A Burmese wonderland; a tale of travel in Lower and ... - Khamkoo

158 A BURMESE WONDERLAND.
records the extent of the Burmese Kingdom of
those days, and includes, besides Burma proper,—Zimme,
the Shan States of Yawnghwe, Mone, and Keng Tung,
and Taungthut
*****
in Chindwin. The Burmese called
attention to this stone when Taungthut came imder
discussion at the Treaty of Yandabo.
The seductive lines of the Ok Kyaung at Ava invite
another landing. The Ok Kyaung, as its name implies,
is a brick monastery—a thing in itself somewhat rare.
It is also a wooden type produced in brick, and in this
style the Burmese excel. The monument is a perfect
marvel of graceful curves, up-thrown gables, and
splendid stairs. Of its kind, it is one of the most
beautiful gems in Burma. This exquisite monastery was
built in 1818-19 by Nan-madaw Menu, the fierce queen
of Ba-gyi-daw, and restored after the earthquake of
1838-39 by her even more sinister daughter Hsin-bynma-shin
who perpetrated the Mandalay massacre.
Hsin-byu-ma-shin was the mother of Supayalat, and
mother-in-law of Thibaw.
Ava was founded in 1364 during the confused
period of Shan principaUties, but was soon abandoned. It
again became the capital in 1636, whenThado Dhamma
Yaza built the Kaung Hmu Daw Pagoda at Sagaing to
commemorate the event.i In 1760, after Alaungpra's
death, the succession of Naung-daw-gyi was disputed
bv one of the late King's generals, Nuttoon, who was
Upper Burma Gazetteer, Part II. Vol. I, Page 339.