Pho Hlaing

Pho Hlaing (, also spelt Hpo Hlaing) was a Burmese noble and civil servant, best known for his treatise, , which proposed sweeping reforms to transform Burma's monarchy into a constitutional monarchy and an early advocate of indigenous democracy. Pho Hlaing was an accomplished writer and wrote a number of important treatises throughout his lifetime, on politics, mathematics and Buddhist philosophy.

Names and titles

Pho Hlaing was known by a number of titles and names, including the Yaw Atwinwun , Shwepyi Atwinwun , Wetmasut Myoza , Magwe Myoza and posthumously called the Yaw Mingyi and Shwepyi Mingyi . Atwinwun is roughly analogous to 'Minister of the Interior', Myoza is roughly 'Duke', and Mingyi is a title reserved for the monarch or high-ranking ministers.

Early life

Pho Hlaing was born in 1830 in Ywapale, a small village in Myingyan District in Upper Burma to Thado Minhlakyawhtin (father) and Me Nyein (mother). His father, a royal official (the Lord of Yenangyaung and Minister of Yindaw) at the Konbaung court, had been a minister under King Tharrawaddy, but was killed during a Hluttaw session by the king for alleged disloyalty.

Despite Pho Hlaing's close relationship with Mindon (who treated him like a son) in 1871, Pho Hlaing was stripped of his offices as the Shwepyi Wun and Lord of Wetmasut and placed under house arrest, because he was accused of drinking alcohol (specifically beer) and claiming alcohol consumption was not a sin unless imbibed to the point of drunkenness. Consultation of a body Action by consensus Behaviour in accordance with the law Respect for the admonishments of superiors No oppression of women Respect for the rites of towns' and villages' spirit guardians Protection of the monkhood

Pho Hlaing's treatise essentially proposed a variety of major political and economic reforms to preserve Burmese sovereignty. These included transforming the kingdom's government system into a constitutional monarchy, whereby the king ruled indirectly by social contract, through a bicameral parliament that was represented by both the aristocracy and commoners, and the king had a cabinet of ministers. These proposals were influenced by England's system of government. The lottery was the brainchild of Pho Hlaing, who had played the French lottery in Paris. Following ongoing issues with the administration of the lottery, including conflicts of interest, decreased revenues, condemnation against gambling by Buddhist monks, the lottery was ended in 1880.

On 12 August 1883, (the sixth waning day of Wagaung 1235 ME), Pho Hlaing died at the age of 53. At his death, Pho Hlaing had the title Thado Mingyi Minhla Mahamingaung Thihathu.

Works Lilavati (1868) - Translation of an Indian geometric treatise Lipidipika (1869) Assabeda (1869) Saddasangaha (1869) Vimuttirasa or The Taste of Freedom (1871) - comparative religion Mahasamatavinicchaya or An Analysis of the Maha Thamata (1871) - a political treatise on social contract Kayanupassana or Contemplation of the Body (1875) - anatomy and Buddhist philosophy Ten Kinds of Vipassana Insight (1877) - Buddhist philosophy Rajadhammasanghaha (1878) - a treatise on constitutional monarchy Mahasujataka (1881) - a treatise on Burmese astrology