An Introduction to “Yoke Son Parabeik” or the Illustrated ...

An Introduction to “Yoke Son Parabeik” or the Illustrated Folding Books
of the Myanmar Court - by Ma Thanegi

By tradition, in the days of monarchy which lasted until 1885, pagoda or monastery
dedications were written on stone and royal orders, records of administration or religious
texts, poetry or plays were written on the leaves of 'Pay' palm (Corypha, Corypha
umbraculifera) and 'Htan' palm (Toddy, Borassus flabellifer). Buddhist texts were often written
on gilded lacquerware plates or even on gold, silver and copper sheets.
After the palm leaves are carefully dried and cut, a stylus is used to scratch the surface with
letters. Afterwards, each surface is lightly rubbed with crude oil dregs to make it insect proof
and to darken the letters for easier reading. The leaves are stacked in order and at one end a
hole is pierced throughout the stack. A ribbon pulled through it keeps the stack from being
scattered or leaves lost. Two covers are made of thin, carved wood in the same size or at
times stiff lacquered covers ornately decorated are especially made. The whole packet is
wrapped in a squared piece of cloth and tied several times around with a long ribbon woven
with letters stating the donor of the parabeik, intercepted with tiny figures of celestials, Dagun
taing or the holy banner, peacocks, Hintha bird or Chinthé lions.
The Z'tar or horoscope made for the baby at birth is also made of palm leaf but in a single
thick piece.
Paper was first introduced to Myanmar in the 17th century but it was not used by the general
population possibly due to its unavailability in large quantities. It was used only at Court and
for specific purposes such as the folding books called parabeik.

Life around the monastery with the women bringing food caskets and monks just back from their alms round, which
would be about 10.00 o’clock in the morning.

One beautiful example is the illustrated folding book called 'Yoke sone’ or illustrated parabeik.
White paper parabeik were also used just for writing, as well as the 'black' parabeik with black
pages. Here, the surface of the paper is lightly coated with a mixture of thin glue and soot.
These books were used for architectural blueprints or designs of royal barges and boats etc.
A sharp-pointed metal stylus is used to scratch the ink and allow the white of the paper to
appear.

Black parabeik. A design of a boat with the name 'Pyi Lone Hlay', 'the boat of the nation.' The prow has a rabbit
symbol of the moon, the stern the peacock symbol of the sun. Used only by the King to symbolise the giving of light
by both heavenly bodies to disperse the darkness that frightened human beings. The concept is that a King eases
the fear of his subjects.

The paper used for the parabeik books was handmade from Mulberry bark by the Shan.
Large sheets are glued in a few layers to give a firm thickness, as well as the continuity to
have a length of about 12ft or more. Both sides are then rubbed smooth and neatly folded into
accordion pleats and trimmed at top and bottom.

The King on a river trip on his royal barge of gold with a naval escort.

For a Yoke sone parabeik, a narrow border of yellow is painted all around the top, bottom and
ends, if the scenes of the stories run into each other in sequence. Then the scenes are
separated with bushes or streams and perspective is shown in the classical manner of
staggering the figures or buildings from the foreground to the 'back' which is the top part of
the page. Each scene can also be divided to cover two or four folds, in which case the yellow
border is painted around each opened page. Any writing necessary is done on the bottom
border in black ink.

Left - An idyllic Royal picnic scene in the forest, most likely a scene from a play or story, to guess by the mythical
Keinarari bird-woman flying in the sky.
Right - This scene is from a 'Nat' or Spirit biography where a young village girl engaged to be married was
unsuccessfully wooed by Min Galay, the younger of the Taungpyone brothers before he died and also after he
became a 'Nat'. She spurned him and he sent his riding tiger to kill her. In this scene, you see her with her parents at
her loom courted by Min Galay with his brother looking on and, then, in the forest with both tigers of the brothers
having just killed her. The brothers are also present to tell the viewer that it was they who had made the tigers kill her.
This story and particularly this scene are favourites for carvers, painters and as a play on the puppet stage.

A low rack is used to hold the parabeik open while reading it, whether the scenes run
vertically or horizontally.
These detailed and exquisitely painted books were the products of the Court where a team of
painters served. These books that are folded in accordion pleats with a height of perhaps 18
inches can be as long as 20 ft when pulled out to its full length. In ordinary circumstances,
they are used to record Court procedures or costumes or to list wondrous gifts presented by
foreign emissaries. One such list recorded a creature named as ‘giraffee’ with an exact
drawing of a long-necked spotted animal. Strange occurrences, such as a mermaid seen in
the river or a family with all members covered in long hair, were also noted. This same family
was also mentioned in western records. Some parabeik were illustrated teaching tools for
apprentice artists or, more importantly, school books for young princes and princesses.

Left - The lady primping her hair is named Mi Chu On, or 'Cluster of flowers'. The other enjoying a smoke is Mi Yin
or 'Miss Graceful'. Notice the 'htamein' waist garments, in the 'acheik' zig zag design and in many colours, the
Hundred Shuttles silk woven in Amarapura and Mandalay.

Right - Palace pavilion : The watch tower and brick building are similar to the tower at Mandalay Palace and the

small brick building King Thibaw used as his chambers.
The best illustrated parabeik were commissioned by royalty or nobility to present to foreign
emissaries or each other. Religious themes such as the Life of Buddha were often presented
to Abbots on special occasions. Other popular themes are the twelve festivals of the year,
regatta celebrations, training elephants, military training course, annual sports, rituals at
Court, stories of various Spirits from the pantheon of 37 of animist worship, or festivals at
various pagodas and temples. Special ceremonies, such as the King's journey to consecrate
a pagoda or image, were also recorded on these parabeik.

The King and Queen in a pavilion on the river bank watching a regatta. Their Majesties would have their own boats
and would race them against each other at times, with bets being laid.

Three illustrated parabeik by the Court painter U Kyar Nyunt are in the collection of the Musée
Guimet in Paris. The catalogue numbers are MA 565, MA 4806, and MA 4807. One was
dated 1868, illustrated with scenes from the Nemi Jataka story of the Bodhisattva King Nemi
taken for a tour of purgatory. It has 128 folds with each scene covering four folds. A sentence
in Burmese on the cover reads: "Read it in its entirety and call blessings upon this work of
merit." The second Yoke sone parabeik, MA 4806, has 18 folds painted with various sport
competitions. Number MA 4807 was donated to the museum in 1955 by the family of a
French engineer Philibert Bonvillain who was working in Mandalay since 1875 during the
reign of King Mindon and his heir King Thibaw. Thibaw had presented the parabeik to him,
which he took home when the British colonised Myanmar in 1885.
The scenes are of the 12 annual ceremonies including homage days when the families of
princes and nobles come to pay obeisance to Their Majesties, the Light Festival celebrations,
the welcome given to a white elephant with all honours, the royal regatta, Spirit festivals, the
parade of elephants, horses, military troops, and princes of other nationalities etc.
The Shwe Settaw Pagoda Festival that still takes place from February to April was featured
and the painting shows little difference from the scene of today.

A Minister rides on a palanquin preceded by drummers and an elephant apparently carrying something of religious
value, given the gold umbrellas in the procession.

One unique parabeik called the One Hundred Maidens is a record of palace handmaidens. It
could not have been made during the reign of King Thibaw for his Queen Supaya Lat was
extremely jealous and she made sure no handmaidens gained favour or attention. In this
parabeik, at present in the collection of the National Parabeik Museum of Botahtaung
Township, Yangon, each tiny square is painted with a figure of a handmaiden at ease,
dressing, undressing, gossiping, smoking a cheroot, fanning herself, primping her hair in the
mirror, etc. Each one has her name written inside the square.

The Spirit Ceremony or 'Nat pwe' is being held in a pavilion so it might be a contemporary illustration of the main
shrine at Taungpyone of the two brothers Min Gyi and Min Galay whose images are seen in the niche.

Earlier, organic colours obtained from clay, bark or fruits were used but when western visitors
were no longer a strange sight the Court artists began to use the gouache paints they brought
in. Gold ink and, rarely, silver ink, were used to touch up details such as the costumes of
royalty or the head of Buddha.
Some old ones can still be seen in the hands of Burmese collectors and a few artists make
copies of Yoke sone parabeik on commission. The care and time needed to create one
means that new ones are not readily available in the shops, although this is one art form that
deserves to be revived.

The King and Queen watch a competition in martial skills. This parabeik was painted commercially in the early 20th
century, hence the lavish use of gold ink to make it look more attractive.
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Ma Thanegi was born in Myanmar and educated at the Methodist English High School, the Yangon
State School of Fine Arts, and the Institute of Economics. She has written many articles and numerous
books on things Myanmar. She lives in Yangon.