(TibetanReview.net, Feb14’25) – China has revised its policy on the administration of Tibetan Buddhist temples, focusing especially on Sinicization of Tibetan Buddhism with “a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation”, according to a Dharamshala-based Tibetan rights group.
China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs issued a revised version of its “Measures for the Administration of Tibetan Buddhist Temples” on Dec 1, 2024 – after being adopted on Sep 1 – and it came into force at the beginning of last month, said the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy Feb 14.
It said a major revision made in Article 4, which outlines the ideological framework within which the Communist Party of China (CPC) requires Tibetan monasteries to function, states:
“Temples and clergy should love the motherland, support the leadership of the Communist Party of China, support the socialist system, abide by the Constitution, laws, regulations, rules, and relevant provisions on the management of religious affairs, practice core socialist values, forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, adhere to the direction of the Sinicization of religion, uphold the principle of independence and self-management, safeguard national unity, ethnic unity, religious harmony, and social stability, and promote the adaptation of Tibetan Buddhism to socialist society.”
The group said the directive to “forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” implicitly pressures Tibetan Buddhists to assimilate their distinct culture and identity into the dominant Han Chinese framework. It sees this as reinforcing China’s broader systematic policy of cultural assimilation and aligns with the CPC’s overarching goal to Sinicize Tibetan Buddhism.
Article 11 of the revised measure is said to compel monastic administrators to conduct political education for monks and nuns so as to ensure their loyalty to the CPC-state.
Article 15 is said to give the Buddhist Association of China (BAC) a prominent role in Sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism, including setting limits on the number of monks and nuns permitted to be enrolled in each temple.
Article 30 is said to introduce a cumbersome, multi-tiered approval process even for already registered monks and nuns when they seek to study under a teacher in another temple. After submitting an application to the temple’s management, approval has to be obtained from the township government and local Buddhist Association, which must be reviewed and certified by the county-level religious affairs bodies, before a candidate can register with the hosting temple, and everything must then be approved by the local Buddhist Association and government offices.