Page:The Visit of the Teshoo Lama to Peking.djvu/19

Rh in the years 1777-1778-1779, several invitations from the Emperor, giving as excuses, that the air and climate of China were bound to be pernicious to his health, as he was not used to them. The Emperor, however, having urged the Dalai Lama and other prominent dignitaries to use their influence with the Pan-ch'an, at last prevailed upon him to accept, and he finally began his remarkable trip in the middle ot the year 1779. Changoo Cooshoo Punjun Irtiuue Neimoheim, Regent of Tashi-l'hunpo during the minority of Loptsang Paldan I-shih's successor, in his letter to Warren Hastings (1782) states the date to be the 17th of the month Rubbee u'sannie in the year of the Hegira 1193, i.e. 17th of June 1779.

The Lama's retinue consisted of a gorgeous suite and 1500 troops. He followed the route which passes near the Ko-Ko-Nor to Kumbum (塔兒寺 T‘a êrh ssū), which lies 40 li south-westward from Hsining-fu [西甯府] on the Ta-shan (塔山). It is the 胞衣地 of Tson K‘a-pa, reorganizer of the yellow sect, and its monastery is well-known from the descriptions of P. Huc and W. W. Rockhill. Here and throughout his entire route afterwards he was the recipient of all the marks of worship, which are customarily shown by the devout to holy men of his rank. There were also many evidences throughout