The 9th Tai Situpa, Pema Nyinje Wongpo (1774-1853), was born in Yilung, near Derge, in eastern Tibet, in the year of the wood-horse. He was recognized by the Gyalwa Karmapa and Pawo Rinpoche. Pawo Rinpoche received a prediction from Guru Rinpoche in a vision concerning Tai Situpa's rebirth.

At the age of five years, Tai Situpa was formally enthroned. He received all of the teachings of the lineage from the Gyalwa Karmapa Dudul Dorje, Shamar Mipham Chodrub, and Dzingar Dorje Trakpa, amongst other accomplished masters.

The Tai Situpa renovated Palpung monastery and made countless precious offerings to many monasteries of all traditions. He authored over two hundred treatises and combined the traditions of the Tibetan lineages.

He became the root-lama to the 1st Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Khyentse Wangpo Rinpoche, and Chogyur Dechen Lingpa. The 9th Tai Situpa started the Rimey (Nonsectarian) movement of Tibet, which was later on firmly established and expanded upon by his disciples, in particular by the Jamgon Kongtrul of Palpung. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche's root guru was none other than the 9th Tai Situpa.

Tai Situpa spent most of his life in deep meditation and was a renowned scholar and teacher. He performed many miracles such as leaving footprints in rock.

Tai Situpa's wisdom was well-known. In one case, he even surprised a monk with his omniscience: Rinpoche reprimanded the monk for his alcoholism. Even though the monk thought his weakness was done in secrecy, evidently it could not pass the all-knowing wisdom eye of the Situ Rinpoche.

Situ Rinpoche spent most of the end of his life in meditation, over thirty years of his entire life were solely in retreat. At the age of seventy-nine he passed away. At that time the sky was filled with rainbows and there were many other highly auspicious signs.