Shong Lue Yang facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shong Lue Yang
|
|
|---|---|
| 𖬌𖬤𖬵 𖬘𖬲𖬞 𖬖𖬲𖬤 | |
Soob Lwj Yaj
|
|
| Pronunciation | [ʃɔ́ŋ lɨ̂ jâ] |
| Born | September 15, 1929 in the village of Fi Tong, near the city of Nong Het, Laos
|
| Died | 1971 (aged 41–42) assassinated in the village of Nam Chia
|
| Known for | Creator of both Pahawh Hmong and Pahawh Khmu writing systems, and the Hmong ChaoFa Flag |
Shong Lue Yang (pronounced Soob Lwj Yaj in RPA, and written 𖬌𖬤𖬵 𖬘𖬲𖬞 𖬖𖬲𖬤 in Pahawh Hmong) was a special Hmong leader. He lived from September 15, 1929, to February 1971. Shong Lue Yang created the Pahawh script, which is a unique writing system. This system allowed people to write down the Hmong language and the Khmu language.
He was sadly killed in February 1971 during the Laotian Civil War, a conflict happening in Laos. The Hmong people honor him as the "Mother of Writing" (Niam Ntawv). Shong Lue Yang is like Sequoyah of the Cherokee people. Both were amazing individuals from societies that didn't have a written language who created their own effective writing systems.
Contents
Shong Lue Yang: His Life Story
Early Life and Beginnings
Shong Lue Yang was born in a village called Fi Tong, near the city of Nong Het, Laos. This area is close to Vietnam. When he was growing up, he did not learn to read or write in the usual way. He spent most of his life working as a farmer and making baskets. Even without formal schooling, he probably saw different ways people wrote.
How He Created the Pahawh Script
Starting in 1959, Shong Lue Yang said he had a series of special visions. In these visions, he was taught the Pahawh script by two male twins. He believed these visions were divine messages. He was told to teach this new writing system to the Hmong and Khmu peoples.
He truly believed that groups who used his writing system would do well and avoid the difficulties of that time. This was a period of conflict, leading to the Laotian Civil War. After these visions, Shong Lue Yang called himself the "Savior of the Common People" (Theej Kaj Pej Xeem). He then began traveling across Laos, teaching the script and sharing his message of hope.
Challenges and His Legacy
Shong Lue Yang's work quickly became successful. He even helped build a school in a village called Fi Kha. However, because of the ongoing war, he faced many dangers. He was linked to General Vang Pao and his soldiers. This made him a target for groups who were against General Vang Pao.
Later, some Hmong groups who supported the government and even some of Vang Pao's own army started to distrust him. Sadly, Shong Lue Yang was killed in February 1971 in the village of Nam Chia. By this time, he had finished the final version of his amazing Pahawh Hmong script.
Shong Lue Yang's writing system has been shared in many books. One important book is Mother of Writing: The Origin and Development of a Hmong Messianic Script (1990). This book was written by William A. Smalley, Chia Koua Vang, and Gnia Yee Yang.
