The 6th Panchen Lama Palden Yeshe, spiritual leader of the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, was born and grew up during the Emperor Qianlong's reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). He played a significant role when Tibet was in the "transition" period of reforming the feudal serfdom under theocracy. While engaging in the regional political affairs, the 6th Panchen Lama was keen on peacemaking, enabling the existent Panchen Lamas system to continue carrying forward its traditional role as the "third- party peace force". [Photo/Baidu]

The 6th Panchen Lama Lozang Palden Yeshe, was born in 1738 (the 12th Earth Horse Year of Raojiong according to the Tibetan calendric system, the 3rd year of the Emperor Qianlong's reign) in the Rangdi Tashi Ze, current Mulin Zongzha in southern Tibet.

His father Tangla was a sorcerer, and his mother Nyida Angmao was daughter of an aristocrat family. 　

From a reincarnated soul boy to 6th Panchen Lama

He was confirmed as the reincarnation boy of the 5th Panchen Lama in 1740 following strict religious rituals.

Before the confirmation, the 7th Dalai Lama dispatched officials of the Kashag, the local government of old Tibet, to check his identity after inviting the guardian of Gdharma to "descend" to Lhasa.

Later, the 7th Dalai Lama reported to Tashilhunpo, the seat of the Panchen Lama, and Amban Ji Shan, the then Qing government's grand minister in Tibet, which was later followed by the official approval from Emperor Qianlong.

The 7th Dalai Lama named the 6th Panchen Lama Lozang Palden Yeshe as his Buddhist name.　

On June 4, 1741, the enthronement ceremony was held in the Riguang Hall (Sunlight Hall) in the Tashilhunpo Monastery with special envoys of Emperor Qianlong and the 7th Dalai Lama witnessing the great moment.

In February, 1757, the 7th Dalai Lama passed away in Lhasa. The 6th Panchen Lama asked monks of the Tashihunpo Monastery to chant Buddhist scriptures for three consecutive days to show their grief and respect to the great spiritual leader.

Upon learning the Dalai Lama's death, Emperor Qianlong, for fear of social unrest, sent Zhangjia Rolpai Dorje to help with his funeral affairs and to take charge of the confirmation of the reincarnation boy.

In June, 1757, the 6th Panchen Lama was ordained as a Bhikkhu by his sutra master Luosang Qunpei.

Devote to ruling theocratic Tibet, conferred "Panchen Erdeni"

In April, 1758, Zhangjia Rolpai Dorje visited the Tashihunpo Monastery and discussed with the 6th Panchen Lama on religious and political affairs of Tibet.

In February, 1759, the 6th Panchen Lama was invited by Zhangjia and Kashag to do the great consecration of Kalachakra for some 6,000 monks and Buddhist believers, and "opened the eyes" of Buddha in the inauguration ceremony of the 7th Dalai Lama's stupa.

In 1760, the 6th Panchen Lama dispatched a group to seek for the reincarnation boy of the 7th Dalai Lama in Tuobujia in current Shigatse Prefecture. The boy was later taken to the Tashihunpo Monastery with Emperor Qianlong's permission.

In 1762, the 6th Panchen Lama hosted the enthronement ceremony for the 8th Dalai Lama in the Potala Palace.

In 1765, the 6th Panchen Lama went to Lhasa again to witness the 10th Dalai Lama taking vows to obey the 10 commandments of the Shramanera, and he stayed there for two months to teach the Dalai Lama sutra.

In 1766, Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799), the fifth emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), appointed an envoy to the Tashilhunpo Monastery to officially grant the 6th Panchen Lama and conferred him the golden imperial edict and golden seal.

On the golden imperial edict, it reads: the Panchen Lama is a highly accomplished lama of noble character and prestige, who as the guru of the Dalai Lama and is proficient in Dharma, should preach to the clergy and lay people to abide by the commandments strictly, consolidate the Buddhist course development that safeguards Tibet, and strive to teach virtue and courtesy to every common person in Tibet.

The Panchen Lama then wrote a memorial to the throne to show his appreciation.

In 1769 when the 6th Panchen Lama became 31, Emperor Qianlong conferred another gold seal weighing 11.5 kg which was carved with his title “Panchen Erdeni” in Tibetan, Manchu and Mongolian.

Safeguarding national integrity, aborting the Britain’s plot

In 1774, the British East India Company had a war with the Kingdom of Bhutan. The Bhutan's king wrote a letter to the 6th Panchen Lama, asking him to be the mediator. The British governor in India Hastings took advantage of the opportunity and sent Bogle, a clerk from the East India Company to Tibet, who later arbitrarily intruded upon the Tashilhunpo Monastery to see the 6th Panchen Lama. The 6th Panchen Lama talked with him in Indian language, and stressed that Bhutan was a vassal state under China's rule and Tibet was part of China's territory, so the decision was for the China's emperor to make. The 6th Panchen Lama also rejected Bogle's proposal of establishing liaison between China's Tibet and theBritain, free trade, meeting the Amban (Qing government's grand minister in Tibet) in Lhasa, and setting up a representative office in Lhasa, making Bogle to abandon his plan.

In April 1777, the 8th Dalai Lama was ordained as a Bhikkhu (leaving home and ordained fully as a monk to follow all Buddhist sangha rules) by the 6th Panchen Lama, who later lived there for one year in the Potala Palace to teach him sutra.

Editor's note: In the Gelug Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, Panchen Erdeni enjoys equal status with the Dalai Lama. "Panchen" is an abbreviated title from the Sanskrit word "Pandita" (scholar) and Tibetan word "Chenpo" (big), while "Erdeni" is a Manchu word meaning treasure. Tibetans generally believe that the Panchen Lama is the incarnation of Buddha Amitabha (meaning bondless light), while the Dalai Lama the incarnation of Chenrezi or Avalokiteshvara, Mongolian khan Vajrapani (a guardian divinity of energy and power), and emperor of the Qing Dynasty as Manjushri (the bodhisattva of wisdom). In 1713, Emperor Kangxi (1654-1722), the third emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), conferred the 5th Panchen Lama the title of "Panchen Erdeni" and ensealed the previous Panchen Lamas. Since then, the title of "Panchen Erdeni" has been officially used and passed on so far with the Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse as his residence.