Shwe Yan Pya Pagoda

Located on the northwestern shore of Inle Lake in southern Shan State, Nyaungshwe lies at 20°39'34.20" N latitude and 96°56'03.28" E longitude.

From 721 ME to 1321 ME, for about 600 years, Nyaungshwe was ruled successively by 33 Shan Sawbwas, beginning with Sawbwa Si Hsai Fa (Si Sein Fa) and ending with Sawbwa Shwe Taik.

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Historical Records Donated

On 10 February 1887, the British arrived and stationed troops at Nyaungshwe. When the pagoda was built at the location where the first British officer to enter Shan State, A.H. Helderbrant, met with local leaders, the pagoda was named Khan Tat Stupa.

According to the Shwe Yan Pyay Pagoda inscription:

Foundation of the pagoda: 5th waxing of Waso, 1250 ME (12 June 1888, Tuesday)

Raising of the hti (umbrella): 5th day after Nattaw full moon (22 December 1888, Tuesday)

During 1250 ME (1888–1889), the Nyaungshwe Sawbwa donated land and founded the Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery and the Maha Yana compound. He also donated lands to the Thingyi Kyaung and Taw Ya Monasteries, installing stone boundary markers.

To construct the pagoda, on 14 September 1888, master builders Nga Thwar and Pane Yan Khaung Bo U were given:

100,000 bricks

400 baskets of lime

400 baskets of sand

800 viss of iron nails

100 viss of buffalo glue

30 roofing beams

30 bags of palm fiber

30 bags of thatch

Items purchased from Mandalay for the pagoda and monasteries included:

The Three Pitakas and 700 white marble Buddha images, costing about 7,000 kyats.

The pagoda is in the bell-shaped style, built on a 12-square-foot base with a height of 58 feet. On the northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest sides are four large ceremonial halls. On the east stands another pavilion on a 27-square-foot platform. These halls are interconnected by roofed walkways.

Inside these halls are beautifully crafted glass mosaic and gilded mural paintings, still visible today.

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Mural Art of the Yadanabon Period

From the Bagan era onwards, Myanmar mural paintings typically depict Buddhist Jatakas, commentaries, and religious themes.

After Bagan’s fall, early Innwa-period paintings began to show more Myanmar cultural and social elements.

By early Konbaung, murals included more depictions of everyday life.

The late Konbaung (Yadanabon) period, around the early 19th century, saw a flourishing of new artistic styles.

At Nyaungshwe, the murals discovered feature:

Various ethnic groups

Figures painted on red lacquer background

Designs outlined with golden glass mosaic

Colored in red, blue, green, and white glass tesserae

Behind the glass mosaics, mine-kine paper was placed before applying pigment. Thus, these murals represent not only Yadanabon painting but also the advanced Burmese glass mosaic craftsmanship.

At the eastern hall, a scene from the Royal Palace is depicted, accompanied by Burmese captions.

This mural includes Karen men and women in traditional dress.

Below them are Shan soldiers holding rifles and swords.

Exquisite Kinnara and Kinnari figures are also present.

At the north office room, a lady with loose hair holding a pipe, dressed in Yadanabon-style attire, is seen.

Beside the Kinnari panel, figures of princes and princesses appear.

On the east wing’s northern wall, at the top, are Zawgyi wizards joyfully dancing with maidens.

Below are:

Cavalry warriors

Indian (Kala) traders

Musicians with long drums

Conch shell blowers

Brahmins

Kinnara figures

Further down, numerous bird species are painted to show joyful wildlife near the forest behind the scene of the Buddha’s Parinibbana.

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Depictions of the Buddha’s Passing

On the eastern wing’s southern wall:

The Parinibbana (Buddha’s passing)

The distribution of the holy relics

Birds of many species expressing lamentation

On the north wing’s western wall:

The Buddha lying in Parinibbana above the five-layered casket

On the west wing’s southern wall:

The Buddha within a stone chamber after passing

Above: deer, monkeys, and birds mourning

Below: foreign visitors in different national costumes, including Chinese figures

At the southern entrance: the monk Shin Upagutta

Other scenes include:

The torments of hell

The alms-round arrival with the young boy Thigyar Lulin at the city gate

The Mae Wunna ogress and Zawgyi legends

Some mosaics have fallen off due to age, making certain scenes hard to interpret completely.

Nonetheless, the Shwe Yan Pyay murals clearly depict the social and religious life of Yadanabon-era Nyaungshwe.

The uppermost level of the murals shows the Buddhist canonical stories, while the lower sections show other cultural and social depictions.

Thus, the Shwe Yan Pyay murals are rare, ancient examples of Myanmar glass mosaic mural art, featuring ethnic representations typical of the Yadanabon period.

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Conservation Issues

Since the time of King Thibaw, until today—153 years later—the Shwe Yan Pyay murals have deteriorated significantly due to:

Lack of conservation

Vibrations from nearby heavy vehicles traveling on the Nyaungshwe–Shwe Nyaung road

Improper handling by local and foreign visitors

Therefore, it is essential to highlight the artistic value of these ancient glass mosaic murals so they may be preserved for future generations.

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References

1. Thar Oo (Shan State) – Mountain and Lake Literature

2. Than Tun – Shwe Yan Pyay Stupa (1888) and the Monastery (1890): Original Restoration Records

3. Amat Htauk U Nyin – Maing Yaung Hso (Nyaungshwe) Royal Chronicle (1847–1926)

Source: Myanmar Digital News

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Man Thit Nyin (Ancient Research)