A Tibetan Ceremony of State

Abstract This article analyzes the enthronement of the sixth Dalai Lama held in Lhasa, Tibet, in December 1697. The previous rebirth, the fifth Dalai Lama, became the first ruler of the central Tibetan regime founded in 1642. The enthronement of his successor lasted nearly one month. It combined assemblies, banquets, and private audiences, at which thousands of gifts were exchanged. It was attended by all the major parties with a stake in the Tibetan polity, including government officials, lay and clerical elites, and patrons from Mongolia and China. The article summarizes the proceedings and examines some salient social, material, and intellectual details. The author reflects on the importance of such ceremonial events for studying politics and religion in Tibet and suggests that the enthronement was an effort by the ruling authorities to present an ideal image of the state as they wished it to be perceived.