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Koshanpye (Burmese: ကိုးရှမ်းပြည်, Mandarin Chinese: 憍赏弥), also called Kopyidoung (Burmese: ကိုးပြည်တောင်, Mandarin Chinese: 九卑當), is a historical name in Burmese literature which means "nine Shan states". The name was first introduced to western readers by Francis Buchanan-Hamilton in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, X, year of 1824.

Discovery and explanation

Francis Buchanan-Hamilton obtained the Map of Koshanpri from the slave in Ava. Hamilton didn't research the proper name of "Koshanpri" or the literal meaning "Nine Provinces of Shan", but he pointed out that the Shan territory had been divided into 18 lordships, the slave even alleged that this number had been increased to 22. After that, many scholars have given conflicting lists of "nine Shan states" strove to explain the name.

Some of the scholars don't agree with the literal meaning of "nine Shan states". James George Scott believe "Koshanpye" was transformed from "Kawsampi", it is because Mong Mao and Hsenwi use the name "Kawsampi" as their Buddhistical name, the Burman official didn't admit that a Shan kingdom had any right to a classical name. But the Shan scholar Sao Saimong opposes this opinion, he states that Koshanpyi is never mistaken for Kawsampi, Burman central court respected Shan states use their own classical name, Koshanpyi is referred to Chinese Shan states.

References

1. ^ Sao Saimong Mangrai (1965). The Shan States and the British Annexation. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University. ISBN 978-0877270577.
2. ^ James George Scott (1900). Gazetteer of Upper Burma and the Shan States. Rangoon: Government Printing, Burma.
3. ^ Francis Hamilton (1824). "Account of a Map of Koshanpri". Edinburgh Philosophical Journal. X: 246–250.
4. Henry Burney (1837). "Some account of the Wars between Burmah and China". The Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. VI (1): 121–149.
5. ^ Henry Yule (1858). A Narrative of the Mission, sent by the Governor-General of India to the Court of Ava in 1855, with Notices of the Country, Government and People. London: Smith, Elder and Co.
6. S. F. Hannay (1847). Sketch of the Singphos, Or the Kakhyens of Burmah: The Position of this Tribe as Regards Baumo, and the Inland Trade of the Valley of the Irrawaddy with Yuman and Their Connection with the North-Eastern Frontier of Assam. Calcutta: W. Ridsdale, Military Orphan Press.
7. G. E. Harvey (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd.

• Shan States
• History of Shan State
• History of Yunnan
• Former countries in Chinese history