stood within the first 5 positions every test. I had to be like them and
we became good friends. We parted when I moved to
standard. Ma Wein Haw later married a Burman Engineer of Namtu and she gave
birth to Dr Khin Ohnmar and two sons who are also medical doctors now. We met
in the 1980s when she visited with her husband to our home in Parami Yektha,
Yankin,
bully him to feed me for my notes when he joined the medical college in
He was smart and good nature, at least tolerant of me.
(Lashio Market)
I had many Chinese friends while I was in Monywa. They included Wan Shwe,
San Shwe, Hein Phi, Hla Aung etc. Wan Shwe was younger brother in law of
U Chit and he was involved in the students’ movement at
the late 1950s, but he ended as an administrator in a people’s bank in
when U Chit supported the BSPP. All the Red Socialists or NUF personnel
became the supporters of U Ne Win during the BSPP era from 1964 to 1988.
Other Chinese school mates became settled down in Monywa having their own
families and business like all other Burmese. Hla Aung joined the income tax
department, became rich and died of cirrhosis of liver.
(China Town Hotel in Yangon)
At the
student leader U Ko Yu. He was a great orator. He belonged to the Red Flag
Communists Youth Front and became a lawyer. He wrote satirical short stories
and I was going to propose his book for the National Literary Prize in one year
after 1989, but the chairman vetoed it and he was not awarded. He once came to
my house to discuss about his truant son at the
him some advice and his son duly became a dental surgeon. U Ko Yu was younger
brother of Colonel Tan Yu Sai and brother in law of Brigadier Tin Pe. He told me
about the top brass of the army including Brigadier Tin Pe arguing about the works
of Marx and Engels during the BSPP era. He was ridiculing them as they learned
Marxism then while the country was in turmoil.
Win Hlaing or Yoke Ngaung was my close friend through out my medical career.
He hailed from Chaung U and he was one year senior to me at the premedical
matriculation class in
premedical matriculation examination we became in the same class. He was my
bosom friend and he helped me whenever I had emotional problems. He knew
the addresses of all teachers of the
Dr U Mang Gale’s house when I had to see him urgently. We had a very close
relationship until he died of a heart attack in the late 1980s.
I also have many Chinese friends in Medical College
He never showed the book he was reading lest other students knew that book.
I remember he was reading Robin’s Pathology when we were reading
He did not show that book until we knew what it was and available. We became
good friends when he joined the Institute of Medicine 2 as a lecturer when I was
already professor and head in anatomy. He used to come to our building as the
department of ObGyn was situated. Dr Thazin who became his wife then worked
in the ObGyn Department. He took care of my daughters’ health when they were
having respiratory illness. He did not charge any thing and he gave all the medicines
and tonics. He was so sweet. So was Dr Thazin.
Chinese-blooded Teachers
Many teachers in the
(Half-caste). I still remember Saya Chu teaching us physics at the intermediate
class. He spoke English with Chinese accent and he could not pronounce well r
different from l. He also mixed up in pronouncing T and Thi. We laughed as we
were young. But he did not take offence. He had a Talipes equinovarus and he
walked with a limp. I met again at the Institute of Medicine 2 as head of
department of physics when I was a captain attached to the anatomy department
in 1964 and later as professor of anatomy after 1970.
Saya Chu was very good -earted. We had a case of theft in his department.
One laboratory assistant of physics took away a wet battery and the Jamadar
on duty apprehended him. At the enquiry Saya Chu said he lent the battery to
the laboratory assistant to test it that night and it was not stolen. The boy was
acquitted.We knew that it was a case of theft, but he saved the boy. Saya Chu
died after taking Sayapuza of many IM 2 students in the mid 2000s.
One Chinese teacher that impressed me at the
Dr Frederick Delphin. He taught us zoology and he bid us farewell when
he was going abroad. He got Ph.D. from the
from
as professor and head. He and Dr Ko Ko Gyi were always consulted by
U Ne Win which meat or rare animal could prolong his life beyond ninety.
I remember they were consulted on the existence of aquatic elephant (Ye-Sin)
which could prolong the life and love of U Ne Win. But on X-raying the water
elephant with a pair of tusks it was found to be just a house rat with two ivory rods
struck as tusks. Director and movie actor U Than Aung presented that animal to
U Ne Win. I learned the story from the
He also had to examine the larvae and worms of the coconut, mangrove trees
and others insects. He wrote an article on rare foods in a book on world cuisines.
Chinese Teachers at the
U Sein Guan was the noted biochemist of the medical college in
We had to fear him as he was the chief examiner in organic & physical chemistry
held in December of the first year of medical college. I answered all his questions
and he was pleased with my answers. He read my answer paper front to back &
back to front, bur he let me go. I thought I was going to fail, but later I found that
he wanted to give me distinction as my theory mark was only 78 %. He would give
Distinction if I got 80 %. My chemistry teacher in
only those who got more than 80 % were awarded Distinction. They had a
very long argument.
(TThe Rangoon General Hospital in Yangon)
Saya Pe Toe taught us physiology. He talked with a monotone, but all the fact
were there. We noted down whatever he said and it served us well in the
examination.He later became professor and head of department at
Rangoon. Professor Dr Daw Phayt was walking wobbling, warm-hearted and
smiled at students. She was like a white doll and good nature, but she
remembered who bunked her class.My friend Ko Mya Oo had to pay for it dearly.
She and her husband U Yu Khin were Chinese. Her brother Dr Thein Aung was
also Chinese. Dr Thein Aung was our assistant medical warden when we were at
the Mandalay Hall in 1955/56.
He examined us thoroughly and he let us take chest x-ray at the Government TB
Institute at
him ordering two fried noodles and two fried rice at the same time for his lunch
at the Rangoon University Union Building Restaurant.
Then, I met Dr Rina Wong or Dr Daw Aye Yee. She got her postgraduate degree
from
Her brother Phaung Kun was our classmate at the premedical intermediate class
at the
did not come back to
(Professor Kyee Paw ,Left, and Dr Maung Maung Taik, Right)
Dr Maung Maung Taik was our lecture in forensic medicine. He told us about his
experience as a civil surgeon in Meiktila where one Indian was impersonating
as a doctor. That Indian wrote tight chest for asthma, wound for ulcer and repeat
for all cases at OPD. Saya Taik was suspicious of him and wrote to his university
whether he was a genuine graduate. They later found that he was a dresser in the
British Army. Dr Maung Maung Taik was sitting for BL during our final part I year
and he said he would ask only easy question as he was also afraid of examination!
( Professor Kyee Paw with His Pupil Professors: Sitting L to R:
Prof. Da Hla Kyi, Prof. Kyee Paw, Prof. Thein Thein Myint, Prof. Ye Myint)
Professor U Kyee Paw was our hero as he was fair, tall and handsome. We were
surprised that he did not marry a rich Chinese lady. His wife was the daughter of
Sir Maung Gyi, a Burman or Mon. She was brown as her sons are also brown.
I taught their eldest son Myo Nyunt anatomy at IM 2. Myo Nyunt did not take
any money for my wife hospitalization for investigation of a breast lump. Saya
U Kyee Paw was modest and he came to see me for his son when Myo Nyunt
was weak at first. We all loved him. Even writer Daw Khin Hnin Yu portrayed
him as hero Atoot in her famous novel Hmway (The fragrance). They hailed from
Wakema, a small town in the Irrawaddy Delta.
Chinese and Sino-Burmese in Army, Politics and Government
I was struck by the handsomeness of Brigadier Aung Gyi when I met him at the
War Office and also in Mongton. He was at the time Vice Chief of the Army and
practically the most powerful man in Burma Army second only to General Ne Win.
(Brigadier-General Aung Gyi)
General Ne Win was also fair and tall. I happened to shake hand with him at
the
hospital training. I met him face to face later several times. I later knew that both
were Sino-Burmese although U Ne Win denied he was Chinese.
(U Ne Win Smiling)
Actually we had many Chinese officers, Colonel Tan Yu Sai, Colonel Tun Sein,
Colonel Tint Swe, Colonel Thein Nyunt, yes General San Yu,
Lt-General Sein Aung etc. In the medical corps, Colonel Tin Aye, Major Yoke
Htayang, and Colonel Chaing were Chinese. Col. Chiang was uncle of Dr Cyril Tan
or Professor Myo Min Aung. We now knew Senior General Maung Aye and
General Khin Nyunt have Chinese blood. So, what?
( Mr Gambari and SPDC: L to R: Mr Gambari, Sr, Gen. Than Shwe,
Sr General Maung Aye, Gen Thura Shwe Man, General Thein Sein)
Important thing is their loyalty to the country and contribution to its development.
Even the CPB has many Chinese-blooded people in it. Chairman Ba Thein Tin
and Thakhin Tin Tun were half Chinese. I remember Thakhin Ba Thein Tin
had several siblings. One was Professor of ObGyn Dr Soe Myint at
(General Khin Nyunt)
Another was Colonel Pe Thet. Another was Colonel Myo Aung, once Mayor
of Rangoon. They all seemed to be totally Burmanised. So was Thakhin Tin Shwe
who hailed from Kyaukse and he was a close companion of Thein Pe Myint traveling
to India to seek allies in the anti-Japanese struggle during WW II. He went
underground and killed in action near Kyakse in the 1950s or 1960s. Thakgin
Tin Tun’s younger brother Thakhin Khin Maung Oo went to
Aung San and he became one of the “Thirty Comrades”. He also belonged to CPB,
but later exchanged arms for peace. He died in Pyinmana as a writer and hunter.
In Education, Literature and Civil Life
Sayagyi U Pe Maung Tin shone as the only Burmese professor and later principal
of the
MA English who worked as the Registrar. A Chinese had been working hardalso i
n the Archaeology Department of India Burma Section. He was Mr Taw Sein Kho.
(Mandalay Moat and Fort)
Many would be Chinese scholars were attending the
at the time too. They were future Dr Aye Hlaing (Economics), Dr Hla Pe(Burmese),
U Maung Maung Gyi (Burmese), Dr Hla Myint (Economics). Many more were
to come after WW II like Dr Nyi Nyi (Geology), Dr K. Mya Yi (Educational
Psychology),Father and Son Tan and Freddie Ba Hli (Engineering).
(Bagan or Pagan at Sunset)
On our medical side, we have Dr U Maung Gale, Dr Po Po, Dr Ronald Lwin,
Dr Daw Htar Kyu, Dr Khin Kyi Kyi (Microbiology) etc. I remember
students were mostly Chinese. Some teachers even say that any medical doctor and
tudent who were excellent must have some Chinese blood even mentioning
my name as an example. I smiled and said that I may have ingested some Chinese
blood as I was eating Chinese food too often.
(Chinese Clan House in Yangon)
No doubt there are many Burmese writers with Chinese blood. Maung Htin or
U Htin Fatt was a Chinese. He was born of an immigrant in Labutta. He first
attended the biology class to become a doctor, but he changed to arts combination
and became a BCS and a great writer. His novel “Nga Ba” was world famous and
Ko Daung Short Stories are popular satires. His two sons became my pupils
and medical doctors.
Dr Guan Lyong got Ph.D. in education from
new Burmese poems like “Maung Pan Hmway”. He wrote prose poems and
free verse in Burmese for children. Pyi Sone or U Kyaw Yoe published the
Thwe Thauk or Comrade magazine. He published my short stories in his
magazine first He was a great writer but he could not speak any Chinese.
Igywakway also was a Chinese, but could not speak or write. His teacher Kye-Ni
(Red Star) was a Chinese and could read and write Chinese.
(Lao Kai in Kokang)
U Law Yone or Mr Edward Lay Yone established himself as a capble editor
in chief of a daily news paper and a good English writer. Say U Soe Min, my English
teacher, asked me to read the Nation Daily for good English. The editorials written
by U Law Yone were superb. I remember American Editors of Bur ma Affairs
praised U Law Yone’s English. U law Yone was not a university graduate, he just
passed the matriculation examination from the St. Peter’s High School in
before WW II. He worked in Force 136 during WW II and established the Nation
Daily after WW II. I attended hi talks given at the
He was a Chinese from Myitkyina.
Movie World
In the movie world, Mary Myint was a popular and beautiful actress. She was
advertised as the winner of Miss Shanghai. She starred in many good Burmese films
like Dr Aung Kyaw Oo. She traveled around the world with Bamakhit U On Khin
nd Daw Dagon Khin Khin Lay. She died of the ectopic pregnancy. He husband,
a navy lieutenant, issued the warning that whoever used her photo for
commercial purpose would be sued. Another Chinese movie star was Tun Wai.
(Movie Actress Nandar Hlaing)
He was tall and handsome. His acting was perfect, but the most striking was his
Burmese.He spoke with a high note loud and clear. He won
He had progressive idea as he was a disciple of Thein Pe Myint. He translated
Chinese spoken to the Burmese Film Delegation when it went to
at the
meeting for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in August 1988. He suffered the punishment
of the SLORC before he died later. Another Film Academy Award Winner was
Ne Aung. He was a popular film star in the 1970s and 1980s.
(Movie Actress Khin Yu May)
The Burmese movie world has many Chinese persons as stars. Khin Yu May,
May Than Nu, Nandar Hlaing, Htet Htet Moe Oo etc were of Chinese descent and
they were quite popular. There are other persons in the movie and vocal worlds
that I cannot remember their names. They are regarded as part and parcel
of the Burmese movie world.
Burmese with Some Chinese Blood
Many Burmanised Chinese do not wish to be called as Chinese. Colonel Tin Ohn
never told us he had Chinese blood. But when I went to Maung Saung’s Tailor in
uncle of Colonel Tin Ohn. We were great friends since I was at the
His daughter Macy Saung is also a doctor.
(President U San Yu and Wife in China)
Colonel Kyaw Nyunt also never told us he has Chinese blood. But his elder brother
was with us at Maymyo and he said they are Chinese. I would say
Dr Htay Saung and Dr Khin Maung Sein would also claim they are Burmese
but they are fairer than an average Burman or Anyarthar and on scrutiny
we may find Chinese blood as Haka. My friends Drs Ma Win May,
Hla Yee Ye and Thar Aung have some Chinese blood, they say.
Conclusion
I understand Chinese are part of the Burmese in
ll the rights and responsibilities of a Burmese citizen. Some may be dutiful
and outstanding while others may be bad. We cannot blame the race or
blood as a failure. At the same time being too clever or indifferent to present
situation in
the truth whether you are good or bad. You may escape one generation or
some time but your progeny has to pay back later.
Look at U Ne Win’s family and grand children.
Dr Maung Maung Nyo
25.07.2009 (original)
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