Pyu city-states

The Pyu city-states (Burmese: ပျူ မြို့ပြ နိုင်ငံများ [pjù mjo̼.pjɑ̼ nàɪɴŋàɴ mjá]) were a group of city-states that existed from about the 2nd century BCE to the mid-11th century in present-day Upper Myanmar. These city-states were founded by the Pyu people who migrated from Tibet to Mainland Southeast Asia. They were among the earliest known inhabitants of the region.

The major Pyu city-states were located in important farming areas such as the Mu River Valley, the Kyaukse plains, and the Minbu region. Five big walled cities—Beikthano, Maingmaw, Binnaka, Hanlin, and Sri Ksetra—and many smaller towns have been found. Sri Ksetra became the largest and most important city, twice the size of the earlier city of Halin.

The Pyu realm was an important stop on trade routes between China and India. Through trade, the Pyu people adopted ideas from India, including Buddhism, which shaped their culture and calendar. Their writing system may have influenced the Burmese script used today.

In the 9th century, invasions from the Kingdom of Nanzhao destroyed the Pyu city-states. The Bamar people then established a new town at Bagan. Over time, the Pyu people mixed with the Bamar and adopted their language and customs.

Background

Long ago, around 11,000 BCE, people lived in what is now Burma, close to the Irrawaddy River. They were among the first in the world to grow rice and raise animals like chickens and pigs. By 500 BCE, they began using iron and lived in settlements south of today’s Mandalay.

Later, around the 2nd century BCE, a group called the Pyu people came from areas near present-day Yunnan into the Irrawaddy River Valley. They were the first known people to live in this area and set up many towns and cities. These Pyu city-states spread from south to north, covering many districts and becoming important places in the region.

Archaeology

The Pyu people were among the first in Southeast Asia to use special writing systems called Brahmic scripts to write their language. They built cities of different sizes, often with walls and water tanks for protection and water supply.

Archaeologists have found evidence of 12 walled cities and many smaller settlements in important farming areas of old Burma, near the Mu River Valley, the Kyaukse plains, and the Minbu region. These cities existed at the same time as other early kingdoms like the Kingdom of Funan in Cambodia, Champa in southern Vietnam, Dvaravati in Thailand, and Srivijaya in southeast Sumatra. These cities were early examples that led to the growth of bigger kingdoms in Southeast Asia later on.

Decline of Pyu city-states

The Pyu city-states lasted for nearly a thousand years until the early 9th century. During this time, a new group of people called the Burmans, from the Nanzhao Kingdom, entered the area through several raids. These raids weakened the Pyu states, allowing the Burmans to move into Pyu lands.

Although many Pyu people were taken away, the Pyu culture did not vanish overnight. The Burmans gradually took over, and by the late 10th century, they had become the leaders of the region. Eventually, they founded the Pagan Empire in the middle of the 11th century. The Pyu people left a lasting influence, and their history became part of the new empire's stories. Over time, the Pyu were absorbed into the Burman culture and faded from history.

City-states

Five of the largest Pyu city-states that have been found are Beikthano, Maingmaw, Binnaka, Halin, and Sri Ksetra.

Beikthano

Main article: Beikthano

Beikthano is the oldest city that has been found and studied. It was built around 200 BCE to 100 CE. The city had thick walls and was named after an old god. Inside the walls, people found temples and homes.

Maingmaw

Maingmaw was a big round city with two walls inside. People found many old pieces of jewellery and coins there.

Binnaka

Main article: Binnaka

Binnaka looked much like Maingmaw. People found special stones, pots, and coins in this city too.

Halin

Main article: Hanlin, Burma

Halin was one of the biggest Pyu cities. It had many gates and a river running through it. The way Halin was built influenced later cities.

Sri Ksetra

Main article: Sri Ksetra Kingdom

Sri Ksetra was the last big Pyu city. It was very large and had a palace in the middle. The city was important for trade between China and India.

Tagaung

See also: Tagaung Kingdom

Tagaung was a smaller but important Pyu site. Some believe it was the first home of the Burmese people.

Pinle

The city called Pinle Pyu was said to be near the sea. Some think ruins near Ingapu might be Pinle Pyu, but more work is needed to be sure.

Smaller settlements

The New History of the Tang tells us that the kingdom of Mi-ch'en sent a message to China in the year 805 and was later attacked by Nanchao in 835.

Archaeologists have found many Pyu settlements in Upper Burma, in places like Myinmu Township near where the Mu river begins. One important place is Ayadawkye Ywa in the Mu valley, west of Halin. Further south in Myingyan Township, west of Maingmaw, there is a site called Wati, which was once a circular walled city.

There were also Pyu settlements in Lower Burma that might have been missed by old records. The Sagara (Thagara) site in Dawei is one example. In 2001, digging there found many items like clay pots in rice fields near the walled area. Nearby, the Mokti site also had similar items. The temple in Sagara and small plates found at Mokti show Pyu culture, but other items show influences from many different cultures.

Economy

The Pyu city-states made their money from farming and trading. They grew rice in special areas where water could be controlled, helping them produce plenty of food. These areas were close to important rivers, which made travel and trade easier.

The Pyu were also good traders. They connected China and India through both land and sea routes. Their cities had ports where ships could stop, and they traded with places far away, from India to places as far as Java and even Vietnam. They even sent gifts and musicians to the Chinese court. The Pyu made and used special silver coins, which were important for trade and may have also been used as charms. These coins influenced money used in Southeast Asia for many years.

Culture

Religion

The culture of the Pyu city-states was heavily shaped by India. Many of their cities had names from Pali or Sanskrit, showing strong Indian influence. By the 4th century, most Pyu people followed Theravada Buddhism, a school of Buddhism that likely came from southeast India. However, they also practiced other forms of Buddhism, Hinduism, and kept some of their older traditions.

Archaeological discoveries show that the Pyu also followed Tantric Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, and Hinduism. They honored figures like Avalokiteśvara, Tara, and Vaiśravaṇa. The Pyu people were known for their peaceful ways, often choosing not to fight, and many young boys joined monastic life between the ages of seven and twenty.

Language and script

Main articles: Pyu language (Burma) and Pyu script

The Pyu language was part of the Tibeto-Burman language family, related to Old Burmese. They used Sanskrit and Pali for important writings, along with their own Pyu script. Some believe the Pyu script may have helped create the Burmese script used today. Many different Indian scripts have been found at Pyu sites.

Calendar

The Pyu also brought knowledge of science and astronomy from India. They used a Buddhist calendar. Two main calendars were used: the Sakra Era, starting in 80 CE, and another calendar beginning on March 22, 638, which later became the Burmese calendar still used in Myanmar today.

Architecture

The Pyu people built many important structures that shaped later Burmese architecture. They created dams, canals, and weirs, which helped manage water for farming. Their city plans were a mix of local styles and ideas from India, with circular inner designs and square or rectangle outer walls.

The Pyu also built many Buddhist stupas and temples, influenced by styles from India. Their temple designs later inspired important Burmese temples, including some in the Pagan era and even the famous Shwedagon stupa in Yangon today.

Demography

The Pyu city-states were mainly home to the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu people. They are thought to have moved from areas now known as Qinghai and Gansu provinces in north-central China, passing through Yunnan. Their cities also attracted many people from India and the Mon people, especially in southern areas. Some Burmans may have arrived from Yunnan as early as the 7th century, but most came later, around the 9th to 10th centuries.

The Pyu cities likely had populations of a few hundred thousand people. This estimate is based on the fact that Burma in the 1700s and 1800s, which was about the same size as modern-day Myanmar, had around 2 million people.

Administration

The Pyu city-states were led by independent leaders who later called themselves kings. They set up courts inspired by Indian ideas of kingship, but they did not follow all Indian customs because they practiced Theravada Buddhism. It is unclear if larger cities had control over smaller towns. Records show that some cities, like Beikthano and Sri Ksetra, formed alliances. Each city-state mostly managed its own area.

The Pyu cities were very large, ranging from 660 to 1400 hectares, much bigger than the later Pagan city which was only 140 hectares. This shows that many people lived inside the city walls. Archaeological findings in Pagan have found Pyu items from many settlements, dating back to the first millennium, until around 1100 C.E. when the cities began to change and spread beyond their walls.

Current status of the finds

Most of the Pyu sites, except for Sri Ksetra and Beikthano, have not been dug up much. The Ministry of Culture looks after these sites. In November 2011, plans were made to build a museum at Sri Ksetra. The team worked with UNESCO to get these cities recognized as important places around the world. In 2014, Sri Ksetra, Beikthano, and Halin were officially named World Heritage Sites.