When it comes to Myanmar, the first city name that comes to everyone's mind should be "Yangon".
This seaside old city, with its rich history and bustling cosmopolitan scene, was once the political center of the British colonists in the Far East.
However, times have changed, and now Myanmar has a new capital - Naypyidaw.
In 2005, Myanmar's military junta abruptly announced that it would move its capital from Yangon to a new city called Naypyidaw, 400 kilometers inland.
This radical decision caused an uproar at the time, because Naypyidaw was only a two-year-old new city with no civilian facilities at all, only government buildings standing alone in the middle of the fields.
For a while, there was a lot of discussion.
Why did the Burmese government abandon the bustling city of Yangon and move the capital to a "ghost town"? Can the Burmese people accept Naypyidaw, the new capital? and what will be the future of Naypyidaw after the relocation of the capital?
Now that 20 years have passed, let's take a look at the "growth history" of this new capital and see why it has grown from a "ghost town" to a new metropolis.
Yangon: The prosperity of the colonizers and the memory of the Burmese people
When it comes to Yangon, the first impression is "old" and "bustling".
This historic city, located in the Irrawaddy River Delta, is the wealthiest region in Myanmar.
Yangon's history dates back to the 6th century BC, when it was already inhabited.
It was not until the 11th century, during the Bagan Dynasty, established by the Burmese people, that Yangon really developed into a city.
At that time, Yangon was not large, just a small stone city with a population of a few thousand.
But there is a Shwedagon Pagoda built in the 6th century BC, which has earned Yangon the nickname of the "Buddha Capital".
Later, when British colonists arrived in Burma, Yangon's fate was rewritten.
In the second half of the 19th century, Britain colonized southern Myanmar through two Anglo-Burmese wars, and designated Yangon as the colonial capital.
The British colonial government vigorously supported the construction of Yangon Port, and also planned Yangon as a regular chessboard layout.
Immigrants from India have also poured in, and Yangon's population has skyrocketed to 400,000.
By the beginning of the 20th century, Yangon had completely transformed into a colonial treaty port.
Home to 26% of Myanmar's population, it is the most important rice export port in Myanmar and Southeast Asia.
It can be said that Yangon's prosperity was built on colonial rule.
It carries the memory of a century of humiliation in Myanmar and is more than just a city for the Burmese people.
Naypyidaw: A new choice for the Burmeseists
Burma gained independence from British colonial rule in 1948.
However, the newly independent Myanmar is facing a severe ethnic separatist dilemma, and Myanmar is a multi-ethnic country, with the main ethnic groups being the Burmese, Shan, and Kachin ethnic groups.
The Burmese population is about 65 percent and is found in the plains of the Irrawaddy River basin in south-central China, while other ethnic minorities live in the surrounding mountains.
These minorities fear that once they become independent, the predominantly Burmese central government will adopt a repressive policy that will deprive them of their autonomy.
As a result, the Burmese leader, Aung San, agreed to a "federal system" before independence, giving ethnic minorities a relatively high degree of autonomy.
However, this cannot fundamentally solve the problem, and there is still a strong tendency towards separatism in various ethnic minority areas.
In the years following independence, the Shan and Karen ethnic groups established de facto independent regimes in the territories under their control to confront the central government.
In order to maintain the unity of the country, the central government of Myanmar had to launch a military offensive against these areas, which was in a state of civil war for a long time.
At the same time, the Burmese army has gradually grown in strength during the long civil war, and the military occupies an important position in the power structure of the state.
In the 1960s, the military forces, represented by Ne Win, finally staged a military coup d'état in 1962, overthrowing the democratically elected government and establishing a military regime that continues to this day.
For the junta, the city of Yangon has complex symbolic meanings.
On the one hand, as the economic center and largest city of Myanmar, Yangon represents prosperity and development.
But on the other hand, it is also a product of the expansion of the British colonialists, carrying the memory of Burma's humiliation for a hundred years.
What's more, Yangon's proximity to the Indian Ocean poses a national security concern.
In the early days of independence, there were some annihilation movements in Burma, and the junta feared an invasion from the port of Yangon.
In addition, Yangon is far from Myanmar's volatile northern border, making it difficult to rule.
Based on various considerations, the military junta was determined to move the capital.
They hoped to find a strategically located and easily defended new capital to consolidate the junta's rule.
After secret research and comparison, the junta finally set its sights on Naypyidaw.
Naypyidaw is located in the north-central part of Myanmar, on the north-south transportation artery, and is adjacent to the important city of Mandalay to the north.
Its proximity to the mountains and its proximity to the ethnic minority areas in the north make it ideal for serving as a political center for dominating the country.
From the selection of the site to the official announcement of the relocation of the capital, the military government kept it strictly secret so as not to interfere with the plans by external forces.
They have also built a large number of military installations near Naypyidaw to deal with various contingencies.
On 6 November 2005, the junta quickly issued an order to relocate the capital, requiring all government departments to relocate to Naypyidaw within 48 hours.
Although this operation was quite outrageous, under the strong pressure of the junta, this "lightning capital move" was completed in chaos.
Although Naypyidaw is not yet fully built, it has become a veritable new capital.
For the junta, the choice of Naypyidaw was based entirely on strategic considerations.
Its close proximity to Myanmar's main mountain ranges and its proximity to the northern core provides both defense against external invasion and a stronger grip on the country.
More importantly, Naypyidaw's proximity to the ethnic minority autonomous counties in the north has helped to expand the central government's influence in the northern region.
You know, the northern region has always been in a semi-independent state, confronting the central government.
Naypyidaw is also close to the old town of Mandalay, an ancient capital with a rich history and a central part of the Burmese ethnic identity around it.
It can be said that from the perspective of military defense and political rule, Naypyi is the best candidate for the military junta.
This is in line with the Burmese people's desire to restore the glory of the Bagan dynasty and realize their dream of returning to the inner core.
Of course, Yangon will still retain its status as an important economic center.
But the transfer of political power has been doomed, and Myanmar has entered a new pattern of coexistence of the two cores.
This both satisfies the junta's strategic needs and allows it to hold more firmly control over the multi-ethnic state.
Naypyidaw: from the empty city to the stadium
When Naypyidaw was first built, it was huge, with an area of more than 6,000 square kilometres, almost the size of Singapore.
Planners dreamed of depicting wide avenues and towering office buildings in a blueprint that would make Naypyidaw a world-class city.
However, the newly relocated government officials were unable to take care of themselves, and all their daily necessities had to be transported from Yangon, and the living conditions were also very difficult.
In the first few years, Naypydu was so desolate that it was nicknamed a "ghost town".
Fortunately, in the years that followed, the Myanmar government continued to invest money, and the cityscape of Naypyidaw gradually improved.
By 2013, Naypyidaw had been basically completed and successfully hosted the opening ceremony of the SEA Games.
The guests from all over the world saw the wide streets and modern sports facilities in Naypyidaw, and made a good impression of the new capital.
The Government of Myanmar may be able to say that the first step has been achieved.
Today, Naypyidaw has a five-star hotel, a golf course, a zoo and other facilities.
It is gradually transitioning from the initial state of "empty city" to a truly modern city.
Although the population and economy of Yangon are still far less than those of Yangon, in the long run, Naypyidaw has the opportunity to grow and develop.
Naypyidaw: Alienation and identification of the people
However, we also need to understand that for a city to become the capital, it is not only magnificent buildings and advanced facilities, but also needs to be recognized by the people.
This is missing from Naibi.
It is not an organically growing city, but more like a product imposed on the people by the military junta.
Ordinary Burmese people believe that the construction of Naypyidaw wasted too many of the country's resources, which could have been used to improve people's livelihoods.
And it's too far away from their life circle, and they lack a sense of identity.
Even today, except for government agencies, Naypy is not allowed to pass at night.
At six o'clock in the evening, the city becomes a real "ghost town", very desolate.
However, the situation is slowly changing, and as time goes on, more and more young people from Myanmar begin to flock to Naypyidaw to work and live, and they may be able to gradually embrace the city and give it a new lease of life.
On the other hand, the people of Myanmar also understand that the country needs a stable and unified political hub.
Yangon's geographical location is indeed southerly, and Naypyidaw is undoubtedly more suitable for this role.
Thus, even with reservations, more and more Burmese have begun to accept Naypyidaw as their own capital, which is an important step forward in winning Naypyidaw's acceptance.
Naypyidaw: a new chapter in a legendary city
The rise of Naypyidaw as the new capital of Myanmar is legendary, representing both the Burmese quest for national identity and the political workings of the military junta.
It has transformed from a wilderness to a new city at an astonishing rate, but it still needs the approval of the people.
It can be said that Naypyidň is a city in the midst of change, its history is far from complete, and a new chapter of the legend is still being written.
No matter what happens in the future, Naypy will not be erased, and together with Yangon, it will witness the development and transformation of this country.
Maybe 20 or 30 years from now, when we mention Myanmar again, we will not only think of Yangon, but also a dual-core power.
As a new capital, Naypyidaw will surely bloom with even more brilliant splendor.
Resources
China.com, why Myanmar moved its capital and unveiled the mystery of Myanmar's new capital (Photos)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar Country Profile
Guangming Net, the past of countries around the world moving their capitals