In 1751, when Qing troops had quelled the rebellion staged by Zholmet Namozhale, the Qing court promulgated the 13-Article Ordinance for the Governing of Tibet, which established the system of rule over Tibet by the Dalai Lama and Qing High Commissioners.

The 7th Dalai Lama Galsang Gyamco was the first religious leader operating under the new system. Emperor Qianlong said in edict to Tibet that the Dalai Lama, like the 5th Dalai Lama, enjoyed the power to rule over the region. In order to make it possible for the Dalai Lama to enjoy real power, the emperor bestowed on him a golden seal of authority carrying a text similar to that used for the 5th Dalai Lama.

Before this, all the four Galoon officials with the Gaxag government were laymen, and monks had no part in it. After the aforementioned rebellion, the Dalai Lama suggested that Lama Nyima Gyamcan, who controlled the Yellow Sect, should replace one of the existing Galoon officials, and Sichuan Viceroy Celun sought court endorsement for this. Emperor Qianlong approved, so that one of the four Galoon officials subsequently was a lama. In his edict to the four Galoons, the emperor advised them to work in unison and report all problems to the Dalai Lama and High Commissioners.

In the subsequent seven years of rule by the 7th Dalai Lama, he never forgot to seek support from the Qing High Commissioners and follow any orders from the Central Government. With the agreement of the High Commissioners, the 7th Dalai Lama deployed troops along the border to repulse Zungar invaders, ease the burden on the general populace, open monk official schools to train official candidates for government organs under the Gaxag government, and set up workshops to create statues of Buddha at the foot of the Potala Palace.

 Statue of the 6th Panchen Erdeni (1738-1780).

When the 7th Dalai Lama became ill, Emperor Qianlong ordered that Hotogtu Zamgyia and lamas in Beijing to pray for his good health and sent two court doctors to treat him. Unfortunately, the 7th Dalai Lama died in 1757 in the Potala Palace at the age of 51.

Emperor Qianlong mourned the death and ordered the High Commissioners stationed in Tibet to see to it that the funeral rituals were handled in a grand way. The emperor intended to send Hotogtu Zamgyia to assume rule over Tibet. At this point, however, a report was submitted to him saying that the Galoon officials and the Kampus abbots of the major monasteries in Tibet suggested that Hotogtu Dimo, who had a good command of the sutras, should be the Dalai Lama’s replacement. The emperor agreed and advised that he should rule Tibet together with the High Commissioners. Meanwhile, he sent a confidential order to the High Commissioners to the effect that they should work together with Hotogtu Dimo so that the Galoon officials would not be able to make trouble.

This ushered in a new method known as the Regent system under which the emperor approved a Regent to rule the region until the new Dalai Lama reached the age of 18. The system lasted for some 200 years thereafter. In addition to Hotogtu Dimo, there were some 10 other Regents, including Cemoiling Ngawang Cechen, Jilung Yexi Lobsang Dainbei Gungbo, Dimo Ngawang Lobsang Tudain Jigmei Gyamco, Cemoiling Ngawang Jambei Cechen, Razheng Ngawang Yexie Cechen Gyamcain and Shazhawa Wangqu Gyibo. They played a good role in fighting invaders and maintaining peace and stability in Tibet.

The 6th Hotogtu Dimo served as the Regent for about 20 years. During the period, he organized the construction of the holy stupa for the 7th Dalai Lama, and assisted Hotogtu Zamgyia to search for the soul boy. In recognition of his work, the Qing emperor ordered 1,000 taels of silver to be used for his funeral, and hung strings of gems on the holy stupa that contained his remains.

The silver statue of the 6th Panchen Lobsang Bedain Yexei (1738—1780) now enshrined in Yonghegong Lamasery in Beijing.

The 6th Panchen Travels to Beijing

While the Qing court pressed ahead with the Regent system and ordered Hotogtu Dimo to rule Tibet, the Qing court made efforts to support the Panchen system in the Xigaze area. In 1766, Emperor Qianlong granted honorific titles to the 6th Panchen Erdeni who was very prestigious, plus a golden seal of authority weighing 208 taels, which was carved with texts in Manchurian, Chinese and Tibetan. Like the golden seal of authority for the 5th Panchen Erdeni, the seal text read, “Seal for Panchen Erdeni”.  The Panchen Erdeni kowtowed toward the east as a token of thanks to the Qing court, and sent an envoy to personally thank the emperor.

Qing support for the Panchen reincarnation system constitutes one part of its policy geared to support the Yellow Sect so as to contain the noble forces and Galoon officials. In the reigns of Emperors Shunzhi and Kangxi, the two emperors intended to invite the Panchen to the court. Emperor Kangxi did try to invite the 5th Panchen so as to keep at bay Mongol tribes who worshipped the Yellow Sect and wanted to take over Tibet. However, Diba Sangyi Gyamco made trouble and the 5th Panchen was unable to go to Beijing.

In the later years of Emperor Qianlong, peace reigned among the various Mongol tribes. However, given the fact that the 8th Dalai Lama was too young to rule, the noble forces were working hard to gain power. In December 1778, when Hotogtu Zamgyia applied to the court for the 6th Panchen to visit the capital for the emperor’s birthday celebration, the emperor agreed and asked the High Commissioners and the Regent to go to Xigaze to invite the Panchen to Beijing. The emperor also advised them to work out a travel route.

It was a grand event not seen since the 5th Dalai Lama had visited the court about 100 years earlier. Emperor Qianlong made good arrangements for the Panchen. He had a temple built in Chengde after the style of the visitor’s Tashilhungpo Monastery in Xigaze, and the Zaomiao built in the Fragrant Hills of Beijing. In addition, he ordered his men to greet the Tibetan master along the route he would take. With a view to achieving greater effect, the emperor ordered Mongol tribal leaders to gather in the Chengde summer resort.

The Tibetan side reacted positively to the Panchen’s forthcoming visit to Beijing. The 8th Dalai Lama, Regent Ngawang Cuchen, Galoon officials and monastery abbots sent letters of thanks to the court along with gifts. The Regent sent officials to escort the Panchen to the capital.

Memorial report submitted to the emperor; this is a memorial report on Panchen’s stay in Beijing that the Ministry of Civil Affairs sent to Emperor Qianlong in 1780 in the 45th year of his reign. It is now preserved in the China No.1 Historical Archives.

Bronze Bell Club, with the bell rising 20 cm high and the club 12.4 cm high. The 6th Panchen presented them to the court in the summer resort of Chengde. It is now preserved in the museum there.

Gilded statue of Sakyamuni. Rising 26.7 cm high, it was presented to the court in the Chengde Summer Resort by the 6th Panchen, and is now preserved in the Palace Museum.

Gilded bronze Garbola Bowl, rising 21 cm high and 20 cm wide, used as a ritual object for Tantric mediation in Tibetan Buddhism. When the 6th Panchen went to pay homage to the imperial court, he included the bowl among his gifts. The skull bowl, carved inside with the Six Syllable Prayers, has a base inscribed in four languages showing when the bowl was presented to the court. It is now preserved in the Tibetan Cultural Palace Museum.

On the 17th day of the sixth lunar month in 1779, the Panchen and his party left Xigaze. The High Commissioners and Galoon officials saw them off at Yangbajain. The 8th Dalai Lama accompanied the 6th Panchen for eight days and left only when they reached Zhaxitang. The party reached the Tar Monastery in March the following year. Thereafter, they crossed Mongolia and reached Chengde on July 21 to a rousing welcome of the court and the emperor. The 6th Panchen presented hada scarves to the emperor and other officials, and knelt down to kowtow to the emperor, who raised him up and treated him to tea. Everything proceeded in a good atmosphere.

The following day, the 6th Panchen paid tribute to Emperor Qianlong, presenting with gifts including a gold statue of Buddha, gold, horses, incense and woolen fabrics. The emperor reciprocated with gifts, too.

Emperor Qianlong’s 70th birthday celebrations took place in the early days of the eighth lunar month. Leaders of Mongolia, Tibet and the Hui tribes all attended. The 6th Panchen presented the emperor with a Longevity Buddha Statue and other gifts on behalf of the 8th Dalai Lama and officials in the Lhasa area.

The celebrations, highlighted by banquets and a five-day theatrical performance, lasted until the last days of the month. The 6th Panchen followed the emperor to Beijing and resided in Xihuangsi Monastery. During his stay, many went to worship him, and he paid visits to the Zaomiao Temple in the Fragrant Hills, and some other monasteries in the capital area. On many occasions he went to give blessings to lamas with the Yonghegong Lamasery in Beijing.

The 6th Panchen had a tight and exhausting schedule and eventually died in Xihuangsi Monastery on the second day of the 11th lunar month the same year.

Garbola beads made of skulls They were presented to the Qing court when celebrating the birthday of the emperor in Ningshou Palace five days before the demise of the visiting 6th Panchen, and now kept in the Taiwan Palace Museum.

Iron bowl 16 cm high and with a diameter of 17.5 cm. It was presented to the court in Ningshou Palace five days before the demise of the 6th Panchen. It is kept in the Tibet Nationalities Cultural Palace Museum.

Statue of the 7th Dalai Lama.

Emperor Qianlong was saddened by the news and sent officials to attend the funeral. He himself also went to the funeral and allocated 7,000 taels of gold for the casting of a golden dagoba that contained the remains of the late master. Fu Qing escorted the golden dagoba to the Tashilhungpo Monastery in Xigaze on the 100th day of the funeral.

Fu Qing and his party left in the second lunar month of 1781 and they reached Tashilhungpo Monastery in the later half of the eighth lunar month.

Four years later, Emperor Qianlong ordered “the purified dagoba” to be built on the western side of Huangsi Monastery. It was walled and complete with halls of Buddha and monk dormitories. Emperor Qianlong wrote inscriptions for stone tablets and these were carved in Chinese, Manchurian, Mongolian and Tibetan languages. Both the dagoba and stone tablets bearing the inscriptions are intact.

Gifts the 6th Panchen presented to the emperor are still preserved in the palace museums of Beijing and Taiwan, the Yonghegong Lamasery of Beijing, the Nationalities Cultural Palace of Beijing and Chengde Summer Resort.

Ordinance for Effective Governing of Tibet

In the sixth lunar month of 1781, the 8th Dalai Lama reached the age of 18 and came to power. Emperor Qianlong issued an edict for him to rule Tibet. Two years later, the emperor granted the 8th Dalai Lama a jade seal of authority and a jade certificate of confirmation. This shows Emperor Qianlong trusted the 8th Dalai Lama just as he had trusted his predecessor.

In the fourth lunar month of 1786, Hotogtu Zamgyia died at Wutaishan Mountain. Emperor Qianlong ordered former Regent Ngawang Cechen whom the 8th Dalai Lama relied on so much to take over the position of the deceased. Cashing in on the situation, however, some of the relatives of the 8th Dalai Lama scrambled for power.

In the seventh lunar month of 1788, the Gurkhas invaded Tibet and the situation in Tibet was pretty critical. The Gurkhas invaded Tibet largely because of the following fact Nepal (home of the Gurkhas) maintained border trade with Tibet. The Tibetans bartered salt and sheep wool for Nepalese grain. Although the Tibetans suffered losses in the trade, the Gurkhas still claimed that the Tibetans had mixed dirt with the salt.

Water Buffalo Document, one version of the 29-Article Ordinance for the Effective Governing of Tibet The paper document measures 359 cm long and 53 cm wide. It is kept in the Tibet Archives.

Document Granting Honorific Title to the 8th Dalai Lama in 1781, now kept in the China No.1 Archives.

Memorial submitted by General Fukang’an to Emperor Qianlong in 1792 on matters concerning the golden urn to be used to determine the soul boy of a deceased Dalai Lama or Panchen Erdeni. It is kept in the China No.1 History Archives.

When Emperor Qianlong was informed of the Gurkha invasion, he ordered Sichuan Viceroy Cheng De to rush to Darjeeling and one of the High Commissioners to lead Tibetan troops to the Xigaze area.

In the ninth lunar month of that year, the emperor ordered E Hui to lead 2,000 troops into Tibet and Ba Zhong to help rule in the Xigaze area. However, they dared not to go further and sent the 6th Panchen‘s brother Marba, who was a red-hat lama with the Garma Sect, Galoon Dainjin Banzhul and Depoin Yutog to negotiate peace with the Gurkhas. Without having managed to gain permission from the Qing court, they agreed to send 9,600 taels of silver to the Gurkhas in three years in return for the recovery of some lost land such as Nylam and Jilung.

In the 8th lunar month of 1790, Emperor Qianlong ordered Ngawang Cechen to assist the 8th Dalai Lama to rule Tibet. When he found out the real situation, Ngawang Cechen refused to pay over the silver and was determined to strike back at the Gurkhas. However, he died the following year. The Gaxag government sent officials to negotiate with the Gurkhas again, but the latter launched fresh military campaigns, capturing Sagya and besieging Xigaze.

At this time, the 7th Panchen was in Lhasa. Hotogtu Zongba put in charge of the Tashilhungpo Monastery fled with its wealth before the Gurkhas invaders ransacked it.

With assistance from the Dalai and the Panchen, the Qing troops defeated the invading Gurkhas. Some of the lamas and officials, who had collaborated, were punished.

In the 10th lunar month of 1792, Fukang’an returned from battlefield and joined hands with Tibetan local government officials to work on regulations for rule over Tibet. In the end, the 29-Article Ordnance for Effective Governing of Tibet was promulgated in 1793.

The Ordnance covered all fields of Tibet, including stipulations concerning the position and power of High Commissioners.

The Ordnance stipulated that

--High Commissioners supervise Tibetan affairs, enjoying the same ranking and power as the Dalai and the Panchen;

--The soul boy of the Dalai or the Panchen should be determined by use of the method of drawing lots from the golden urn under the supervision of the High Commissioners;

--All officials chosen for promotion by the High Commissioners and the Dalai Lama needed to seek Central Government approval;

--Various officials, nobles and manors sent name lists of their workers to High Commissioners and the Dalai for record;

--Tibet maintained 3,000 troops stationed in Lhasa, Xigaze, Gyangze and Tingri;

--The High Commissioners controlled the power of handling foreign affairs. Without permission from the above, no Tibetan officials could write to their foreign counterparts. Overseas businesspeople might enter Tibet with permits issued by High Commissioners.

The Ordnance also contains stipulations concerning the minting of coins, and makes it clear that High Commissioners took care of the living expenses of the Dalai and the Panchen.

From the historical point of view, the Ordnance played an important role in peace and stability in Tibet, and China at large. And it was taken as the Qing law on the governing of Tibet.