Chiefdom of Kokang

Chiefdom of Kokang
果敢土司
1739–1959
CapitalKya Tzi Shu (in modern Kokang)
Common languagesSouthwestern Mandarin
GovernmentMonarchy
Saopha 
 1739–1758
Yang Shien-tsai (first)
 1947–1949
Sao Yang Wen Pin
 1949–1959
Sao Edward Yang Kyein Tsai (last)
History 
 Established
1739
 Disestablished
1959
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Hsenwi State
Myanmar
Today part ofMyanmar

The Chiefdom of Kokang (Chinese: 果敢土司; pinyin: Guǒgǎn Tǔsī), ruled by the Chinese Yang clan, was an autonomous Tusi chiefdom of the Qing dynasty. Its territory is part of modern-day Kokang, Shan State, Myanmar. The Yang Clan were Ming loyalists that had fled to Kokang with other Ming loyalists to escape the regime of the newly formed Shun Dynasty. Yang Gaoxue was one of these Ming loyalists. One of Yang Gaoxue's descendants, Yang Shien-tsai formed the Chiefdom of Kokang officially on 1739. When the Qing rose to power in China, the Chiefdom of Kokang decided to acknowledge Qing suzerainty in order to prevent an invasion by the Qing. They agreed to become a semi-autonomous region under the Qing and payed tributes to the Qing. The region was ceded to the British in 1894 by the Qing, and the British started chipping away its autonomous status.