A Study On Patriotic Monk Tsha Gan Khutukhtu Kun DGav RGyal MTshan In The Late Qing Dynasty

During the reign of Tongzhi emperor and Guangxu emperor,Xinjiang’s society was turbulent and the crisis in China’s frontier intensified.Just at this time,Kun dGav rGyal mTshan,a Tibetan monk from Gansu,while promoting Dharma in Xinjiang,assisted the Qing army to guard the frontiers and made a significant contribution to the reunification of Xinjiang.Given his great contribution,Kun dGav rGyal mTshan was awarded the title of Khutukhtu.This dissertation gives a comprehensive investigation of legendary events of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s whole life.Moreover,the author also puts forward some original views on related issues.The introduction of this dissertation states the significance of the topic selection,reviews the relevant academic history and describes the Chinese,Russian and Tibetan historical materials.It is worth mentioning that the author refers to various versions of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s biography in Chinese and Tibetan are all originated from a Tibetan manuscript which has more than five hundred pages,written by a monk of Labrang Monastery in 1905,whose name is sKal bZang Legs bShad.This manuscript had been sealed in the Tripitaka Library of Labrang Monastery for more than 80 years.In 1990 rNam rGyal dBang Mo borrowed this manuscript and organized professionals to transcribe it.After having transcribed this manuscript,rNam rGyal dBang Mo asked Professor Ma Jinwu to make a revision.Finally,China Tibetology Publishing House published a printed Tibetan version of this biography in 1994.The title of the printed version was translated as la ma ga bu qiang ba tu dao gong ga jian zan zhuan in Chinese.Except the full translation of Wujun,which is the most authoritative one,other versions later than this one were all incomplete.Wu’s version was published by Gansu People’s Publishing House in 2002,whose Chinese title is cha han hu tu ke tu gun ga jia le zan zhuan.In addition,the introduction part also explains the research methods and theoretical guidance of this dissertation as well as the contributions and breakthroughs made in this dissertation.The text is divided into eight parts.The first chapter studies the Tibetans and the development of Tibetan Buddhism in Taozhou and Minzhou areas.The author combs and explores the origin of these Tibetans,Tibetan Buddhism and its expansion in these regions,the relationship between Tibetan Buddhism in these areas and Oirats.The Author analyzes the background that Gelugpa monks in Taozhou and Minzhou areas made a good relationship with Torghuts and puts forward some original views.The author thinks that although Qing Dynasty forbade the secret contact of the monasteries in Tibet and Mongolian tribes in Xinjiang strictly,because of consistent and long-term political relationship between the central government and Yang Tusi family,the Qing Dynasty adopted a relatively loose policy on the management of Tibetan Buddhism in Taozhou and Minzhou.After returning to the motherland,the Torghuts needed some trusted Tibetan monks to carry out the necessary religious activities.Considering the contact with monasteries in Tibet was restricted,the Tibetan Buddhism monks from the Taozhou and Minzhou were naturally welcomed by the Torghuts.The second chapter studies Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s family background and early experiences,including his birthplace,ancestors as well as parents,brothers,the process of being a monk and his first time going out to collect donations.Based on the records of Russian explorer Matusovsky who had contact directly with Kun dGav rGyal mTshan,the author first describes his appearance and body shape.In addition,the author visited Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s family descendants who lived in Shikuang village,Daogao township,Jonê County and studied the Chinese-translated Tibetan biography of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan as well as the Veritable Records of Qing Dezong,through which the author not only first points out that the siblings of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan were three brothers and four sisters,but also revealed activities of his older brother dKon mChog bsTan vDzin and second brother dKon mChog Tshe Ring following his in Xinjiang,Tibet and their homeland Jonê.The third chapter studies Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s two visit to Xinjiang to promote Dharma,the process of abandoning the precepts and leading the army to Tarbagatai of him.He went to Xinjiang twice to spread Dharma and conducted a series of religious activities in Tarbagatai,which wield great influence and ensured that he could get the support not only from Torghuts,but also from soldiers and civilians after the siege of Tarbagatai.It also laid the foundation that he received attention from the central government and acquired the title of Khutukhtu later.At the same time,the author puts forward some original understanding on several issues about Kun dGav rGyal mTshan,including the time and reason of his return to hometown,the situation that he re-undertook upasampada,the relationship between him and the upper class of Labrang Monastery.In addition,the author also studies Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s innermost struggle after the fall of Tarbagatai and his final determination to abandon the precepts and lead the army to fight during the turmoil in Xinjiang after the third year of Tongzhi reign.The fourth chapter studies Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s retreating to Altay and his activities there.The author carefully analyses his activities after he led the Oirat soldiers to fight and accepted the title of Khutukhtu,including advancing to the west to reinforce the Solon army,incurring hatred from Russia,suppressing the war of Burutokay,changing the official seal of Khutukhtu and rescuing Uliastai.On the basis of analysis above,the author puts forward some original views such as the origin and management of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s disciples,the development of Altay’s economy as well as the construction and influence of Chenghua Temple.Using the records in the Mongolia Travel Notes written by Russian explorer Grigory Nikolaevich Potanin,for the first time,the author reveals the fact that during his stay in Altay,Kun dGav rGyal mTshan raised funds by planting poppies and selling opium.Furthermore,the author also commented on the construction of Puqing Temple in Usu by him and his contribution to reincarnation of Tshe sMon gLing.The fifth chapter studies the reason why Kun dGav rGyal mTshan left Xinjiang and his subsequent activities while going to Tibet.The author thinks that he left Xinjiang for some very complicated reasons.While Kun dGav rGyal mTshan not only hoped to be recognized by the upper class of the Gelug Sect in Tibet,but also to find opportunities to carry out his political ambitions.However,during his stay in Altay,he not only incurred hatred from Russia and caused diplomatic disputes with it,but also took tough attitude and drastic measures toward Kazakh tribes.This was one of the important reasons for his dismal departure from Xinjiang,leaving a negative impact on his future career.In addition,the author also review his fund-raising activities to build the Great Golden Wattle Hall of Labrang Monastery.The author also discusses a series of other important activities of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan,including his visit to the 13 th Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso in Tibet,his re-acceptance of the upasampada,his mediation of business disputes between Tibet and Gurkha as well as his efforts to build the Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing in his hometown.The sixth chapter inspects and comments on Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s activities in Beijing and his achievements in establishing Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing.According to relevant records,the author points out that Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s visit to Beijing was the result of the recommendation of Sichuan governor-general Ding Baozhen.The later Sichuan governor-general Liu Bingzhang and imperial residents in Tibet Wen Shuo even regarded Kun dGav rGyal mTshan highlier and suggested that he should get a high position in Tibet.However,because officials in the Board of Ministers for Foreign Affairs thought that Kun dGav rGyal mTshan was reckless and unfit for official reinstatement,he was finally reserved for reinstatement.After his frustration in politic,Kun dGav rGyal mTshan turned to seek support from the central government to build the Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing in his hometown and did his best to complete the four Grwa Tshang and the vDu Khang Chen Mo of the Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing.The Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing has distinct characteristics such as completing many buildings at the same time and being a Royal monastery which is rare among Buddhist monasteries in Taozhou and Minzhou areas.The seventh chapter analyses the reason why Kun dGav rGyal mTshan went to Xinjiang again and his specific activities there.The author believes that the fundamental reason is the contradiction caused by land borrowing between Ili and Tarbagatai,which also led to the expansion of Chenghua Temple in Usu and the relocation of the disciples of it in Altay.After investigating the situation of Chenghua Temple,the author comments on Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s activities in Ili and other places where he prayed for dead soldiers and civilians.Moreover,the author also analyses the reasons for his return to Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing and points out that the direct reason is that he had to preside over a chanting ceremony for the sixtieth birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi by monks of Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing as well as the underlying reason was that he had been seriously ill and felt that he was about to die.The eighth chapter studies Kun dGav rGyal mTshan’s activities of promoting Dharma in his hometown and his patriotic emotions before his death.The author points out that during the chanting ceremony for the sixtieth birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi,the First Sino-Japanese War broke out.Although Kun dGav rGyal mTshan was seriously ill at this time,he showed sad feelings on the defeat of China and was eager to serve his country again,which reflected his high national consciousness,patriotic emotions and the sense of responsibility.As the country needs great generals in peril,the court,during the difficult time,finally decided to dispatch Kun dGav rGyal mTshan to Tibet through Sichuan to manage events there.But he died before he set out to Tibet,leaving a huge historical regret for later generations.In addition,the author also reviews the reincarnation system of bLa Ma dKar Bo and the system of affiliated monasteries of Bkra Shis Chos vKhor gLing after the death of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan.In the conclusion,the author highly affirms and praises Kun dGav rGyal mTshan as a patriotic monk from the perspectives of every minzu creating Zhonghua together,the cohesiveness and national spirit of Zhonghua minzu,enriching Zhonghua culture by promoting Tibetan Buddhism.Finally,the author compiles a chronicle of Kun dGav rGyal mTshan and hopes that it will help people to understand him better with time as the guide.