Rakhine Kyin Wrestling during 2017 Thingyan Festival in Mrauk-U

Kyin (Burmese: ကျင်) is a form of wrestling from Myanmar. It is practiced by the Rakhine people in Myanmar. Tournaments of this sport are usually held during big occasions, for example, Rakhine State Day events.

In Kyin wrestling tournaments, practitioners usually put on a display of warming-up dancing, which is called "kyin kwin" in their local language. Then the fighting is on. The rules are simple. No punching. No touching on the face. No attacking below the belt. The winner throws his opponent to the ground a fixed number of times.

The walls near the cave of Shite-thaung Temple which was built in 1531 show early depiction of the sport of kyin wrestling.

See also

APA References

  • Aung, N. (2013, December 22). For love of the fight. Myanmar Times. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from
  • Kyin: the traditional Rakhine wrestling. (2018, September 2). Global New Light of Myanmar. Retrieved July 15, 2020, from
  • Olympic Council Of Asia - Myanmar. Retrieved Dec 16, 2020, from 2021-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
  • Information Ecosystems Paper 2: southern Rakhine, June 2020. Retrieved Dec 16, 2020, from