Bagan

Division

Bagan [ bəgàn ] ( burmese, also Arimaddana or Arimaddanapura, " city destroyer of enemies", and Tambadipa, " Copper State " or Tassadessa, " parched land") is a historic royal city in Myanmar with over two thousand preserved sacral buildings of brick. Successful completion of the temples area extends over some 36 km ² in a desertified region and is one of the largest archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. Bagan is in today's Mandalay Division, 155 km southwest of the city of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the Irrawaddy River, halfway between the source and the mouth in the Indian Ocean.

  • 2.1 concept
  • 2.2 Restoration Measures
  • 2.3 nomination as a World Heritage Site
  • 4.1 Before 1044
  • 4.2 The Bagan Dynasty

History

The kingdom, whose dominion center Bagan was for about 430 years, formed the first united kingdom in present-day Burma. The early history of Bagan is controversial in detail. Bagan was. Due to its very convenient location on the Irrawaddy, on which trade routes from China and India met, already middle of the 9th century, the central location for Upper Burma, even before the 11th century disputes about the succession and dynastic change provoked many periods of instability The city was surrounded by the King 849 with a wall. Already at that time, the coming from India Tantrism or Vajrayana Buddhism and the indigenous snake cult began to mix. In the vicinity of the former city wall two closed settlements Indian- Bengali immigrants from the 9th/10th were. Century excavated.

Rise and heyday

For the localization of great power there was in Bagan, however, only with the accession of King Anawrahta (also: Anuruddha ) in 1044 Specifically Anawratha was won by a Mon monk in Buddhism and sales in 1056, the priest of the local snake cult from the capital.. Under him and his son Kyanzittha (1084-1113) the city reached its zenith. During the reign of these two kings of Theravada Buddhism was in competition with old local faith groups to hegemonic religion and the instrument of maintaining power.

The empire expanded under Anawrahta of the dry zone in the north to the subjugated Mon - centers Pegu ( Bago ) and Thaton in the Irrawaddy Delta from. So Anawrahta asked the Mon king from Thaton Manuha to monks and sacred texts for the instruction of his people. This was the call but not after, and he was attacked. In 1057 Anawratha conquered the Thaton kingdom and had to bring the entire assembly together oligarchy king and queens after Bagan. This Buddhism spread after Bagan.

The expansion of the dominion of Bagan to approximately the size of present-day territory of Burma opened up the rulers of Upper Burma material and cultural resources hitherto unknown proportions. By spreading throughout the Mon - educated elite to Bagan came to take over the Mon script and its literary culture. With an area of 40 km ² Bagan grew into one of the largest cities of the Middle Ages and was approximately 15 times greater than the medieval City of London.

Also by sea to and from Ceylon advanced the ruler 's political and religious relations.

The state was built after the model of Hindu kingdoms. Which is part of the royal court in the capital was financed by the taxation of individual households or by compulsory labor in the of Myothugis ( administrator of settlements with inheritable rights) ruled villages. Over time, larger parts of the country the Buddhist monasteries in the form of so-called slave villages to maintain the monasticism ( Sangha ) were made available progressively. The monarchy was legitimized by the king's role as a defender of Buddhism. In the 250 -year period of peace, the pious ruler could build nearly 6,000 pagodas, of which about 2000 are received and for the Bagan is famous today.

Decline

Like the rise as well as the decline of the kingdom of Bagan is related to the combination of temporal and spiritual power. The cost of temple building and maintenance of the staff were a reason for the weakening of the state. In addition to the tax exemption of temples and monasteries kept from the middle of the twelfth century, more and more governors in the conquered provinces payable taxes and deprived the State so that its financial base.

Thus weakened the Burmese had the pressing from the north on their territory Thai and Mongolian oppose hardly anything. King Narathihapate (r. 1256-1287 ) came into conflict with the dominated by the Mongols Yuan China. Before the army of the Mongol prince Kublai Khan in 1287 took the city, the ruler of Bagan had many temples for the construction of a city wall torn down. With the flight of the king from the Mongols, the myth of Bagan as a bridge between heaven and earth was finally destroyed.

The previously reigned from Bagan from Empire from the southern foothills of the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean fell apart for more than two centuries into numerous small states who are constantly fighting each other. Bagan was unable to repeat its former importance as the capital city in the following centuries.

Upper Burma led a precarious existence between the supremacy of the Shan, a King of Bagan killed, for example, in 1299, and tributary relations with China, while lower Burma again under the rule of the Mon ( with the capital Pegu, today: Bago ) fell.

Structures

  • Abeyadana temple built under Kyanzittha, 1102/1103
  • Ananda Temple
  • Bupaya Pagoda
  • Dhammayangyi Temple, the biggest temple in Bagan
  • Dhamma Yazika
  • Htilominlo Temple, 1218
  • Lokananda built, Anawrahta
  • Manuha Temple, 11th century
  • Nan- paya, Mon style
  • His - nyet Ama and Nyima, temple and pagoda, 13th century
  • Shwe - hsan - daw built, Anawrahta
  • Shwezigon temple built under Anawrahta
  • Sulamani Temple, 1183
  • Tan -chi - daung, built under Anawrahta
  • Tharaba - gate
  • That- byin -nyu Temple, 12th century, 61 meters high, two floors, each with three terraces and Miniaturstupas
  • Tu -win daung built, Anawrahta

Concept

The rulers of Bagan forming their power close to the Buddhist faith. Meanwhile, taking advantage of symbolism for their retention of power, they designed the layout of the center of Bagan to the image of the center of the Buddhist cosmos. Which has been destroyed by the meandering of the Irrawaddy square stood for the divine mountain Meru. Divided into nine fields, provide the eight outer parts of the then known eight planets of the Solar System Represents the ninth, the central field is reserved in Buddhist mythology for Gautama Buddha himself. Here King Anawrahta built his palace and the Mahabodhi Temple.

Theravada Buddhism is also the driving force for the planar development of the city. As in the race to win the favor of the gods were, without considering the immense costs into consideration, temples, pagodas and monasteries from the upcoming clay built and decorated with sandstone, glazed panels and stucco. Just as the large number of religious buildings is to explain that emerged in only two hundred years. That the ruins of Bagan looks so widely today, the fact is due to that only religious buildings were built of stone. The construction of residential houses was, however, less time- resistant materials such as wood and bamboo and had the desertification of the surrounding area of Bagan result.

Restoration measures

Today Bagan is one of the largest archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. In addition to the especially interesting architectural monuments can be found here with wall paintings dating from the 11th to the 13th century, the oldest preserved paintings of Southeast Asia, which are excellently preserved in part by the extremely dry climate in Bagan.

The measures for the registration and restoration of the historic building stock began many years before the takeover by the military in Burma in 1988. Early as 1958, the Burmese Institute of Archaeology made ​​a copy of the inscriptions on the walls of the Ananda Temple at. The Burmese historical commission followed in 1962 with the aim to capture the paintings photographically. By applying a glycerol pad to improve the color and its subsequent removal by ants, the inscriptions were first severely damaged. A new reconstruction with the latest restoration techniques became impossible after the devastating earthquake in 1975. The epicenter of the quake with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale, was in Bagan. It destroyed or damaged many other surviving temples and statues.

The reconstruction measures in Bagan are not limited to small-scale works. Meanwhile, all the Temple, which collapsed during the earthquake of 1975 and were partially removed, rebuilt from new bricks and concrete, others built from scratch. Historic building plans and styles are hardly observed. The construction of the ruling generals have mainly symbolic. They are the people demonstrate their piety and make their governance in line with the great rulers of Bagan period.

Nomination as a World Heritage Site

After the nomination of Bagan in June 2002 as a possible first World Heritage Site by UNESCO in Burma, the regime of the generals must also be seen in an international context. The UNESCO considers the begun and already completed work of protection of historic monuments very critical. Therefore, putting pressure on the authorities in Burma. An official government response to the critical voices from the United Nations, there were not so far. For the leaders in Pyinmana is in negotiations with the UN agency has a value in itself - regardless of their content. After years of foreclosure they can sell the domestic calls than successful diplomacy. Given the lack of cooperation from Burma's regime the goal of the United Nations to realize a historical monument by the UN guidelines in Burma seems short unenforceable. By becoming negotiations, however, the hope is, in the long term to achieve the preservation of this world heritage in Bagan.

Views

Sulamani Temple

The Ananda Temple

Buddha in Bhumisparshamudra: Gesture of Erdanrufung

Bagan at sunset

Market

Ruler of Bagan

Before 1044

According to Burmese chronicles:

  • Pyusawti (since 167)
  • Timinyi, son of Pyusawti (since 242)
  • Yimminpaik, son of Timinyi (since 299 )
  • Paikthili, son of Yimminpaik (since 324)
  • Thinlikyaung, son of Paikthili (since 344)
  • Kyaungdurit, son of Thinlikyaung (since 387)
  • Thihtan, son of Kyaungdurit (since 412)
  • 439-494 different usurpers
  • Tharamunhpya, great-grandson of Thihtan (since 494 )
  • Thaiktaing, son of Tharamunhpya (since 516)
  • Thinlikyaungnge, son of Thaiktaing (since 523 )
  • Thinlipaik, brother of Thinlikyaungnge (since 523 )
  • Hkanlaung, brother of Thinlikyaungnge (since 547)
  • Hkanlat, brother of Thinlikyaungnge (since 557 )
  • Htuntaik, son of Hkanlat (since 569 )
  • Htunpyit, son of Htuntaik (since 582 )
  • Htunchit, son of Htunpyit (since 598)
  • Popa Sawrahan, priest - usurper (since 613)
  • Onthi Shwe, son of Popa Sawrahan (since 640)
  • Peitthon, brother of Shwe Onthi (since 652 )
  • Ngahkwe, son of Peitthon (since 710)
  • Myinkywe, usurper (since 716)
  • Theinkha, royal blood (since 726 )
  • Theinsun, son of Theinkha (since 734)
  • Shwelaung, son of Theinsun (since 744)
  • Htunhtwin, son of Shwelaung (since 753 )
  • Shwemauk, son of Htunhtwin (since 762 )
  • Munlat, brother of Shwemauk (since 785)
  • Sawhkinhnit, son of Munlat (since 802)
  • Hkelu, son of Sawhkinhnit (since 829 )
  • Pyinbya, brother of Hkelu (since 846, founder of Bagan, 849 )
  • Tannet, son of Pyinbya (since 878 )
  • Sale Ngahkwe, usurper (since 906)
  • Nyaung- u Sawrahan, usurper (since 931)
  • Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu, Son of Nyaung- u Sawrahan (since 964 )
  • Kyiso, son of Kunhsaw Kyaunghpyu (since 986 )
  • Sokka - te, brother of Kyiso (since 992 )

The Bagan Dynasty

In brackets the year of accession to the throne

  • Anawrahta ( 1044 )
  • Sawlu, son of Anawrahta ( 1077 )
  • Kyanzittha, son of Anawrahta ( 1084 )
  • Alaungsithu, great-grandson of Kyanzittha ( 1113 )
  • Narathu, son of Alaungsithu ( 1167 )
  • Naratheinkha, son of Narathu ( 1170 )
  • Narapatisithu, brother of Naratheinkha ( 1173 )
  • Nantaungmya ( Htilominlo ), son of Narapatisithu (1210 )
  • Kyaswa, son of Nantaungmya ( 1234)
  • Uzana, son of Kyaswa (1250 )
  • Narathihapate ( Tarokpyemin ), son of Uzana ( 1254 )
  • Kyawswa, son of Narathihapate ( 1287 )
  • Sawhnit, son of Kyawswa ( 1298 )
  • Uzana, son of Sawhnit ( 1325 )
Mandalay Region Burmese language Kyansittha Bago, Burma Thai people Shan people Thatbyinnyu Temple Mount Meru Naypyidaw Nyaung-u Sawrahan
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