e command of his Mongol garrisons. This arrangement was
advantageous to both parties. The Grand Lama not only greatly
increased his ecclesiastical prestige but became a temporal sovereign
of considerable importance. Gushi, who had probably no desire to
reside permanently in the Snow Land, received all the favours which a
grateful Pope could bestow on a king and among the superstitious
Mongols these had a real value. Further the Oelot garrisons which
continued to occupy various points in Tibet gave him a decisive voice
in the affairs of the country, if there was ever a question of using
force.

The Grand Lamas had hitherto resided in the Depung monastery but
Lo-zang now moved to the hill of Marpori, the former royal residence
and began to build on it the Potala[963] palace which, judging from
photographs, must be one of the most striking edifices in the world,
for its stately walls continue the curves of the mountain side and
seem to grow out of the living rock. His old teacher was given the
title of Panchen Rinpoche, which has since been borne by the abbots of
Tashilhunpo, and the doctrine that the Grand Lamas of Lhasa and
Tashilhunpo are respectively incarnations of Avalokita and Amitabha
was definitely promulgated.[964]

The establishment of the Grand Lama as temporal ruler of Tibet
coincided with the advent of the Manchu dynasty (1644). The Emperor
and the Lama had everything to gain from friendly relations and their
negotiations culminated in a visit which Lo-zang paid to Peking in
1652-3. He was treated as an independent sovereign and received from
the Emperor a long title containing the phrase "Self-existent Buddha,
Universal Ruler of the Buddhist faith." In return he probably
undertook to use his influence with the Mongols to preserve peace and
prevent raids on China.

After his return to Tibet, he appears to have been a real as well as a
nominal autocrat for his preceptor and Gushi Khan both died, and the
new Manchu dynasty had its hands full. His chief adviser was the
Desi[965] or Prime Minister, supposed to be his natural son. In 1666
the great Emperor K'ang-hsi succeeded to the throne: and shortly
afterwards the restlessness of the Mongol Princes began to inspire the
Chinese Court with apprehension. In 1680 Lo-zang died but his death
was a state secret. It was apparently known in Tibet and an infant
successor was selected but the Desi continued to rule in Lo-zang's
name and even the Emperor of China had n