In Tibet, monasteries are not just spiritual centers but repositories of culture, history, and identity. Yet under Xi Jinping’s China, these traditional institutions have become prime targets in an accelerating campaign to enforce ideological conformity. Beijing’s ever-tightening grip over Tibetan Buddhism is eroding religious autonomy, reshaping practices to reflect Communist Party orthodoxy, and systematically undermining the faith’s once-independent institutions.
In recent years, China’s strategy has shifted from mere suppression to active control and reshaping of Tibetan Buddhism. A cornerstone of this strategy is the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) push for the “sinicization” of religion—transforming Tibetan Buddhism into an instrument supportive of socialist principles. Monasteries must now run mandatory “patriotic education” programs, during which monks and nuns publicly pledge loyalty to the Party, renounce their allegiance to exiled religious leaders such as the Dalai Lama, and incorporate CCP ideology into their religious practices.
Surveillance technologies have intensified this ideological enforcement. Across the Tibetan plateau, CCTV cameras and advanced facial recognition systems monitor monks and religious devotees, looking for signs of discontent or expressions of cultural independence. Even the simple act of possessing or distributing images of the Dalai Lama is criminalized, resulting in detentions and imprisonment.
In recent years, these measures have escalated significantly. New regulations introduced in 2024 now require monastery administrators to be openly loyal Party members. Monks and nuns face pressure
Nowhere is China’s interference more visible—and contentious—than in its control over Tibetan Buddhism’s reincarnation system. The CCP maintains exclusive authority to recognize incarnate lamas, including the Panchen Lama, the second-highest-ranking figure in Tibetan Buddhism. Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognized by the Dalai Lama as the 11th Panchen Lama, disappeared mysteriously in 1995 at the age of six. In his place, Beijing installed its own candidate, Gyaltsen Norbu, now actively promoted as the official Panchen Lama and serving as a mouthpiece for CCP-approved messages. This controversial intervention foreshadows an eventual crisis surrounding the reincarnation of the 14th Dalai Lama, a scenario China plans to control.
Such heavy-handed measures are part of a broader CCP strategy that leverages both religious authority and high-tech surveillance. Cameras and monitoring systems have transformed monasteries into virtual prisons, and monks live under constant fear of punishment for minor infractions. Newer methods, including AI-based monitoring, have created an atmosphere of perpetual suspicion.
International observers—including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and various UN bodies—have raised alarms. Yet diplomatic denunciations and human rights reports have so far failed to halt Beijing’s escalating repression. Despite condemnations at UN forums, Beijing continues its policies unabated, arguing that they maintain “social stability” and “national unity.”
The impact of these actions is profound. Monasteries, once flourishing centers of education and cultural transmission, are increasingly isolated and subdued. Young monks, traditionally trained from an early age in monastic institutions, have been forcibly transferred to state-run schools, severing their cultural and spiritual education. This forced assimilation has disrupted the generational transfer of religious knowledge, threatening the continuity of Tibetan Buddhism itself.
China’s efforts to shape Tibetan Buddhism according to its ideological template are not merely domestic policy—they represent a geopolitical calculation to prevent religion from serving as a rallying point for Tibetan nationalism or separatist aspirations. Yet, paradoxically, this aggressive control has amplified international criticism and attention, mobilizing human rights advocates and policymakers globally.
As the CCP tightens its grip, the future of authentic Tibetan Buddhism within Tibet grows uncertain. For Tibetans—inside and outside the region—the battle to preserve their faith, cultural identity, and autonomy continues, even as Beijing’s repression intensifies.
Aritra Banerjee is a defence and security analyst.