A Mysterious Succession in 17th-Century Tibet

The year 1696 marked a pivotal moment in Central Asian history. While Emperor Kangxi of China’s Qing Dynasty achieved a decisive victory over Galdan Khan of the Dzungar Mongols at the Battle of Jao Modo, another drama unfolded in the sacred halls of the Potala Palace. Fourteen-year-old Tsangyang Gyatso, the newly revealed Sixth Dalai Lama, finally received formal recognition after years of secrecy surrounding the Fifth Dalai Lama’s death.

This extraordinary succession was orchestrated by the powerful regent Desi Sangye Gyatso, who had concealed the Fifth Dalai Lama’s passing for fifteen years to maintain political stability. The young Sixth Dalai Lama would become one of Tibet’s most beloved yet controversial spiritual leaders – a brilliant love poet whose unconventional behavior challenged religious norms during a time of growing imperial tensions between the Qing, Mongols, and Dzungars.

The Unconventional Dalai Lama: Poet and Lover

Tsangyang Gyatso defied all expectations of monastic discipline. Unlike his predecessors, the Sixth Dalai Lama openly enjoyed wine, women, and poetry. His lyrical verses about romantic love became cultural treasures, memorized by generations of Tibetans. One famous poem captures his philosophy:

“The lover I met upon the road
Was a girl fragrant as flowers
Like finding translucent turquoise
Only to leave it by the wayside
Love blooms and fades like flowers
Why grieve over fate’s changes?
Even bees lingering among blossoms
Don’t mourn when spring departs.”

Historical accounts describe his secret nocturnal escapades through a side door of the Potala Palace, where he would disguise himself as a commoner named Dangsang Wangpo to revel in Lhasa’s taverns. His eventual exposure came through an ironic twist – footprints left in fresh snow tracing back from the city to his chambers. Remarkably, sites in Lhasa associated with his romantic liaisons remain preserved today.

Political Turmoil and the Dalai Lama’s Renunciation

By 1702, the 20-year-old Dalai Lama made a shocking declaration: he formally renounced his religious privileges. Yet his popularity among Tibetans remained undiminished. This paradox reveals much about Tibetan Buddhism – while monastic discipline mattered, the Dalai Lama’s inherent divinity as an emanation of Avalokiteshvara transcended human judgments.

Meanwhile, Mongol power struggles intensified. Lhazang Khan of the Khoshut Mongols, seeing an opportunity amid the controversy, plotted to control Tibet. The situation grew more complex as Kangxi Emperor viewed the Dalai Lama institution as crucial for managing Mongol populations. When Lhazang Khan invaded Tibet in 1705 with Qing support, it triggered a chain of events that would reshape the region.

Exile and Mysterious Death

After Lhazang Khan executed regent Sangye Gyatso through deception, he turned against the Sixth Dalai Lama. In June 1706, Qing officials ordered Tsangyang Gyatso’s arrest and deportation to Beijing. The extraction from Potala Palace provoked massive protests – monks and laypeople physically resisted until Khoshut soldiers dispersed them with weapons.

A dramatic rescue attempt occurred near Drepung Monastery, where outraged Tibetans overwhelmed the guards using stones and sticks. For two days, the Dalai Lama found sanctuary until artillery bombardments forced his surrender. His subsequent journey toward Beijing ended tragically in November 1706 near Qinghai Lake, where the 24-year-old died under mysterious circumstances.

Tibetans refused to accept his death, spawning legends that he escaped to become a hermit in Wutai Mountain or a shepherd in Alxa. These persistent myths testify to his enduring spiritual hold over the populace.

The Aftermath: War and Qing Intervention

Lhazang Khan’s puppet Dalai Lama installation backfired spectacularly. When Dzungar Mongols invaded Tibet in 1717, exploiting popular discontent, they initially received Tibetan support. However, their subsequent brutality and sectarian violence against non-Gelug monasteries alienated all Tibetans.

The Qing Emperor Kangxi seized this opportunity. After initial military setbacks, his 1720 expedition successfully expelled the Dzungars and installed the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso – believed by many to be Tsangyang Gyatso’s reincarnation, fulfilling a poetic prophecy about returning to Lithang.

Cultural Legacy and Historical Significance

Tsangyang Gyatso’s poetry remains central to Tibetan cultural identity, with his verses still recited today. His life coincided with Tibet’s transformation from a regional power to a contested territory between expanding empires. The Qing victory established direct oversight while preserving the Dalai Lama’s spiritual authority – a delicate balance that shaped Tibetan politics until the 20th century.

The Sixth Dalai Lama’s story transcends religious history, embodying timeless tensions between institutional expectations and individual expression. His romantic idealism continues resonating in modern Tibetan consciousness, while the political maneuvers surrounding his reign foreshadowed the “Great Game” dynamics that would later dominate Central Asia.

From the secret corridors of Potala Palace to the battlefields of the Dzungar-Qing wars, Tsangyang Gyatso’s brief life illuminates a pivotal era when Tibetan autonomy confronted the realities of imperial geopolitics – leaving behind a poetic legacy that still captivates hearts across the Himalayas.