A report on the expedition to western Yunan viâ Bhamô / by John Anderson.

  • John Anderson
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A report on the expedition to western Yunan viâ Bhamô / by John Anderson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    59/502 (page 33)
    in China; had a conversation with Hoochung'tung; ^ the first minister of the empire; on the subject of the Shan Tsawbwas who had been sent as envoys in 1781; and of the danger to life and property that existed on the eastern frontier of^Yunan from robbers and escaped criminals; a description which is equally true of the country at the present day. The minister assented to the correctness of the ambassador's observations; and promised to exert himself to have these matters settled as speedily as pos- sible. The Shan Tsawbwas were ordered to be brought back from Kuan-toun in Tartary; and to be forwarded to Yunan; and a promise was given that when the Tsawbwa of Bhamo was found he would be surrendered. This embassy returned; after a journey of 12-3 dayS; by the Theinnee route; over which they had travelled to Pekin. In 1790; a Chinese embassy arrived in Burmah by the Bhamo and Muangwan route; accompanied by several officers of high rank; with presents; and three Chinese princesses for the king of Ava. These so-called princesses were natives of Malong; a town in Yunan; and from the circumstance that their feet were not deformed; after the custom in vogue with Chinese ladieS; ^ it is evident that they were women of low rank; and whom the Chinese had imposed upon the amorous propensities of the sun-descended king. ^ Two years after the arrival of this embassy; a Burmese mission was sent to Pekin; by BhamO; headed by the Tsawbwa of that district as chief am])assador. Gold plates (vessels of gold and silver) were among the presents sent for the acceptance of the emperor. Buchanan Hamilton ^ has given an account of this mission from materials derived from Colonel SymeS; who received them from the Bhamo chief. Bhamo is described as the capital of the ambassador's territory; and as one of the nine princi- palities of the Shanmas or Mrelap ShanS; the Koshanpyi of the Chinese. We read of embassies arriving at AmarapurU; from China; in 1795 and 1796; with presents from the emperor; and Colonel Burney suspects ^ Hoochungtmig was the chief minister during Lord Macartney’s embassy. Tlie above embassy appears to have been at Pekin during the formal introduction of Lord blacartney, for the Chinese informed Sir George Staunton that ambassadors from Pegu were present. 2 I was informed by a Panthay official of high rank at Momien, that the feet of tlic female children of domestic servants and slaves are never dwarfed, and I bad a practical illustration of the truth of bis statement in the natural feet of bis wives’ serving-maids. Colonel Burney mentions that this was not the only occasion on which that king bad been imposed upon, for women were also presented to him as daughters of a king of Ceylon and a king of Benares, loc. cit., p. 483. ^ Edin. Pliil. Journ., 1820, vo]. iii, p. 82, el seq.