រឿងនិទាន លោក យាយ ម៉ៅ
YEAY MAO’S MYSTERIOUS LIFE
3rd Legend
Supreme Commander Srey Mao or Chumteav Commander Mao
What you have read above is a legend which has been told from generation to generation. However, some sources claim, as described below, that Yeay Mao was the supreme Commander who succeeded commander Kry.
As a fully grown young woman with a dusky complexion, Srey Mao was yet to get married and held on position in the army.
Some 500 years ago, the Siamese waged a very aggressive war against the Khmers. Many people had sacrificed their lives fighting for the Khmer territory over a period of decades.
One day, Kry – who was the supreme commander in the southwestern region of Khmer territory covering land and maritime borders (sea zones) , including Koh Kong, Kapot and Sihanoukville, and covering part of the north western region including Pursat- appointed Srey Mao as his personal assistant.
Srey Mao was not just an ordinary personal assistant, but she was also a brave woman who stood shoulder to shoulder with Khmer army fighting against the invading Siamese on many occasions and on many fronts. Because of her enormous commitment and merit, Srey Mao was promoted, becoming deputy commander under commander Kry (Ta Kry).
For years, the forces under Kry and Srey Mao were of great in protecting the country’s southwestern region by repelling aggressors on countless occasions
Even though she was then Kry’s deputy, because of her courage, Srey Mao gained more admiration and respect from all her rank and file soldiers than Kry did.
A few years later, a war broke out that was bigger then any that had occurred previously. A huge number of Siamese soldiers launched offensives over many days and nights in the southwester region. After being under siege for several days in Koh Kong, the Khmer army under Ta Kry and Srey Mao finally suffered severe casualties.
After many days and nights of fighting, commander Kry was eventually killed by the Siamese army on the frontline in Koh Kong. His death demoralized many of his soldiers. Seeing that her forces were suffering a lot of casualties deputy commander Srey Mao decided to fight her way out the siege and retreat with her remaining soldiers to Sre Ambel, and then to continue to amass forces at Pech Nil, which was a mountain with strategic advantages where they could contain the Siamese forces and prevent them from advancing.
Following the death of Commander Kry, Srey Mao was appointed by the Khmer king as commander in charge of the southwestern region.
Soon, Srey Mao began gathering and mobilizing military and patriotic forces and designing strategies to launch offensives, both on land and water, against the Siamese forces in the Koh Kong area, and finally succeeded in regaining complete control of the territory.
Using her powerful magic, Srey Mao used armies of grass or tamarind leaves to invade every Siamese garrison. Thousands of grass and tamarind leaf troops entered every corner of the Siamese barracks putting the Siamese soldiers into a state of panic and chaos, and causing them to lose the will to fight.
Finally, the Siamese soldiers who were all trying to escape were ambushed by Srey Mao’s forces wherever they went. All the Siamese solders were killed in the biggest war ever fought, and even the many Siamese ships were also seized as loot.
Because of the crushing defeat in which thousands of its troops were killed,Siamwas busy plotting its revenge. However, it needed time to amass forces and develop strategies. They were not able to launch an impulsive attack as they had done before.
Being cautious towards her adversaries in neighboring countries, Commander Chumteav Mao (Srey Mao) did not stay quiet. Instead, she prepared land and naval forces at the military bases in Sihanoukville, kampot, and at all border crossings in the southwestern region. With strong forces in place, Commander Mao set up a number of selected points, both on land and water, aimed at deceiving and eliminating enemy forces.
Based on what has been told from denegation to generation, while in the position of commander, Chumteav Mao managed to maintain tight control over her territory, Regardless of how Siamese troops attempted to encroach upon the territory, they always encountered countless setbacks until they finally ceased their aggression, especially when they realized that the southwestern region was under Mao’s control.
The last war, which made Siamreally scared of Mao’s power, broke out when Mao launched fierce counterattacks against the Siamese forces and then retreated by sea to Khmaoch Island, where there were big, swirling waves, which were known as the waves of virgin women’s breasts, in order to trick the pursuing Siamese troops. Mao used her magic to crush the enemy on this is land.
When the Siamese boats entered the waters around the island, Mao’s boats left their hiding- place and besieged the Siamese boats as she planned. Mao and some of her army prepared a shrine on the island in order to enhance their power. Chumteav Mao did not order her troops to attack the Siamese forces but instead told them to completely besiege the Siamese forces.
Mao stood at the shrine on the island, pointing and shouting loudly and using her magic to sink the Siamese ships one by one. Some of the Siamese troops drowned and some were killed while trying to swim to the island. In addition, thousands of Siamese soldiers were captured alive. Historically, Mao’s military experience broke the spirit of the Siamese soldiers.
Chumteav Mao became a heroine and her name was recorded in the list of the 12 Khmer supreme army commanders.
Chumteav Mao was second in rank among the 12 army commanders of that period (the Loungvek era)
For many years after the sinking of the Siamese ships, the southwestern region was no longer under threat.
Commander Mao later fell seriously ill and there was no medication to treat her disease. She finally passed away. Nevertheless, before she died, Mao said to her soldiers “Please, all of you, from now on be loyal to our territory and people. Do not be disheartened by any aggressive invasion of our land. My spirit will be with you as it is today and will help all the Khmer people. You all must vow to protect our country”.
With great sympathy and sorrow, all the soldiers kneeled down before Mao and swore to devote their lives to defending the country.
Before all this had finished, Mao died leaving her soldiers in tears and deep regret.
After a funeral ceremony lasting 7 days and 7 nights, the soldiers all paid homage to the deceased Mao and prayed that her soul would have great power to protect the sea and land in the southwestern part of the country. Soldiers stationed at every place built shrines for the late Mao, so that she could protect them and their descendants for all generations. During this ceremony all the soldiers decided to cut off their penises to offer to Mao as a show of gratitude to her.
After the death of Chumteav Mao, Siamese forces attempted to take over Koh Kong but were defeated by the Khmer forces, who were very adept at fighting as they had been taught by their late commander Mao. Before they went into battle, the Khmer soldiers always prayed for Mao’s soul to enter their bodies so that they could become more powerful when fighting.
Mao’s magic power spread through every part of the coastal provinces, protecting those people who had respect for her right up until the present day. People usually offer artificial penises to Chumteav Mao at her shrines.
NB: This legend is credible as it corresponds with Yeay Mao’s statue in officer dress holding a dragon club, which is typical of a courageous commander.
About love
While serving as a personal assistant to commander Kry, Chumteav Mao was a brave virgin woman. From the time that she became the supreme commander until she died, Chumteav Mao remained chaste; she was never married, not even to Ta Kry. This is why people pray only to Yeay Mao, not to Ta Kry. Shrines for Yeay Mao do not have statues of Ta Kry, except for the shrine at Pech Nil temple.
People call her “Yeay Mao” because for many generations they have been told about her history, over hundreds of years. Therefore the name “Yeay Mao” exists to this day.
Offering and Effective Power
People of every generation, particularly those who live in the coastal areas and those who travel or work a long National Road 4, always have good fortune and after they have prayed and given offerings of artificial penises to Yeay Moa. However, people should not say anything inappropriate or use abusive language about Yeay Moa, as doing so will bring them bad luck.
Why build a shrine for Yeay Moa at Pech Nil?
For many generations, people have paid their respects to Yeay Moa at various different places, especially in villages in the coastal areas. The symbol representing Yeay Moa is simply a piece of rock placed under a tree or in a decrepit shack where villagers can pray for happiness.
Under these circumstances and for years and years, Yeay Moe’s magic power has been very influential for people living in maritime areas and travelers along National Road 4.
Daun (grandma) Mao has provided people with peace and prosperity and this makes people believe in and show respect for her. In particular, people living around the Perch Nil village have so much respect for Yeay Mao that they have built a holy shrine for her in their village so that they can pray for her help.
Bad experiences can be avoided when people pray before Yeay Mao, even when they are in danger. That’s why belief in Yeay Mao has grown constantly amongst the local as well as the general population. As a result, a Daun Mao shrine was built in early 1990a on the edge of thePechNilValleyfor people to pay their respects to Daun Mao.
Building a shrine after an erotic dream with Yeay Mao
Deputy Major Kiev Rith, 47, deputy chief of staff of Division 31, stationed along National Road 4, has the greatest belief in and respect for Yeay Mao. During the past two decades of civil war he has never suffered any injury. Station at Pich Nil, a place that was a Yeay Mao military base hundreds of years ago, Rith and his troops have been stationed there safely without any fear of the Khmer Rouge attacking or shelling. In addition, when soldiers get sick they simply pray to Yeay Mao, and then they recover.
“Even during the time when Vietnamese troops were stationed on this mountain, they also asked for safety from Yeay Mao because they knew abusing her would result in bad fortune” Mr Kiev Rith added.
“Being a firm believer in Yeay Mao, one night I had a very strange dream that Yeay Mao, as a beautiful young virgin woman, had come to sleep with me,” said Major Roth.
“After I woke up I was not feeling well”, he added.” I lit incense to apologize to Yeay Mao, but a few days later I fell seriously ill without any obvious cause. My family had sold everything to pay for my treatment, but my condition did not improve. With almost no hope left, I prayed to Yeay Mao again, because I had deeply respected her for along time’’
“On that night, Yeay Mao appeared in my dream once again. She told me to bring her statue from a pagoda from in Arey Khsat and put it here (the current shrine). Despite my illness, I rushed there and, fortunately, when I arrived at the pagoda, I spotted her statue in a small hut under a Korki tree, just as I had seen in my dream. There, I paid my respects to the Abbot and told him about the story and offered to buy the statue or contribute 180,000 riles with the aim of bringing Yeay Mao back to Perch Nil mountain as instructed in my dream.’’
After the statue had arrived (in 1993), we quickly prepared the shrine and organized a prayer ceremony with traditional Pin Peat music. This shrine has been a holy place until today.
Yeay Mao is very effective; I followed her advice and I have lived healthily until today. People who have prayed to Yeay Mao and have received what they had prayed for have brought offerings such as hundreds of stupas, fruits, and so forth. In general we have observed that people who travel along this road always stop by to light incense and pay their respects to Yeay Mao. Those who do not stop always raise their hands to pray for safety or say loudly “Lok Year (grandma), we are going back now … please help protect us”.
Showing disrespect for Lok Yeay can also bring bad luck. For example, a few months ago a woman driving a car stopped in front of Yeay Mao’s shrine and pressed her horn many times. She then sped off. After traveling just two or three kilometers further, the car suddenly overturned for no apparent reason. So please beware of imitating that woman.
Lok Yeay Mao no longer receives phallic offerings
For many yeas, worshippers often offered artificial penises made of wood or concrete and sometimes plastic brought in from overseas. However, seeing that this was too embarrassing, Mr. Kiev Rith collected all the phalluses, totaling over 7,000, and buried them under the shrine. He also told the people to offer fruit and bananas instead because Lok Yeay had entered a person’s body and had told us that she has become a num and no longer accepts phallic offerings.
Since then both the local people and travelers no longer bring phalluses as offerings because Lok Yeay is now a nun.
សូមស្វាគមន៍ WELCOME TO 