^ SHAM BALING,' THE PROMISED LAND. 251 



all the followers of this religion will migrate from 

 Tibet. 



This country is an island lying far away in the 

 northern sea. Gold abounds in it ; corn grows to 

 an enormous height there. Poverty is unknown in 

 that country ; in fact, Shambaling flows with milk 

 and honey. The migration of the Buddhists to this, 

 promised land should take place 2,500 years after 

 the date of the prophecy; since that time 2,050 

 years have elapsed, and comparatively not many 

 remain. 



The mode of accomplishment of the prophecy 

 will be as follows. In Western Tibet there lives a 

 Gigen (living Buddha), who as the living incarnation 

 of the Divinity never dies, but only passes from one 

 body to another. Not long before the time appointed 

 for the fulfilment of the prophecy, this saint will be 

 born in the person of the son of the King of Sham- 

 baling. In the meanwhile the Dungans will have 

 become more troublesome than ever, and will have 

 laid waste the whole of Tibet. Then the people 

 of the latter country, under the leadership of the 

 Dalai Lama, will abandon their fatherland and set 

 off for Shambaling, where they will be received 

 and colonised on good lands by their saint, who 

 will have succeeded his father on the throne. 



Meanwhile the Dungans, emboldened by their 

 successes in Tibet, will subj'ugate the whole of Asia, 

 Europe, and lastly invade Shambaling. Then the 

 holy monarch will assemble his forces, defeat the 

 Dungans, and drive them back to their country, and 



