The bagan dynasty, the first dynasty in the history of myanmar, flourished from 11th to th century and built the cornerstone of myanmar culture. Monuments, which are currently in all stages of decomposition were erected especially from the 11th to th century bc, when bagan was the residence of the myanmar dynasty. It was the capital of the kingdom of pagan from the 9th to th centuries. They are also in varying stages of preservation and disrepair. This lesson gives a crash course on the history of the. Youll start and end in yangon, stopping along the way to wander through the ancient temples of bagan, explore the former royal capital of mandalay, and gaze upon the spectacular waters of inle lake.
During the kingdoms golden age between the 11th and th centuries, over 10,000 buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were built in bagan now, the archaeological remains of over 2,200 of these temples and pagodas are in the. While buddhism has been practiced in burma for around 1500 years and evidence of the religion is found throughout the country, nothing surpasses the concentration of buddhist monuments found at bagan. New dates and old inhabitants article pdf available in asian perspectives 401 january 2001 with 1,205 reads how we measure reads. This booklet is intended to offer a short history of buddhism in myanmar from its origins through the countrys loss of independence to great britain in the late nineteenth century. Perhaps it was an invasion by the mongols perhaps it was the fear of an invasion by the chinese. You already know some things about the history of burma. He unified the country, introduced theravada buddhism and began building bagans first temple, the grand shwezigon.
The success and longevity of pagans dominance over the irrawaddy valley enabled the ascent of burmese language and culture, and the spread of burman ethnicity in upper burma and laid the foundation for their. Bagan ba also called pagan is an ancient city in the mandalay region of myanmar. In 1989 the countrys official english name, which it had held since 1885, was changed from the union of burma to the union of myanmar. Bagan is a plain in the middle of myanmar, covering a tract of country measuring about 16 square miles along the east bank of the ayeyarwaddy. Bagan formerly known as pagan is an ancient city located in the mandalay region of myanmar burma bagan is home to the largest and densest concentration of buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries. Its archeological history as well as buddha statues from the bagan period are of great importance nowadays. Maung tin of the myanmar historical commission describes bagan as having four walls and twelve. Bagan, myanmar burma, a monk walks by temples photo courtesy of national geographic images by catherine clover from the air, the irrawaddy river stretches like a golden snake across the landscape all the way to the horizon in the late daylight. The majority of its buildings were built in the s to 1200s, during the time bagan was the capital of the first burmese empire. History of buddhism in burma online burmamyanmar library.
This file is licensed under the creative commons attribution 2. The kingdom of pagan, the charter polity of burma, had a lasting impact on burmese history and the history of mainland southeast asia. As a tourist destination, myanmar may be young, but it is rich in history and culture. Bagan is plain in the central part of myanmar, covering an area of the country, which measures approximately 16 square miles along the eastern shore of the irrawaddy. Importance and role of bagan in the history of painting in burma. The countrys coasts and river valleys have been inhabited since prehistoric times, and during most of the 1st millennium ce the overland trade route between china and india passed through myanmars borders. Bagan was the capital of the kingdom of pagan from the 9th to the th centuries. Myanmar, also called burma, country, located in the western portion of mainland southeast asia. About bagan the town of bagan formerly spelled as pagan. Bagan is the presentday standard burmese pronunciation of the burmese word. After decades under oppressive military rule, the country is finally opening up. History bagan was born when king anawrahta took the throne by force in 1044. This file contains additional information such as exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it.
At that time, the kingdom was under the mahayana religion. Many bagan inscriptions record the donors as well as those who repaired the. Pdf bagan is a major early urban center in myanmar burma. Myanmar, history of yangon, history of bagan, history of. If myanmar was for decades the black hole in the heart of asia a frozen nation in the middle of the most dynamic region on earth the secretariat building is.
During the kingdoms golden age between the 11th and th centuries, over 10,000 buddhist temples, pagodas and monasteries were built in bagan. Bagan, the ancient buddhist capital in central myanmar burma that thrived from 8500, is one of the most magnificent and inspiring sites in southeast asia. The hubristic anawrahta coveted the sacred buddhist scriptures the tripitaka held by the very mons who enlightened him. The threestory museum houses a number of rare bagan period objects including the. It is an early form, has a bulbous dome and is exemplified by the bupaya and the ngakywenadaung. It was published in rangoon by the union cultural council, ministry of union culture, revolutionary government of. Both sites are notable for their expanse of sacred geography and the number and size of their individual temples. Burmese buddhist imagery of the early bagan period 1044 11. It is located in the dry central plains of the country, on the eastern bank of the irrawaddy or ayeyarwaddy river. The great ancient city of bagan pagan and its buddha statues. Mandalay and bagan, culture and history in myanmar.
Monuments, which are currently in all stages of decomposition were erected espec. To write an account of the development of a religion in any country is a. The earliest inhabitants of recorded history were a tibetoburmanspeaking people who established the pyu citystates ranged as far south as pyay. They are in different sizes and in a bewildering variety of shapes. Sep 22, 2016 bagan is plain in the central part of myanmar, covering an area of the country, which measures approximately 16 square miles along the eastern shore of the irrawaddy. A visit to many of the attractions of this region of burma. Myanmar has been a nexus of cultural and material exchange for thousands of years. We reflect on the interesting facts about myanmar we learnt during our cycling tour through the country. Importance and role of bagan in the history of painting in.
Subsequently this pdf was made from the html page made by above method. It was not until king pyinbya moved the capital to bagan in ad 874 that it became a major city. Important postbagan period murals at bagan in the history of painting in burma the nyaungyan murals at bagan are represented by only four monuments amongst which monument no. Bagan can be marked to have started with king anawrahta. Burmese buddhist imagery of the early bagan period 1044 11 buddhism is an integral part of burmese culture. Pictorial guide to pagan bagan burmese government guide 1963. With 120 highresolution images, maps and a detailed tour itinerary, this is the definitive travel guide to myanmars ancient city of bagan. Today over 80 per cent of burmas people are buddhist and the country has the largest number of monks as a percentage of the total population. Bagan history the monuments seem to overwhelm the landscape.
Discover the best of myanmar at a relaxed pace on this twoweek itinerary. Mandalay and bagan myanmar are full of striking conetopped temples, and the people are friendly and laidback. Bagan or pagan is an ancient city that was the capital of the first burmese empire. Mandalay and bagan offer a good mix of culture, history. A smaller number of new and impressive religious monuments still went up to the mid15th century but afterward, new temple constructions slowed to a trickle with fewer than 200 temples built between the 15th and 20th centuries. Bagan is an ancient city and a unesco world heritage site located in the mandalay region of. I have not dealt with more recent history as this has already been well documented. Bagan survived into the 15th century as a human settlement, and as a pilgrimage destination throughout the imperial period.
Bagan simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. There are about 2,000 of them covering an area of 16 square miles on the eastern bank of the ayeyarwady in central myanmar. This kingdom was the first to unify the area that is now myanmar, establishing the burmese culture and ethnicity, as well as theravada buddhism, in the region. Buddhism was introduced through the coastal region, people endeavored to build pagodas in order to gain merit.
The hubristic anawrahta coveted the sacred buddhist scriptures the. Bagan korabban pagan tortenelmi varos burma kozepso reszen, az irrawaddy folyo keleti partjan, mandalaytol kb. Primate fossils found in pondaung are the evidence of the existence of manlike creatures 40 million years ago, which has been approved by some internationally renowned archaeologists. By the ninth century a group of people from the north, the bamar, gained prominence and. The architectural types at bagan may be classified into four main types. Bagan, the ancient buddhist capital in central myanmar burma that thrived. Myanmar, history of yangon, history of bagan, history of mandalay. You will have a chance to learn more about your own history as well as the history of other people from burma. Myanmarburma travel guide temples of bagan approach guides. Professor, dr, head of department, department of history, loikaw university.
The ruins of bagan cover an area of 16 square miles. Buddhist imagery of bagan widely regarded to represent the beginnings of. Also known as the land of a thousand temples, the ancient kingdom of bagan in myanmar is symbol of burmese religion, history and culture. Pagans 250year rule over the irrawaddy valley and its periphery laid the foundation for the ascent of burmese language and.
As the heart of burma during ancient times, bagan serves as home to temples and buildings built from the 11th century to the th century. Bagan formerly known as pagan is an ancient city located in the mandalay region of myanmar burma bagan is home to the largest and densest concentration of buddhist temples, pagodas, stupas and ruins in the world with many dating from the 11th and 12th centuries the shape and construction of each building is highly significant in buddhism with each component part taking on spiritual. Myanmar history history of burma gandawun shwe bagan. History is about important events, discoveries, developments and changes, and famous personalities. Important post bagan period murals at bagan in the history of painting in burma the nyaungyan murals at bagan are represented by only four monuments amongst which monument no. This is a guide to temples and pagodas of bagan that was compiled by the director of archaeological survey, burma, in the mid1950s and revised in 1963. Mandalay and bagan, culture and history in myanmar gonomad. From the 9th to th centuries, the city was the capital of the pagan kingdom, the first kingdom that unified the regions that would later constitute modern myanmar.
Burmese buddhist imagery of the early bagan period 1044. The temple of dhammayangyi, bagan, myanmar burma there are two preeminent ancient religious cities in southeast asia. The mighty bagan empire weakened over time and it is thought that mongol invaders plundered and overran the city at the end of the. It was published in rangoon by the union cultural council, ministry of union culture, revolutionary government of the union of burma. The ancient city of bagan, myanmar time travel turtle. Url to the pdf file must be on exactly the same domain as the current web page. Over this period of rule, as the city and kingdom grew in influence and stature, over 10,000 temples were built on the plains. The architectural masterpieces built here between the 11th and th centuries rank on par with other aweinspiring religious monuments such as cambodias angkor wat and indonesias borobodur. Bagan area temple history, myanmar burma glenn kangiser. Feb 21, 20 bagan area temple history, myanmar burma glenn kangiser. Mohammad yunus, president of the rohingya solidarity organisation rso, arakan, is a a welcome addition to the present stock of our knowledge about the history of arakan and her interrelation with neighbouring lands of burma and bengal. Fathersangermano,whowasinburmaasa missionaryfrom1782to1806,haswrittenanabridg. Hundreds of buddhist monuments were built there between the eleventh and thirteenth. This guide was produced by the burmese ministry of union culture in 1963 and contains useful, unique information and fascinating historical photographs.
The monuments which are now in all stages of decay were erected mostly from the 11th to th centuries a. During the kingdoms height between the 11th and th. This period is described as the most troubled in the myanmar history. History of bagan paganregion lonely planet travel information. Sprawled across an arid flood plain of the irrawaddy river in central myanmar stands bagan, one of the most remarkable archeological sites in southeast asia. There was no road to mandalay from rangoon when kipling immortalized the city in his famous poem. Hudson, bob march 2005, a pyu homeland in the samon valley. History of bagan bagan dates back almost to the beginning of the christian era. In conclusion, two of the key murals in the history of burmese painting are located in pagan. Merchant ships from india, sri lanka, and even farther west converged on.
If myanmar was for decades the black hole in the heart of asia a frozen nation in the middle of the most dynamic region on earth the secretariat building is the black hole in the heart of yangon. The abandoned secretariat ministers building, north gate. Recent excavations in pondaung area suggests myanmar history has evolved through stone age. Its not clear exactly what happened to bagan and how one of the greatest cities in southeast asia was left abandoned. Pdf restoration and reconstruction of monuments at bagan.
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