So what a Sino-Burmese man told me was wrong.

AI Overview

The Ming Emperor did not formally "give" the Kokan State (Kokang) to the Yang family; rather, the

Yang clan were Ming loyalists who fled to the region and established a feudal state after the Ming dynasty collapsed in 1644.

Here is a breakdown of the events:

1644: Soldiers from the Yang clan fled Nanjing following the collapse of the Ming Dynasty, making their way to the remote Yunnan border areas.

18th Century: Most of the Chinese who formed the basis of the Kokang population migrated to the area in the 18th century.

1739: A descendant, Yang Shien-tsai, officially formed the Chiefdom of Kokang in 1739.

Later Acknowledgment: The new state eventually acknowledged the suzerainty of the succeeding Qing dynasty of China to prevent an invasion, not because it was given to them by the Ming.

The "gift" from a Ming Emperor appears to be a historical misconception; the Yang family established their rule through migration and settlement after the dynasty's fall.

Chiefdom of Kokang - Wikipedia

The Chiefdom of Kokang (Chinese: 果敢土司; pinyin: Guǒgǎn Tǔsī), was a chiefdom in modern-day Kokang, Shan State, Myanmar ruled by the...

Wikipedia

HAN CHINESE, KOKANG - Asia Harvest History: Most Kokang are descended from Chinese who migrated to what is now northern Myanmar in the 18th century. Earlier, in 1644... Asia Harvest

HAN CHINESE, KOKANG - Asia Harvest

History: Most Kokang are descended from Chinese who migrated to what is now northern Myanmar in the 18th century. Earlier, in 1644... Asia Harvest