The Nan-chao kingdom during the Tang dynasty was not ruled by Shan/Tai people. The ruling class spoke a Tibeto-Burmese language as can be deduced from the way the Nan-chao Kings were named during that period. The last part of the name of the father becomes the first part of the name of the son. Pi-Lo-Ko, Ko-Lo-Fng. (see reference book by Backus). This custom was also used in the names of the first few kings of the pagan dynasty. Yin-Min-Peik, Peik-Thein Le, Thein-Le-Kyaung, Kyaung-Du-Rit ... (I believe this is not mere coincidence) Pi-Lo-Ko, Ko-Lo-Fng. (see reference book by Backus). The Nan-chao people are related to the Bai and the Yi people of present day Yunnan, who speak a Tibeto-Burmese language. In my opinion, the Pyu's were not sacked by the Shans, but probably by the forerunners of the Burmese and that would fit in very well with the natural "place" for the first five or so "legendary" kings of the Pagan dynasty. Of course some of the soldiers in the Nan-chao could have been Shan/Tai but the main ethnic group spoke Tibeto-Burmese. (By the way one should spell Nan-chao or Nanzhao, not Nancho)

Reference: Backus, C. The Nan-chao Kingdom and T'ang China's China's Southwestern Frontier, Cambridge, 1981, ISBN 0-521-22733-X.

Tocharian (talk) 03:49, 1 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]


Exaggerated and outdated facts

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