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1904.] Sarat Chandra Das —The Hierarchy of the Dalai Lama . 
He appointed Sonam Choiphel as Desrid (governor) to rule over 
the country in his absence. Henceforth Tibet became a dependency of 
the Mongolian kingdom founded by Gushi Khan, the (Elent-h chief, who 
owed but nominal allegiance to China. In 1643, six great nobles of 
China conspired against the last Ta-ming emperor Khrungtin (Tung- 
tin), and their leader usurped the imperial authority for some time. 
Shortly after, Shun-ti (also called Shunchi), a Mantchu chief, seized 
the throne and displaced the Ta-Ming dynasty. So, owing to troubles 
in China and confusion during the period which preceded this dyn¬ 
astic change, no armed protest came from Peking against Gushi 
Khan’s military operations in Tibet and Kham. In 1644, Gushi Khan 
built a castle on the famous hill of Potala for the accommodation of 
his court. 
As soon as Shun-ti found himself secure and firmly seated on the 
imperial throne, he took up the foreign affairs in hand. With a view 
to bring Tibet again under his direct control he sent an invitation to 
the Dalai Lama to visit Peking. In 1651, Ngag-wang Lozang reached 
Peking where he was feted aud loaded with honours. The Emperor, 
who with his whole family embraced the Lamaism of the Yellow-Church 
in preference to that of the red-cap school to which the Ta-Mings were 
attached, decorated him with the exalted title of Ta-kausri. On this 
occasion, the Dalai Lama was greatly impressed with the power and splen 
dour of the Emperor’s court as well as the vastness of his dominions. 
With a view to make the position of his church secure in Tibet he prayed 
to the Emperor that China might take over the protectorate of Tibet 
in the manner it was done by Khublai Khan, the founder of the Ta-Yen 
dynasty, when the Emperor himself had embraced the Lamaism of the 
Sakya-pa school. He also explained that the Ta-Mings from the time 
they had displaced the Tartar dynasty proved themselves very staunch 
supporters of Lamaism and became pledged to the tenets of the Red¬ 
cap sect of the Karma-pa hierarchy. Shun-ti very gladly acceded to the 
prayer. From that time the Man-tchu dynasty became vouched, under 
solemn promises, to the protection of the authority of the Dalai Lama in 
Tibet. 
Shortly after this, Shun-ti proceeded to Mukden, his Man-tchu 
capital, for offering prayers in the tombs of his ancestors. Lozang 
Gya-tsho accompanied him thither. At the end of the year 1652 the 
Lama returned to Tibet, visiting on the way the great monastery of G on- 
lung in Amdo, then a flourishing Yellow-Church institution with 
10,000 monks. 
In 1653, Gushi Khan was succeeded by his son Da-yen Khan who 
appointed Lama Tin-leh Gjm-tsho as Desrid of Tibet. The government 
