Atter the death of the Panchen Lama at Jyebundo his lama follow. ing seem to have taken central of affairs, It appears that some of his own relatives were on hand and they apparently assumed control of the body. There seems, however, to have been some difference of opinion between the relatives of the Panchen and some of his high lamas. What was to be done with this precious body and what was is future and inal destination? Naturally the lamas in the retinue considered Lhasa the final authority and appealed there.
The Chinese part of the following royarded Nanking as the Anal aus thority and so awaited word from there. Unfortunately Nanking was other-wise engaged and so the proceedings fell between two stools. Meantime another serious difference of opinion occurred regarding the embalming, what, process should be followed? The Tibetans know something about embalming but whether such persons were on hand when the Panchen died is not known, In the Chinese retinue there was 2 foreign-trained doctor, a graduate of an American university, Whether he was allowed a free hand or not Is unknown. Some weeks after the death of the Panchen a special runner came to Tachienlu in search of the different ingredients for cabal ming. They wore informed, however thab by the time they reached the procession carrying the body, it would be too into. So it was left that.
The lama, usually a sane individual, can on occasions become quite fan-tical, and apparently a funeral, wedding or birth provide such ocean sions, There is much evidence 10 show that some of the Jamas and drabas, when the death of the Pane chen was confirmed, simply lost their heads and wene rather wild. Tt may Ihave been grief, it may have been custom, it may have been religion or it may have been frenzy. Reports coming to hand say the body was of embalmed when the procession decided to start out for Kanze. Still retaining a sitting posture it was merely wrapped up in cloth and the weird procession started across central Asia in the direction of Kanze, Most Remarkable Procession Central Asia has witnessed many strange and interesting religious processions, and among them this was probably the most remarkable. The farms and legs and body were tightly wrapped up in cloth giving the body A somewhat mummified appearance. The caravan, with the—precious bundle, moved very slowly covering Jess than ten miles each day.
When a lamasery or a nomadic encampment was reached the body was carefully put Inside some small building: and before it hundreds of yak butter lamps were lit, Naturally small room soon became unbearably hot and stuffy and in the course fof time this affected the body. No. matter what ultimate state the body' reached, Lamaism had certain obligations to full, and the burning of hundreds of butter lamps, was one of them. she, id and woo 2 appointment "of the Panchen Lama, beyond, was pro-Tibelan, and in the! fighting which took place some years between China and Tibet, the powerful Dajay lamasery was com pletely destroyed.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.