princely state · Mainland Southeast Asia
Kengtung State
Origins
Kengtung, Tai Khun Chiang Tung, was settled by Tai Khun people and, according to tradition, brought under Mangrai of Lan Na in the 13th century, who installed a governor there. Its ruling house dates from this period, and the city stands by Naung Tung lake.
Rule and society
Kengtung's Khun culture, script and Buddhism were closely related to Lan Na and Chiang Hung, and its rulers balanced between Lan Na, Burmese kings and China. From the 16th century it was a tributary of the First Toungoo Empire and later Konbaung, while trading tea, horses and opium across the borderlands.
Decline and legacy
Kengtung came under British protection in 1890 and joined the Federated Shan States. The saopha's powers ended in 1959, and the Burmese military demolished his palace in 1991. Kengtung remains the main town of eastern Shan State.
On the connections map
Open the full map →Connections (5)
- Kengtung State was a vassal of Lan Na1350 CE – 1558 CE
- Kengtung State was a vassal of First Toungoo Empire1558 CE – 1599 CE
- Kengtung State was a vassal of Konbaung dynasty1752 CE – 1885 CE
- Kengtung State was a protectorate of British Burma1890 CE – 1922 CE
- Kengtung State was part of Federated Shan States1922 CE – 1948 CE
More states of Mainland Southeast Asia →
Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kengtung State. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kengtung-state
- MLA
- “Kengtung State.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kengtung-state. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Kengtung State.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kengtung-state.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kengtung State’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kengtung-state (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻