Zawgyi – Demi-God And Alchemist With Miraculous Powers In Burmese Mythology And Folklore

A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com - Zawgyi is a semi-immortal human alchemist and mystic with supernatural powers. Traditionally he carries attributes like a red hat and magic, a three-pronged walking stick called Trituli (similar to 'Trishula' (Sanskrit for "triple-spear"), a mysterious symbol of great importance in India.

Mysterious Nariphon tree - Thai lacquerwork painting of the Nariphon tree at Phra Pathom Ched. Image credit: LigerCommon - Public Domain

Being one of the supernatural figures in Burmese mythology and folklore, Zawgyi remains a popular figure in ancient traditions.

As a magician, Zawgyi can do many unbelievable things. He can disappear or fly like a bird in the sky, take a tour to the moon, travel beneath the Earth, oceans and perform necromancy, divination, and resurrection as well.

This legendary invisible forest surrounds the base of Mount Meru. This forest is the home of several mythical creatures, such as Naga, Kinnara, Apsonsi, Gilen, Zawgyi, and Garuda. In Buddhist and Hindu mythology, Zawgyi has roots in pre-Buddhist Burma and dwells alone in Himavanta. He spends much time searching for herbs for magical purposes and longevity and specific herbs to help eliminate people's suffering.

What is unique about him is that he has never been associated with women but only with males. Sometimes, however, Zawgyi does unbelievable wonders with a touch of his magic wand. He brings to life "illusory females" from Nariphon (Naripon), a unique fruit tree bearing female-shaped fruits, to fulfill his physical and sexual appetites.

Zawgyi statue at Shwedagon Pagoda. Image credit: Mydaydream89 - CC BY-SA 3.0

Zawgyi- an alchemist, wants to achieve many accomplishments with his supernormal powers. These include immortal life and the timeless state of the Weizza that awaits the appearance of the future Buddha, Maitreya (or Metteya). According to Buddhist tradition, Maitreya will appear on Earth in the future.

Ancient scriptures say that Maitreya will be a successor to the present Buddha, Gautama Buddha. The prophecy announcing Maitreya's arrival refers to a time in the future when the dharma (that means duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues, and "right way of living.") will have been forgotten by most in the world.

The name 'Zawgyi¨' that belongs to this mysterious, ancient alchemist, means practicing yoga. It derives from the Pali-Sanskrit, the two closely related languages, but the ancient Pali is not considered a descendant of the Sanskrit language.

Many paintings and sculptures reflect Zawgyi's appearance that can still be seen both on stage and in puppetry, a very ancient form of theatre first recorded in the 5th century BC in ancient Greece. However,  the puppetry performance originated as long ago as 4000 years ago and developed in different variations in many places around the world, especially in Japan, China, Germany, Indonesia, to name a few.

Zawgyi belongs to one of the unique kinds of puppetry, which is 4000 years old art, widely known worldwide.

In Burma (or Myanmar), puppet plays have been performed since at least the 1400s. In the 1700s, the country's royal court began to formally sponsor and regulate the puppet theater, which contributed to its quick and successful performance with a good reputation. In the 1800s, the so-called 'puppet theater' was considered the most highly developed entertainment art and was also the most popular.

Though no longer as popular today, the tradition is still maintained by a small number of performing troupes.

A Burmese puppet troupe includes puppet handlers, vocalists, and musicians. It has changed very little since it was first introduced to Myanmar or Burma (a country in Southeast Asia) as early as the 15th century, probably from southern China. It is said that Myanmar puppet culture began in the 11th century, more than a thousand years ago. No matter the performance's authenticity, the puppet show has become an amusing activity of the Burmese palace aristocrats.

Burmese puppet show culture has existed for at least 600 years, and as it can be performed at the high stage, it is known as "high drama," and the same characters remain in use today and are very popular.

Written by – A. Sutherland  - AncientPages.com Senior Staff Writer

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