The Treasury of Lives

Tobjor Wangchuk (stobs 'byor dbang phyug) was born to the prominent family of Lhagyari (lha rgya ri). The Lhagyaris were the local rulers of Eyul (e yul), situated between Yarlung (yar klung) and Dakpo (dwags po) in central Tibet.

Tobjor Wangchuk was the eldest son of Tri Songwanggyel (khri srong dbang rgyal, 19th century), the thirteenth head of the Lhagyari family, and Tashi Gyelmo (bkra shis rgyal mo, 19th c.) from the Tetong (bkras mthong) family which had an estate near Shigatse (gzhis ka rtse). Tobjor Wangchuk's wife was Nyima Lhamo (nyi ma lha mo), daughter of Horkhang Sonam Tobgye (hor khang bsod nams stobs rgyas, d.u.) who became a Kalon (bka' blon), or government minister, in 1901 or 1902.

Topjor Wangchuk was invested as the new head of the family after Tri Songwanggyel passed away. He built a reliquary stupa for his father and added new wings to the family castle of Rigo Tashi Chodzong (ri sgo bkra shis chos rdzong) in the Chinese style, following the model of the imperial palace in Beijing. He also produced a new edition of Kangyur ('bka 'gyur) and Tengyur (bstan 'gyur) in golden ink with gold mined from his territory.

His brother, Namgyel Wangchuk (rnam rgyal dbang phyug, d.1912) was enlisted as a general by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, Tubten Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 13 thub bstan rgya mtsho, 1876-1933) to fight against the Qing invasion of Tibet, and died in battle.

Tobjor Wangchuk and Nyima Lhamo had three daughters and two sons in the following order: Pema Dechen (pad+ma bde chen), Pema Chokyi (pad+ma chos skyid), Pema Yangchen (pad+ma dbangs can.), Jigme Wangchuk ('jigs med dbang phyug), and Jikme Namgyel ('jigs med rnam rgyal), who later enrolled in Dakpo Dratsang (dwags po grwa tshang) where he served as abbot. As the eldest son, Jigme Wangchuk inherited his father's position and became the fifteenth head of the family.