Page:The Visit of the Teshoo Lama to Peking.djvu/50

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THE VISIT OF THE


journey to add to the prestige of the Lamaist Church and Buddhism, he (the Emperor) does not understand why he was not allowed to carry out his scheme. The 因緣 must answer for it.

The following statements regarding the peace and the prosperity of the people, which were also shared by the Lamaist Church in China, give evidence of a certain complacence on the part of the Emperor, who wishes to point out the blessings to the Empire of the reign of the Manchu dynasty, whose sovereigns had pacified it after long struggles, and had restored order after the defeat of the Kalmuks, (Targuts), Sungars (Dsungars), Khoshoits, Oelöts, and, last but not least, the Khalkha Mongols.

The description of the adoration and reverence of the Mongolian princes and chieftains, humiliating themselves before the Lama and naturally also before the Emperor, seems to be given with satisfaction by him. Perhaps he is recollecting here the days when the Empire, under the reign of his grandfather, passed through some thrilling experiences, when the general 吳三桂 plotted against the Throne, after his disgrace, and stirred up the provinces of Yun-nan, Ssu-ch'uan, Kuei-chou, Fuh-kien and Kuang-tung, in order to extinguish the Manchu dynasty; and the Khalkha Mongols under the successors of Chinghiz and Kublai Khan profited by this thrilling period to attempt the conquest of Peking with their hordes.

The people also were eager to get sight of the Lama on his entrance into the capital, as he was considered by everybody to be a reincarnation of the Holy Teacher and Reorganizer of the Yellow Church, Tsongkhaba (the