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In the heart of Lhasa, the golden dome of the Potala Palace glistens in the sun, watching over every corner of the city.
During the day, the 6th Dalai Lama, Changyang Gyatso, dressed in golden robes, sits on a high throne and is worshipped by thousands of devotees. Every smile he makes, every nod he nods, is so dignified and elegant, as if he was born for this role.
However, when night falls and the other side of the city begins to wake up, he transforms into a completely different person.
Is the real Cangyang Gyatso the divine embodiment of the day, or the merry genius of the night? What is his true face?
The secrets of the Potala Palace
The news of the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso, in the private hall of the Potala Palace, circulated in an extremely limited circle.
As the fifth Dalai Lama's right-hand man and secretary, Sangyel Gyatso bore the brunt of intense political and religious pressure.
He was well aware of the Dalai Lama's place in the hearts of Tibetans and decided to use the power of this faith to consolidate his power.
In order to conceal this great secret, Sangyel Gyatso sealed off the temple immediately after the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama, and only allowed a very small number of loyal cronies to enter.
They performed a simple but solemn ceremony inside, disposing of the remains of the Fifth Dalai Lama in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist traditions in preparation for the final cremation ceremony.
At the same time, Sangyel Gyatso began to spread the news that the Fifth Dalai Lama had "entered into meditation and practice."
His detailed description of how the Fifth Dalai Lama went into retreat and prepared for a higher level of spiritual realization, a statement that aroused widespread admiration and undisturbed consensus among believers.
He even arranged for monks to pray regularly outside the palace to strengthen the faith of the outside world, and the Fifth Dalai Lama is still in deep practice.
While maintaining stability and faith in the outside world, Sangyel Gyatso began a secret search for a potential reincarnated spirit child.
He sent several reliable envoys to the major monasteries and well-known spiritual child prophets in Tibet to look for possible clues.
These envoys were strictly instructed that all operations and investigations must be carried out in absolute secrecy in order to prevent any leakage of information that might cause political upheaval.
The envoys observed and questioned in various monasteries, looking for children who exhibited extraordinary wisdom and characteristics.
Whenever they find a potential candidate, they keep a detailed record of the child's date of birth, family background, and traits exhibited, and then secretly pass that information back to Sangyel Gyatso.
Upon receipt of these reports, Sangyel Gyatso carefully assesses the likelihood of each candidate and arranges for more secret observations.
All this work was carried out in such secrecy that even Emperor Kangxi did not know the truth, and still thought that the Fifth Dalai Lama was practicing in the depths of the Potala Palace.
The Qing government often sent envoys to the Potala Palace to greet the Fifth Dalai Lama's health and spiritual progress, but Sangyel Gyatso responded with various reasons and excuses, such as that the Dalai Lama was in a critical stage of his practice and could not be disturbed.
The discovery and confirmation of the reincarnated spirit child
One day in May 1686, in a secluded Tibetan village, an unusual identification ritual was taking place.
A group of monks sent by Sangyel Gyatso arrived in the village, carrying some of the personal relics of the Fifth Dalai Lama – including prayer beads, vestments and other religious symbols.
The items were placed in a small temple in the village, and the children of the village were invited to identify whether the items belonged to them that they once owned.
Cangyang Gyatso was brought to this temple by his family. The monks observed how each child interacted with the relics.
When it was Changyang Gyatso's turn, he stepped forward, intuitively reached out and picked up the prayer beads of the Fifth Dalai Lama, and recited the scriptures softly.
The monks exchanged positive glances with each other, and Changyang Gyatso's familiarity with the relics was clearly unusual.
Normally, once a reincarnated child is confirmed, he should immediately be sent to the Potala Palace to begin his rigorous religious education and training as a future leader.
However, Sangyel Gyatso chose a different path. Instead of immediately bringing Cangyang Gyatso back to Lhasa, he arranged for him to remain in the private sector and be secretly guarded by a trusted monk to ensure his safety and growth while avoiding premature exposure of his identity.
Cangyang Gyatso's life in the folk meant that he could grow up as an ordinary child, away from the distractions of court politics.
He played with other children in the village, participated in festivals and celebrations, and learned the basics of Tibetan and Buddhism, but his education was far from being a monk in an ordinary monastery.
His guardian monks often took him on tours of the surrounding nature, explaining Tibetan history and culture, and occasionally teaching him basic Buddhist teachings.
Sangyel Gyatso made this arrangement to ensure that he could remain in power and not be threatened by a young Dalai Lama.
In addition, Sangyel Gyatso, by maintaining a low-key life, also deliberately delayed the public announcement of the successful reincarnation.
Cangyang Gyatso's bedsitting and the question of real power
On October 25, 1697, the Potala Palace was newly decorated, with all kinds of colorful flags fluttering, cigarette smoke waving, and a solemn atmosphere filled the entire palace.
On this day, Changyang Gyatso, who has been selected as the sixth Dalai Lama, is about to hold a "bed-sitting" ceremony to officially inherit this supreme religious status.
Thousands of devotees and monks from all over the palace gathered inside and outside the palace, and all eyes were on the upcoming ceremony.
Early in the morning, Changyang Gyatso was guided to the venue of the ceremony by several senior lamas.
He is dressed in a delicate gold robe, wears a traditional yellow hat, and has a calm gait. His arrival immediately sparked whispered chanting and devotional prayers both inside and outside the venue.
The lamas and devotees chanted in unison, praying for the Buddha to bless the new Dalai Lama with peace and fulfillment in his future path.
The ceremony takes place in the main hall of the Potala Palace, a lavishly decorated hall with a solemn atmosphere.
There is a tall throne in the center, surrounded by various offerings and symbolic religious objects.
Behind the throne hangs delicate thangkas, depicting Buddhist stories and portraits of the Dalai Lama.
Changyang Gyatso slowly walked to the throne, and on the way, he received blessings and prostrations from the monks around him.
Before reaching the throne, he first bowed respectfully three times and bowed nine times, and then performed a series of elaborate rituals under the guidance of the presiding lama.
This includes the acceptance of traditional offerings, as well as the chanting of specially prepared scriptures that speak of the Dalai Lama's responsibilities and commitment to the Dharma.
When Cangyang Gyatso finally sat on the throne, the whole hall resounded with thunderous applause and cheers, and the devotees cast their eyes with deep respect and expectation.
At this moment, he was officially proclaimed the Sixth Dalai Lama, which marked his official assumption of the responsibility of leading the Yellow Sect.
However, despite the ceremonial appearance, Changyang Gyatso's true status was not as authoritative as it appeared on the surface.
Sangyel Gyatso, through layers of strategy and layout over the years, has firmly controlled many key forces within Tibetan Buddhism.
His deep influence in religious circles and the deep-rooted roots of his faction have made him almost the real power behind Tibetan Buddhism.
Although the enthronement ceremony ostensibly established him as the supreme leader of the Yellow Sect, he was in fact used more by Sangyel Gyatso to maintain diplomatic relations with the Qing Dynasty and appear religious legitimacy.
When the Qing emperor in Beijing learned of this, he expressed his blessings to the new Dalai Lama and hoped to maintain harmonious relations with Tibet.
At the end of the day, although Changyang Gyatso was nominally the supreme ruler of the Yellow Sect, his every step was under the influence and control of Sangyel Gyatso.
From ceremonies to daily religious activities, Sangyel Gyatso was meticulously arranged and monitored to ensure that Changyang Gyatso's role and actions were in line with his political and religious strategies.
Cangyang Gyatso became a nominal 6th Panchen Lama, while Sangyel Gyatso continued to manipulate the various forces of the Yellow Sect behind the scenes, asserting his power and influence.
Cangyang Gyatso's two-sided life
Cangyang Gyatso's day-to-day life is strictly supervised and regulated, and every day-to-day activity is arranged and supervised by a special person.
His schedule began with early morning prayers and continued late into the night with study and meditation.
Each meal is carefully prepared by the palace chef to ensure that it complies with religious purity.
His garments are washed and sorted by a dedicated monk to ensure that every garment is immaculate.
In his residence, even in the most private spaces, there are always monks or assistants on hand, ready to respond to his needs or supervise his actions.
This so-called counseling is in fact full of surveillance, and they keep a detailed record of Changyang Gyatso's every word and deed to make sure that he does not deviate from the canons in any way.
Even a simple walk becomes a mini-ritual.
When Cangyang Gyatso went out, he was always accompanied by at least two monks.
They are not only to keep him safe, but also to make sure that he does not have too much contact with the outside world or any unpredictable events.
During the day, Changyang Gyatso was dignified and noble, and he was a puppet without freedom when he was in a high position and accepted the admiration and worship of the believers, but at night, when he got rid of those eyes and restraints, his behavior began to appear more free and even a little rebellious.
He likes to leave the temple at night and take on the role of a merry boy to go to the poetry and literati gatherings in Lhasa, where he can forget the weight of his identity for a while and enjoy the joy of poetry and dialogue.
Cangyang Gyatso's rebellion and love poems
On a crisp spring afternoon, Cangyang Gyatso traveled to the foot of the snow-capped mountains on the outskirts of Lhasa as Dasang Wangpo.
It is a hidden place where he escapes the hustle and bustle and finds inspiration, where he often recites poetry and feels the majesty and beauty of nature.
In the tranquil wilderness, Cangyang Gyatso met a Tibetan girl who was washing clothes by the stream with other village girls.
The young Tibetan girl, named Solang, had long black hair and bright eyes, and her smile was as pure as the first flower of spring.
Solang fell in love with Dasang Wangpo at first sight and was attracted by his gentle temperament and handsome appearance.
When the two first met, Cangyang Gyatso was resting by the river, and when he saw Solang, he took the initiative to help her pick up the clothes that had been blown off by the wind.
As time passed, Cangyang Gyatso and Solang gradually became acquainted. They often walked by the river, talking about poetry and the beauty of nature, while sharing each other's lives.
Changyang Gyatso often recited his new work to her, while Solang listened, occasionally accompanied by innocent laughter.
During these shared moments, the relationship between the two gradually deepened.
Although Cangyang Gyatso was well aware of his identity and responsibilities as the Sixth Dalai Lama, he still chose to follow his heart.
This relationship between him and Solang is a direct manifestation of the emotions in his poems.
He wrote many poems depicting the encounter and acquaintance of the two, and these poems are full of praise for love and disobedience to fate.
Although this love is full of taboos, Cangyang Gyatso finds unprecedented inspiration in his relationship with Solang. His love poems not only depict the sweetness and joy between the two, but also express subtle questions about the constraints of religion. These love poems later became an important part of his literary achievements and were widely praised by later generations.
Resources:
[1] Yang Yuhan. Cangyang Gyatso: A myth that has been miscommunicated? China Book Review,2011,34(3):36-39
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