Myawaddy Mingyi U Sa

Who was Myawaddy Mingyi U Sa?

Myawaddy Mingyi U Sa was a Konbaung-era Burmese poet, composer, playwright, general and statesman. In a royal service career that spanned over six decades, the Lord of Myawaddy served under four kings in various capacities, and was a longtime secretary to King Bagyidaw. Multi-talented Sa is best remembered for his innovative contributions to classical Burmese music and drama, as well as for his brilliant military service.

Sa composed many songs in various styles drawn from different traditions, wrote several plays and dramas including translated works from Thai and Javanese dramas, and brought innovations to Burmese theater. He invented the 13-string Burmese harp and introduced marionette plays to the Ava court. Sa was also an able military commander who led King Bodawpaya's annexation of Manipur in 1813. As the commander of Arakan theater under Gen. Maha Bandula in the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824–1826, Sa achieved a few battlefield victories in an otherwise disastrous war for the Burmese.

After the war, he became minister of Army and was given Myawaddy as his fief in 1828. Sa led the Burmese diplomatic efforts to have the British abandon their claims to Kabaw Valley in 1830. He was imprisoned from 1836 to 1839 by King Tharrawaddy, who overthrew Bagyidaw. Sa held no further public office after his release from prison, but continued to write songs and plays for kings Tharrawaddy and Pagan.