(TibetanReview.net, Jul22’25) – Claiming they were built on government land and also violated uncited regulations, Chinese authorities have recently demolished over 300 Buddhist stupas and a statue of Guru Padmasambhava – who introduced tantric Buddhism in Tibet in the 8th century – at a monastery in Draggo (Chinese: Luhuo) county of Karze (Ganzi) prefecture, Sichuan province, said the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) on its Tibet.net website Jul 22.
The destruction was carried out in late May or Jun 2025 at Lungrab Zang-ri near Janggang Monastery, where Chinese forces razed hundreds of medium-sized stupas of Tibetan Buddhism and three larger ones.
Also destroyed were a newly built statue of Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, the famed late founder-Abbot of Serthar Buddhist Institute, and one of Guru Padmasambhava, which emotionally traumatized the deeply religious local Tibetans, said the CTA statement.
The debris from these destructions were stated to have been cleared so thoroughly as to leave no trace of their existence.
Khenpo Tenga of Janggang Monastery, who was involved in constructing the stupas and the statues at Lungrab Zang-ri, is said to have been put under tight restrictions, with the curtailment of his movement and religious activities, including meeting with devotees.
This was not the first time such large-scale religious destructions were carried out in Draggo county. In Nov 2021, under orders from the county’s Party Secretary Wang Dongxin, authorities closed the Draggo Gaden Namgyal Ling Monastery school. Later, on Dec 12, they demolished two large sacred statues near the monastery and destroyed 45 mani wheels (prayer wheels).
CTA said the latest destruction at Janggang’s Lungrab Zang-ri represented an escalation of China’s war on Tibetan Buddhism.
The religious crackdown in Tibet intensified “following Decree No. 22, issued by the National Religious Affairs Bureau on Dec1, 2024, which mandates that all monasteries must operate under strict government control starting from Jan 1, 2025, through the implementation of Article 43 of the Monastery Management Regulations”, a source in Tibet has said.
The demolitions were carried out as China began implementing tight restrictions on Tibetans from marking the 90th birthday of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s exile spiritual leader, falling due on Jul 6, 2025, throughout Tibet.
In Karze and neighbouring areas, Chinese authorities were stated to have banned all public gatherings until Jul 23.
Likewise, monasteries in Amdo region (made of the Qinghai province as well as areas in Gansu and Sichuan provinces) were stated to have banned any group of more than five monks from travelling together during the period surrounding the Dalai Lama’s birthday.
CTA says obtaining information about the situation in Tibet remains extremely difficult due to a complete communications blackout imposed by Chinese authorities, “highlighting the systematic nature of China’s campaign to silence witnesses to its cultural destruction in Tibet.”
At Draggo, anyone attempting to share information and even talk about the recent religious destructions with the outside world faced immediate detention on charges of “leaking state secrets.” The entire area surrounding the demolition site has been sealed off, and no one is permitted entry or exit, said the Tibet.net statement.