In the 13th Century A.D.
Yuan Dynasty: Tibet Became an Administrative Region of China.
At the beginning of the 13thcentury, Genghis Khan, a Mongolian chieftain, established the Mongol Empire, and Tibetan secular and religious chiefs began to make contacts with the Khan Empire. In 1247 A.D., Sa-pan Kun-dgav-rgyal-mtshan , chief of the Sa –skya-pa Sect, together with his nephew vPhags-pa and others, went to Liangzhou (today’s Wuwei ), meeting with Go-ldan , Genghis Khan’s grandson and came to terms regarding Tibet’s submission to the Mongols. In 1260 A.D., Kublai came to Khan’s throne, and then he conferred the title of "State Tutor” upon vPhags-pa and bestowed upon him a jade seal, ordering him to wield political and religious powers in Tibet. Thus began the system of the "unification of political and religious affairs". In 1271 A.D., Kublai established the Yuan Dynasty, and Tibet officially became an administrative region under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government.
The Central Government of the Yuan Dynasty set up the Political Council in charge of Buddhist affairs of the entire nation as well as military and political affairs in Tibet. The Yuan Central Government set up the General office administered by the Pacification Commissions with 13 Wanhus (Khri-skor, one Wanhu stands for ten thousand households) under its jurisdiction and appointed all officials. And the census was conducted; the standards of tax and corvee were established; post stations and army service stations were set up and troops were dispatched within the territory of Tibet.
