Ba Shin

U Ba Shin (born in 1914 in Ywarkauk, Pyinmana) is a colonel and noted historian and was a member of The Myanmar History Commission and Islamic Religious Affairs Council.

Ba Shin's parents were Principal U Hein and Daw Saw Yin. His wife Daw Khin May Gyi is a Lecturer at the Zoology Department (now retired), Yangon University. He received the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) class degree, specializing in Inscription and Oriental History from Yangon University.

From 1935-40, he worked under Professor Gordon H Luce at the Rangoon University Eastern and Burmese History Division. He carried out research in China – Myanmar relations of the Middle period and the history of Chinese – Myanmar inscriptions. He was promoted to an Assistant Lecturer in that department in 1940.

During the Japanese occupation, Ba Shin was the Academic Officer in the Asian Youth Organization. He also worked as the Education Officer of the Burma Defense Army. Later, he became a Lt. Col. in the Military Division (4) of the Burma Army. He published "Tine 4" (Fourth Military Division) newspaper and wrote a book for the soldiers called European Economic History, explaining the emergence of Capitalism.

He wrote a Burmese history book for the Army that was published on 4 January 1948, Burma's Independence day. The Education Ministry prescribed that book as a high school textbook. While serving in military, he wrote military, cultural and history articles in Sit Nha Lone (Military Heart) journal and Myawaddy journals. He also wrote articles for children in Kha Lae (Children) journal and Light of Myanmar newspapers. He wrote military articles in Military Education journal. He worked in the Myanmar Army until 1956.

After the war, he worked in the War Office as commanding officer of Records Office, Burma Army. He was later appointed the Burmese Military Attaché to London, UK where he also met with international researchers and historians.

In 1957, Ba Shin joined the Burma Historical Commission as a Compiler. He wrote many English and Myanmar research papers in Bulletin of the Burma Historical Commission and many articles about racial and ethnic groups of Myanmar were written for the Myanmar Encyclopaedia. He wrote Lawkatheikpan in English and Myanmar before Anawrahta. One of his duties was to do detailed studies and research about Burmese history from AD 1300-1752.

He worked with Professor Luce for quite a long time in Bagan at Myin Kabar Gu-pyauk Pagoda, built by Raja Kumar (Yazakumar, son of Kyansittha) in AD 1113. Their research paper was published in Burmese History Commission Journal volume 2 in 1961 from page 227-416. Not only the background history of the pagoda, but the architecture, Buddhist scriptures and all the stone inscriptions with the translations were included in the article. A complete comparison of the various Buddhist scriptures found in ancient Bagan was included. Studies of ancient Mon and Austro Asian languages and Mon grammar and spellings were mentioned.

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