Namhsan (; Palaung language: Om-yar; ), also spelt Nam Hsan, Namsan, or Nam San, is the capital of the Pa Laung Self-Administered Zone and Namhsan Township in northern Shan State of Myanmar (Burma). The town is a popular starting point for trekking to Hsipaw.
Besides its Palaung people, the town is also populated by Karen people, Lisu people, and Shan people ethnic tribal groups, as well as Burmese Indians and Chinese residents.
Their language is called Shwe, a language variant that is only partially intelligible by other Palaungic language speakers. "Overview of the Shwe De'ang" Asiaharvest.org, last accessed 5 October 2010 In Shwe, Namhsan means trembling waters and the town is thought to be named that way because it is situated on a marsh which gets flooded during heavy rains. During the 1920s and 1930s, the town prospered from the presence of silver mines and the tea grown in the area. The tribe was heavily studied by anthropologist Mrs. Leslie Milne.
On 15 December 2023 the town fell under the control of the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) rebel group after two weeks of fighting against the military junta State Administration Council (SAC).
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