Notes from the Field: Tongchen Hou, Crisis, Collapse, or Transformation? The Burmese Literary World After 2021
In recent years, Myanmar has undergone profound challenges. Beginning in March 2020, the country-imposed lockdowns due to the spread of COVID-19, and in February 2021, the military unexpectedly staged a coup in Naypyidaw. These events have drastically affected Myanmar’s social, political, and economic environment, which in turn has influenced its literary landscape.
Since the 2021 coup, a significant number of foreign NGOs, journalists, and embassy personnel have withdrawn from Yangon. With the intensifying civil conflict, conducting field research and gathering data in Myanmar has become increasingly challenging. Moreover, both media and academic attention have largely shifted to the political and economic crises and the state of warfare in Myanmar. In contrast, there has been almost no scholarly focus on changes in Myanmar’s literary environment following these events. Therefore, this essay draws on my fieldwork experiences to delineate the updated situation in Burmese literati.
Print Media
Following the political party National League for Democracy’s (NLD) rise to power in 2015, the literature industry in Myanmar began to experience a period of recovery. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent 2021 coup d’état has dealt a major blow to the development of the magazine publishing industry. Since 2021, only the military-owned magazines Myawaddy and Shwe Ta Yi are said to remain (Bo Bo 2022). Given that magazines are the most vital platforms for Burmese authors to publish their new works, the absence of magazine publication is undoubtedly leading to catastrophic retrogression in the development of Burmese literature.
Since the coup in Myanmar, the book publishing industry has encountered numerous challenges because of the uncertainty and prolonged time of publishing. Nay, the owner of Sape Lawka Press which is one of the largest publishing houses revealed that before the coup, three books could be published within a span of two months. However, under current conditions, only one book can be published in the same timeframe. Despite many books being ready for publication, they must wait for an opportune moment. Furthermore, Nay points out that the difficult financial situation also put more obstacles in the way of publishing. Rising printing and paper costs have significantly increased book prices, which have nearly doubled compared to 2019, now averaging 8,000 MMK per book (in January 2023). Therefore, sales remain sluggish. Moreover, the political climate continues to influence writers’ work, and publishers face the constant risk of having their books withdrawn at any time. Many published works have been temporarily taken off the shelves due to fears of controversy. Given these challenges from social, political and financial challenges, publishers remain hesitant to release new titles, despite having sufficient material ready for publication.
In addition to the socioeconomic factors, the Burmese literary landscape is undergoing a transformation due to shifting reading habits among the younger generation, who increasingly prefer visual media over traditional print literature. In response, Burmese authors are exploring new avenues to reach out to audiences through non-traditional channels such as audio books, podcasts, and YouTube videos. For example, veteran author Shwe Ku May Hnin and her writer friends have launched a public Facebook page, ‘Three Women’, where they read and retell stories from various countries. Similarly, the young writer Mon Halsey has created a talk show on her YouTube channel, accompanied by a set of inspirational quote cards designed to promote her upcoming book. In this evolving literary landscape, micro-fiction has also gained popularity among Burmese writers, with many, such as Khin Thanda, regularly posting short pieces on Facebook. These developments illustrate how authors are adapting to changing readership patterns, leveraging digital platforms to engage with a broader audience and redefine the way literature is consumed.
Chances or Challenges for Female authors
With the drop in printing and sales and other difficulties of the public expenses, it can be assumed that Burmese women’s writings have been facing certain challenges since 2021. Some active female writers who are openly opposed to the military government are under threat to their lives and have had to flee their home country. In addition, currently, in Myanmar, the work of many writers who are somehow related to the military government, either voluntarily or forced, have been boycotted by Burmese readers. Bookstores took their books from shelves and some young book readers have even burned their books in public, as a form of protest. For example, Ma Sandar, a prominent Burmese female author famous for her humorous and sarcastic writings and popular short stories, was initially not arranged for me to meet by my gatekeeper, whom I refer to as Aunt, due to political reasons. Aunt ultimately agreed to take me to visit Ma Sandar and accompany me during the meeting. The political reasons mentioned by Aunt might have been that Ma Sandar was awarded with the National Lifetime Award for Literary Achievement for 2020 by the military government.[1] The sensitivity could be seen and felt during contact with Burmese writers during my visit. Some writers who were not openly against the military government were punished by readers by boycotting and by cyber violence. Writers who were once respected could, in a matter of days, become names that others dare not mention.
Except for the security issue, the social turbulence has caused serious burdens for these authors’ mental health. During my interviews, some female writers expressed difficulties in writing under the situation where national destiny is shadowed. However, Burmese writers have not stopped expressing themselves. This seemingly challenging situation also creates some opportunities for them.
Books on Well-being
Books on well-being and mental health have gained increasing popularity in Myanmar, especially in the aftermath of political unrest and the pandemic. Drawing on observations during my fieldwork in January and February 2023, on the best sellers’ shelf in bookstores, more than half of the top 10 best sellers are focused on self-help and wellness, with books organized around specific themes such as love, happiness, and success. These books contain uplifting and positive messages aimed at inspiring and motivating readers. Most of these books are from female authors.
The popularity of these books in Myanmar can be attributed to the significant pressures and challenges faced by the Burmese people in the current socio-political climate. While political news can be avoided, the skyrocketing prices, disruptions in neighbourhoods, and barricades on the streets serve as daily reminders of the country’s ongoing turmoil. Many young Burmese people have reported experiencing severe depression since the coup, creating a need for literature that addresses these issues. In response, Burmese female authors such as Mon Halsey and Naing Naing Sa Nay have increasingly turned to producing ‘Chicken Soup’ style books. Notably, these new forms of literature in Myanmar are also influenced by foreign cultures. For instance, Lifetime Patterner (တစ်သက်တာအဖော်), a book by Naing Naing Sa Nay around 2022, is a direct translation of content from a Chinese WeChat channel. This is not the first time the author has drawn inspiration from WeChat-based literature, highlighting the growing cross-cultural exchange and the evolving nature of literary production in the digital age. Not only have political changes influenced literary genres, but they have also reshaped the literary community itself.
Community-based literary circles
The literary community in Myanmar functions as a microcosm of Burmese society, characterized by diverse and complex interpersonal relationships. Despite the fact that individuals may not have met or interacted extensively, there exists a sense of interconnectedness amongst members of the literary circle, which might contribute to the relatively low barrier to entry for publishing. However, divisions may still exist between writers of varying ages and geographic locations.
During my fieldwork in Yangon, I attended a gathering of Burmese female authors, where the primary objective was to visit two elderly writers, Kyu Kyu Tin and Sein (Pyinnya Ye), who had recently fallen ill. The event resembled a large family gathering, with intimate conversations and exchanges between the more than ten writers present across multiple generations. The younger writers read poetry and shared personal anecdotes about themselves and their older colleagues, followed by expressions of reverence for the elder writers. The gathering culminated in the younger writers offering kowtows and gifts to their older teachers, who then provided blessings.
After experiencing these challenging events in recent year, this kind of community-based literary circle grew stronger. Young female authors can gain support and introduces form senior or experienced female writers or publishers. However, not all Burmese writers adhere to this convivial style, some prefer to maintain a solitary approach, such as Ju, who operates her own publishing house and has enjoyed widespread popularity for years, affording her the option of expanding her social circle and career prospects at her discretion.
Overall, after 2021, the Burmese literary world has faced profound disruption, marked by censorship, exile, economic precarity, and the fragmentation of traditional publishing networks. Writers, editors, and readers alike have had to navigate an environment of heightened political risk and institutional collapse, where the circulation of texts is increasingly constrained. Yet, these very conditions have also catalysed new literary possibilities. The shift toward digital platforms, social media, and transnational modes of dissemination has enabled alternative forms of expression and community-building to emerge beyond conventional print culture. In this sense, while the post-2021 period signals a moment of crisis, it also opens up a space for transformation, as Burmese literature adapts to new media ecologies and reconfigures its relationship to readership, authorship, and political engagement.
Notes:
[1] Although it is officially a literary award for 2020, the selection was made by National Literary Award Selection Committee and announced by Ministry of Information in November 2021, after the coup. As a result, many people view this award as a symbolic gesture by the military government. https://www.moi.gov.mm/npe/2020-pnnyncattk-amiusaacaapettcskttaachu-amiusaacaapechumaathuttpnkennyaa
Tongchen Hou is a Boya postdoctoral fellow in School of Foreign Languages, Peking University, China. She completed her doctoral degree in South East Asian Studies, SOAS, University of London. Her research interest includes trans-Asian cultural studies, gender studies, Burmese intellectual history and Burmese contemporary literature.
To cite this essay, please use the bibliographic entry suggested below:
Tongchen Hou, “Crisis, Collapse, or Transformation? The Burmese Literary World After 2021,” criticalasianstudies.org Commentary Board, November 9, 2026; https://doi.org/10.52698/XDUQ3293.