Chote Chaba

Chote Chaba (1877–1934) (also written Tsultrim Dakpa; ; )was the 16th head lama who ruled Muli, which at the time was a small princely state under both the Tibetan Ganden Phodrang and Republic of China, and now forms the Muli Tibetan Autonomous County in southwestern Sichuan province. He was recognized as the 12th incarnation of the Migyur Khutughtu. During his reign he expanded the military and allied with Long Yun and Chiang Kai-shek during regional conflict following the Warlord Era. He was killed on the orders of Liu Wenhui.

Biography Early life Xiang Cicheng Zhaba was born in 1877 into the ruling family of Muli and recognized as the reincarnation of Miji Tulku of Molashog Gompa. He received a comprehensive Buddhist education and made several pilgrimages to Tibet, then gained prominence as he traveled across Kham to teach Buddhism.

Reign In 1924, his older brother, the 15th head lama died, leaving a young son and heir. Xiang Cicheng Zhaba returned to Muli and secured support to become the acting 16th head lama. As was customary, he sent the 13th Dalai Lama and 8th Pancha Lama gifts and had his succession recognized.

Title and reincarnation

The title of khutughtu, which is the Mongolian term for a reincarnate lama (tulku) was granted to Chote Chamba's predecessor, the 10th Migyur, by the Qianlong Emperor of Qing China in 1751. The 10th Migyur also received the title of Nomun Khan.

Chote Chamba's reincarnation, the 13th Migyur Khutughtu, was born in Lithang in the year on July 4, 1935. He was recognized by Ngawang Legpa Rinpoche at the age of one, and was given the name Ngawang Tenzin Migyur. After the Chinese occupation of Tibet, the 13th Mingyur Rinpoche relocated to Taiwan at the invitation of the Kuomintang Intelligence Bureau, along with a members group led by Jama Samphe (嘉瑪桑佩). He was as a member of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission and taught at the National Cheng Chi University in Taiwan.