The Political Success of Mdo mkhar Zhabs drung During the Time of Political Unrest (1713–1762) in Central Tibet

Mdo mkhar Zhabs drung Tshe ring dbang rgyal is well known among modern Tibetologists thanks to two biographies authored by him: the biography of his chief Pho lha Bsod nams stobs rgyas alias Pho lha nas called Mi dbang rtogs brjod (The Biography of the Lord) and his own autobiography, called Bka’ blon rtogs brjod (the Biography of the Minister). At the beginning of the eighteenth century different political factions in Central Tibet, backed by Mongols and the Qing Manchu, continued their decades-long rivalry. Thus the political situation in the area was unstable and the livelihood of the ordinary people was far from satisfactory. Yet, surprisingly enough, Mdo mkhar Zhabs drung was able to maintain a political career regardless of the regime which came into power in Central Tibet. He was neither punished nor removed from his office as retribution for taking sides during the struggle of the various political factions. This article, by close study of his autobiography and related materials, will investigate the possible reasons for the author’s successful career other than those explained in his autobiography. In the year 1713, when Lha bzang khan came to power, he was an eighteen years old young man and held a Tibetan government post for the first time. In 1717, when the Dzungars held power, he continued to hold his district governor position. In 1720, when Qing Manchu army approached Lhasa under the guise of escorting the 7th Dalai Lama, and established the first Amban office in Lhasa, he was able to maintain the government job as an accountant even though the power dynamic had shifted. In the end of 1720s, when the rivalry between Gtsang and Dbus political factions was at its height, he joined the military campaign of Dbus lead by three bka’ blon [minister] against Gtsang pa political faction led by Pho lha nas. The conflict between the two ended with the victory of Pho lha nas of Gtsang who subsequently held power in Lhasa. Mdo mkhar Zhabs drung, despite his allegiance to the opposition party, was not sentenced for his earlier behaviour and was instead assigned to the post of bka’ blon in 1729.