Introduction

One of the shared themes of the modern histories of Mongolia and Tibet is their continuous attempts to achieve independence from the Qing Dynasty and later the Republic of China. Many studies have examined the international relations context in which Mongolia and Tibet found themselves in the early twentieth century—analysis that is needed to understand the road that has brought Mongolia and Tibet to the present day. However, these studies tend to place disproportionate weight on nationalist or Great Power perspectives, which means they assume the importance of the modern nation-state. Reflection on the benefits and shortcomings of these studies has recently led to new research examining the nature of the relationship between the Mongols and Tibet in the early twentieth century.

The most significant event in Mongol‒Tibetan relations during this period was the Thirteenth Dalai Lama's sojourn in Mongolia from 1904 to 1906 because of the British invasion of Tibet led by Colonel F. Younghusband. The movement of the Dalai Lama—the highest authority in Tibetan Buddhism— through Mongolia and his arrival in Urga (today's Ulaanbaatar) led to renewed interactions within Tibetan Buddhist societies in Mongolia, Tibet and Russia.

The Dalai Lama was enthusiastically welcomed in Mongolia, with many Mongolian Buddhists traveling to Urga and making offerings to him. The Dalai Lama's sang, which managed his property, was established in Urga and stimulated the economic activities of the Tibetans there. It is said that the Dalai Lama's sang enjoyed special privileges in Mongolia under the protection of the Eighth Jebtsundamba Khutughtu, the most worshiped incarnation in Mongolia.