The Dzungar, the collective identity of several Oirat (West Mongolian) tribes that have formed and maintained what is to be the last Central Asian nomadic empire, continue to threaten China, having invaded Tibet in 1717.

They had taken Lhasa with an army six thousand strong in response to the deposition of the Dalai Lama and his replacement in 1706 with Lha-bzan Khan.

They had removed Lha-bzan from power and held the city for two years, in 1718 destroying a Chinese army.

Lhasa is not retaken by the Qing armies until 1720.