Tibet History in Yuan Dynasty

Tibet History in Yuan Dynasty - Mongol Invasion

During the time of late 12th century and early 13th century, Mongolian nationally grew up in northern prairie. In 1206, Mongol Empire had been established by Genghis Khan unifying Mongolian nationally, which led to the unprecedented national unity in China history. Thus Tibet region has been part of national unity of China which is the result of the long-term communication with economy, culture and politics. The royal family of Mongol Empire contacted with Tibetan and Tibetan Buddhism during the war while perished other States in Tibet region.

In 1218, Genghis Khan led the military to chase the enemy army into northwestern India. In 1235, Mongolian army has fought with Southern Song Dynasty. In the meanwhile, Kuoduan who was the commander of Mongolian army decided to unify the Tibet region. Northern Lhasa and the main area of Tibet have been controlled by the subordinate of Kuoduan's of Mongolian army in 1239 soon. In order to stabilize the regime of Mongolian nationality, Mongolian had to give an insight into Tibet Buddhism and different religious sect. Thus, Sakya Pandita who was the famous Buddhist in Tibet region belong to the Sakyapa of religious sect parleyed with Kuoduan in Liangzhou after two years' trek. Next heir of hierarch of Sakya Sect, Phagspa followed him. According to the negotiations of 1247, Tibet has merged into Mongolia.

Tibet History in Yuan Dynasty – Kublai Khan Established Yuan Dynasty

Phagspa has taken the position of the fifth hierarch of Sakya Sect at his age of 17 years old at the end of 1251, at the same time Mongke Khan ascended the throne of Mongolia. Other princes have been deigned their own manors by Mongke Khan, all of which contacted with local religious sect later. Kublai was one of the princes at that time which has got an order of war with Southern Song Dynasty in June 1252. Thus Kublai established a close relationship with Phagspa to each other in the New Year of 1253, and then Phagspa (1235–1280) succeeded Sakya Pandita at the Mongol court becoming a religious teacher to Kublai. Later Kublai Khan appointed Phagpa as his Imperial Preceptor in 1260, the year when he became Kublai Khan (Khan is the other name of emperor) of Mongolia. With the support of Kublai Khan, Phagspa established himself and his sect as the preeminent political power in Tibet. In 1265 Phagpa returned to Tibet and for the first time made an attempt to impose Sakya hegemony which continued into the middle of the 14th century, although it was challenged by a revolt of the Drikung Kagyu Sect. The revolt was suppressed in 1290.

During the reign of Kublai Khan, a legal system of Han Dynasty was adapted instead of Mongolian ancient regime establishing a new dynasty system, which could able to be praised as the symbol of Yuan Dynasty of China. The new regime was considered a combination of politics and education which also appropriated with monks and ordinary people. Phagspa died about the year of 1280 and the Sakya hegemony was subverted by another local force in 1260.

Tibet History in Yuan Dynasty – A Cultural Communication between Tibetan and Han Buddhism

The social economy and science & culture of Tibet have been developed quickly in Yuan Dynasty because of the stable social situation and unified regime, which is one of the period of prosperity of Tibetan history. The development of Buddhist promoted the history of Yuan Dynasty advanced, in addition to the improvement of other subjects like calendar calculation, medicine and astronomy, art, literature and history. Buddhist classics have been associated in Yuan Dynasty and other countries, some of which are copied by gold powder and preserved in Sakya Temple. Sakya Temple is also full of other famous literature books, inscriptions and murals, which were used for Buddhist introduction.

There were two Tibetan Buddhist center built in Beijing and Hangzhou city in Yuan Dynasty with the development of Buddhist tower and inscriptions, etc, of Tibetan Buddhist in other places of China. There are many important cultural relics saved till current days.