The purpose of the text is to present and discuss the possible reasons which induced the Qianlong Emperor to invite the 6th Panchen Lama Palden Yeshe to visit China, in light of the possible factors which influenced the acceptance by the latter of the invitation to visit the Manchu court. The article constitutes an analysis and a comparison of the concepts presented in scholarly articles devoted to Tibetan-Manchu relations in the middle of the 18th century. The context for the subject under discussion is furnished by the representation of the question of the mutual relations of politics and religion.