Shong Lue Yang

Shong Lue Yang (RPA: "Soob Lwj Yaj") (September 15, 1929—February, 1971) was a Hmong spiritual leader and inventor of the Pahawh script, an semi-syllabary for writing dialects of the Hmong language, as well as the Khmu language. He is honored as the "Mother of Writing" ("Niam Ntawv") among the Hmong people.

Born in the village of Fi Tong, Vietnam, near the city of Nong Het, Laos, Yang grew up without learning to read or write, although he likely observed various writing systems. [Smalley 1990:86-90] For much of his life, he subsisted as a farmer and basket maker. From 1959 onwards, he experienced a series of reported divine revelations during which he was taught the Pahawh script by a set of male twins. In his visions, he was instructed to teach the script to the Hmong and Khmu people. He believed that the groups who accepted the writing system would flourish and escape the hardships of time leading up to the Laotion Civil War. Afterwards, he assumed the title of "Savior of the Common People" ("Theej Kaj Pej Xeem") and began teaching the script and his message of redemption across Laos. [Smalley 1990:16-25]

Following initial successes, including the building of a school in the village of Fi Kha, Yang was targeted by communist forces for his association with General Vang Pao and his troops. Later, he fell under suspicion of Hmong groups who supported the Royal Lao Government (including members of Vang Pao's army) as well as Hmong who supported the communist Pathet Lao. He was assassinated in 1971 in the village of Nam Chia shortly after producing the final version of the Pahawh Hmong script.

Notes

References

*Smalley, William et al. (1990). "Mother of Writing". Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
* [http://www.omniglot.com/writing/hmong.htm Pahawh Hmong alphabet] at Omniglot
*http://www.motherofwriting.com