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Theippan Maung Wa ( ; 5 June 1899 – 6 June 1942) was a Burmese writer, and one of the pioneers of the '' Hkit San''
literary movement Literary movements are a way to divide literature into categories of similar philosophical, topical, or aesthetic features, as opposed to divisions by genre or period. Like other categorizations, literary movements provide language for comparing ...
. The movement searched for a new style and content in
Burmese literature The literature of Myanmar () spans over a millennium. The Burmese language, unlike other Southeast Asian languages (e.g. Thai, Khmer), adopted words primarily from Pāli rather than from Sanskrit. In addition, Burmese literature tends to re ...
before the Second World War starting with ''Hkit san ponbyin'' (''Experimental Tales'', 1934, 1938).


Early works

He started writing newspaper articles whilst still in high school assuming the pen name Waziya Tint. In 1919, he graduated from the
Maha Buddhaghosa High School Basic Education High School No. 9 Mawlamyaing (; commonly known by its original name, Shin Maha Buddhaghosa National School () is located on Pabedan Street, in Mawlamyaing, Mon State. Founded by the Sāsanādhāra Society in 1899 during the Brit ...
with distinctions in Burmese and Pali literature. Soon after he began his studies in
Rangoon College 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 1920, the first university
student strike Campus protest or student protest is a form of student activism that takes the form of protest at university campuses. Such protests encompass a wide range of activities that indicate student dissatisfaction with a given political or academi ...
in the history of Burma broke out, and he left university to teach at the first of the National Schools that came into being, as an act of defiance against the colonial education system, until 1923. Sein Tin resumed his studies later and graduated
B.A. A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...
Hons. with distinctions in
Burmese Burmese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia * Burmese people * Burmese language * Burmese alphabet * Burmese cuisine * Burmese culture Animals * Burmese cat * Burmese chicken * Burmese (horse), a ...
in 1927, the first student in Burmese history to do so. Theippan Kyaungtha Maung Mya Thwin (Science Student Maung Mya Thwin) was the pen name he used in the Campus magazine and in the ''
Ganda Lawka ''Ganda Lawka'' (, , lit. "World of Books") was a Burmese language monthly magazine published by the Burma Education Extension Association. The magazine was a sister publication of '' The World of Books'', the English language monthly started by ...
'' magazine established by
J S Furnivall John Sydenham Furnivall (often cited as JS Furnivall or J.S. Furnivall) was a British-born colonial public servant and writer in Burma. He is credited with coining the concept of the plural society and had a noted career as an influential histor ...
where the '' Hkit San'' movement joined by such writers as Zawgyi and
Min Thu Wun Thiri Pyanchi Min Thu Wun (; 10 February 1909 – 15 August 2004) was a Burmese poet, writer and scholar who helped launch a new age literary movement called Khit-San (Testing the Times) in Burma. He is the father of Htin Kyaw, president of M ...
began to take shape. He then started to write under the name ''Theippan Maung Wa'' in the ''
Dagon Dagon or Dagan (; ) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria, across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attestations of his cult come from cities such as Mari and Emar as well. In settl ...
'' magazine published by ''Ledi Pandita'' U Maung Gyi and the '' Kyipwayay'' (Growth) magazine published by U Hla; both of these became a platform for the ''Hkit San'' movement. He also wrote plays in the Kyipwayay assuming a woman's name, ''Tint Tint'', besides literary critiques and other articles.


Civil servant and writer

Sein Tin went on to Christ Church of
Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...
to study for the
Indian Civil Service The Indian Civil Service (ICS), officially known as the Imperial Civil Service, was the higher civil service of the British Empire in India during British Raj, British rule in the period between 1858 and 1947. Its members ruled over more than 3 ...
exam and on his return from Britain in 1929, served as a district officer in rural Burma during the
colonial period Colonial period (a period in a country's history where it was subject to management by a colonial power) may refer to: Continents *European colonization of the Americas *Colonisation of Africa * Western imperialism in Asia Countries * Coloni ...
. He wrote a series of small sketches based on his observations of rural life, many of which were critical of political and economic institutions, both colonial and indigenous, such as the following works, * ''Pyissandarit'' (The Backwaters or Limbo, 1933, Ganda Lawka) was a glimpse at life in a small Burmese fishing village before World War II. It depicts the harsh circumstances in the village and the petty feuds that arose among its inhabitants. * ''Leilan Pwè'' (The Auction, 1933, Ganda Lawka) took place during the colonial period. The story is a depiction and implicit critique of a fishery auction, a Western economic institution not particularly well-suited to the Burmese as the story shows. * ''Ma-yway Mi'' (Eve of Election, 1932) took place before World War II during the colonial period. It describes the political factionalism that was arising among Burmese politicians even at this early date and which would only increase in post-independence Burma. A collection of 36 of these short stories, published between 1929 and 1941 mostly in ''Ganda Lawka'', became prescribed school text in the 1960s published by
Sarpay Beikman Sarpay Beikman (; ) originated as the Burmese Translation Society. Its first President was Prime Minister U Nu, who started a Burmese translation job at Judson College (now University of Yangon). The purpose was to translate world culture, litera ...
. His letters to ''Kyipwayay'' U Hla between 1933 and 1942 were published by the latter, subsequently known as
Ludu U Hla Ludu U Hla (; ; 19 January 1910 – 7 August 1982) was a Burmese journalist, publisher, chronicler, folklorist and social reformer whose prolific writings include a considerable number of path-breaking non-fiction works. He was married to fel ...
, 3 decades later. U Hla also published ''Tint Tint Pyazat'' (Plays by Tint Tint); he had been instrumental in the search for and the eventual publication of ''Sit Atwin Neizin Hmattan'' (War Diary) in 1966.


Legacy

Theippan Maung Wa was killed by armed robbers near
Shwebo Shwebo ( ) is a city in Sagaing Region, Burma, 110 km north-west of Mandalay between the Irrawaddy and the Mu rivers. The city was the origin of the Konbaung Dynasty, established by King Alaungpaya in 1752, that was the dominant politic ...
during the Japanese invasion in 1942 on the day after his 43rd birthday.


References


External links


''Innwa'' by Theippan Maung Wa (Ganda Lawka Magazine 1931) inc. audio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maung Wa, Theippan 20th-century Burmese writers 1899 births 1942 deaths University of Yangon alumni People from Mawlamyine People from Mon State Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Burmese murder victims People murdered in Myanmar