In recent years, the Chinese government has tightened its control of Tibetan Buddhism, which it sees as a threat to the Chinese state because it is an expression of a distinct Tibetan identity, and because Buddhist institutions have the potential to unify and empower individuals outside the Party state.
Under President Xi Jinping in particular, Tibetan Buddhism has been the main target of proactive policies aimed at “Sinicizing” religion, meaning to shape religion to the diktats of the Chinese Communist Party for political purposes. To do so, the Chinese government has created an authorised catalogue of verified ‘living Buddhas’, halved the 10,000 resident population of the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, increased “political re-education” campaigns for monks and nuns, and formal training for Tibetan Buddhist teachers and cadres posted to monasteries. In addition, the authorities have adopted a number of laws and measures equating ‘terrorism’ with an undefined ‘extremism’ linked to religion, thereby creating a more dangerous political environment for monks, nuns and lay Buddhists.
At the same time, small acts of religious freedom – including worship of the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama – are still criminalized in most parts of Tibet. Restrictions on religious practices have been placed on government workers, with many threatened with losing their identity cards, social benefits and jobs, and controls on children participating in religious activities have been strengthened. As part of its objective to contain and control Tibetan Buddhism, the Chinese state has also indicated plans to appoint its own reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama, in total contravention to Buddhist religious tradition and the fundamental right of Tibetan Buddhist communities to follow their own spiritual process without government interference.
Related news and resources
China Misuses Law to demolish historic Atsok Monastery for dam construction
The Chinese government has demolished the 135-year-old Atsok Monastery in northern Tibet to make way for the construction of a hydroelectric dam. The monastery had previously enjoyed protected status as a cultural heritage site, but this status was unilaterally revoked by Chinese authorities in order to push the demolition forward.
Chinese authorities force closure of popular Tibetan school
Amid an ongoing government campaign to close private Tibetan schools, the Jigme Gyaltsen Nationalities Vocational School in Golog (Chinese: Guoluo) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, was shut down on 12 July 2024.
China’s top leaders visit Tibet, seeking to assimilate Tibet’s religion and children
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chair of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning, visited the Tibetan regions of Amdo and Kham last month, where they called for the full implementation of the Party’s policy to Sinify Tibetan Buddhism – essentially, converting it into a tool of the Chinese state.