The Chiefdom of Kokang (), ruled by the

Yang Yang may refer to: * Yang, in yin and yang, one half of the two symbolic polarities in Chinese philosophy * Korean yang, former unit of currency of Korea from 1892 to 1902 * YANG, a data modeling language for the NETCONF network configuration pr ...

clan from China, was an autonomous ''

Tusi ''Tusi'', often translated as "headmen" or "chieftains", were hereditary tribal leaders recognized as imperial officials by the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties of China, and the Later Lê and Nguyễn dynasties of Vietnam. They ruled certain et ...

'' chiefdom located in modern-day

Kokang Kokang ( my, ကိုးကန့်; ) is a region in Myanmar (Burma). It is located in the northern part of Shan State, with the Salween River to its west, and sharing a border with China's Yunnan Province to the east. Its total land area i ...

Shan State Shan State ( my, ရှမ်းပြည်နယ်, ; shn, မိူင်းတႆး, italics=no) also known by the Endonym and exonym, endonyms Shanland, Muang Tai, and Tailong, is a administrative divisions of Myanmar, state of Myanmar. ...

, Myanmar.

History

The state was officially founded by Yang Shien-tsai (楊獻才/杨献才, Yáng Xiàncái); who began his reign in 1739 in and around Ta Shwe Htan, then called Xingdahu (興達戶/兴达户, Xīng Dáhù), and took the title "Chief of Xingdahu". He was succeeded upon his death in 1758 by his son Yang Weixing (楊維興/杨维兴), later referred to as Chief of Kho Kan Shan (科干山, Kēgàn Shān). He expanded his territory tenfold compared to that inherited from his predecessor. After his death in 1795, his son Yang You Gen (楊有根/杨有根, Yáng Yǒugēn) became the chief. He soon renamed the state as Kokang and titled himself Heng of Kokang. In 1840, Yang Guohua (楊國華) was given the title "the Hereditable Magistrate of Guogan (Kokang) County (世襲果敢縣令)" by the Chinese

Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaki ...

dynasty. The Heng was succeeded after his death in 1874 by his younger brother Yang Guozheng (楊國正/杨国正), who ruled peacefully and began relations with

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

upon the

annexation Annexation (Latin ''ad'', to, and ''nexus'', joining), in international law, is the forcible acquisition of one state's territory by another state, usually following military occupation of the territory. It is generally held to be an illegal act ...

Upper Burma Upper Myanmar ( my, အထက်မြန်မာပြည်, also called Upper Burma) is a geographic region of Myanmar, traditionally encompassing Mandalay and its periphery (modern Mandalay, Sagaing, Magway Regions), or more broadly speak ...

. In 1916 he went blind, and abdicated in favor of his nephew Yang Chunrong (楊春榮/杨春荣, Yáng Chūnróng). The new ruler then took the Burmese title "

Myosa Myoza or Myosa ( my, မြို့စား}) is a high-ranking royal title and position for Burmese royalty and nobility. History The monarch had all the power to control everything in the kingdom. Below the monarch rank, minor queens, princes, ...

" (lit. town eat, given to a prince). He died in 1927 and was succeeded by his son Colonel Sao Yang Wen Ping (楊文炳/杨文炳, Yáng Wénbǐng), Saopha of Kokang.https://www.360kuai.com/pc/9ac8ded1d1d064187?cota=3&kuai_so=1&sign=360_7bc3b157, 21 July 2020

Rulers

* 1739–1758: Yang Shien Tsai (Cai) (b. 1685 – d. 1758) * 1758–1795: Yang Wei Shin (Xing) (d. 1795)

Title Heng

After China relinquished jurisdiction on 4 February 1897, Kokang came under British protection. * 1795–1840: Yang Yon Gen (b. 1770 – d. 1840) * 1840–1874: Yang Guo Hwa (b. 1814 – d. 1874) * 1874–1916: Yang Guo Zhen (Hkun Lu Kwan) (b. 1840 – d. 1919

Title Myosa

* 1916–17 Jan 1927: Yang Chun Yon (Yang Shwin Yong Tzu Ye) (b. 1878 – d. 1927) * 17 Jan 1927–1943: Sao Yang Wen Pi (1st term) (b. 1897 – d. 1949) (deposed by the

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...

in 1943; in exile from 1944 until Oct 1945) * Oct 1945–25 Aug 1947: Sao Yang Wen Pi (2nd term)

Title Saopha

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Kokang was recognized as separate from

in August 1947 by the British, and the ruler took the title

Saopha Chao-Pha (; Ahom language, Tai Ahom: 𑜋𑜧𑜨 𑜇𑜡, th, เจ้าฟ้า}, shn, ၸဝ်ႈၾႃႉ, translit=Jao3 Fa5 Jao3 Fa5, my, စော်ဘွား ''Sawbwa,'' ) was a royal title used by the hereditary rulers of the T ...

. He died in 1949 and was succeeded by his son Sao Edward Yang Kyein Tsai (楊振材/杨振材, Yáng Zhèncái) who was deposed by the Burmese in 1959. Before that it is part Hsenwi

territory. * 25 Aug 1947–1949: Sao Yang Wen Pi * 1949–17 May 1959: Sao Edward Yang Kyein Tsai (b. 1918 – d. 1971)

History

Rulers

Title Heng

Title Myosa

Title Saopha

References

Further reading