In the history of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), two Dalai Lamas and one Panchen Erdeni went to Beijing for an audience with the emperor. They were the 5th Dalai Lama, who went in 1652, the ninth year of the reign of Qing Emperor Shunzhi, the 6th Panchen, who went in 1780 or the 45th year of the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong, and the 13th Dalai Lama, who went in 1908, the 34th year of the reign of Qing Emperor Guangxu.
 
When the 5th Dalai Lama was invited to visit Beijing in 1652, Emperor Shunzhi granted him the honorific title of the Dalai Lama, a fact that established the leading position of the Dalai Lama in Tibetan Buddhism. He was the first Tibetan religious leader who visited Beijing, symbolizing the fact that the Yellow Sect of Tibetan Buddhism had gained a dominant position in Tibet politically and religiously.Neither the Dalai Lama and Panchen Erdeni then visited Beijing for another 128 years.

During the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi, the emperor invited the 5th Panchen Erdeni to visit Beijing but he didn't travel because of trouble made by Diba Sanggyi Gyamco.

In June 1779 or the 44th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the 6th Panchen Erdeni set out from Xigaze for the celebrations held to mark the 70th birthday of the Qing emperor. His visit contributed to improved ties between the Central Government and the local government of Tibet. Unfortunately, he died of smallpox in Beijing, at the tender age of 43, soon after his accomplishment of the historic mission. Emperor Qianlong was saddened by his death, and ordered the construction of Jinhuachen Pagoda at Huangsi Monastery in Beijing in his honor. Many of the cultural relics kept in the Palace Museum are related to the 6th Panchen Erdeni.

Portrait of the 6th Panchen Erdeni

The portrait measures 189 cm high and 103 cm wide. It was mounted on golden satin. In the center is the 6th Panchen Erdeni sitting in an armchair with handles carved with dragon patterns, wearing a Qing official robe and yellow robe covered with dragon patterns. In front of his chest is a string of beads. Slung across his shoulder is a red silk ribbon. He has a  black leather hat on his head. With a kind-looking appearance, he raises his right hand in a posture of giving a lecture on Buddhist doctrine, and there is a treasure bottle in his left hand. Around his throne are emerald mountains and clear waters. In the sky are colorful clouds, in which sits the Buddha of Infinite Light.

To the left of the Buddha is Yamantaka worshiped by the Tantric School; to his right is the founding master of the Yellow Sect. Under the 6th Panchen Erdeni is the nether world. In the center is the six-armed Buddhist guardian; to his left is the Demon Conquering Buddha and to his right is the Auspicious Heavenly Mother. The portrait bears words written in Chinese, Manchurian, Mongolian and Tibetan languages The 21st day of the seventh month of the 45th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong....
 
This was the portrait painted after the  tangka skill unique to Tibet in accordance with the edict issued by Emperor Qianlong when the master made light of the  long distance to Rehe.

Born in 1738 or the third year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the 6th Panchen Erdeni was determined as the reincarnated soul boy of the 5th Panchen Erdeni at three, and enthroned as the 6th Panchen Erdeni at four. When he reached Rehe, the summer resort of the Qing emperor, on the 21st day of the seventh month in 1780, Emperor Qianlong met with him. This segment of history found its way into historical records.

The Qing court did a lot to greet the Tibetan Buddhist master. A temple was built in Rehe; Huangsi Temple and Zhaomiao Temple in the Western Hills were built, too. For better communications, Emperor Qianlong managed to learn to speak Tibetan.
 
The portrait was painted after the 6th Panchen Erdeni during his stay in Beijing. Only two days after the portrait was painted on the 30th day of the 10th lunar month, the master died in Huangsi Temple (the second day of the 11th lunar month). As a matter of fact, several portraits of the 6th Panchen Erdeni were drawn, and this was one of these. As a token of mourning, the emperor ordered  portraits of the 6th Panchen Erdeni placed  everywhere in the palace. On the 10th day of the second lunar month of the 46th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the emperor ordered the hanging of a portrait of the 6th Panchen Erdeni in the West Wing of Yuhua Pavilion, Fayuan Building, Zifu Hall and Sumeru Temple in Rehe.

Emperor Qianlong kept an elegant box containing the original of the memorial of the 6th Panchen Erdeni, a copy of its Manchurian version, a copy of its Chinese version, and  two copies of Tibetan Buddhist scriptures. With 46 pages, the two copies of sutras include one copied specially for the birthday of the Qing emperor. At the end of the sutra is written with such words as Copied on auspicious days in early 10th lunar month when the Heavenly Emperor is 45 years old (i.e. 45th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong)--Panchen.

The memorial, measuring 75 cm wide and 450 cm long, was written on Tibetan paper with yellowish color. The Tibetan version contains emperor written in gold dust, and is stamped with Honorific title to the Panchen Erdeni. The Chinese version was written on yellow silk and mounted on yellow silk. It began with a five-line poem

Buddha of infinite light and merit, State in the 12th palace, Taking 80 kinds of aspects of a thing, All of which result in perfection.

This was followed by words lauding Emperor Qianlong as the incarnation of the Buddha of Wisdom. The memorial ended with a list of tributes.
 
Emperor Qianlong understood the importance of relying on religious figures to defend  peace and stability in Tibet. This is why he did his best to promote the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Erdeni. Given the fact the 8th Dalai Lama was too young to come to power, the 6th Panchen Erdeni was the ideal figure to rely on. His visit to Beijing exerted deep influence on Tibet, Tibetan-inhabited area and other border areas in China.

Gifts the 6th Panchen Erdeni brought to Rehe comprised 1,000 horses, including nine the 6th Panchen Erdeni himself rode in Tashilhungpo Monastery, and one gold saddle which he used to travel around in Tibet.

The saddles was cast in iron and covered with patterns of dragon and others. Inlaid with gold, it shines in the sunshine. The saddle cushion was made of yellow satin embroidered with patterns of clouds and dragons. Tied to the saddle is a yellow piece of paper left behind then, reading Horse saddle adopted by the Panchen Erdeni on the 26th day of the 7th month of the 45th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Emperor Qianlong later granted the saddle to Emperor Jiaqing for collection. Another piece of paper tied to the saddle telling the historical fact.

On the 28th day of the 10th lunar month of the 45th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the 6th Panchen Erdeni contracted smallpox. When this was reported to Emperor Qianlong, he rushed to the place and ordered imperial medical workers to treat the master carefully, but the latter passed away on the second day of the 11th lunar month. Hit by the unexpected death of the master, the emperor cried and fainted. In his edict issued the next day, he said
 
For my 70th birthday, the Panchen Erdeni left Tashilhungpo Monastery last year....spent his winter in Tar Monastery....reached Rehe in the seventh month. He paid me his first visit on the 24th day of the seventh month....When he arrived in Beijing in the ninth month, lamas and thousands of monks greeted him by kowtowing to him....I was told he had a fever on the 29th day of the 10th month, and medical doctors sent to treat him reported he had smallpox. I went to see him on the first day of the 11th month, and he was very happy to see me and loved to talk to me. His situation worsened on the 2nd and he died late at night. I was shocked by his death....A gold pagoda is to be built for his remains....and lamas with various monasteries shall be summoned to recite Buddhist scriptures for 100 days.
 
The gold shrine containing the relics of the late 6th Panchen Erdeni was to be brought back to Tibet on the 23rd day of the second lunar month of the 46th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong. Emperor Qianlong burnt incense at Huangsi Temple for him.

To remember the late 6th Panchen Erdeni, Emperor Qianlong ordered the building of Jinhuachen Pagoda  at Huangsi Monastery. What is not known by most people is the memorial hall Emperor Qianlong set up in the Palace Museum for the late 6th Panchen Erdeni. Housed in the West Wing of Yuhua Pavilion, a two-story building facing east. It housed the silver statue and a portrait of the master, and some of his belongings. The memorial hall was well preserved for more than 130 years from the 46th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong to the end of the Qing Dynasty.