Jamchen Cho je

Jamchen Choje, as a master of the Gelukpa Sect, was the first Tibetan to pay visit to the Ming Dynasty where he did a great deal in spreading of Buddhism. He founded a good relationship with three successive Emperors of the Ming Dynasty. He was a figure of contribution to enhance the relationship between the nationalities, the Tibetans and Hans, and to consolidate the unity of the motherland.

The name "Jamchen Choje", in fact is a title offered to him by the Ming Dynasty Emperor, Shunde, in 1434. Hence, it is commonly known as his name, more popular than his real name, Shakya Yeshe.

Shakya Yeshe was born in a noble family in Tsal Gungthang, near Lhasa, in 1354, three years senior to Tsongkapa. He renounced his wealthy life at an early age by taking to monastic vow, and devoted himself to studies of Sutras and Tantrics by following many learned masters.

After meeting with Tsonkapa he devoted himself in service of the former, and received good education on Budhist doctrine from him. During his sojourn in Beijing he organized various rituals for the health of the Emperor, and gave sermons on both Sutras and Tantrics, as a consequence the spread of Buddhism went far and wide. In 1416 he returned to Tibet via the same route. At his meeting with Tsongkapa he handed in the gifts that were presented to him by Emperor Yongle: one set of silk-woven "thangka" (scroll paintings) of the sixteen Arhats, a tent with a sandalwood frame, Mandalas made of solid gold and silver, and many rolls of silk. During his stay in Lhasa a continuation of letters between Emperor Youngle and him kept the relationship between them to a close tie.

In 1421, in the nineteenth throne-year of Emperor Yongle, another golden letter of invitation arrived to his presence from Beijing. Putting his disciple named Dhargye Sangpo in charge of Sera, he started for Beijing via the same route again. Unfortunately due to the lengthy distance, and too much time spent on route for religious activities, Emperor Yongle had passed away at his arrival to Beijing. after Yongle's death his son Hongxi came to the throne, but he also died within a year. The next Emperor, Shunde, the elder son of Hongxi, in his first year to the throne in 1426, gave a wonderful funerary ritual for his father and grandfather, during which Jamchen Choje spent eight years in Beijing.

Shunde, on his fourth year to the throne in 1429, had offered Jamchen Choje a little, with a gold seal, similar to the title "Imperial Preceptor" which his grandfather, Yongle, had already offered to Jamchen Choje. The tille "Jamche choje", the "Great Master", was offered to him on the ninth year to the throne of Shunde. Jamchen Choje at the age of eighty-two, on his return to Tibet from Beijing, died on route at a place named Zomokar on 24th of the tenth month. His disciples preserved all his funerary remainings in a stupa along with the gifts of the Emperor, a "Kagyur" (the translation of commandments) written in gold, a set of "Kagyur" and "Tengyur" (the translation of commentaries) written combinedly in gold and silver, his throne and other daily untensils were preserved as treasures for a monastery built there in his memory.