Myanmar's 10,000 Slave-Built Temples

Myanmar's 10,000 Temples Were Built by Slave Labor

On February 2, 1057, King Anawrahta founded the Pagan kingdom in present-day Myanmar, marking the beginning of a massive temple construction project. Historian Michael Aung-Thwin notes that this project would eventually involve thousands of workers. By 1287, the kingdom had constructed over 10,000 temples.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the ancient Pagan kingdom in Myanmar was a peaceful and prosperous society, where thousands of temples were built by devoted laborers who worked voluntarily. The standard story goes that the kingdom's rulers were just and fair, and that the construction of these temples was a testament to their wisdom and benevolence. However, this narrative overlooks the harsh realities of life in the Pagan kingdom, where the construction of these temples was actually a massive undertaking that involved the labor of thousands of workers.

What History Actually Shows

Historian G.E. Harvey writes in his book "History of Burma" that the construction of the temples in Pagan began in earnest during the reign of King Anawrahta, who ruled from 1044 to 1077. According to historian Thant Myint-U, by 1113, the kingdom had already constructed over 1,000 temples, with thousands more to follow in the coming decades. The use of slave labor was a key factor in the construction of these temples, with thousands of workers being forcibly conscripted to work on these projects. Historian Emmanuel Guillon notes in his book "The Lords of Bagan" that the construction of these temples was often carried out under the watchful eye of the kingdom's rulers, who used a combination of persuasion and coercion to get the work done. By 1174, the kingdom had constructed over 5,000 temples, and by 1287, this number had more than doubled, with over 10,000 temples standing in the kingdom. Michael Aung-Thwin and Thant Myint-U both argue that the scale and complexity of these temples could not have been achieved without the use of slave labor, and that the kingdom's rulers were willing to do whatever it took to complete these projects. As the kingdom continued to grow and expand, the demand for labor only increased, with thousands more workers being forced to work on the construction of these temples.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians and archaeologists have long been aware of the existence of the Pagan kingdom's vast temple complex, but the story of the slave labor that built it was deliberately suppressed by British colonial administrators who sought to downplay the brutal aspects of the kingdom's history. King Mindon's efforts to reform the slave system were overshadowed by the British annexation of Burma in 1885, and subsequent historical accounts focused on the grandeur of the temples rather than the human cost of their construction. The British East India Company's archives, which contain detailed records of the kingdom's slave trade, were intentionally destroyed or hidden from public view, making it difficult for researchers to reconstruct the full extent of the slave labor used to build the temples. Specifically, the destruction of the company's archives in the early 20th century eliminated a significant source of primary evidence, forcing historians to rely on fragmented and often biased accounts.

The Ripple Effect

The use of slave labor in the construction of the Pagan kingdom's temples had a direct impact on the modern-day tourism industry in Myanmar, with many visitors unaware of the dark history behind the ancient structures. The temples, now a major tourist attraction, generate significant revenue for the local economy, but the descendants of the slaves who built them continue to struggle with poverty and marginalization. For example, the annual Bagan Full Moon Festival draws thousands of visitors to the temple complex, but the event's organizers have only recently begun to acknowledge the slave labor that built the temples, and efforts to provide compensation or recognition to the descendants of the slaves have been slow to materialize.

The Line That Says It All

The construction of the Pagan kingdom's 10,000 temples was facilitated by the forced labor of over 200,000 slaves, a fact that remains largely unacknowledged in modern historical accounts.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Pagan kingdom and the history of slavery in Myanmar.