Central Asia has witnessed many strange and interesting religious processions, and among them this was probably the most remarkable. The Srms and legs and body were tightly wrapped up in cloth giving the body a somewhat mummifed appearance. The caravan, with the precious bundle, moved very slowly covering Jess than ten miles each day When a lamasery or a nomadic cneampnient was reached the body was carefully put inside some small building and before it hundreds of yak butter lamps were lit. Naturally A small room soon became unbearably hot and stuffy and in the cour: of time this affected the body. No matter what ultimate state the body reached, Lamaism had certain obligations to fulfil, and the burning of hundreds of butter lamps, was one of them.
Long before the Panchen's body reached Kanze it was evident to the Chinese officials in the caravan that Tachienlu would be a much nicer place than Kanze, and so when they had safely escorted the body there ihey decided io make, as soon as possible, for this border town.
Kanze, in recent years, has become the most important centre in Sikang, To this, both the Tibetans and the Chinese, who had been with the Panchen for many years, absolutely refused; and so a complete deadlock took place. Lhasa has long beer ssu vicious that among the Panchen's followers are many who are not in favour with the Tibetan Government ard who were simply using the Grand Lama's banner as a means of entering the Great Closed Land.
Had the Panchen, with a small lama following, been prepared to re-enter the Land of the Lamas. his case might have been considered b: He was, how ever, very apprehensive of danger to his life, and without his armed guard, he was not prepared to, move. And ry escort was not prepared ie surrender its charge.
And all this negotiation and parleying and mancuvring took place in a cold and windy village in the very heart of Asia, away up near the head waters of the Yangtze River. For the time being Jyekundo had become a hive.of industry. In the centre of the camp stood the Panchen's ornamented tent and round it lay the tents of his escort and followers. Messengers came and went in three different directions: towards Chiamdo where the Lhasa authorities conducted negotiations; towards Tangar
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.