THE DALAILAMA SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE TIBETANPEOPLE QUICK FACT When Tenzin was first recognized as the Dalai Lama a greedy Chinese military leader held him and his family hostage The Tibetan government paid the ransom and the family was set free unharmed COMING OF AGE QUICKLY Although Tibet was part of China it gained a degree of self government in the early twentieth century Chinese troops however entered Tibet in 1950 In a move to try to keep some independence the Dalai Lama was named the head of Tibet's government that same year about five years ahead of schedule Because he was only fifteen a regent or temporary ruler was given power to rule until the Dalai Lama reached the age of
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS EARLY TROUBLE The Dalai Lama right gives China's Mao Tse tung a scarf during their meeting in the 1950s In 1951 China took control of Tibet Even though he was not an officially recognized government leader anymore the Dalai Lama stayed in Tibet for seven and a half years trying to protect the rights of the Tibetan people He even traveled to China to meet with the country s leader at the time Mao Tse
THE DALA LAMA SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE TIBETAN PEOPLE GOING INTO EXILE As the years went on the situation in Tibet grew worse In 1959 Chinese troops killed more than eighty thousand Tibetans who were protesting Chinese rule The Tibetan people feared for the Dalai Lama's safety and urged him to leave the country Disguised as a Tibetan soldier the Dalai Lama escaped from his palace during the night A small group made up of his family and teachers went with him They were protected on their journey by Tibetan warriors Making their way by riding horses and walking the group crossed the Himalayan mountains They were followed by Chinese troops who had discovered that the Dalai Lama had escaped On March 13 1959 the Dalai Lama arrived in India The Indian government offered the group protection from Chinese forces No longer afraid of being captured and returned to Tibet the Dalai Lama set up his government in an Indian controlled portion Io
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS EARLY TROUBLE TNHT THE GAME In a game THITTIERE THITTIL WHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH T HET THIRL jaii Women pray in front of Potala Palace the former home of the Dalai Lama in Tibet of the Himalayan mountains From that day forward he was in exile which meant he was forced to live in a foreign country in order to stay safe II
