Chapter VII Summary and Analysis

Only a few miles from Lhasa, now, David-Neel and Yongden can see the Potala, the palace of the Dalai Lama built high on a hill in Lhasa. David-Neel feels triumphant, but Yongden is more cautious since they have not yet actually reached the city and may run across more officials before they do.

They have no trouble, however, and enter Lhasa. It is at the time of the New Year celebrations, and many pilgrims have come to the city to celebrate them. Fortune smiles again on David-Neel and she is almost immediately offered a place to stay near the city, avoiding the necessity of having to beg for shelter.

David-Neel describes the Potala. It is an enormous palace of red and white, built on one of two hills within Lhasa. While grand in size, it is somewhat crude and...