Hsipaw

This article is about the town. For the present-day administrative division, see Hsipaw Township. For the former state, see Hsipaw State.

Hsipaw သီပေါမြို့ Thibaw
Hsipaw
Country	Burma
Division	Shan State
Population  (2005)
• Religions	Buddhism
Time zone	UTC+6.30 (MST)

Hsipaw (Burmese: သီပေါ; Shan: သီႇပေႃႉ; also known as Thibaw), is the principal town of Hsipaw Township in Shan State, Myanmar on the riverbank of DuthawadiRiver. It is 200 km (124 mi) north-east of Mandalay.

Shan Saopha

Main article: Hsipaw State

Hsipaw State was perhaps one of the most well known and powerful saopha Shan States. According to the biography of Sao Nang Hearn Hkam (the chief wife, Madhidevi of Sao Shwe Thaik, the first president of Myanmar and another saopha of Hsenwi), Hsipaw, along with Kengtung and Yawnghwe were the wealthiest and most powerful saopha states in Shan State.

The Saophas played fluctuating roles in regional Shan and national Burmese politics from the 11th century all the way until the 1962 military coup by General Ne Win.

Hsipaw is famous for the Bowgoy Pagoda, situated in Bowgoy Village about 6 miles far from Hsipaw.

Princes of Hsipaw

• Sao Hswe Kya (1788–1809)
• Sao Hkun Hkwi (1809–1843)
• Sao Hkun Paw (1843–1853)
• Sao Kya Htun (1853–1866)
• Sao Kya Hkeng (1866–1881)
• interregnum (1881–1886)
• Sao Hkun Saing (1886–1902)
• (Sir) Sao Khe (1902–1928)
• Sao On Kya (1928–1938)
• Sao Kya Hseng (1947–1959)
• Sao kon kyar(-)

External links

• Hsipaw travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Scott, James George (1911). "Thibaw" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 846–847.
• Viaja por libre. Hiking in Hsipaw (Spanish)

Gallery

• 
  Local houses
• 
  Locals maintaining a bridge
• 
  The village primary school