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The Shan people (Short name or simple name in Shan: တႆး, pronounced, Real name တႆးလူင်, IPA taj˥.loŋ˨˦; Burmese: ရှမ်းလူမျိုး, pronounced [ʃáɰ̃ lùmjó]), also known as the Tai Long or Tai Yai, are a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia.
Shan, Southeast Asian people who live primarily in eastern and northwestern Myanmar (Burma) and also in Yunnan province, China. The Shan are the largest minority group in Myanmar, making up nearly one-tenth of the nation’s total population.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Shan
- Shan State
- Shan Population and Groups
- Early Shan History
- Later Shan History
- The White Umbrella: A Shan Woman’S Struggle For Freedom in Burma
- Shan Language
- Shan Religion
- Shan Funeral
- Shan Festivals
The Shan are the largest minority of Myanmar (Burma). They are a relatively prosperous minority related to the Dai in China. Their language is similar to Thai and Lao. They have traditionally been rice cultivators and lived in tropical and semitropical monsoon forests along river valleys and in pockets of level land in the hill country of northeast...
Shan State lies on the Eastern Plateau of Myanmar, east of the Irrawaddy and Sittaung valleys, south of the Bhamo district and north of Kayah State. It is the home to about half the population of Myanmar. Ethnic groups that live here include the Shan, Burmese, Chinese, Wa, Kachin, Paluang, Lahu, Akha, Pa-O, Kachin, Palaung, Danu, Wa, Lahu, Kaw, Mai...
It is estimated that there are between 5 million and 6 million Shan, with about 90 percent of them in Myanmar. No reliable census has been taken in Burma since 1935.The CIA Factbook estimates there are five million spread throughout Myanmar, which is about 10 percent of Myanmar’s population. There is small number of Shan in Thailand. Population est...
The origin of the Dai, Shan and Dai-related people is matter of some debate. They have been in southwest China and Southeast Asia for some time. The Dai established powerful local kingdoms such as Mong Mao and Kocambi in Dehong the 10th and 11th centuries, the Oinaga (or Xienrun) in Xishuangbanna in the 12th century and the Lanna (or Babai Xifu) in...
At the time the British took over Burma, there were 18 Shan major states ruled by princes and 25 lesser states ruled by officials. Most Shan states paid tribute to Burma. The most easterly states, however, had stronger relations with Chiang Mai and Central Thailand. Under British rule, the states were administered indirectly by the Shan princes. Wh...
“The White Umbrella: A Woman’s Struggle for Freedom in Burma” by Patricia W. Elliottis a true tale of modern Burma told through the life story of Sao Hearn Hkam. Sao (Princess) Hearn Hkam was the wife of Sao Shwe Thaike of Yawnghwea, who became the first president of Burma. He died under mysteriosu circumstances after the coup by Gen. New Win in 19...
Many if not most Shan speak a Shan language and are bilingual in Burmese. The Shan speak Thai, which is very similar to Lao and the Thai spoken by Thais. The Shan use four written languages: Tai Long, Tai Mao, Tai Khun and Tai Lu. Tai Long and Tai Mao resemble Burmese. Tai Khun and Tai Lu are similar to Northern Thai. The Shan alphabet is an adapta...
Most Shan are Buddhists or Christians. Some Muslims and Hindus live in Shan State. The Shan are mostly Theravada Buddhists which bonds them more closely to the lowland Burmese and Thais than it does to many of the highland minorities. Families have traditionally sent their sons to become monks under the belief that doing so would earn their family’...
The Shan embrace Buddhist beliefs about the afterlife and reincarnation but also believe that people became spirits after they die and these spirits are everywhere and some are good and some are malevolent. Funerals occur three to seven days after death. Most people are buried. Sometimes people who die “bad deaths” are cremated. Buddhist monks perf...
The Shan celebrate a number of Buddhist holiday and conduct a number of Buddhist ceremonies and rituals, which often involve making offerings of food and flowers to Buddha at both temples and family altars in people’s homes. There are temple festivals celebrating events in the Buddha's life, such as the anniversaries of his birth, his enlightenment...
The Shan have historically lived alongside ethnic Bamar, Intha, Kachin, Mon, Palaung, Pa-O, Rakhine, Taungyo, Wa and other peoples for much of this history. But Shan State has always had a majority population of ethnic Shan — numbering today between four and six million people.
The Shan people (Short name or simple name in Shan: တႆး, pronounced [taj˥], Real name တႆးလူင်, IPA taj˥.loŋ˨˦; Burmese: ရှမ်းလူမျိုး, pronounced [ʃáɰ̃ lùmjó]), also known as the Tai Long or Tai Yai, are a Tai ethnic group of Southeast Asia.
- 21 May 1958-present
- ongoing
- Shan State, Myanmar
Feb 10, 2021 · Historically, the Shan have lived alongside ethnic Bamar, Intha, Kachin, Mon Palaung, Pa-O, Rakhine, Taungyo, Wa and other peoples for much of their history. But many Shan continue to desire a Shan State with full political independence from Burma.
The name for the Tai ethnic group of Myanmar is "Shan." The Shans migrated into Myanmar from China, to the north, many centuries ago, and settled in the valleys. They established kingdoms and expanded their territory, often in conflict with other ethnic groups such as the Burmese (Burmans).
