(TibetanReview.net, Jan16’26) – Rather than being allowed to focus primarily on learning their mother tongue and the extensive religious texts which are written in it, China’s campaign for Sinicizing Tibetan Buddhism and making religion conform to its so-called socialist values have monks across Tibet learning to become proficient in Chinese language and the party-state’s narrative on “patriotism”, state media reports show.
On Jan 14, a “national consciousness, civic awareness, rule of law awareness” speech competition (finals) of the religious community in Dege County, Kardze (Chinese: Ganzi) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, was held, reported China’s online Tibet news service m.tibet.cn Jan 16.
Likewise, at Samye Monastery in Lhokha (Shannan) city, Tibet Autonomous Region, an education hall as well as a newly built science hall for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation were opened on Jan 13 and “a striking and profound patriotic educational event” conducted for the monks, reported the party mouthpiece globaltimes.cn Jan 13.
The Dege event report said that a total of 26 monks were registered in the competition and 9 players qualified for the final. “At the finals, the players closely followed the theme of ‘three consciousnesses’, combined with their own practice, and made a speech with a clear view and sincere emotion in the national common language, fully expressing the firm position of patriotism, education, law-abiding and keeping, and showing a solid level of policy knowledge and good spirit,” the report said.
All the 9 finalists won first (1), second (3) and third (5) prizes. The event site also showed the award-winning works of the “Three Consciousnesses” calligraphy and essay competition in Dege County, the report said.
The Lhokha event report said that the Samye Monastery’s education hall was opened to promote ethnic unity and patriotism. It cited Tang Dong, an expert on Chinese ethnic history, as saying the new venue was part of efforts to help the public, especially monastic communities, foster a correct view of the history of the Chinese nation and increase the sense of identity in the Chinese nation, thereby promoting ethnic solidarity, religious harmony, and social stability.
Contending that “the great Chinese nation was forged through the collective efforts of all ethnic groups,” Tang has said, “The education hall, through its exhibitions and interactive displays featuring advanced technology, helps people understand the history of the exchanges and integration among different ethnic groups, as well as the contributions made by people of all ethnic groups to the unity of the Chinese nation.”
The report said that during the opening ceremony, “the monastic community received a systematic introduction to the basic national conditions of China as a unified multi-ethnic country, the historical context of the pluralistic and integrated structure of the Chinese nation, and the monastery’s exemplary work in promoting ethnic unity and progress.”
The exhibition hall was stated to “vividly showcase the historical tapestry of exchanges, interactions and integration among all ethnic groups, as well as the significant achievements made in the cause of ethnic unity and progress.”
And the science hall, equipped with modern facilities such as virtual reality (VR) devices, drones, and astronomical telescopes, was stated to “allows visitors to experience the nation’s development and progress, thereby enhancing patriotic sentiment and scientific literacy,”
The report also noted that the second Tibet Forum on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation was held in Lhasa in September.
The current narrative on Tibet’s history, fabricated by the party-state, is that it has been an integral part of China since ancient times.