Chit Hlaing
Quick Facts
Biography
Chit Hlaing (Burmese: ချစ်လှိုင်, 1879 – 31 October 1952) was a notable Burmese politician. During his time, he was called a Burmese king without a crown. He was imprisoned when the British Crown Prince of Wales (who later became King Edward VIII) visited Burma in 1921.
He was born in Moulmein (now Mawlamyaing), the son of rich teak merchant U Thar Nyin. At age 20, he left for Britain to study law. After he graduated, he returned to Moulmein to help found the Y.M.B.A. (Young Men's Buddhist Association). In 1911 he unsuccessfully defended U Dhammaloka, the "Irish Buddhist", in his trial for sedition. In 1937, as president of the Burmese House, Chit Hlaing attended the ceremony of King Edward's coronation in England. He was elected president of the law council and consultant of the Burmese Chancellor during World War II. After the war, he was elected a Member of Parliament until his death in 1952 in Rangoon.