Myanmar's history of warfare has left one image of barbarism and cruelty, but hundreds of years ago, the country had a remarkable ancient civilization, the Pyu Kingdom.
The country is remarkable because its civilization was once recognized by the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, temples in Myanmar were regarded as the pinnacle of Chinese civilization.
The greatness of the Tang Dynasty did not lie in the achievements of its army or the vastness of its territory, but in its inclusiveness, openness, and economic and cultural prosperity. At that time, the whole East looked up to the Tang Dynasty, and foreign countries came to worship not only because of fear, but also because of real admiration.
The achievements of the country are remarkable. First, they created their own script, the Pyu script, which is the second Tibeto-Burman language group to have its own script, which predates the emergence of Tibetan. Secondly, the city construction of the country is prosperous, the city wall is made of blue bricks, the circumference is one hundred and sixty li, twelve city gates, and there are pagodas at the four corners.
The people lived in the city and used lead and tin to make tiles. They hated killing and did not wear silk, but instead used cotton cloth, showing respect for life.
The country of Pyu is even more outstanding in religious etiquette, holding his arms and kowtowing to show respect and advocating Buddhism.
In addition, they had knowledge of astronomy, combining Buddhist scriptures and various legends to create their own unique theories of interpretation of heaven and earth. The capital of the country has 100 temples, which are made of round tiles made of glaze, inlaid with gold and silver, and the ground is decorated with Dancai purple ore, and then paved with brocade felt.
In the tenth year of the Tang Dynasty (794), the king of the Bi Kingdom sent bands and dancers to perform in Chang'an. This pilgrimage left a deep impression on the Tang Dynasty, especially the large number of "huss instruments" they offered.
There is a detailed record in the "New Tang Dynasty Book: The Biography of the Pi Kingdom", which shows that this pilgrimage has had a profound impact on the culture of the Tang Dynasty.
However, the prosperity of the country inevitably went into decline after all.
Nanzhao approached with a strong military force and put pressure on it for a long time. In 832 AD, Nanzhao plundered the inhabitants of the state of Pi and moved to the area of present-day Kunming. This marked the gradual decline of the country and its eventual disappearance in the long river of history.