220 Motes on Eastern Thibet. [No. 3. 



emperor. The Genden Tepa, is chief Lama of a Goompa, but not an 

 awatari Lama. 



Next in rank and power to the Noume-hen are the four Shapees. 

 They are not Lamas, always Thibetans, and the principal exe- 

 cutive officers of the Government in the Financial, Eevenue and 

 Judicial Departments. These departments are not separated and 

 under distinct officers. The Shapees are the highest Judicial officers 

 in the Civil and Criminal Courts. Next to the Genden Tepa is the 

 "Lama Yeungjing" the private guru, or high priest of the " Grand 

 Lama." He is also appointed by orders of the emperor, and is 

 sometimes an awatari Lama, but not always. His office is to teach 

 and train the Grand Lama in childhood and youth, and lead him, 

 if he can, afterwards. This is indeed an important personage in 

 the Bhuddhist world, being no less than the keeper of the Grand 

 Lama's conscience. The nomination to this post being in the hands 

 of the emperor, furnishes an interesting clue to the extent of the 

 imperial power over the church of Thibet. 



The Che kap kempu Lama is a churchman of great influence in 

 the Government. He appears to represent the Grand Lama in the 

 council of state and in the deliberations of the Shapees. He may 

 be called Secretary or Minister for the church, and the Shapees may, 

 correctly enough, be called the Financial, Judicial, Eevenue and 

 Home secretaries or ministers. 



The Treasury is managed by two officers named Jhassas ; both are 

 Lamas, and act conjointly, although one of them is Treasurer 

 on behalf of the " Grand Lama," and the other on behalf of the 

 Noume-hen or temporal estate. They are assisted by two Sub- 

 Treasurers styled Shangjotes. Four officers designated Da-puns are 

 the commanders of the Thibetan Troops, and act as Civil and Poli- 

 tical Commissioners on occasions of Frontier or other disturbances, 

 they are Thibetans, and not Lamas. The ordinary course of official 

 promotion is from aDa-pun to a Shapee; of equal rank, to the Da-puns 

 is the Che-pun who is however a Civil officer and acts in all Depart- 

 ments as Deputy to the Shapee.* This officer is often employed as 

 Commissioner on Deputations in Civil affairs either Judicial or Fiscal, 



* Shete Shapee is the energetic Commander-in-Chief of the Thibetan army now 

 opposed to the Nipalese under Jung Bahadoor. 



