Khin Myo Chit (, ; 1 May 1915 – 2 January 1999) was a
Burmese author and journalist, whose career spanned over four decades. She began her career writing short stories in Burmese for ''Dagon Magazine'' in 1934.
She worked on the editorial staff of ''The Burma Journal'' during anti-colonial movements. After the war, Khin Myo Chit wrote for ''
The Oway'', a Burmese newspaper.
Her birth name was Khin Mya.
She was given her
pen name
A pen name or nom-de-plume is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name.
A pen name may be used to make the author's na ...
in 1932 or 1933 when she translated
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...
's "
The Lay of the Last Minstrel" for a university magazine.
She signed the translation "A Patriotic Lady" (in English), and her editor translated the attribution as "Khin Myo Chit".
National activism
She started her work in Burmese culture, literature and politics in the
1300 Movement. She acted as deputy head of the Women's Front of the 1300 Movement which demanded self-rule at the
Shwedagon Pagoda
The Shwedagon Pagoda (, ; ), officially named ''Shwedagon Zedi Daw'' (, , ), and also known as the Great Dagon Pagoda and the Golden Pagoda, is a gilded stupa located in Yangon, Myanmar.
The Shwedagon is the most sacred Buddhist pagoda in Myanma ...
in
Rangoon
Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...
(now Yangon) on 29 January 1939.
Starting from that moment, she adopted the name, Khin Myo Chit.
Journalism
After the 1300 Movement, Khin Myo Chit started writing in many patriotic Burmese papers, including the ''
Deedoke Journal''.
She graduated from the
University of Rangoon
The University of Yangon (also Yangon University; , ; formerly Rangoon College, University of Rangoon and Rangoon Arts and Sciences University), located in Kamayut, Yangon, is the oldest university in Myanmar's modern education system and the b ...
in 1952, and served as an editor for ''The Guardian Daily'', when she began writing short stories and articles in English.
Her story, "
The 13-carat Diamond", which appeared first in ''The Guardian Daily'', was featured in ''Fifty Great Oriental Stories'', published by
Bantam Classics. Other stories, including "Her Infinite Variety" and "The Four Puppets", won acclaim in Asia. During her career, Khin Myo Chit wrote many English publications, including a historical novel on
King Anawrahta.
Khin Myo Chit also served as an editor in the ''Working People's Daily'', voicing her political opinions and also her nationalistic spirit.
She also wrote many books on Burmese culture – such as the ''Wonderland of Burmese Legends'', where she documented famous myths, legends and folktales of Myanmar, and the Colourful Burma series.
Death
Khin Myo Chit died on 2 January 1999 at her home in
Yangon
Yangon, formerly romanized as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar. Yangon was the List of capitals of Myanmar, capital of Myanmar until 2005 and served as such until 2006, when the State Peace and Dev ...
. Her son,
Khin Maung Win and daughter-in-law Tekkatho Shwe Yi Win are Burmese writers.
Literary career
*1932 – "Patriotism" (a poem that earned her pen name)
*1936 – ''College Girl'' (a novelette for serialization in ''The Sun'' a daily paper.)
*1945 – Three years under the Japs.
*1955 – "13 Carat Diamond" (short story published in ''The Guardian'' magazine, later included in ''50 Great Oriental Stories'' in Bantam Classics.)
*1963 to 1968 – ''Heroes of Old Burma'' and ''Quest for Peace'' (an autobiography) (Both serialized in ''The Working People's Daily''.)
*1969 – ''13 Carat Diamond and Other Stories''
*1970 – "Her Infinite Variety" (a prize-winning short in the ''Horizon'' magazine short story competition.). "The Four Puppets" (included in ''Folk Tales of Asia'' by UNESCO). Anawrahta of Burma(Myanmar) (Publication of ''Heroes of Old Burma'' (Myanmar), which was later re-printed under the titles 'Anawrahta' and 'King Among Men'.)
*1976 – ''Colourful Burma'' (a practical and poetic guide for the visitor who wants something better than a tourist view of Myanmar, later reprinted under the title 'Colourful Myanmar'.
*1977 – ''Burmese Scenes and Sketches''
*1980 – Flowers and Festivals Round the Burmese Year: Kyaikhtiyo (a short history of Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, published in the ''Asia Magazine''.)
*1981 – "A Pagoda Where Fairy Tale Characters Come to Life" (a tale-like description of Melamu Pagoda in the outskirts of Yangon, published in the ''Asia Magazine''.)
*1984 – ''A Wonderland of Burmese Legends'' (published by the Tamarind Press in Bangkok later reprinted in Myanmar under the title ''A Wonderland of Pagoda Legends''
*1995 – Gift of Laughter (on the picturesque speech of the people of Hladaw, a village in Central Myanmar, selections of which have been published in the ''Pyinsa Rupa'' magazine.)
*2005 – ''Stories and Sketches of Myanmar''
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
University of Yangon alumni
Burmese writers
1915 births
1999 deaths
People from Sagaing Region
20th-century Burmese women writers
20th-century Burmese writers