The Treasury of Lives

Rinchen Peldzom (rin chen dpal 'dzoms) was the consort of Jamyang Norbu, the Twelfth Chone Sakyong (cho ne sa skyong 12 'jams dbyangs nor bu, b.1703). She was from the Gyelmo Tsawarong (rgyal mo tsha ba rong) region of Amdo.

Richen Peldzom's regency began in 1743, which presumably the year that Jamyang Norbu died. Several years later in 1747, Jamyang Norbu's heir, Sonam Chopel (bsod nams chos 'phel, d. 1747), died before he could be enthroned. Because Jamyang Norbu's grandsons were too young to rule, Rinchen Peldzom continued to administer the affairs of the Chone Kingdom until 1760. Her title was Chone Ponmo (co ne dpon mo).

In 1747, Amon Lobzang Monlam (a smon blo bzang smon lam, d.u.), Rinchen Peldzom, and the Dzoge (mdzod dge) leader Aza Pelgon (a bza' dpal mgon, d.u.) sponsored the construction of the Temple of Buddha Maitreya (byams khang), the foundational structure of Taktsang Lhamo Ganden Shedrup Pekar Drolpai Ling (stag tshang lha mo dgon dga' ldan bshad sgrub pad dkar grol ba'i gling), which was laid under the leadership of Gyeltsen Sengge (rgyal mtshan seng+ge, 1678-1756).

Rinchen Peldzom organized the block-printing of the Tengyur (bstan 'gyur), a project which began in 1753 and was completed in 1773 (alternate sources suggest the dates 1742-1772). The texts were compiled and stored at Chone Gonchen Ganden Shedrub Ling (co ne dgon chen dga' ldan bshad sgrub gling).  The Second Jamyang Zhepa, Konchok Jigme Wangpo ('jam dbyangs bzhad pa 02 dkon mchog 'jigs med dbang po, 1728-1791) wrote the catalog (dkar chag), which included a brief history of the Chone lineage. This edition of the Tengyur, along with the Chone Kangyur printed in during the reign of the Eleventh Chone King Makzor Gonpo (co ne sa skyong 11 dmag zor mgon po), would become one of the main editions of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon.

Over a century later, folios were printed from these woodblocks on the order of the Eighteenth Chone Sakyong Lobzang Tendzin Namgyel Trinle Dorje (co ne sa skyong 18 blo bzang bstan 'dzin rnam rgyal 'phrin las rdo rje, 1889-1937) for the Austrian-American botanist Joseph F. Rock (1884-1962) who travelled to Chone in the 1920's, spending several years in the region. Rock sent the folios, among the best-preserved and highest quality editions of the Tibetan Buddhist Canon, to the Library of Congress, where they are still preserved.

Rinchen Peldzom was highly skilled in embroidery, and sources note that she embroidered eight images of Tsongkhapa Lobzang Drakpa (tsong kha pa blo bzang grags pa, 1357-1419) and his two disciples, Khedrub Gelek Pelzang (mkha grub dge legs dpal bzang, 1385-1438) and Darma Rinchen (dar ma rin chen, 1364-1432). She offered these to Chone Monastery, Zhungpa Khangtsen (gzhung pa khang tshan) of Sera Monastery (se ra) in Lhasa, Tsador Monastery (tsha rdor dgon), and Taktsang Lhamo Monastery (stag tshang lha mo).

During her regency Rinchen Peldzom met the Third Panchen Lama, Pelden Yeshe (paN chen 03 dpal ldan ye shes, 1738-1780) at Kumbum Jampa Ling (sku 'bum byams pa gling), and made substantial offerings that included a copy of Chone Tengyur and Kangyur. She also offered the Chone Kangyur and Tengyur to the Qing Emperor Qianlong (乾隆 r.1736-1795).

The date of her death is not known.

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