Tusi
The native chiefs from Kham and Amdo who were under Qing authority.
In Central Tibet, Qing governance operated through ambans who ruled jointly with the Dalai Lama or regent and commanded Chinese troops tasked with border protection. While in Kham and Amdo, Qing authority was diffused through a network tusi' (native chiefs') who were left largely autonomous as long as they demonstrated loyalty to the court and prevented attacks on Qing interests. The endemic feuding and banditry among eastern Tibetans rarely prompted imperial intervention, resulting in dramatically different experiences of Qing rule between Central Tibet and the eastern regions.
Since the early 8th century, Tibetans and Himalayan people have treasured "Namtars" as written or spoken narratives that demonstrate the realization of the Buddhist path by exceptional practitioners. These namtars, or spiritual biographies, serve as inspirational guides on the path to enlightenment.
Today, Namtars Foundation aims to record, preserve, and freely offer the world a written and electronic treasury of the oral wisdom of Tibetan and Himalayan Buddhism.
