Poe-Win Hill, which is famous for its cluster of ancient art-works, is situated eight miles away from Yin Mar Bin Township in Monywa District, Sagaing Division. The shape of the hill looks like a capsized racing boat. It’s an enchanting haven for the pilgrims, those who are studying ancient arts, and also to travelers, due to its ever green trees and encircling mountains such as Phan-Kah Taung, Sa Pho Taung and Shwe Ba Taung.

Poe-Win Hill is a place where Myanma ancient sculptures, mural paintings and natural sand-stones can be studied in one spot at the same time. The hill has about 940 caves. Most of the murals which can be studied on the cave-walls of Poe-Win Hill are the art of 17th Century, Nyaung Yan Era. In a cave where a reclining Buddha Image exists, murals portraying sacred Boddhi trees where 28 Buddhas attained their enlightenment, the attaining enlightenment of Thikhi Buddha under a white mango tree and the homage paying of Devas to the Lord Buddha can be seen magnificently on the whole wall of the cave and figures of lotus on the ceiling. In the queen’s cave of Poe-Win Hill, you can pay homage to revered reclining Buddha Image and if you proceed, you can observe Nyaung Yan Era mural paintings depicting the episode of retiring of would-be-Buddha to the jungle as a recluse, the disturbance of Mara, the posture of Buddha giving preordainment of events and the homage paying to the Lord Buddha by Devas on the cave-wall and the paintings of twisted Naga Lotus, figures of Lotus and the Boddhi tree with ivory trunk and brunches being paid homage by the kings of celestial beings and Brahmas on the ceiling.

In the next cave you can study magnificent Nyaung Yan Era mural paintings depicting a scene where the Lord Buddha is being worshipped by His disciples who sit on His left and right flanks including the kings of celestial beings and Brahmas and another scene which depicts where the Thikhi Buddha attained enlightenment under a white mango tree. When we study another cave, we found that the episodes of Weithandara and Mahawthahta Jatakas which were drawn in orderly fashion. Besides paintings illustrating the scenes of Lord Buddha disturbed by Mara and his followers, the victory of Boddhi tree and Golden throne by the Lord Buddha, the defeat of Mara and his followers and two arahats worshipping Lord Buddha can be studied. And then we proceeded to another cave where mural paintings portraying floral patterns of Nyaung Yan Era, the homage paying to the Lord Buddha by the celestial king and His disciples who sit on His left and right flanks, the attaining enlightenment of 28 Buddhas and features of Boddhi trees can be seen.

Mural paintings of Nyaung Yan Era found in the next labyrinth cave portrayed the earlier lives of would-be-Buddha before He attained enlightenment, the homage paying to Lord Buddha by four Devas holding white umbrellas and fans, would-be-Buddha’s entirement into the jungle as a recluse, the disturbance of Mara, two arahats paying homage to the Lord Buddha and villagers worshipping the Lord Buddha.

Furthermore, those of Nyaung Yan Era featuring Mahawthahta Jataka and enlightenment of 28 Buddhas can also be seen on the walls.

When we studied the art of early Yadanabone period, we’ve found paintings drawn on episodes of Mardinga and Mahawthahta Jatakas and 28 Buddha. We’ve also seen a few paintings of Colonial period.

Mural paintings found in the caves of Poe-Win Hill are the ancient art-works drawn during earlier 17^th Century (Nyaung Yan Era) and 19th Century AD. So, we’re bursting with pride for getting the chance to study the 250 years old Myanmar ancient mural paintings and present it to our audience.