The Foreign Presence in Mandalay during the Konbaung Period: A Review of the Urban Area
Mandalay has many faces. As the last capital of the Konbaung Dynasty, Mandalay is
considered the origin of the traditional Myanmar culture. A wide variety of handicrafts
remain in practice today and are a focal point of the Buddhist practice. However, Mandalay
cannot be discussed in only the narrow framework of Myanmar culture. Mosques, Hindu
temples, and Chinese temples stood in a row along its streets, demonstrating the complex
history of this city.
However, the study of Mandalay’s diversity remains limited. The urban area of