PAST AND PRESENT

WITH

PERSONAL REMINISCENCES OF THE COUNTRY

BY

LIEUT.-GEN. ALBERT FYTCHE, C.S.I.

LATE CHIEF COMMISSIONER OF BRITISH BURMA, AND AGENT TO THE VICEROY
AND GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF INDIA.

C. KEGAN PAUL & Co., I, PATERNOSTER SQUARE,

1878.

cab. 2 521.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE.

The Burmese the standard language of the country.-The Talaing little

used.-The Burmese and Talaings received their religion and alpha-

bet from India.-Description of the Burmese and Talaing languages.

— Great reverence paid to the numerals III. and IX.-Use made of

the numeral V.- Burmese metaphysical works are in the Pali language.

-Books, how formed.-Writing of the Burmese.-Burmese literature.

-Their sacred books.-The Bee-da-gat-thoon-bon and the Baideng.

-Secular literature. The disputed wife. -The Burmese drama.—

Description of a Burmese theatre. -Dress of the actors.-The orches-

tra.-Plots of the plays.-A ballet at the Palace at Mandalay.—

Burmese great lovers of both vocal and instrumental music.-Transla-

tion of a Burmese drama, The Silver Hill

PAGE

I

CHAPTER II.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION, AND HABITS AND CUSTOMS

OF THE BURMESE.

-

Physical characteristics of the Burmese race.-Male costume.-Tattooing.

-Its absence considered a mark of effeminacy.-Female dress and

ornaments.—Ear-tubes.-Universality of smoking.—Singular custom.

-Burmese altogether a different people from the inhabitants of

Hindostan.-Absence of caste prejudices. Their pleasing manners.

-Happiness of the people. - Absence of pauperism.-Affection of

parents for their children. -Fondness for amusement and excitement.

-As a rule not laborious. -Marriage customs.-Perfect freedom of

marriageable girls.-Marriage purely a civil rite.-Hla-pet.-Curious

custom pursued by a bridegroom's bachelor friends.- Privileges of

the female sex.-Code of divorce. - Polygamy.-Sensitiveness to

raillery.—Tendency to suicide.—Suicide of a bridegroom.—Attempted

suicide of a girl.-Food.-Description of a Burmese banquet.—Their

treatment of disease.-The devil dance.-Disease caused by witch-

craft.-Funerals.-Boat races.-Peculiarity of the boats.-Mode of

rowing.-Description of the goal.-" Palmam qui meruit ferit."-

Vaunting songs, and grotesque attitudes of the winners.-Subscrip-

tion purses.-Game of football.-Boxing and wrestling.-Admirable

temper of the combatants.-Description of the Ta-soung-doing fes-

tival.—Weaving the sacred cloth.-Relays of workers.—Working

and courting.-Floating lights.-Water festival on New Year's Day.

-Meaning of the observance.-Mythological legend

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59

CHAPTER III.

FOUR YEARS' ADMINISTRATION OF BRITISH BURMA,

1867-1871.

Our commerce with China confined to sea-ports. -Ancient overland com-

merce between Burma and Western China viâ Bhamo.-Brought to a

close in 1855.-Early history of the Panthays or Chinese Mahom-

medans. They establish a Mahommedan kingdom in Yunnan.—

Monopoly of trade between Burma and Yunnan confined to Chinese

inhabitants of Mandalay and Bhamo.-Their jealousy regarding it.-

Despatch of a Mission under Major Sladen to Western China viâ

Bhamo.-Burmese suspicion of it.-The King ultimately sends the

expedition in his own steamer to Bhamo.-Hill ranges and valleys

occupied by Kakhyens and Shans.-Description of these tribes.-

The Governor of Bhamo defeated and slain by the Kakhyens.-Diffi

culties of the Mission in consequence. -The Mission starts for

Momein.-Secret agencies at work to stop the Mission.-Mission

delayed at Ponsee.-Delay profitable in some ways.-Valuable collec-

tion of specimens of natural history made by Dr. Anderson.-Bam-

busicola Fytchii.-Kakhyen ideas of marriage. Their superstitious

observances. - Communication opened with the Governor of Momein.

-The Chinese freebooter Li Hsieh-tai.-Destruction of his 'strong-

hold.-Mission escorted by Shans and Panthays to Momein.-

Hospitality of Ta-sa-kon.-All objects of Mission successfully

obtained.-Mission returns to Bhamo.-Return journey quite an

ovation.-Description of Kakhyen oath.-Exposition of the policy in

despatching the Mission.Objects not political but commercial.—The

tact and gallantry shewn by Major Sladen.-Favourable view taken

by him of the Panthay rebellion.-Policy of the British Government

towards Yacoob Beg, Sultan of Kashgar.-An English political agent

appointed to Bhamo.-Large increase of trade. —A Panthay Embassy

proceeds to England viâ Rangoon and Calcutta.-Collapse of Mahom-

medan power in Yunnan.-Despatch of a second Mission to Western

China. Its failure. -Murder of Mr. Margary.-Lord Lawrence retires

from the Viceroyalty of India.-Lord Mayo appointed Viceroy.—

Correspondence with Lord Mayo.—Important measures carried out

during my administration of British Burma.-Speech at a public

dinner

PAGE

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CHAPTER IV.

BUDDHISM AND EDUCATION IN BURMA.

Shamanism the ancient religion of Burma.-Adoration of nats and other

spirits.-Three religions preceded Buddhism in India.—Buddhism a

wide-spread religion. -Propagated by persuasion alone.-The Buddhas

previous to Gautama. —The Jātaka fables.—Birth and parentage of

Gautama. His miraculous conception.-Education of Gautama. ---

Gautama's four visions ---He deserts his palace and assumes the garb

of an ascetic.-His trials and temptations in the wilderness.-He

becomes a Buddha.-The sacred Bó-tree.-Gautama proceeds towards

Benares to preach his doctrine.-He visits his father.-Attempts on

his life.-Punishment of Déwadat.-Gautama's death-His funeral.

-Gautama's relics.-The Shwé-dagon pagoda at Rangoon.-The

three Synods.-The Pitakatayan, or Buddhist scriptures.- Powers of

memory of Buddhist priests.-Two Buddhist missionaries arrive at

Thatún.-Buddhagosa. —Talaings received their religion and alphabet

from Ceylon.-The Burmese from the Talaings.-Karma and Nirvâna

described.-Buddhism and Brahminism compared.-Dāna, or alms-

giving.-Purity of Buddhist ethics.—Singular analogy of Buddhistic

rites and observances to those of Romish Christianity.-Early Roman

Catholic missionaries in the East.-Their opinions regarding Budd-

hism.-Buddhism existent in the western world previous to the birth

of our Saviour.-Gautama a saint in the Roman calendar.-Phongyees.

-Rules of the Order.-The Novitiate.-Ordination.-Celibacy.-

Diet. The Habit. -The Order of Nuns.-Funerals. - Monasteries.

-Education in Burma. -Monastic and lay schools. -System of

education lately adopted by the British Government.-Difficulties

regarding it. How overcome.-Success of the system

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