Why does China want the Dalai Lama?

Why does China want the Dalai Lama?

To dilute the cultural and religious identity of Tibetans, the key for China is to control the Dalai Lama. And, therefore, China wants to decide who the next Dalai Lama will be.

What has been the effect of Chinese occupation of Tibet in terms of religion?

As the resistance to the Chinese occupation escalated, particularly in Eastern Tibet, the Chinese repression, which included the destruction of religious buildings and the imprisonment of monks and other community leaders, increased dramatically.

What religion is the Dalai Lama associated with?

The Dalai Lama is considered a living Buddha of compassion, a reincarnation of the bodhisattva Chenrezig, who renounced Nirvana in order to help mankind. The title originally only signified the preeminent Buddhist monk in Tibet, a remote land about twice the size of Texas that sits veiled behind the Himalayas.

How has Chinese political policy affected life in Tibet?

In a sense, the government attempted to reduce Tibetan ethnic identity to language alone. Chinese policy during this period, therefore, sought to maintain pastoral production but destroy the social and cultural fabric of traditional nomadic life.

Why is Buddhism a religion?

Buddhism is one of the world’s largest religions and originated 2,500 years ago in India. Buddhists believe that the human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana.

What is China’s problem with Tibet?

Tibet was invaded by 35,000 Chinese troops who systematically raped, tortured and murdered an estimated as many as 1.2 million Tibetans – one-fifth of the country’s population. Since then, over 6000 monasteries have been destroyed and thousands of Tibetans have been imprisoned.

How are Tibetans treated in China?

After the Chinese military took over Tibet in 1949, Tibetans have been treated as second-class citizens in their own country. They are kicked out of their homes and sent to townships so the government can ‘develop’ occupied spaces. Worst of all, Tibetans do not have freedom of speech, religion or movement.

Does the Chinese government have the authority to name religious leaders?

As the successor of the imperial state, the current Chinese government claims for itself the authority to name religious leaders, including the Dalai and Panchen Lamas.

What is China’s policy on freedom of religion?

As a socialist country under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC), China adopts policies on freedom of religious belief based on national and religious conditions to protect citizens’ right to freedom of religious belief, build active and healthy religious relationships, and maintain religious and social harmony.

What is happening to China’s religious institutions?

As religious observance in China grows, the Chinese Communist Party continues to toughen oversight, increase religious persecution, and attempt to coopt state-sanctioned religious organizations.

How does China deal with religious persecution?

China adopts policies on freedom of religious belief, manages religious affairs in accordance with the law, adheres to the principle of independence and self-management, actively guides religions to adapt to the socialist society, and unites religious believers and non-believers to the greatest extent.