Changkya Khutukhtu is regarded as one of the four great Tulkus of Tibetan Buddhism, ranked after the Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama, and Jebtsundamba Khutuktu, and has been honorably referred to as “the Preceptor.” The National Government also described the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu, Lozang Penden Tenpé Drönmé (1891-1957), who was born in the late Qing period, as a patriotic Tulku Lama who not only helped the formation of the republic but also retained strong appeal to the Mongolian general public. In fact, the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu did not accept the authority of the central government fully and passively; he often used his influence in the religious world to attract political interest, and he established a mutually beneficial political—religious collaboration with the central government. Although the central government allowed the 7th Changkya Khutukhtu to hold certain powers, conflicts between politics and religion were not unheard of when the religious leader attempted to expand his influence. Academics both from Taiwan and China have attempted to understand this prominent figure through project-based research. However, none have presented a comprehensive discussion. In this study, the life and deeds of this last Preceptor—who lived from the Qing Dynasty to the Republican period, migrated from the borderland to the heartland of mainland China, and finally moved to Taiwan—are described, based on archives from the Academia Historica, contemporary documentation, and various other historical sources.
