Tachienlu, Feb. 6, Rumours have persisted for more than one week that. the—Panchan Lama," the spiritual head of Lama: and, is now approaching Tachienlu. The Panchan has spent "some considerable time in Amdo and has lived ju the Jarge lamasery at Kumbum and in. the smaller institution Raja, When Holong and Hsisokeh and Hsu Hsiang-chien marched north from Sikang into Kansu and Shensi they must have pasted very close to the Raja Lamasery where the Panchan has lived In solitude for' some time, Since his arrival there from Nanking and Peiping ne has built quite a retinue and) many of his faithful followers from" different ports of Lamaland have flocked to his become great and powerful like other States and enjoy a place among the nations of the world? But these things cost time, men, from these it will not be easily' oF quickly turned.
It goes without saying that both the Dalai and the Panchan parties wFe_not sympathetic towards the young party. Naturally they see in Ita weakening of their own power and influence with a possible end of Lamaism, What then is their attitude? From a lamaist and political point of view the situation in central Asia is quite interesting. 'The young party realize the power, influence and wealth of the great' religious Institue Ylons scattered all over Lamaland.
Drebung has nearly 10,000 priests, Sera has 5,500 and Galdan has 3,300, wile lamaseries in the distant out~ posts such as Labrang with 5,000 and Kumbum with an even greater number send lamas to the sacred capital. In Sikang there are three institutions with 3,000 lamas and hundreds of Tamaseries with less than 1,000 priests Organized Opposition What can the young party do Jagainst such an overwhelming religious force?' To invite and encourage a young monk to renounce his religious vows, marry a. wife and layman, presupposes that someone will undertake to feed him and possibly keep him supplied with Feady cash. In the early days of the LIP. it was frequently noticed how threadbare their pants could be and the peculiar slouch of many of its members. The young Tibetan party atill in search of funds and of wealthy men who wilt donate
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.