Bagan

Bagan (Шаблон:MYname, Шаблон:Pronounced), formerly Pagan, is an ancient city in the Mandalay Division of Burma. Formally titled Arimaddanapura or Arimaddana (the City of the Enemy Crusher) and also known as Tambadipa (the Land of Copper) or Tassadessa (the Parched Land), it was the ancient capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma. It is located in the dry central plains of the country, on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwady River, 90 miles (145 km) southwest of Mandalay.

UNESCO has unsuccessfully tried to designate Bagan as a World Heritage Site. The military junta (SPDC) has haphazardly restored ancient stupas, temples and buildings, ignoring original architectural styles and using modern materials that bear no resemblance to the original designs. Likewise, the junta has established a golf course, a paved highway, and built a 200-foot (61-m) watchtower in the southeastern suburb of Minnanthu.

Architectural styles

The religious buildings of Bagan are often reminiscent of popular architectural styles in the period of their constructions. The most common types are:

  • Stupa with a relic-shaped dome
  • Stupa with tomb-shaped dome
  • Sinhalese-styled stupa
  • North Indian model
  • Central Indian model
  • South Indian model
  • Mon model

History

Шаблон:Main

The ruins of Bagan cover an area of 16 square miles. The majority of its buildings were built in the 1000s to 1200s, during the time Bagan was the capital of the First Burmese Empire. It was not until King Pyinbya moved the capital to Bagan in AD 874 that it became a major city. However, in Burmese tradition, the capital shifted with each reign, and thus Bagan was once again abandoned until the reign of Anawrahta. In 1057, King Anawrahta conquered the Mon capital of Thaton, and brought back the Tripitaka Pali scriptures, Buddhist monks and craftsmen and all of these were made good use of in order to transform Bagan into a religious and cultural centre. With the help of a monk from Lower Burma, Anawrahta made Theravada Buddhism a kind of state religion, and the king also established contacts with Sri Lanka. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Bagan became a truly cosmopolitan centre of Buddhist studies, attracting monks and students from as far as India, Sri Lanka as well as the Thai and Khmer kingdoms. Among many other works, Aggavaṃsa's influential Saddanīti, a grammar of the language of the Tipiṭaka, would be completed there in 1154. In 1287, the kingdom fell to the Mongols, after refusing to pay tribute to Kublai Khan. Abandoned by the Burmese king and perhaps sacked by the Mongols, the city declined as a political centre, but continued to flourish as a place of Buddhist scholarship.

Rulers of Bagan
Name Relationship Reign (AD) Notes
Thamudarit 107-152 founder of Bagan†
Pyinbya Son of Khelu 846-878 moved capital from Tampawadi (modern Pwasaw) to Bagan
Anawrahta Son of Kunsaw Kyaunghpyu 1044-1077 founder of Bagan and the First Burmese Empire†
Sawlu Son 1077-1084
Kyanzittha Brother 1084-1113
Alaungsithu Grandson 1113-1167 1113-1160(?)
Narathu Son 1167-1170 1160-1165(?), aka Kala-gya Min (king fallen by Indians)
Naratheinkha Son 1170-1173
Narapatisithu Brother 1174-1211
Htilominlo Son 1211-1234 aka Nandaungmya (one who often asked for the throne)
Kyaswa Son 1234-1250
Uzana of Pagan Son 1250-1255
Narathihapate Son 1255-1287 lost the kingdom to the Mongols and known as Tayoke Pyay Min (king who fled from the Chinese) to posterity
Kyawswa Son 1287-1298
Sawhnit Son 1298-1325
Sawmunnit Son 1325-1369

† Although Anawrahta is accounted for the founding of Bagan, Thamudarit is listed as the "traditional" founder of Bagan in The Glass Palace Chronicle (Hmannan Yazawin).

Cultural sites

is built in the Mon style.]]

  • Ananda Temple, c.1090, built by Kyanzittha
  • Bupaya Pagoda, c.850, demolished by the 1975 earthquake and completely rebuilt
  • Dhammayangyi Temple, c.1165, the biggest temple in Bagan, built by Alaungsithu but never finished
  • Dhammayazika Pagoda, 1196-98, built by Narapatisithu (Sithu II)
  • Gawdawpalin Temple, started by Narapatisithu and finished by Nandaungmya, the superstructure destroyed by the 1975 quake and rebuilt
  • Htilominlo Temple, 1218, built by Htilominlo
  • Lawkananda Pagoda, built by Anawrahta
  • Mahabodhi Temple, Bagan, c. 1218, a smaller replica of the temple in Bodh Gaya, India
  • Manuha Temple, built by the captive Mon king Manuha
  • Mingalazedi Pagoda, 1268-74, built by Narathihapate
  • Myazedi inscription, c. 1113, described as the "Rosetta Stone of Burma" with inscriptions in four languages: Pyu, Mon, Old Burmese and Pali, dedicated to Gubyaukgyi Temple by Prince Rajakumar, son of Kyanzittha
  • Nanpaya Temple, c.1060-70, Mon style, believed to be either Manuha's old residence or built on the site
  • Nathlaung Kyaung Temple, mid 11th.C., Hindu deities "confined" to this temple
  • Payathonzu Temple, probably around 1200
  • Sein-nyet Ama & Nyima (temple and pagoda, 13th century)
  • Shwegugyi Temple, 1131, built by Alaungsithu and where he died
  • Shwesandaw Pagoda, c.1070, built by Anawrahta
  • Shwezigon Pagoda, 1102, built by Anawrahta, finished by Kyanzittha
  • Sulamani Temple, 1183, built by Narapatisithu
  • Tan-chi-daung Paya, on the west bank, built by Anawrahta
  • Tharabha Gate, c.850, built by King Pyinbya
  • Thatbyinnyu Temple, the tallest temple at 200 feet (61 m), 12th century, built by Alaungsithu
  • Tu-ywin-daung Paya, on the eastern boundary of Bagan, built by Anawrahta

Neighbours

  • Thaton (to the south, in modern-day Burma) until subdued in 1057
  • Nanzhao (to the north, in modern-day Yunnan Province, China)

More photos

Шаблон:Cleanup-gallery

See also

  • Buddhism in Burma
  • Culture of Burma
  • History of Buddhism
  • Nyaung U Airport

References

Шаблон:Reflist

  • Pictorial Guide to Pagan. 2nd ed. Rangoon: Ministry of Culture, 1975.
  • Pagan - Art and Architecture of Old Burma Paul Strachan 1989, Kiscadale, Arran, Scotland.
  • Glimpses of Glorious Pagan Department of History, University of Rangoon, The Universities Press 1986.
  • [The Map of Bagan]Bagan Map. DPS Online Maps.
  • " Pagan: The Origins of Modern Burma", Micheal Aung-Thwin, University of Hawaii Press, 1985.
  • "The Mists of Ramanna: The Legend that was Lower Burma", Michael Aung-Thwin, University of Hawaii Press, 2005. This is a critical examination of the role of the Mon in the Pagan kingdom.

External links

Шаблон:Commonscat

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Post a comment
Tips & Hints
Arrange By:
Mayette Celocia
7 June 2014
Place to stay: Shwe Na Di| Food: tea houses are nice usually 900kyats, don't miss the Myanmar food at Wonderfully tasty| go around town using bicycle @1500kyats| shop at market & buy longyi @3Kkyats
Self Drive Trips
26 February 2015
The city of over 2000 temples, it doesn’t get any holier than this. Scattered are the temples in the vast land of Bagan, where you can tour in hot air balloons, horse carriage or even motorbikes.
Jelmer Nieuwenweg
12 April 2014
Take a flashlight with you when visiting the temples! Some have the most beautiful paintings on walls and ceiling, but without a torch you wouldn't notice and probably wouldn't appreciate it as much!
????SWP????
22 January 2014
Ancient city of Myanmar... Full of interesting histories... One should pay a visit while in Myanmar..
Jeremy Hertmans
26 March 2019
Nouvelle ville de bagan où les villageois se sont réfugiés...étant donné qu ils ont été chassés de old bagan pour faire de la place aux...touristes
Evgeniya Aleshagina
26 December 2012
Раздражают назойливые продавцы! На все им говорите нет! Удачи;)
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