The Treasury of Lives

Ngawang Rinchen was the eldest son of Sanggye Gyatso (sangs rgyas rgya mtsho, 1653-1705), who served as regent, or "Desi" (sde srid), of Tibet under the Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobzang Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 05 ngag dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho, 1617-1682) and during the last decades of the seventeenth century. His date of birth is not known.

Following the victory of Gushri Khan (1582-1655) and the Qoshud Mongol army over the forces of the King of Tsang in 1642, a central Tibetan government was established with power initially shared between the Fifth Dalai Lama and the Qoshud Mongols. In 1703, Lhazang Khan (lha bzang khang, d.1717) murdered his brother Vangjal and became ruler of the Qoshud Mongols. Unlike his brother and father before him Lhazang Khan took an interest in Tibet’s political affairs and attempted to restore the political power that his family had lost since the death of Gushri Khan against the influence of the Manchu Qing under Emperor Kangxi (r. 1661-1722). This attempt at a reconsolidation of Mongol power in Tibet frequently conflicted with the existing government headed by Sanggye Gyatso.

The political situation in Tibet was further complicated by the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso's (tA la'i bla ma 06 tshangs dbyangs rgya mtsho, 1683-1706) refusal to take control of the government. As a result of these changes in Tibetan politics, in 1702 Sanggye Gyatso chose to step down from the office, and named his son, Ngawang, as his successor. However, despite his retirement, Sanggye Gyatso continued to control the Tibetan government, and relations between him and Lhazang Khan continued to deteriorate rapidly, culminating in Sanggye Gyatso’s attempt to murder Lhazang Khan.

The animosity between the former Desi and Qoshud ruler continued to grow over the next two years and eventually culminated in a violent conflict that lasted six months during the year 1705, which involved numerous monasteries and officials.

Sanggye Gyatso's forces lost the war, and he was executed on September 6, 1705 by Lhazang Khan’s wife, despite Lhazang Khan's pledge to spare the former regent.

In June of 1706 Lhazang Khan removed Ngawang Rinchen from the office of Desi and exiled him and his brother to Beijing together with the Sixth Dalai Lama. The Sixth Dalai Lama died en route, although the brothers reached Beijing and were eventually resettled at Dolon-nor, in modern day Inner Mongolia, where they stayed until 1717.

In 1717 Ngawang Rinchen and his brother were able to go to Amdo, where they were received by the Seventh Dalai Lama, Kelzang Gyatso (tA la'i bla ma 07 bskal bzang rgya mtsho, 1708-1757) at Kumbum Monastery (sku 'bum). Little is known about his life after this this event.