Dalai Lama's escape from China

[8] After this, large crowds surrounded the Potala and Norbulingka palace in protest at the Chinese authorities and demanded the Dalai Lama should not follow the invitation.

[11] The Oracle wrote down a detailed trajectory of the path the Dalai Lama should follow from the Norbulingka palace until he reached the last Tibetan village at the Indian border.

[11] The same night, disguised in a uniform of the Chinese Army and in company of a group of twenty people in which his closest family members and ministers of the government were included,[12] the Dalai Lama crossed through the crowds in front of the Norbulingka palace to the Kyuchu river,[13] where they were joined by a larger entourage.

[18] On 26 March, the Dalai Lama entered Lhuntse Dzong, from where he sent a letter to Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, explaining the political situation in Tibet and requesting asylum.

[12] In addition, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, which had forged ties with Tibetan resistance forces, cabled Nehru's office seeking permission for the Dalai Lama's party to cross the border.

[22] While staying in Wuhan, Mao Zedong ordered that the Dalai Lama should be allowed to leave on 12 March 1959, deeming it beneficial for China and a potential burden for the country which would provide him with asylum.

[23] Furthermore, Mao suggested that in the event of a successful escape, the Dalai Lama should be declared a rebels' abductee and that his political rights would be reserved if he decided to return.

[27] But after the main resistance of the Tibetan uprising was crushed by the end of April, the border was sealed, preparing Tibet for an era without the Dalai Lama.