The Ohngpong (Hsipaw) Chronicle takes on particular significance in the history of the Tai. The first author, a native of Narphan, was Lung Kham Htun. He wrote it in a two-rhyme (kwam-songkiu) prosody style by using the old Tai (Shan) script. And then a famous poet laureate named Lung Kalinda, who had much experience in teaching the Tai language and who was a member of the Executive Committee of the Hohsoe (“head of the tiger”) Tai Language Text Books, rewrote the chronicle in the written system of the three-rhyme (kwam-samkiu-khoe) prosody style by using the old Tai script. This second script was sponsored by Lung Pwe-azr-lu and Pa Mwe-sar, who were hoping to foster a renaissance period of Tai literature.

In order to make research work easier and to better assist the accumulation of knowledge, the Tai Literary and Culture Centre has transcribed the old Tai script into the modern Tai script. The latter has more definite accents and is easier for researchers to understand. During the transcription of the written work, the historian Lung Tum Kaen also kindly shared some of his knowledge for members the Tai family and classical scholars who would like to gain valuable knowledge and wisdom.

Our center also truly believes that this book is a good document for providing historical evidence about the Tai becoming the ruling class of a large empire and for sharing the knowledge accumulated a thousand years ago.

We are very grateful to Dr. Anatole – Roger PELTIER, who kindly gave his permission to use his computer and fonts. Special thanks are also due to Nang Mya and family (familie HTANG) in Hamburg, Germany, who financially supported the publication of this first volume. For the high quality of this book we also thank the Yodtai family who gave us valuable suggestions and help in various ways, serving as our best colleagues. We also thank Steve Stevens for editing the English version of this Preface.

For the benefit of many researchers who may be interested, the centre has attached the Chart of Transliteration Rules for Tai (Shan), Tai Mao, Thai, Lao, and English Roman letters, including International Phonetic Symbols.

In regard to the revival of Tai culture, the revival of the Tai language is the most important element, because if a language is revived, almost all of the symbols, ideas, ideologies, beliefs, and concepts of a nation are revived too. The ancient language is a record of the concepts and the archetypes of a nation. Between the people of the same nation or the same state, language is the common medium of communication. “Old is gold, but gold can never be old.”

Hsipaw was noted for beautiful ladies who attained high literary standards, so the most famous saying that was handed down through generations by word-of-mouth is “Mah lee mah Hsaenwee, Hsao lee hsao Hsipaw” (The best quality horses are natives of Hsaenwee, and the most outstanding virgins are natives of Hsipaw).

In the Tai United Kingdom, there were nine Kingdoms—Moeng Kong, Moeng Yarng, Moeng Kart Lue, Moeng Mit, Moeng Hsenwi, Moeng Ohngpong (Hsipaw), Moeng Yong Hoi, Moeng Nai, and Moeng Pai. Additionally, there was the “Great City” (Capital) Tse Hsaeng, also known as Hsaen Tse Moeng Mao (Moeng Mao Metropolis), which the British called Pong State. This was a direct transliteration from the Burmese. The kings of each of the kingdoms were all related.

If we study about the Tai United Kingdom, we will be better able to reach the roots and origins of the large Tai empire, along with its literature, culture, and society.

The Tai Ahom migrated from the Tai United Kingdom (Mao Long Kingdom) and established the Ahom Kingdom from 1228 to 1826 A.D. Therefore, it is obvious that Tai people from the Tai United Kingdom and the Ahom Kingdom are from the same Tai family.