Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1921-05-27
The Ens-Daw-Yd Pasoda, Burma.

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety Washington, ID. CO.
While there is a considerable
amount of unrest in many parts of
India proper, the people of Burma,
which is governed as a part of India
and yet Is geographically separate
from it, seem to be living contentedly.
Geographical and social conditions and
the economic situation flowing from
them undoubtedly have much to do
with this. Burma knows little of the
fear of famine or the pinch of poverty.
Its lands are productive, it Is rich in
minerals, 1t is not over-populated, and
TEN which is a tremendous handicap
to India, both socially and economi-
cally.
Kipling and practically all other writ
ers about the East have pointed out
repeatedly that 1t is difficult at best
for westerners to understand the oris
entail peoples. If the observer from
the West wishes to tackle this admit
tedly difficult problem by easy stages,
perhaps he could find no better place
to start than Burma. In a number of
senses there is less of gulf between
the life and customs of the Burmese,
and those of the West than will be
found If the comparison Is made with
any other eastern country.
The Indian is In most cases a sober
In no or tcf
take life with desperate seriousness
because of Its hardness and the diff
Guilty Of cllnging to 1t. The higher
castles are sedate and given to specu-
lative philosophy. The Chinaman is
an enigma. His emotions are difficult
to fathom. The people Of the Mo-
hammedan countries are marked by q
quiet dignity.
The Burmese Love Life.
In contrast with these other peO-
pies Of Asia, and almost alone among
them, the Burmese are frank, open.
happy-lovers of life. Their women
are not secluded. but are among the
freest women In the world. Both men
and women are lovers of music and
wearers of bright clothing. Because
Of their spontaneity and friendliness
they have been dubbed ''the Irish of
the Orient"
Burma Is a country of many tribes,
but practically all Of them are of the
same racial strain. Shans, Karens,
Katchins. Chins and Palaungs are
among those living In the outlying
parts of the country, though the
Karens and to certain extent
the others are to be found in
parts Of lower Burma, a more heav.
Of access to the outside world. 1t is
the Burmese, however, who constitute
the dominant element with the high.
est culture, and give color to Burma
as 1t is known to most westerners who
visit the land.
The Burma of the Burmese, that Is
lower Burma and the basin Of the
great Irrawaddy river, is a land OF
pagodas, the shrines' of Buddhism
Thousands upon thousands of these
bell-shaped structures surmounted by
gilded spires and tinkling bells have
been built. Many of them have fallen
into decay, but others are built each
year. They are the symbols of the
hold which the Buddhist religion has
upon the people of Burma. 1t Is theii
belief that the surest way of "acquir
ing merit" and achieving holy rest af
ter death is to erect q pagoda; and
very few Burmese who are able tC
add to the country's forest of pagoda
spires fail to do so.
No Aristocracy, Few Poor
There are no noble classes among
the Burmese, no aristocracy, few wht
are very wealthy, and few very poor
While the caste system as system
does not exist in the country, there
are several classes of people who are
looked upon as degraded by their vo
cations and with whom practically nj
intercourse is had by the majority OF
the people. Unfortunately, too, these
classes are hereditary. They are the
grave diggers, the descendants Of the
former pagoda slaves and the beggars
The general attitude toward these un
fortunates Is one Of the contradictions
In Burmese character; and there ar,
others Their religion requires kind
ness toward animals and Burmese vii