A treatise on the lives of the Dalai Lamas and what they achieved as leaders of Tibet. The Dalai Lama have long played an extremely important role in Tibet"s political and economic development. On the basis of several decades of research using volumes of Tibetan historical documents and reference materials, this book"s author, Ya Hanzhang, makes a thorough study of the successive Dalai Lamas. The book also contains the author"s sometimes brief, sometimes detailed comments on the policies of the Tibetan rulers through history, as well as providing information on Tibet"s political and religious systems, social customs and general political and economic development. In addition, accounts of the propagation of Buddhism in Tibet and descriptions of the religious rituals practiced are included. With these features, this book is an invaluable resource for readers interested in history, especially the modern and contemporary history of Tibet.