The Survival Politics of Three Tai Nüa Polities in the Upper Mekong Basin During the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: A Study of Relations Between Mainland Southeast Asia and China

Abstract

This study constitutes a scholarly addition to the historical understanding of three Tai Nüa (alternatively known as Tai Noe) groups residing in the border region separating the mainland of Southeast Asia from southwestern China. The Tai Nüa, similar to the Thai and Lao, are part of the south-western group within the extensive Tai-Kadai language family. Their habitation is spread throughout the Malay Peninsula, southern China, northern Vietnam, and northeast India. Presently, the Tai Nüa predominantly reside in the remote southwestern region of the Chinese province of Yunnan, as well as in adjacent territories in Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos.

Starting in the late 14th century, the Tai Nüa, also known as the “Chinese Shan” in literature, relocated from their original region of Moeng Mao (now Dehong Prefecture) to southern areas. They established smaller communities like Moeng Laem, Küng Ma, and Moeng Bò, which were greatly influenced by other Tai communities such as Sipsòng Panna (Tai Lü), Chiang Tung (Tai Khün), and Lan Na (Tai Yuan). The utilization of the Dhamma script, originating from northern Thailand, for Buddhist writings was indicative of this phenomenon.

This research investigates the historical, social, and cultural evolution of the three Tai Nüa communities mentioned above. It focuses on indigenous Tai and Chinese sources to analyze their interactions with one another and with neighboring Tai states, as well as the significant regional powers China and Burma (Myanmar). In the case of Moeng Laem, there was a temporary exercise of dual supremacy, characterized by overlapping sovereignties. Since the early 18th century, Moeng Bò (Jinggu), the northernmost region, has been politically and culturally connected to the Chinese heartland as a result of the territorial expansion of the Qing dynasty. Moeng Laem's integration into the Chinese Empire, however, can only be attributed to the division between Yunnan and Burma in 1894. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that Küng Ma (Gengma) had established strong connections with Chinese dynasties prior to the transfer of this region to China as stipulated in the Anglo-Chinese boundary agreement of 1894.

In recent decades, there has been a notable emphasis on Western, Chinese, and Thai studies on the Tai areas of Dehong and Sipsòng Panna. However, there has been a noticeable lack of attention given to the three Tai Nüa villages that are the focal point of this dissertation. Hence, a key inquiry to be examined in this thesis pertains to the strategies employed by the Tai Nüa to sustain its autonomy as a political entity within the intricate political landscape influenced by the prevailing neighboring major powers of Burma and China throughout the pre-modern era. The objective of this study is to offer a thorough examination of the historical progression and interconnectedness between Burma and China throughout the 18th and 19th century. It is important to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics between the Tai Nüa polities, the powers on the Southeast Asian mainland, and the Chinese dynasties in order to effectively evaluate their interconnections. Examining the subsequent historical progression of the three Tai polities offers valuable perspectives on the establishment of contemporary political demarcations between Southwest China and Mainland Southeast Asia.