Saw Mon Hla
| Saw Mon Hla စောမွန်လှ | |
|---|---|
 Statue of Saw Mon Hla | |
| Queen of the Northern Palace of Pagan | |
| Tenure | c. 1058–1071 |
| Predecessor | Myauk Pyinthe |
| Successor | Manisanda |
| Born | 1040s Sae Lant village, Northern Maw Shan State |
| Died | Hsipaw |
| Spouse | Anawrahta |
| House | Maw |
| Father | Saopha of Maw |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism |
Saw Mon Hla (Template:Lang-my [sɔ́ mʊ̀ɴ l̥a̰]) was a principal queen of King Anawrahta of Pagan. She is known in Burmese history for her beauty and her eventual exile instigated by other rival queens. Her story is still part of popular Burmese theater, and she is portrayed as a sad romantic figure.
The queen was daughter of the saopha (chief) of Maw Shan State, located between Pagan and Nanzhao Kingdom (present day Yunnan). The native stories of Hsipaw (Thibaw) and Hsenwi (Theinni) claim Saw Mon Hla as their princess.[1]
Circa 1058, Anawrahta led an expedition to Nanzhao. After his return from Nanzhao expedition, the king was presented with Saw Mon Hla by the chief of Maw Shan State presented his daughter. At Pagan, Saw Mon Hla quickly became the king's favorite queen.
Shwesayan pagoda
According to the Burmese chronicles, the beautiful young queen was driven out by her rival queens who were jealous of her status as Anawrahta's favorite. Her rivals accused her as a witch.[2] A remorseful Anawrahta is said to have donated the surrounding land to the pagoda towards the end of his reign.
Spiritual life
Some people believe Sao Mon Hla, who passed away at her home near Hsipaw, along with her brother, became an guardian Nat (spirit) who protect the Pagan-style pagoda to present day. There is a Nat shrine near the Shwesayan Pagoda, which has a statue of Sao Mon Hla and her brother. Some people believe it is a shrine for the spirits and that if they make offerings, the spirits will bless them. Paying respect to the spirits of Sao Mon Hla and her brother at Shwe Sar Yan Pagoda has drawn more visitors than other pagoda festivals.
References
- ^ Takatani, Michio. "On Narrative Formation of Spirit Legends in Burma (Myanmar)". Hiroshima University.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "King Anawrahta". Hmannan Yazawin (in Burmese). Vol. 1 (2003 ed.). Yangon: Ministry of Information, Myanmar. 1829. pp. 254–256.
