The National Library of Myanmar maintains valuable traditional manuscripts of over 200 years old. These manuscripts are showcase of Myanmar literature status in the past and development of Myanmar traditional arts and crafts. They includes not only literary text but also value to the literature with decorating arts like beautiful hand writings and pictures, very fine decorative medium and covers, etc.

1. Ms. Mya Oo
Director
National Library of Myanmar

2.  1883 - Originated from the Bernard
Free Library, the first public library
in Myanmar

3.  Officially established as National Library of Myanmar under
the Ministry of Culture in 1952
 Collection carried from Bernard Free Library
 manuscripts collection
 books and periodicals
 Gained annual funding for the library functions

4.  Unfortunately, the National
Library was moved to several
places
 Pansidan Building (1962-1964)
 Six-storeyed Building (1984-2002)
 City Hall (1965-1984)
Tarmwe TSP (2002-2008)
Tarmwe TSP. (2002-2008)

5.  2 May 2008- National Library building was
destroyed by the Cyclone Nargis
 8 Aug 2008- Moved to current place
 3 May 2012- National Library (NPT) opened

6.  TOWARDS THE NATIONAL LITERARY
HERITAGE CENTRE

7.  Kinwun Mingyi U Kaung (1821-1903)
 An influential minister
 A diplomat
 An author of legal treaties
 collected many palm-leaf manuscripts
and parabeik manuscripts.
 National Library of Myanmar inherited over 5600 volumes of
two very important manuscript collections:
(a) Kinwun Mingyi collection and
(b) Bagan Wundauk U Tin collection
from the Bernard Free Library.

8.  Bagan Wundauk U Tin (1861-1933)
 An expert on parabeik manuscripts
 An administrator
 collected many rare manuscripts.

9.  After the British annexation to Upper Myanmar, manuscripts
collections increased
 from the Mandalay Palace
 From donation of well wishers
 Collection comprises
 Buddhist religious texts and commentaries
 traditional medicine
 Astrology
 Mathematics
 Technology
 history and
 customary law
 Most of them are at least 150 years old and some of them are about
250 years old.

10.  Palm-leaf and parabaik manuscripts are preserved as
national literary treasure.
 Total Collection
 palm-leaf manuscripts - 17511 volumes
 parabaik manuscript - 1970 volumes
 Kamawa (religious order) – 20 volumes

11.  Five main types
 Shwe-myin
 Kyan-sit
 Myin-ni
 Myin-net
 Pae-gyan (or) Myin-phyu

12.  Guilded an all four edges
 Used exclusively by the royalty
 Kept in Royal Libraries and Archives, & monastic libraries by members
of Myanmar royal family

13.  Coated with vermilion on the two length-wise edges with about 4” in
the middle gilded
 Used by court officials, & in donations to monasteries supported by
them

14.  Coated with vermilion on all four edges
 Used of commom people

15.  Coated with black resin on edges
 Used by common people

16.  No colouring or coated on edges
 Used by common people

36.  Richly decorated of lacquered tablets
 Contain sacred Pali text written in a square scripts