China's political use of Rinpoches

The 7th Reting Rinpoche recognized by China

Two years ago, I raised an interesting and disturbing issue ('The Rule by Incarnation outdated?').
I wrote: “With or without the Dalai Lama as a temporal leader: the ‘rule by incarnations’ arrangement, specific to Tibet, is not a sustainable system of governance.”
I thought about it again when I recently saw an article in China Tibet Online.
It says ‘Panchen Lama extends New Year greetings to Tibetan compatriots’.
Beijing has been increasingly using ‘their’ Panchen Lama to deliver religious sermons and messages to the Tibetans.
On February 19, the first day of Losar, the Tibetan New Year, the Tibetan Language Program of China National Radio broadcast the message of Gyaltsen Norbu, the Chinese-selected 11th Panchen Lama. The young Lama delivered his New Year greetings to 'Tibetans at home and abroad', said the website affiliated with Xinhua, which reminded its reader of Gyaltsen Norbu's political role: he serves as Vice-President of the Buddhist Association of China and a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, China's top political advisory body.
The Lama told the ‘Tibetan People’:

As the 17th sexagenary cycle of the Tibetan calendar - the Year of Wood Sheep approaches, I'd like to extend my New Year greetings to our Tibetan compatriots at home and abroad.
I hope you continue to have faith in the Triratna (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and Karma, scorn the wrong and choose the right, and carry forward ethnic Tibetans' fine traditions and morality.
On every inch of this vast land, I hope you will all be freed from disease, disaster, war and hunger.
Wishing you all good health, success and happiness in the New Year!

Nothing wrong, except for the 'political' exploitation of a monk, who has not been recognized by the Dalai Lama, as the tradition requires, and perhaps more importantly, for the fact that the boy recognized by the Dalai Lama lives for nearly 20 years under house-arrest somewhere in China.
Interestingly, Ms. Sun Chunlan, one of the two most powerful ladies in China today and who has recently taken over as the Head of the United Front Work Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China met the young Gyaltsen Norbu on February 12 in Beijing (see my post on the subject).

The 'Reting' Rinpoche
Gyaltsen Norbu is not the only Lama 'politically' used by the Communist authorities in Tibet. Sonam Phuntsog, supposedly the reincarnation of the former Regent, Reting Rinpoche has recently been propelled on the political stage.
“The annual two local sessions of the Tibet Autonomous Region saw the participation of the Seventh Reting Living Buddha,” says Xinhua.
The Chinese news agency affirms: “Sonam Phuntsog, 19, is the youngest member of the political advisory body of the Tibet Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) whose mission is to advise on major issues of State policy and play a role in democratic supervision by proposing suggestions and voicing criticism. He was enthroned as the spirit child of the Sixth Reting Living Buddha at the age of 4 and also holds the title of Reting Rinpoche, once a religious regent in Tibet.”
Yes, the Communist Party of China believes in 'spirit child'!
During the Conference, the young monk apparently asked the government to “provide cultural classes for the monks of his monastery, and called for better protection for the environment surrounding his monastery.”
Sonam Phuntsog would have told the Regional CPPCC that subjects such as Tibetan Chinese, English, computing, law and sciences should be compulsory and that it was essential for monks to learn more about social sciences besides Buddhist teachings. He would have also said: “High literacy among monks can contribute to them providing better services to the country and its people."
The young monk mentioned juniper trees which made Reting monastery famous. Prayer beads made from junipers seeds are sacred all over Tibet. The ‘rinpoche’ made a politically-correct statement: "The junipers around my monastery are holy trees, and I oppose anyone cutting down trees. However, the seeds for prayers beads form part of the cultural heritage of the monastery."
He advised the devotees to collect them and use them for their malas (without cutting the trees).
More interesting, he expressed his concerns about the Governments’ plans to develop the area around Reting into a tourist attraction. He said that it will affect the environment.
This might be true.
What is however worrying is the extensive use by China of ‘its’ Rinpoches/Living Buddhas to further their political rule over Tibet.
As mentioned at the beginning, it is the drawback of the system of rule by incarnations, it can always be (and often is) manipulated. The result today is there are two Panchen Lamas, two Karmapas, and probably one day, two Dalai Lamas.

China lacks 'Buddhist' credibility

Dupkang 'Rinpoche' in Kalmikya Republic (3rd from left)
5th from left is the prime minister

The Chinese Communist Party every day becomes more interested in 'spiritual' matters. 
It regularly sponsors 'Buddhist' events and lectures by 'rinpoches' to convince the Tibetan masses that Beijing genuinely respects their faith.
Unfortunately (for Beijing), the Party is also aware that the Dalai Lama has still a considerable  (and genuine) following in Tibet and abroad.
This explains Beijing's nervousness as demonstrated by the interview in a Hong Kong weekly, of Prof. Jin Wei of the Central Communist Party School; she advocated a softer line towards the Dalai Lama in order to 'convince' him that he should reincarnate in China.
The problem seems that Tibet is today very short of genuine 'rinpoches' or spiritual teachers. If the 15th Dalai Lama one day takes birth abroad, it might be difficult for the Party to play a convincing role on the Tibetan plateau.
Look at the report published in China Tibet Online about a Seminar on the Tibetan Buddhism Doctrine Elaboration held recently in Lhasa at the Tibet Buddhist Academy (it should more rightly be called the Central Communist Party Buddhist School).
The main speaker was the 16-year old 7th Reting Rinpoche who can't be taken seriously from the fact that he has been a 'political' choice (through the (in)famous Golden Urn) of his mentor, another 'rinpoche', Dupkang Tupden Kedup, the Chancellor of the Tibet Buddhist Academy and Head of the Tibet branch of the China Buddhist Association.
Incidentally, both 'rinpoches' are native of Nagchu, once the main center of power in the Tibetan Autonomous Region; this was especially true when Raidi (known as the head of the Nagchu clique) was Chairman of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress (1993-2003).
Apparently, the Tibet Tibetology Research Centre has collected for the Seminar, 73 articles on topics such as "Patriotism vs Piety", "To be Buddhist monks and nuns of the new era", "How to cherish life", etc. Rather political issues!Beijing's rinpoches (selected and groomed by the Party) lack today credibility.
Ironically, Wang Pijun, president of the China Tibet Online recently gave a speech on the occasion of the opening of an exhibition, "Beauty of Tibet" in Australia.
The Party cadre stated that Chinese masses, including Tibetans (sic) would agree to the Dalai Lama's return to China at some conditions; one of them is: "The Chinese generally hold that eminent monks are respected for their credibility. However, the 14th Dalai Lama left China in 1959 on his own decision, so his capricious nature makes people believe that he is either incredible or ill-intentioned."
Wang Pijun probably means 'non-credible' and not 'incredible'; Wang however should be advised to look at the historical records of the 'incredible' scenes in 1979/80 when the 3 first facts-finding delegations visited Tibet: the entire population in valleys, hamlets, villages and towns turned out to have the Darshan of the Dalai Lama's representatives.
Has it changed 34 years later? 

Young Rinpoche stresses environmental protection in Buddhist doctrines
June 8, 2013
China Tibet Online
Can Cai
The first Tibetan Buddhism Doctrine Elaboration Seminar was held in Lhasa from June, 6th to June, 7th at the Tibet Buddhist Academy. During the session, the 7th Reting Rinpoche, by referring to the doctrines of Tibetan Buddhism, elaborated the reasons of the frequently-occurred natural disasters, i.e. earthquake, fire, landslide that took place in the early years of the century.
His environment-themed dissertation entitled the light of Bodhi had been honored with excellence.
The 7th Reting Rinpoche pointed put that it is the human being's desire that leads to disharmony between people and people, humans and animals and mankind and nature. These, in turn, lead to occurrence of various disasters. "Benevolence is the seed of ecological harmony. On the other hand, malicious deeds of destroying ecology cause frequentation of disasters."
The 7th Reting Rinpoche, whose birth name was Sonam Puncog, was born in 1997 in a herdsman's family in Jiali County, Nagqu Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region. He was chosen as the reincarnated soul boy after the 6th Retting Rinpoche passed away. He was tonsured and enthroned on 16th of January and 14th of July, 2000 respectively.
Dupkang Tupden Kedup, Chancellor of the Tibet Buddhist Academy, said the seminar offers an opportunity to clarify Tibetan Buddhist doctrines, collect wisdom, accumulate experience and to make headways in the cause of Tibetan Buddhism.
Dawa Tsering，the chairman of the Buddhist Association of Lhoka Prefecture of Tibet Autonomous Region, said, "Buddhism is aimed to bring about happiness to mankind by eradicating root causes of suffering and by devoutly practicing Buddhist doctrines. Tibetan Buddhism, since introduced to Tibet, has been standing out among a world of religions with its creativity, correctness and comprehensiveness. With the development of time, Tibetan Buddhism plays a key role in the nation's development."
During the two days, learned scholars and eminent monks carried out the discussions on the topic of commandment explanation. They hold the opinion that to make Buddhism better understood by Buddhist followers, it is a must to hold fast to the essence and resist infiltrations of what is decadent and backward. It is advised to find a point where Tibetan Buddhism and the Chinese culture can perfectly blend. And it is paramount to advocate benevolence and promote the preservation and inheritance of Tibetan Buddhism.
On the afternoon of June, 7th, a number of eminent monks wearing white khadas (a piece of silk representing auspiciousness) on their necks, walked out of the auditorium and took commemorative photos in the modernly designed garden-style campus. Among them, the first batch of over 150 students will graduate in July, 2013 from the college where they have been living for three years and return to the monasteries where they come from.
Established in 2009, the Tibet Budhhist Academy is located 27 kilometers away from Lhasa and covers an area of 262.48 mus (about 15 hectares). It has three departments, namely Esoteric Buddhism, Exoteric Buddhism and Rinpoche and offers three categories of courses, including laws, public courses and Buddhism studies.

A battery of rinpoches guns for China

Tsemonling Rinpoche

In an article for The Statesman, I mentioned that the atheist Communist Party of China (CCP) seems more and more interested in spiritual matters. 
For example, the Party has started promoting reincarnated Lamas, known in China as ‘Living Buddhas’, in a big way.
In my earlier posting, I had forgotten one lama: Tsemonling (or Tsemon Ling) Rinpoche.
He is one of the Four Lings who from time to time acted as regents of Tibet, (mainly during the periods of weakness of the Tibetan State, during the 19th century particularly). 
The Four Lings (Ling Shi) were Kundeling, Demoling, Tsemonling and Tsechokling. They had their estates in Lhasa and around Lhasa.
Like his colleagues Reting, Phagphala or Dorje Phagmo, Tsemonling Rinpoche guns from time to time for the Party.
It is why I believe that the 'tulku tradition', at least in the political field, is outdated.

Eminent Rinpoche talks about Chinese Dream
March 20, 2013    
Source:tibet.cn
Tsemon Ling Tenzin Trinley was born in 1950 in Lhasa. In 1955 he was identified as Tsemon Ling living Buddha, a high-ranking Buddha in Tibetan Buddhism. He has been a deputy from the 7th (1988) to the 12th (2013) National People’s Congress.

Tsemon Ling Tenzin Trinley, an eminent Tibetan Buddhist Rinpoche, said that monks should obey Buddhist doctrines and behave themselves in the society on March 9, when the group discussion of the 12th National People’s Congress was wrapped up.
Buddhist monks should be patriotic and observe the law and monastic rules
Tsemon Ling Tenzin Trinley has been a deputy from the 7th (1988) to the 12th (2013) National People’s Congress. He said that he would grasp every opportunity to learn on each occasion. And this time, he got most impressed by Premier Wen’s Government Work Report. "It is inspiring and truth-reflecting."
"Over the past five years, China has encountered and overcome many difficulties and challenges, from harsh international situation to the devastating natural disaster. But the government behaved and honored its commission. Without stability, there will be no development and innovation,"said Tenzin Trinley Rinpoche.
Then he took Tibet as an example. "Social security system has become officially accessible for the monks and nuns in Tibetan monasteries since the beginning of 2012. With a comprehensive medical care and pension system guaranteed and life greatly improved, there is every reason for the monks to support the government's efforts."

Government funds cultural heritage protection
Thirty years ago, when Tsemon Ling Tenzin Trinley was vice President and general secretary of the Tibet branch of the Buddhist Association of China, he began to undertake the project of re-carving the Kangyur, masterpiece of Tibetan Tripitaka with the permission of the 10th Panchen Lama.
Tenzin Trinley Rinpoche said that the government was very supportive.
"This project was launched in 1990 and officially started one year later with 0.5 mln special fund allocated by the government. So far, 180 have been finished out of the 225 volumes in total and in several years we will wrap up this project."
Then he added that the project was labor, money and time-consuming, as the special wood material had to be transported from Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Tibet in northwest Gansu Province. However, it was worthwhile and meaningful.
Kangyur is the part of the Tibetan Buddhist canon that contains the discourses attributed to Buddha Shakyamuni, and it contains a large number of original sutras and tantras translated from Indian sources. Thus it is a masterpiece of Tibetan Tripitaka.

Self-immolation is insane and violates Buddhist doctrine
Buddhism is a cultural and religious phenomenon as the society develops. Thus it should be compatible with the social system. Buddhists in religious field and followers therefore are expected to abide by the law, said Tenzin Trinley Rinpoche.
The Rinpoche sighed that the self-immolations in Tibetan inhabited areas were plotted and silly. "Torching oneself misreads the essence of Buddhism, and doesn't contribute to reincarnation."

"My Chinese Dream"
"Everyone bears a dream, but the point is how to realize it," said Tenzin Trinley Rinpoche.
The Rinpoche paid much attention to how to improve people’s livelihood, saying that it is closely related to everyone. He hoped for joint efforts on maintaining social stability, steady economy development and raised livelihood. "That is my Chinese dream."

Tsemon Ling is one of the four famous residing places of Rinpoche of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism.
   

Don’t mix politics and religion

Officially, Beijing's policy regarding religions remains the same. But...

“Esteemed monks: Tibetan religious policy better than ever” recently titled China Tibet Online, an official website of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
It quotes the 16-year-old Reting Rinpoche who said that “the religious policies in Tibet are very good”, adding that he would “devote himself to the religious cultivation and improving Buddhist attainments to contribute to the social stability”. ‘Social stability’ is a euphemism for the continuance of the rule of the Party.
Dechen Wangmo, chief of the religious affairs of Tibet's CPP Consultative Conference (CCPCC) explained that age is not a problem to become a ‘political advisor’: “Living Buddhas [the term used by the Communists for the reincarnated lamas] like Reting Rinpoche enjoy a very high prestige among Tibetan people and they have always been role models for patriotism.”
These new ‘advisors’ are Party lovers, wearing the burgundy monk’s garb. Sonam Puntshok, the China-selected 7th Reting Rinpoche is one of them. Xinhua has to remind the faithfuls that the Reting Rinpoches played an important place in Tibetan history.
Without going into the devious personality of the 5th Reting, who occupied the regency in Tibet from 193 to 1941, it is enough to say that he was closely linked to the Kuomintang and was at the center of a quasi-civil war in Tibet in 1947; the present seventh ‘incarnation’ is a pure production of the Chinese Propaganda Department, without any formal recognition from the Dalai Lama or any other serious spiritual leader.
In recent weeks, religion seems to have become essential for a Party which once thought it was poison.
For example, Khenpo Karchen Lobsang Phuntsok, the oldest religious deputy at Tibet’s CCPCP invited his countrymen “to practice Buddhist cultivation with the love for the State and the religion.”
Beijing’s regime has recently started appointing pliable ‘political advisors’ in Tibet.
Other shadowy characters such as Dinga Rinpoche Pasang Namgyal from Tohlung Dechen County have been elevated to the same rank; Dinga quotes the Buddha as saying “do all that is good”; he probably means “good for the Party”.
One Gyatso Ling Rinpoche Thubten Drapa, also a ‘political advisor’ announced that “all lives are equal; the Buddha is also asking people to respect their own lives.”  It is clearly propaganda to control the desperate local population, most of the time not fooled by these gimmicks.
Ironically, the Panchen Lama, the second highest Lama in Tibet whose reincarnation was recognised by the Dalai Lama, is under house arrest for the past 18 years.
But the local population is not fooled by the Beijing propaganda and the resentment against the Chinese is increasing by the day.
Yu Zhengsheng, a newly-elected member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo (and number 4 in the Party), who will soon take over the chairmanship of Central Working Coordination Small Group on Tibet, has already started overlooking the activities of the Roof of the World. His recent visit to Tibetan areas of Sichuan (where he had several photo-opportunities with local Tibetans) seems to confirm the transfer of power. But if the face is new, his first words are not.
During his inspection tour, Yu declared: “The fight against the Dalai Lama clique should continue in order to create a favorable social and political environment for economic development and the improvement of people’s well-being”.
However, more recently during a meeting with major religious groups in Beijing, Yu spoke of religion as a ‘positive force’.
He particularly mentioned the usefulness of religion in promoting economic and social development. He said that "efforts are needed to make religion conducive to national development and the improvement of religious adherents' material and spiritual lives".
Are Yu’s latest utterances heralding a change in Beijing’s policy vis-à-vis the Buddhist region? It is doubtful as discrimination against the Tibetans still remains strong, forcing young Tibetans to self-immolate.
But it appears that the Party has decided to play the ‘religion’ card to solve the Tibet issue. Beijing has appointed the largest ever number of clerics in the CCPCC, the region's political advisory body. This year, some 115 seats have been reserved for monks, 18.7 percent of the total 615 seats, a raise of 121% from the previous Conference.
Ironically, two years ago, the Dalai Lama announced that he wanted to delink his political and spiritual duties. He handed over his responsibilities to an elected leader.
The Chinese Communists are going in the opposite direction, they now believe in religion, they love religion… but for their own purpose.
The Dalai Lama is right, in a modern State, it is not good to mix religion and politics… and democracy is still the best system.

Yu Zhengsheng

CPC's religious policy to remain unchanged: official
Xinhua
February 2, 2013
BEIJING, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said on Monday that the CPC will adhere to its basic policy of respecting religious freedom.
When meeting with leaders of major national religious groups in Beijing, Yu Zhengsheng, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said the Party's policy on religious affairs will remain unchanged.
The CPC's fundamental religious policy includes respecting religious freedom, administering religious affairs according to law, the principle of independence and self-governance as well as guiding religion to make it adapt to a socialist country.
Only by implementing the policy can both religious followers and non-religious people be mobilized in the joint endeavor to build China into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, Yu said.
"Only by implementing the policy can China withstand the infiltration of overseas-based hostile forces that make use of religion," according to the official.
Hailing the achievements of religious groups in organization building, Yu stressed the importance of religious personnel training and called on CPC committees and local governments to give more support to religious adherents.
The official also extended Spring Festival greetings to religious followers.
Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with leaders of major national religious groups in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 4, 2013. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

Intolerant regime talks of love and compassion

Tibet Declaration of Independence (1913)

My column in the Edit Page of The Pioneer today.

The Tibetan plateau received 11 million tourists in 2012, and the dose is expected to double. Meanwhile, China continues to make it difficult for the Tibetans to obtain even passports. Instead, it preaches humanity to them

On the 18 day of the first month of the Water-Ox Year (in February 1913), Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama, proclaimed the ‘independence’ of Tibet.
He recalled his years of exile, first in China, after the Younghusband expedition entered Lhasa in 1904 and then in India, when a Chinese warlord occupied Tibet. Then the 13th Dalai Lama mentioned his triumphant return to the Land of Snows, the last Chinese having been chased away. He told his countrymen: “Tibet is a country with rich natural resources; but it is not scientifically advanced like other lands. We are a small, religious and independent nation.”
For the Dalai Lama, it was crucial to militarily protect Tibet: “To keep up with the rest of the world, we must defend our country. In view of past invasions by foreigners, our people may have to face certain difficulties to safeguard and maintain the independence of our country; one and all should voluntarily work hard…” It was 100 years ago.
When one looks at the situation in the Land of Snows a century later, one is shocked by the prevailing situation. After 99 recorded self-immolations, the Chinese authorities are daily strengthening their grip on the land and people of Tibet. They use different tactics for the purpose. First they speak of development, equating development with happiness. Most of the time, they use Tibetan puppets to convey their message. Take the small village of Metok, a few kilometres from the Indian border (north of the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh).
In an interview with a Chinese website, Dorji Wangdark, the deputy head of Metok County (and a delegate to the Regional People’s Congress presently being held in Lhasa), praised Beijing for having brought a road to his border village: “great chances have been brought to Metok since the highway linking Bomi County and Metok opened [in December 2010].” But Beijing does not only invest in roads and airfields; according to Xinhua “more than US$563 million will be used for major forestation projects and for compensating and rewarding locals who protect and grow grass and forests and conserve wetlands, lakes and water resources.” At the same time, natural resources such as minerals are extensively looted.
Wangdark’s proposal to the Congress is to improve the maintenance of Metok highway “to accelerate economic development of Metok County”. What is not mentioned is that these roads are of vital strategic interest for the People’s Liberation Army. That is one of the reasons why tourism in Tibet has become the key to Tibet’s rapid development. The infrastructure constructed for ‘visitors’ can be used in case of a conflict (with India for example). The Tibetan Autonomous Region’s Government recently announced: “Tibet will strive to lift its number of incoming tourists to 20 million by 2015, nearly doubling the figure recorded last year.”
Padma Choling, TAR outgoing Chairman, gave the same figure while delivering a speech at the opening of the Regional People’s Congress. Choling declared: “Tourism has become one of the leading economic growth engines for the plateau autonomous region, which hosted 11 million tourists last year with revenue from the tourism sector topping 2.12 billion US dollars.” Can you believe it? The sparsely populated Tibetan plateau received 11 millions of tourists in 2012 and is expecting the dose to double to further flood the helpless local population.
In these circumstances, one can’t be surprised if a strong resentment against the Chinese Hans pervades Tibet, tempting youngsters to take extreme steps. But tourism is business. Dawa Yu of the Tibet Tourism Bureau told Xinhua: “Tibet’s tourism industry is growing fast…herdsmen and farmers have benefited from the development of tourism. By the end of 2012, there were 48,120 farmers employed in tourism-related sectors.” Whether these figures are true or false is immaterial, the mere thought of having 20 million Han Chinese tourists in one year is frightening for a population of hardly three million (in the TAR). The Chinese leaders have other tricks up their sleeves. They are now banking on ‘political advisers’ to pass on their message.
Xinhua quotes Sonam Puntsok, said to be the incarnation of a former Regent, Reting Rinpoche: “Buddhist or not, we should treasure the lives of all living things, including our own lives.” In other words, stop embarrassing China with self-immolations. Without going into the personality of the previous Reting Rinpoche, who occupied the regency in the 1930s and was closely linked to the Kuomintang, it is enough to say that he created a quasi-civil war in Tibet in 1947; the present seventh ‘incarnation’ is a pure production of the Chinese Propaganda Department, without any formal recognition from the Dalai Lama or any other serious spiritual leaders.
Beijing uses another ‘political adviser’, Dinga Rinpoche Pasang Namgyal from Tohlung Dechen County who quotes the Buddha as saying “do all that is good”; he probably means “good for the Party”. One Gyatso Ling Rinpoche Thubten Drapa, also ‘political adviser’ announced that “all lives are equal; the Buddha is also asking people to respect their own lives.”  It is clearly propaganda to control the desperate local population, most of the time not fooled by these gimmicks. With a new leadership taking over, many observers believe that the situation under the ‘new regime’ could improve.
In the coming months, Yu Zhengsheng, a newly-elected member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo (and number 4 in the Party) will replace Jia Qingling as the Chairman of Central Working Coordination Small Group on Tibet. Yu has already started overlooking the activities of the Roof of the World. His recent visit to Tibetan areas of Sichuan (where he had several photo-opportunities with local Tibetans) seems to confirm the takeover. But if the face is new, his first words are disappointing.
During his inspection tour, Yu declared: “The fight against the Dalai Lama clique should continue in order to create a favorable social and political environment for economic development and the improvement of people’s well-being”. However, while meeting major religious groups in Beijing more recently, Yu spoke of religion as a ‘positive force’.
He particularly mentioned the usefulness of religion in promoting economic and social development, saying: “Efforts are needed to make religion conducive to national development and the improvement of religious adherents' material and spiritual lives.” Are Yu’s latest utterances heralding a change in Beijing’s policy vis-à-vis the Buddhist region? It is doubtful as discrimination against the Tibetans still remains strong.
Radio Free Asia recently reported: “No new Chinese passports have been issued to Tibetan individuals in TAR, except for a few Tibetan officials who received the passports for official purpose and which they need to hand back upon their return”. Sonam Dorjee, a researcher working in the Office of Tibet in Taiwan found out that unlike Chinese nationals, Tibetans face “a very complicated and difficult process to obtain passports.”
Meanwhile, Chinese self-styled lamas are preaching the Tibetans the importance of love, compassion and patience.

Reting and the Dalai Lamas' reincarnations

Agence France-Presse (and Xinhua before) reported that the 7th Reting Rinpoche, Sonam Phuntsok has become the youngest member of the Tibet Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
The Reting incarnations have not been foreign to controversy in the past.
It is true that Beijing has recently been trying its best to increase its control over reincarnations of Tibetan lamas (and ultimately the Dalai Lama's), thus legitimizing the Communist rule over the Himalayan region.
One needs to point out that, contrary to what the AFP says, the Reting reincarnation was only one of lineages which could become Regents of Tibet and thereby conduct the identification and recognition process of a deceased Dalai Lama, (the Chinese agencies have put correctly).
By promoting the present puppet, Beijing probably believes that the new Reting will be able to 'conduct' the search for the 15th Dalai Lama.
But he himself lacks legitimacy, being a pure product of the Propaganda Department of the Communist Party of China; how could any Tibetan accepts his choice as the correct one?
More interesting, the 5th Reting who help finding the present Dalai Lama closely collaborated with the Nationalist regime of Chiang Kai-shek in the 1940s, putting the Tibetan nation in grave danger.
In an excellent book, Tibet and Nationalist China’s Frontier: Intrigues and Ethnopolitics, 1928-49, (University of British Columbia, 2006), based on the Nationalist archives in Taiwan, Hsiao-ting Lin brings new lights on this dark period of the Tibetan history.
The 5th Reting incarnation, who had the merit to direct the search party for the 14th Dalai Lama in the right direction, nevertheless played a doubtful role later. I am posting here a few extracts Hsiao-ting Lin's books: 

THE KMT REGIME'S UNDERGROUND WORK IN TIBET
It is best to begin the story by tracing Nationalist China's intelligence activities in Tibet. The war of resistance against Japan forced Chiang Kai-shek's regime to retreat from coastal China to the interior. The geographical proximity of southwest China and Tibet, along with the Nationalist regime's relatively consolidated status in the southwest, provided Chiang Kai-shek with opportunities to initiate his intelligence networks within the Tibetan boundary for the first time since 1928. An MTAC [Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission] wartime schedule in 1959 revealed that the Nationalists were ready not only to enlarge existing prewar intelligence units in the border areas of Kokonor, Alashan, Ordos, and Xikang, but were also prepared to install new stations in western Yunnan, Xinjiang, and Tibet. The expansion of the Chinese Office in Lhasa, as a result of the Wu Zhongxin mission of 1940, further offered Chongqing a legitimate excuse to dispatch more staff to work in Tibet. By 1945 the two major intelligence units of the Nationalist government, the Investigation and Statistics Bureau of the Military Affairs Commission, and the Second Chamber of the Ministry of Military Ordinance, respectively established their positions in Tibet. According to one autobiographical source, nearly all of the Chinese staff holding important official positions in Lhasa, such as master of the Chinese School in Lhasa, director of the wireless station, and head of the meteorological station, were serving concurrently as Chinese secret agents. The KMT [Kuomintang] Nationalists had two main objectives for their underground operations in Tibet: first, to construct a sound intelligence network throughout the whole of Tibet and recruit as many local inhabitants as possible to serve their regime, and second, to enhance the Nationalist government's links with pro-Han Chinese elements, with a view to counteracting a Tibetan government that was out of China's effective control.

...Cultivating Tibetan pro-Han factions became a more imperative goal after 1941, when the Radreng [Reting] Hutuktu [Mongol title] resigned from his regentship. During his reign, from 1954 to 1941, Radreng allowed the entry into Tibet of two important Chinese missions led by Huang Musong in 1934 and Wu Zhongxin in 1940. Wu's high-profile visit to Lhasa even constituted a huge propagandist victory for the Chinese, who claimed to have "presided over" the enthronement of the new 14th Dalai Lama. Radreng had also permitted the presence of a Chinese Office in Lhasa, and he had been more than pleased to receive honorific titles and handsome gifts from the Nationalist authorities. He was therefore generally described both in Chinese public opinion of the 1940S and over the past several decades of Chinese historiography as a ''pro-Han Chinese" Tibetan figure.

...Despite efforts made by the capable Shen Zonglian [Chinese Representative in Lhasa] to woo important Tibetan figures over to the Chinese side, most high Nationalist officials set their hopes on the ex-regent Radreng Hutuktu, whose political weight in Tibet could not be overlooked during the closing years of the Second World War. This fact was demonstrated in May 1945, when the sixth KMT National Conference was in session. Using the name of the party leader, not the head of the state of the Chinese Republic, Chiang Kai-shek personally invited Radreng to visit Chongqing and to participate in the forthcoming event. When it became clear that the former Tibetan regent was unable to arrange his trip due to the delicate political relationship between Chongqing and Lhasa, Chiang Kai-shek still hoped that he might be able to send a personal envoy to China's wartime capital. When even this option proved to be impractical, owing to the tremendous political pressure from the Taktra administration, Chiang Kai-shek decided to appoint Radreng as a member of the KMT Central Executive Committee, an appointment that no doubt bore considerable political symbolism. Obviously, the Nationalist planners were generally convinced that Radreng would return to power, but this proved to be wrong.

In the mid-forties, when Reting started fighting with Taktra Rinpoche, the new Regent to return to power, he shamefully approached Chiang's government for support.

...NATIONALIST REACTION TO THE RADRENG-TAKTRA FRICTION
His abortive attempt to reclaim power in Lhasa caused the ex-regent to return to his own monastery hugely depressed and indignant. Thereafter, Radreng strengthened secret contacts with the Nationalist government. In a conversation with a KMT intelligence agent in Tibet, Radreng openly requested Chiang Kai-shek to help him overthrow the existing Lhasa authorities. He urged China to send troops directly into Lhasa to assist his plot against Taktra. If Chinese troops could not overthrow Lhasa authorities, Radreng suggested that Nanking should at least move Chinese troops to the border as a gesture of support. If neither of these options were possible, the ex-regent hoped that the Chinese could at least provide him with the necessary ammunition, such as rifles, machine guns, and bullets, so that he could develop his own military force. In appreciation of Nationalist aid, Radreng promised that once he had successfully resumed his position, his new regime would immediately declare its wish to join the Chinese Republic and recognize Chinese overlordship.
The ex-regent's proposal immediately caught Chiang Kai-shek's attention. 

After playing the Panchen Lama's card, Beijing will try the Reting one. 
But the Communist Party has no legitimacy to decide on a subject which till recently was considered in the Middle Kingdom as poison. 
The Chinese new agencies give thus the pedigree of the new Reting:

When the 6th Reting Rinpoche, Reting Tenzin Jigme Thutop Wangchuk, passed away in 1997, the Tibet autonomous regional government and the Lhasa city government organized and formed one leader team and one council team according to the Tibetan Buddhist canon to look for the Yangsid [yangtsi], or the infant reincarnation candidate.
After a year's inspection activities, Lodro Gyatso, a herdsman's son from Arza township in Lhari County of Tibet's Nagqu Prefecture, was confirmed to be the 7th Reting Rinpoche.
On Jan 16, 2000, a lineage and ordination ritual was held in front of the Shakyamuni stupa in Lhasa's Jokhang Temple.
On July 14, 2000, with the mandate and entrust of the State Bureau of Religious Affairs, the Tibet autonomous regional government gave an official approval that Lodro Gyatso, born in Tibet's Lhari County on October 13, 1997, was the 7th Reting Hutuktu.
Reting Hutuktu, or Reting Rinpoche, is one of the eight Hutuktus in Tibetan Buddhism and is one of the four Hutuktus eligible to be the regent of Tibet before the Dalai Lama takes over the reins of government upon coming of age.
Reting Rinpoche lives in the Reting Monastery in Lhunzhub County in Lhasa, which is the ancestral temple of the Kadam Sect Tibetan Buddhism. Built in 1051 AD, the Reting Monastery is 350 years older than the three major monasteries in Lhasa (Gandan, Drepung and Sera Monastery).

However, the Chinese have missed an important event: the next Dalai Lama will not "take over the reins of government upon coming of age", as he has now relinquished for good his political role in favour of an elected leader. 
This is probably terribly embarrassing for Beijing, as in the future, the Communist Party (or its successor) will be unable to play the Dalai Lama's card.
 

Beijing appoints teenager to Tibetan CPPCC
January, 9, 2013
Agence France-Presse
Beijing
China's choice as one of the most important figures in the Tibetan religious hierarchy, aged just 16, has been given his first political appointment, state media said yesterday.
China enthroned Sonam Phuntsok in 2000 as the seventh Reting Rinpoche, a line of figures who have traditionally taken charge between the death of Tibet's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, and the identification of his successor.
His selection was seen as an attempt by Beijing to increase its control over reincarnations of Tibetan lamas and to legitimise its rule over the region, with monks at the Reting monastery protesting at the time.
Now, as Tibet is roiled by ethnic tensions, the teenager has become the youngest member of the Tibet Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, according to China Daily.
The CPPCC is a nominated advisory body which plays a key role in policy debate in China and officially performs "democratic supervision" of the ruling party.
Following his appointment, the teenager told the state-run newspaper that he would "keep the Reting lineage of patriotism and the love for the religion".
There was no mention of the Dalai Lama in the article and his latest blog post was quoted as saying: "Don't care about who is the leader, but care about who treats the people well."
Beijing blames the self-immolations on separatist forces and the Dalai Lama, accusing the Nobel laureate of inciting the acts.
Many Tibetans accuse the government of religious repression and eroding their culture, as the country's majority Han ethnic group increasingly moves into historically Tibetan areas.
The fifth Reting Rinpoche played an important role in identifying the present Dalai Lama, who was enthroned in 1940, the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.
Sonam Phuntsok was enthroned as the seventh Reting Rinpoche in 1999.

The Great Wave of Han Tourists

Chinese New Year in Lhasa

When one looks at the situation in Tibet today, one can only worry.
Apart from the 99 immolations, mainly outside the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR), the Chinese authorities on the Roof of the World are strengthening their grip on the land and people of Tibet.
They use different tactics for this.
First they speak of development, equating development to happiness.
For the purpose, they use Tibetan 'delegates'.
Take the small village of Metok, a few kilometers north of the Indian border (of Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh).
In an interview, Dorji Wangdark, the deputy head of Metok County who is a delegate to the Regional People's Congress presently held in Lhasa described his native village: "Metok County has a typical sub-tropical climate, which brings plenty of rainfall and spring-like days all year round, thus, it’s suitable for agriculture and animal husbandry. Metok abounds with rice, millet, bananas and many other grains and fruits, all of which, especially bananas, can be processed and pushed to market. Up to date, about 2,300 Mu (153.41 hectares) of banana plantations have been built in our county, yielding two crops a year. In the coming five years, we plan to enlarge the banana plantation into 10,000 Mu (about 667 hectares).”
Dorji Wangdark praised Beijing for having brought a road to his border village: "great chances have been brought to Metok since the highway linking Bomi County and Metok opened. But part of the highway, about five kilometers in high altitude, is easy to get snowed up in winter, so the traffic will be held up then."
Wangdark's proposal to the Congress was to improve the maintenance of Metok highway "to accelerate economic development of Metok County".
As often mentioned on this blog, these roads have also a strategic use for the People's Liberation Army.
That is one of the reasons why tourism in Tibet has become the key of the rapid development.
The website of the regional TAR government recently announced: "Tibet will strive to lift its number of incoming tourists to 20 million by 2015, nearly doubling the figure recorded last year."
Padma Choling, the only Tibetan in the Central Committee of the Party and TAR Chairman, gave the same figure while delivering the TAR government Work Report at the opening of the first session of the 10th Tibet regional People's Congress.
He declared: "Tourism has become one of the leading economic growth engines for the plateau autonomous region, which hosted 11 million tourists last year with revenue from the tourism sector topping 2.12 billion U.S. dollars."
Can you believe it? The sparsely populated Tibetan plateau receiving 11 millions of tourists and expecting to double the dose to flood the local Tibetan population.
It is not surprising, if there there is strong resentment against the Chinese Hans in Tibet. 
But tourism is business. Dawa Yu, the director of the Tibet Tourism Bureau told a Chinese publication: "Tibet's tourism industry is growing fast, with 70 class-A national scenic spots as well as 211 starred hotels by the end of 2012." adding that "herdsmen and farmers have benefited from the development of tourism. By the end of 2012, there were 48,120 farmers employed in tourism-related sectors, with averaged per-capita income of 6,118 yuan."
Whether these figures are true or false is irrelevant, the mere thought of having 20 millions of Chinese Han tourists in one year is frightening for a population of hardly 3 millions (in the TAR).
But the Chinese leaders have other tricks in their sleeves.
They are now banking on 'political advisors', in other words, Beijing-recognized Tibetan lamas to pass their message.
Xinhua said: "The seventh Reting Rinpoche Soinam Puncog said everyone, Buddhist or not, should treasure the lives of all living things, including their own lives."
The Chinese news agency explains: "The Reting Rinpoche occupies an important place in Tibetan history. The previous incarnations of Reting Rinpoche have taught Buddhist scripture to the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama and have taken key government positions, such as regent of Tibet."
Without going into the personality of the previous Reting Rinpoche who was at the center of a quasi-civil war in 1947 in Tibet, the present 'incarnation' is a pure production of the Chinese propaganda Department, without any formal recognition from the Dalai Lama or any other spiritual leaders.
They also used other puppets such Dinga Rinpoche Pasang Namgyal, a so-called 'political advisor' from Tohlung Dechen County who quoted the Buddha as saying "do all that is good".
The Chinese website explains that it means: "people should give, do good deeds and refrain from actions that are harmful to the human body".
Nothing wrong in this, if was not propaganda to control the local populations.
The new 'political leaders' are preaching for a halt to the self-immolations (which is good in itself).
One Gyatso Ling Rinpoche Thubten Drapa, also 'political advisor' said that "all lives are equal and that one should treasure life, the Buddha is also asking people to respect their own lives. Killing is one of the Ten Evils in Buddhist teachings and the Buddha Dharma has stressed that one should not hurt emotional beings."

A new 'Political Advisor', Reting Rinpoche

Batting for the Party which is extremely embarrassed by the current wave of self-immolation, Drapa declared: "Committing suicide is like murdering others, which falls under the high crime of killing. Those who kill will fall into the lower three domains in the Buddhist wheel of karma."
The involvement of monks in the Party's politics is not new. The case of the Chinese version of the Panchen Lama, visiting Tibet every year has regularly been reported in the press.
But a lot of new 'advisors' have recently appeared on the political scene apart from: "The seventh Reting Rinpoche Soinam Puncog, 16, is the youngest political advisor in Tibet after he became a member of the regional committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) this year."
Deqen Wangmo, chief of the religious affairs of Tibet's CPPCC committee clarifies: "The age should not be an obstacle for Soinam Puncog to become a political advisor, Living Buddhas like Reting Rinpoche enjoy a very high prestige among Tibetan people and they have always been role models for patriotism."
That is not sure at all, the Tibetans are not fooled so easily, especially when people like Yu Yaohua, an official with the CCP's Tibet Regional  Committee says: "The higher level of participation of religious figures in the CPPCC committee means the appeals of the religious circle could be more easily heard."
What worries and upset the common man is Tibet are the figures given by Xinhua: "Tibet has seen an increasing number of religious figures making their ways into the region's political advisory body. This year, they hold 115 seats in the political advisory body and took up 18.7 percent of the total 615 seats, rising 121 percent and 8.5 percentage points respectively."
Worrying indeed!
The Party who earlier said that 'Religion is Poison', now fully uses religion to rule.