13 October
In the British Colonial Period [1885-1948 A.D] England was commonly known and called ‘’Bilat (ဘိလပ်) old Persians [Iran] called England ‘Bi Lat” which Myanmar used. So it is said Great Britain. United Kingdom [U.K] England London were also commonly used. In fact ‘’Great Brtiain” and United Kingdom [UK] were not one single country. They are composed of England, Scotland, Wale and Ireland plus islands like the Isle of Wight, the Isle of Manx other archipelagos around. London is the Capital City of England. Edinburgh is the Capital City of Scotland. Swansea is the Capital City of Wales and Dublin is the Capital City of Ireland. Similarly, llse of wight and llse of Manx have their owne Capital Cities. Great Britain and United Kingdom [UK] are the collective names of England, Scotland, Wale, Ireland, llse of wright, llse of Manx and all archipalagoes around.
In the early days of British Colonial Rule those who returned home from U.K were called Bi Lat Pyan [ဘိလပ်ပြန်] and honorific prefix to the name to be proud of. In those days highest salaried administrators were I.C.S [Indian Civil Service] highly educated University graduates trained by English liberal education to be-come black English man to serve under British Colonial Government honestly and faithfuly. They were sent to Oxford or Cambridge Universities to learn British Parliamentany system, British law and constitution. English custom, tradition and culture. When they re-turned home they were also called Bi Lat Pyan ICS. ‘’Heaven-born high salaried British service men who received good price in marriage maket. Wealthy land owners liked to marry their daughters to them with handsome dowries.
Besides anyone who visited UK and returned home either privately or for other purposes were also Bi Lat Pyan prefixed to their names. For example, one famous singer Dora Than Aye visited UK and on return home, she was re-named Bi Lat Pyan Than. Anyone, who returned from UK was Bi Lat Pyan. Even bells, Buddha statnes, manuscripts or any objects of art that returned to Myanmar or sent back to its original place were prefixed ‘’Bi Lat Pyan” such as Bi Lat Pyan Bells, Bilat Pyan Phaya [Buddha statue] Bilat Pyan Nat yok [ Nat Image] Bi Lat Pyan kyauksa [stone inseription].
Famous male dancer Great Po Sein sent his son Kenneth Sein. Therefore the writer entitled this article Bilat Pyan old Myanmar painting. The following is its back-ground history. The writer won the state scholarship of Myanmar Government and was sent to the London School of Economics and Political seiance, Landon University to get a Ph.D. Degree in International Relations (I.R) 1956-1960. Every day, on the way to and from this collage he saw old book shops and antique shops where old books or old objects were sold. One day he dropped into one antique shop on Portobello Road downtown London. As he browsed around he found one old Myanmar painting on the wall. It aroused his interest. He repeated his visit to this antique shop not less than five times. The owner who was a British Jew noticed him as a student from Burma because of the Shan bag with the letter ‘’Burma” slung en his shoulder.‘’
Hello, young man, I noticed that you are interested in this old painting of your country come closer to it, I’ll show you proofs of its antiquity”. He brought down the painting from the wall and showed the writer a piece of hand writing attached at the back which reads.‘’Sir Frederick Roberts, to in Garrasein Headquarters, Mandalay Palace City 1885-86”. You know this painting belonged to this great man. His family sold it out to my antique shop. It is quite historically important for Britain and Burma. I understand that you want it to take home. I priced it 35 pounds”.
‘Oh. No. Mr. I only have a monthly scholarship allowance of $ 33 per month.
I’ll starve to death to pay for it $ 35”.‘’I reduce it to $ 30. You can pay me a piecemeal. A pound a month. I give you a receipt. When you settle all I’ll give you aeceipt and permission to take it out of the UK. I’ll pack it properly for any transport, land, sea or air. A week later the writer made the deal with him by paying him 2 pounds for the first instalment. To cut the story short, by 1960 June the writ-er completed his Ph.D. Thesis I.R with flying coulors. On receiving his good news Myanmar Embassy 19 A Charles street, London sent him home by S.S. Warwick shire British B B Line.
The writer went to the antique shop and explained to the owner about his home-bound sea journey within a week. He appealed to the owner to forget to remain $5. He sympathized with the writer ‘’You’re a smart young man. I’ll let you have it. So $25 is O.K”. He packed the painting for the long journey and a certificate for taking out of the U.K. The day the writer moved into the cabin of S.S Warwick shire, he received all what the antique shop man sent. The writer sent him a note of thanks. The painting was on a cotton cloth framed with gold gift wood. The paints were natural products. No, chemical colours were used. chauk, char coal, soot, egg shell, cow dung, indigo, [rJe,f ] ochre, Tamarind and acrasia roots were used. So the colours are still fresh. But due to old age and loos-ening of frame, colour pounders began to drop.
It was a very clever combina-tion of perspective art and con-ceptual art. Myanmar art is con-ceptual linear art. Different lines are used thick, thin, closeobjects in the painting alive and moving. Sir Fredrick Roberts headquarters was a typical Myanmar wooden building inside the palace City. Built on raised brick footings high enough for sweeping and clean-ing underneath. With Myanmar styled windows, doors and wide verandas around, under which two Myanmar elderly gentlemen, sitting on the chairs and talking to each other. They were in full formal dress, with silk head-gears, silk over-coat and silk pasoe. Indian soldiers of the British army, Gurakha and Punjapee [Sepoy] were on guard at some distance. Not far from the building, out in the open is a Union Jack [English state flag] proudly flying in a freeze on the flag post which is encircled by typical floral pots of Mandalay Style.
In the foreground is a typical Myanmar court lady walking leisurely with her typical country gait. Her courtly coiffeur sending out hairs gracefully dancing in the breeze in the same way as the long filmsy silk shawl on her shoulders also dancing in the breeze. The movements of these objects are executed with thin lines of typical Myanmar conceptual art. This Bilat Pyan Painting on Myanmar cotton cloth the writer proudly displayed in the reception hall of his large house, 33 Chancellor Road, Yangon University Campus for nearly 18 years. Then at his own house in New University Ave-nues, Yangon.
In 1970, one expert painting conservator from UNESCO came to preserve old Myanmar print-ings in the Museum. He examined the writer’s Bi Lat Pyan painting. He appreciated and advised the writer not to use chemical paints to repair it. He lightened the gold gilt frame and sprayed with natu-ral glue to prevent paint powder dropping. Now the writer turns 90 years and three months old on 2019 May 13. The Bi Lat Pyan painting is much older than me. The writer’s old pupil working at National Museum Nay Pyi Taw re-paired and renovated it. The hand writing of Sir Fredevds Roberts at the back had been destroyed by the Nagis storm. The original gold gill frame was replaced by lacquered frame.
This painting today is 133 years [1886-2019] old. The writer held the meeting of his family, one son, four daughters and four grandchildren, telling them the background history of Bi Lat Pyan painting. Saying that if they all agreed, the writer would like to donate it to the Museum of his alma mater Yangon University which will celebrate its Centenary Anniversary in 2022 December. They all unanimously agreed with a cheerful chorus of Yes, we agree Pa, Grand Pa, though the painter’s name is not found in this picture, it could be one of the then well known palace painters Saya Chom or Saya Pone.
By Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt(Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja, Sithu)
