Shan

Member of a people of the mountainous borderlands separating Thailand, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), and China. They are related to the Laos and Thais, and their language belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family.

Settled in fertile valleys, they grow wet rice and opium, and raise cattle. The Shan are stratified into commoners, aristocrats, and princes. The princes receive tribute from their people, taxes on trade goods, and act as warlords. Feuding is frequent, especially in connection with the opium trade, their only source of foreign income. Their religious beliefs incorporate both Buddhism and non-Buddhist elements.

History The Shan entered Burma in the 13th century and founded a powerful kingdom at Ava 1360, which lasted until upper Burma was unified by the Toungoo dynasty from 1531. Shan-Burmese enmity has endured, despite the Shan having adopted Theravāda Buddhism and much Burmese culture. The Shan state, though annexed by Britain 1885, was largely independent of Burma until it was officially incorporated after the military coup 1962.