Published: 06:08 PM, 08 September 2025
Tibetan Buddhism under new administrative measures in China
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Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the role of religion has undergone significant changes. The Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) approach has gradually shifted from earlier restrictions to a more structured regulatory framework. Buddhism is officially recognized as one of five state-sanctioned religions, though formal affiliation remains relatively low. According to Pew Research (2023), about 4% of Chinese adults approximately 42 million people identify as Buddhist. Around 33% report belief in the Buddha or bodhisattvas, and 35% say they burn incense at least once a year. These figures suggest that Buddhist cultural practices remain present in Chinese society, often outside formal institutional settings.
Tibetan Buddhism faces systematic erosion. Between 2016 and 2019, authorities evicted 6,000 to 17,000 monks and nuns from Larung Gar and Yachen Gar institutes a devastating assault on pivotal monastic communities. In 2024, sweeping regulatory changes further embedded political indoctrination into monastic life. Article 4 of the newly revised “Measures for the Administration of Tibetan Buddhist Temples,” effective January 2025, now compels temples and clergy to publicly pledge loyalty to the Communist Party and promote “Sinicization” and “socialist values” effectively reducing religious spaces into party propaganda platforms.
Management of the reincarnation system remains a significant area of state oversight. After the Panchen Lama identified by the 14th Dalai Lama disappeared in 1995, Chinese authorities endorsed another candidate. The state continues to maintain that it holds the authority to approve reincarnations of high-ranking Tibetan religious figures, which has drawn international attention and commentary.
Education policies in Tibetan regions have also drawn global interest. A United Nations report and various human rights organizations estimate that more than one million Tibetan children have been placed in state-run boarding schools. These institutions generally emphasize Mandarin-language instruction and a standardized curriculum. Some reports suggest that Tibetan language, culture, and history receive limited attention in these settings, raising concerns among advocates for cultural preservation.
Tibetan monasteries have implemented regular patriotic education sessions, aimed at strengthening alignment with national values. Various international sources have reported the use of surveillance technologies, including CCTV, facial recognition, drones, and mobile tracking, in and around monastic areas. Certain forms of religious expression such as displaying images of the Dalai Lama or carrying prayer flags are reportedly discouraged in some areas.
International human rights organizations and governments have expressed concern over the situation. The United States Department of State has named China among the countries with significant restrictions on religious freedom. Reports cite instances of administrative regulation, detention, and the removal of religious symbols. Since 2009, there have been 156 reported cases of self-immolation by Tibetans, events widely interpreted by advocacy groups as protest actions. Online references to the Dalai Lama remain restricted, while visual displays of national leaders are increasingly present in religious settings.
Han Buddhism, while treated with greater flexibility in certain areas, also operates within a framework of oversight. New temple construction is generally permitted when it aligns with state objectives, including cultural tourism or community development initiatives.
At the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Tibet Autonomous Region on August 21, 2025, President Xi Jinping highlighted significant economic gains, including the expansion of road infrastructure and a boost in regional GDP to ¥276.5 billion (US$39 billion) since 2012. Official messaging during the event emphasized national unity and continued development.
In summary, what began as overt religious suppression in the Mao era, manifested through mass temple destruction and physical repression, has evolved into a subtler but more pervasive strategy. Today’s toolkit includes legal mandates of loyalty, educational indoctrination, digital surveillance, and systematic cultural inversion. The distinctive theological, linguistic, and philosophical heritage of Tibetan Buddhism is under siege targeted not for reform, but eradication.
>> Source: Daily Mirror
