Kengtung Explained

Kengtung
Other Name:Kyaingtong
Settlement Type:Town
Pushpin Map:Myanmar
Pushpin Label Position:left
Pushpin Map Caption:Location in Myanmar
Coordinates:21.2917°N 99.6083°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name: Myanmar
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:District
Subdivision Type3:Township
Subdivision Name2:Kengtung District
Subdivision Name3:Kengtung Township
Area Total Km2:3,506
Population Total:171,620
Population As Of:2014
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Density Km2:48.955
Timezone:MMT
Utc Offset:+6.30
Native Name Lang:shn, my

Kengtung (Shan: ဝဵင်းၵဵင်းတုင် in Shan pronounced as /weŋ˥ keŋ˥ tuŋ˨˦/, Thai: เชียงตุง), also spelt Kyaingtong (; in Burmese pronounced as /tɕáɪɰ̃ tòʊɰ̃ mjo̰/), classical name Tungapuri,[2] is a town in Shan State, Myanmar (formerly Burma). It is the principal town of Kengtung Township and the former seat of Kengtung State, a minor principality. Kengtung is located on the National Highway 4 (NH4) and at the AH2 and AH3 of the Asian Highway.

Etymology

Owing to Kengtung's proximity to China and Thailand, the city is known by a number of exonyms and endonyms. The endonym used by Tai Khun and Tai Lue-speaking locals is Jeng Tung (ᨾᩮᩨ᩠ᨦᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᨲᩩᨦ) respectively. Other Shan speakers use the exonym Kengtung. The most common exonym, Kyaingtong, is derived from the Burmese approximation of Kengtung. The exonym of Chiang Tung (Thai: เชียงตุง, in Thai pronounced as /t͡ɕʰīa̯ŋ tūŋ/) is used by Thai speakers, while Chinese speakers use Jingdong (Chinese: s=景栋|t=景棟|p=Jǐngdòng).

History

See main article: Kengtung State. The early history of Kengtung is made up of myths and legends. The oral tradition of the [Tai people] says that the ancient city of Kengtung was founded in the distant past by Tai Lue as the original inhabitants of the region,[3] and was later reestablished by the grandson of King Mangrai after defeating the Tai Lue.[4] This migration of the Chiang Mai dynasty in the 13th century, with the founding a new kingdom which was later named Lanna, has resulted in Kengtung having a different type of Tai population from the rest of the Shan State, the Tai Khün.

Kengtung, like other major towns in the Shan Plateau, was home to a Shan Saopha (Sawbwa). Kengtung was the capital of the Kengtung State. In 1905, Sao Kawng Kiao Intaleng built the Kengtung Palace.

The city was seized and occupied by the Thai Phayap Army from 1942 until the end of the Second World War and became the headquarters of the Saharat Thai Doem territory.[5] The headquarters of the regional military command of the Tatmadaw is in the town.[6]

Geography

Kengtung contains several lakes. The largest, Naung Tung Lake, lies in the western part of the city, followed by Naung Kham Lake and Naung Yarng Lake to the south of the Kentung Roman Catholic Mission.

Transportation

The town is served by Kengtung Airport.Kengtung is located on the National Highway 4 (NH4) and at the AH2 and AH3 of the Asian Highway.

Climate

Kengtung has a tropical wet and dry/ savanna climate (Köppen-Geiger classification: Aw) with a pronounced dry season in the low-sun months, no cold season, wet season is in the high-sun months. Temperatures are very warm throughout the year, although the winter months (December–February) are milder and nights can be quite cool. There is a winter dry season (December–April) and a summer wet season (May–November).

Education

Health care

See also

Bibliography

External links

References

Notes

Notes and References

  1. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/myanmar-admin.php?adm1id=1311 Myanmar City Population
  2. Book: Mangrai . Sao Saimong . The Padaeng Chronicle and the Jengtung State Chronicle Translated . 2002 . University of Michigan Centers for South and Southeast Asian Studies . Ann Arbor . 0-89148-087-0 . 3 . Sao Saimong.
  3. http://newdoc.nccu.edu.tw/teasyllabus/113721265905/Fiskesjo%20on%20Fortified%20Villages.pdf M. Fiskesjo, On the Ethnoarchaeology of Fortified Settlements in the Northern part of Mainland Southeast Asia
  4. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/30987758/%E2%80%9CLua-Leading-Dogs_-Toting-Chaek_-Carrying-Chickens%E2%80%9D-Some-Comments History
  5. http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Myanmar_shankaren.html Shan and Karenni States of Burma
  6. Donald M. Seekins, Historical Dictionary of Burma (Myanmar), p. 251