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Theinni or Hsenwi (; , ; , , ) is a town in northern Shan State of Burma, situated near the north bank of the Myitnge River and now the centre of Hsenwi Township in Lashio District. Map of Hseni Township It is north of Lashio and above sea level. Page 8
After the disruption of the Dali Kingdom by Kublai Khan, Theinni seems to have been the centre of the independent Shan princely states, with various capitals in the Shweli River and Myitnge River valleys. This kingdom of Kawsampi was ended by the Burmese in 1738 (or thereabouts), and the country was divided into various states with appointment orders from Konbaung Dynasty. Numerous rebellions and civil wars reduced Theinni from its position as arguably the most powerful and populous Shan state to what is perceived as a condition of fearful desolation. It later regained much population since the British occupation in 1888, but is still far from its old prosperity. The ruins of what was the old capital of Hsenwi State lie at a short distance, and show it to have been a large and well-built town.
It is de jure a part of Burma, but is currently controlled by the Brotherhood Alliance as of 30 October 2023 as a result of the 2021–2023 Myanmar civil war.
There were a total of 16 rulers in Hsenwi from 1778 to 1888.
The US Air Force attacked it several times during World War II.http://books.stonebooks.com/record/1000693/ "29 October, 1 November, 11 November and 1 December 1944"
Kokang was part of the Hsenwi Saopha territory before Myanmar's independence from the British.
The town was captured by the Brotherhood Alliance during the ongoing Myanmar Civil War around 29 October 2023.
The southern portion has much more flat land, along the, line of the Nam Tu, its tributaries the Nam Yao and the Nam Nim, and the Nam Yek flowing into the Salween. This was formerly densely populated, and still remains the most valuable portion of the state. A range running westwards from the Salween, and marking the southern border of the rift in the hills, divides North from South Theinni. Both north and south of the Nam Tu there are many peaks which rise to , and several over . The northern portion is almost consistent enough in its altitude of about to be called a plateau. It has large, grassy, upland downs. This part of the state has fallen almost entirely into the hands of the Kachins.
The Shans are found in the Nam Mao (Shweli or Lung Kiang) valley, and in the Nam Tu and other valleys in the southern part of the state. The line of the Nam Mao is the lowest portion of North Theinni, being little over above sea-level. The southern valleys are about more than ft or higher. South Theinni is practically bisected by the huge mass of Loi Ling, nearly above sea-level, and by the spurs which that peak sends north and south. Apart from this it consists of broken hill-country of no great height, or open rolling downs, the latter chiefly in the eastern half of the state. It is watered by numerous streams, of which the chief is the Nam Pang, an affluent of the Salween.
Rivers
The chief river in the northern state, apart from the Salween, is the Nam Tu or Myitnge River, which rises on the Ayeyarwady River- Salween watershed, not far from the latter, and flows westwards through the state into Taungbaing or Hsipaw, and eventually into the Irrawaddy at Amarapura. The Nam Mao or Shweli only skirts the state, but it receives a considerable tributary, the Nam Paw, which has its entire course in Theinni territory, and is large enough to be barely fordable in the dry weather, and only passable by boats in the rains. The deforestation caused by years of upland cultivation has dried up many of the springs, but as a whole North Theinni is very well watered. Considerable deposits of coal, or rather of lignite, exist in both North and South Theinni, but do not appear to be of high quality. Gold is washed in many of the streams in a fitful way. Limestone exists in large quantities. No valuable timber exists to any considerable extent.
Vegetation
There is some teak in the Nam Yao valley, and scattered Vernicia fordii exist. Pine forests cover some of the ranges, but, as elsewhere in the Shan states, varieties of the oak and chestnut are the commonest forest trees.
Climate
The climate of the state as a whole is temperate. In the plains of the uplands there are yearly frosts in January, February and March, but in the greater part of the state the thermometer rarely falls to freezing-point, and in the hot weather does not exceed ninety degrees for any length of time. The average rainfall seems to be about yearly.
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