Kengtung ကျိုင်းတုံ /ᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᨲᩩᨦ
State of theShan States
c. 1243–1959
Kengtung State in blue in a map of the Shan States
Area
• 1901	31,079 km2 (12,000 sq mi)
Population
• 1901	190,698
History
• Dynasty established by a delegate of KingMangrai	30 March
• Abdication of the lastSaopha	1959
Preceded by Succeeded by Lan Na Kingdom Wa States Shan State

Kengtung (Burmese:ကျိုင်းတုံ;Shan:ၵဵင်းတုင်Chiang Tung;Northern Thai:ᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᨲᩩᨦ), known asMenggen Prefecture (Chinese:孟艮府) orMöng KhünChiefdom orMueng KhuenFu (Tai Khün:ᨾᩮ᩠ᨦᩨᨡ᩠ᨶᩨ), classical nameKhemarattha,^[2] was aShan state from 1405^[3] to 1895 in what is todayBurma. The capital and the residence of the ruler wasKengtung (then known as "Tai Khuen City" 歹掯城) in the centre of the state. It was the only urban area in thismountainous state whose landscape is dominated by theDaen Lao Range.

Kengtung was the largest of the states in present-dayShan State and ranked first in the order of precedence at the time of the invasion of theShan States by theBritish Empire. It was also the easternmost of the Southern Shan States, lying almost entirely east of theSalween and stretching eastwards to theMekong. It was separated from the northern Shan state ofManglon by theHka River.

Most of the early history of Kengtung is made up of myths and legends. At the time ofBritish rule in Burma theTai Yai people were the majority of the population in Kengtung state with other groups such asAkha andLahu, forming sizeable communities. According toWa tradition, in the distant past the territory had belonged to theWa people who were displaced around 1229 and were later defeated by KingMangrai. The Wa now form a minority of only about 10% in Kengtung State despite having been —according to their myths— the original inhabitants.^[4]

According to local tradition,Khemāraṭṭha^[5] (ခေမာရဋ္ဌ), the predecessor state, was founded in an unknown date in the distant past. It was ruled by theTai Khün of the Tai Yai (Shan) ethnic background. The current dynasty has its origins in the kingdom that was founded around 1243 by a prince named Mang Kun, said to be a delegate of KingMangrai.^[6][7]Despite the ethnic affinity of the rulingTai with theSiamese to the south,^[8] Kengtung was led bySaopha princes who historically preferred to pay tribute to the Burmese kings to the west. The King of Mandalay restricted himself to exacting a yearly tribute, often in the form of offerings of ritual gold flowers, leaving the Kengtung rulers largely alone. TheSalween river also acted as a protective natural border in the West hampering communication withUpper Burma. On the other hand, the kingdoms ofLanna andAyutthaya, as well as theChinese to the northeast, were closer, more bellicose and had easier access to the territory.

In 1760, following conflicting claims of political influence over Kengtung State, there was a war between theQianlong Emperor of theQing Dynasty and theKing of Burma,Hsinbyushin.In 1802 Kengtung came under the rule ofChiang Mai,^{[citation needed]} but with the help of the Burmese the former ruling dynasty was reinstated in 1814 andMongyawng (Möngyawng) state was annexed.^[9]

Kengtung was historically located at the crossroads of the trade betweenChina andSiam and 19th century sources talk about caravans crossing Kengtung on their way to Chiang Mai totaling yearly 8,000 mules loaded with goods from China.^[4] DuringBritish rule in Burma the eastern border was demarcated by the colonial powers and the western part ofKengcheng was merged with Kengtung.^[10] Historically Kengtung also included the substates ofHsenyawt,Hsenmawng,Monghsat andMongpu.^[9][11] Between 1849 and 1854, Siam invaded Kengtung thrice; the invasions were repulsed with Burmese and Shan military assistance.^[12]

On 27 May 1942, duringWorld War II, Kengtung State was invaded and its capital captured by the ThaiPhayap Army.^[13] Following a previous agreement between Thai Prime MinisterPlaek Phibunsongkhram and theJapanese Empire, in December the same year the Thai administration occupied Kengtung and four districts ofMöngpan. Theannexation of the trans-Salween territories historically claimed by Thailand was formalised on 1 August 1943 and the northern province ofSaharat Thai Doem was established.^[14] Thailand left the territory in 1945, but officially relinquished its claim over Kengtung State only in 1946 as part of the condition for admission to theUnited Nations and the withdrawal of all wartime sanctions for having sided with theAxis powers.^[15]

The last ruler of Kengtung abdicated in 1959. The state became then part ofShan State and, despite the independence struggle of the latter, eventually part ofBurma. After the 1962 military coup by GeneralNe Win all the privileges of thesaophas were abolished.^[16]

The rulers of Kengtung bore the title ofSaopha; their ritual style wasKhemadhipati Rajadhiraja.^[17]

TheKengtung Yazawin, also known as 'Padaeng Chronicle' and 'Jengtung State Chronicle,' is a history of the rulers of Kengtung written in the 19th century inBurmese language. It was translated into English by Sao Saimong Mangrai.

There is another version of Kentung chronicle which was recorded inKhün language and then translated into Thai by Thawi Sawangpanyangkun.^[18]

Chinese records

Mang Kun and Mang Kyin wereYonnaka governors sent byMang Lai. Marquess of Kengtung refers to a son of Mang Lai.

Burmese records

Following the Thai occupation, a military governor was appointed for the administration of the annexed territories of Kengtung andMöngpan by Thailand.

• December 1942 – 1945:Phin Choonhavan (1891–1973)

• Kengtung Yazawin
• Mi Mi Khaing
• Sao Kawng Kiao Intaleng
• Sao Saimong

• G. J. Younghusband,The Trans-Salween Shan State of Kiang Tung,ISBN 9789749575789

• Media related toKengtung State at Wikimedia Commons
• "Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan states"
• The Imperial Gazetteer of India

21°17′N99°36′E / 21.283°N 99.600°E /21.283; 99.600

• States and territories disestablished in 1959
• Kengtung State
• Military history of Burma during World War II
• Military history of Thailand during World War II

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