the history of buddhism among the mongols 399
Buddhism had proven to be unable to keep the religion of the Bud-
dha alive among the Mongols. However, the initiatives of the “Yellow
Hats” school, the dGe-lugs-pa, and the support of a new Qubilai were
necessary to let the religious light shine again. The reproach of the
older schools de nitely was not unfounded. The contact between Altan
Khan and the third Dalai Lama indeed introduced a renaissance of
Buddhism amongst the Mongols. This renaissance not only affected the
circles of the nobility, but, consequently, became deeply rooted amongst
the common people and determines the identity of the Mongols up
to the present day.
5.2. Misionary Strategies of the dGe-lugs-paIn 1578, Altan Khan returned to the Tümed territory. How strong his
relation to the Dalai Lama was becomes evident from the fact that he
appointed a larger number of higher of cials as intermediaries. The
Dalai Lama, on his part, appointed Duyingqor (Dus-’khor) Qututu^97
Yon-tan-rgya-mtsho, a higher clergyman, as representative to Altan
Khan.^98 Already in 1579, Altan Khan had the Yeke Úoo monastery
(Chin. Dazhao ), the “Great Monastery”, built after the model of
the abiyal monastery. Yeke Úoo was built in the city of Kökeqota,
the present-day capital Huhhot of Inner Mongolia, a city founded by
Altan Khan.^99
Altan Khan died in the rst month of the year 1582. His son Sengge
Dügüreng Qongtayiúi (1521–1585) succeeded him.^100 He continued
his father’s policy. Soon after he came to power, he and his spouse
Úönggen Qatun invited the Dalai Lama, who had not returned to
Central Tibet but was then residing in Eastern Tibet, to Kökeqota
(Huhhot) in order to execute the funeral ceremonies for the deceased
ruler. bSod-nams-rgya-mtsho complied with the request and left the
sKu-’bum (Gumbum) monastery in the neighbourhood of Xining
in 1584. As was common for clergymen, he gave religious instruc-
tion to the local people—Tibetans and Mongolians—on his way. In
the Ordos region, in the big bend of the Yellow River, he settled an
armed con ict between the local princes. In 1585 the Dalai Lama
(^97) Mong. Qututu is a title granted to high reincarnated lamas. It corresponds to
Tibetan Rin-po-che.
(^98) Úiral 1996, p. 160.
(^99) Altan Orgil 1981, pp. 75, 266.
(^100) Kollmar-Paulenz 2001, pp. 64, 247 n. 189.