China’s Buddhist dilemma

[WisdomBeing]

On the whole this article is biased against China and is openly critical of what the author sees as China’s attempts to lobby for support for the “China-appointed” Panchen Lama and also to “project China’s global leadership of Buddhists.” It also highlights the internal differences within the Chinese organisers which led to the failure of the events.
 
Only two of the Dalai Lama’s “avowed critics” are mentioned to have attended the third World Buddhist Forum from April 25-27, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) though – Gangchen Rinpoche and Akong Tulku. It is interesting that the only description of such a renowned healing lama such as Gangchen Rinpoche is that he is "the founder of the LG World Peace Foundation, Italy and worshipper of the Shugden Deity".

Any attempt by China to create a Buddhist event or organization will be seen to have ulterior motives so it will be an uphill battle for China to establish itself as sincere and genuine. However, China does have seemingly unlimited coffers at its disposal so there are possibilities for development, as long as it can get its internal affairs in order to start with.


China’s Buddhist dilemma
http://newindianexpress.com/opinion/article521534.ece?service=print
Author: Jayadeva Ranade

Published Date: May 10, 2012 12:07 AM
Last Updated: Jun 2, 2012 10:20 PM
China’s attempts to play Buddhist politics by organising international conferences in Lumbini and Hong Kong both failed.

China’s attempts to play Buddhist politics and further its strategic agenda, by concurrently organising two international conferences last month in Lumbini in Nepal and Hong Kong both failed. They also revealed a schism within the CCP’s United Front Work Department (UFWD).

Important factors contributing to this setback are the CCP’s apparent unwillingness to address the growing incidence of self-immolations among Tibetan Buddhists; inability to calm restiveness in Tibet and Tibetan-populated areas in China; and the policy of consistently excluding the Dalai Lama. Reports filtering out of Beijing cite factional in-fighting within the UFWD, which handles all matters relating to China’s non-communist entities and ethnic minorities, including Tibet and the Dalai Lama, as a concern.

Beijing for the first time planned to demonstrate its influence in Nepal by organising an international convention in Buddha’s birth-place of Lumbini between April 27-30. China first exhibited interest in Lumbini in June 2011, when the Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF), a Chinese government-sponsored NGO, proposed a $3 billion plan for its development. Lumbini’s inhabitants protested at not being consulted and the plan was dropped.

The composition of APECF’s board hints strongly at links with the CCP and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Xiao Wunan, a senior CCP cadre is the executive vice president of APECF. He envisages the proposed university in Lumbini as rivalling that planned at Nalanda. The Foundation’s executive director Eric Tay, graduated in 1993 from China’s Air Force Institute of Engineering. Nepal’s pro-Beijing Maoist leader Prachanda, is the vice chairman of APECF.

Though the Nepalese government did not approve APECF’s proposal, its unwillingness to discard China’s proposal was indicated when it constituted the Greater Lumbini National Development Directive Committee (GLNDDC) under the chairmanship of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, better known by his nom de guerre ‘Prachanda’. The GLNDDC initiated plans for this three day ‘international’ event in Lumbini in late April.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s visit was to be the highlight and he was to co-chair a conference on Lumbini with UCPN-Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. China’s agenda was evident in the exclusion of the Dalai Lama from this essentially Buddhist event. It was reinforced by the comment of a GLNDDC member, that the Dalai Lama could visit after “the leadership of China will find ways to deal with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which will be respectful of the Chinese people”. Ban Ki-moon’s decision to visit Lumbini, later dropped, attracted widespread media criticism in Nepal.

While it hints strongly at China’s influence, Xiao Wunan played a key role. He used his wide network of contacts in South Korea to revive the Lumbini proposal. In October, an APECF co-chairman and retired Australian ambassador to South Korea with interests in mining in China, was requested to facilitate a meeting with Ban Ki-moon in Australia to discuss re-floating of the Lumbini project. That Ban Ki-moon and his mother are devout Buddhists would have helped. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai followed up Xiao Wunan’s efforts with an official invitation to Ban Ki-moon on March 16.

Despite Xiao Wunan’s efforts the events in Lumbini failed to materialise. Reports additionally suggest that differences exist within the UFWD, with one group siding with the military and security establishment that favours a firmer governmental grip over Nepal rather than pushing this ‘soft power’.

Beijing’s other major initiative was the third World Buddhist Forum from April 25-27, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR). Its objective continues to be to obtain legitimacy and support of the domestic and global Buddhist community and enhance tacit recognition of the Chinese-selected Panchen Lama. The latter assumes significance following the Dalai Lama’s assertion last September that Beijing has no legitimacy in such selections. The forums are additionally intended to project China’s global leadership of Buddhists.

While China’s official media publicised that over a thousand religious personages and leading scholars from 50 countries attended, but the absence of prominent religious leaders considerably muted the event’s impact. The supreme religious patriarchs and prominent delegates from Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Mongolia, Russia and Japan did not attend despite the close government level relations between China and these countries.

Zhu Weiqun, deputy head of the CCP CC’s UFWD, and Wang Zuo’an, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) both attended. In his first public appearance outside mainland China, the Chinese-appointed 11th Panchen Lama, Gyaincain Norbu, delivered a keynote speech on the Buddha Dharma.

Intriguingly, among the greetings messages received by the forum was one from Ban Ki-moon. He said the forum’s proposals would be “helpful for the work of the UN in the fields of peace, development and human rights”.

The Dalai Lama’s avowed critics, Akong Tulku of Samyeling Monastery, Scotland and Gangchen Lama, founder of the LG World Peace Foundation, Italy and worshipper of the Shugden Deity, attended. Many who attended the 60th anniversary celebrations of the ‘peaceful’ liberation of Tibet last year were, however, absent.

A dozen persons from India attended including Ven Dhammaviryo, a critic of the Dalai Lama. Rather surprisingly, Ravindra Panth, director of the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University), India, sent a congratulatory message.

Importantly, the third World Buddhist Forum revealed factionalism inside the CCP’s United Front establishment, which was triggered by the APECF’s bid to take charge. Xiao Wunan’s APECF established a Hong Kong-registered company, ‘Link-wise’, to handle all communications and funds for World Buddhist Forums. APECF’s activism, however, accentuated differences with the UFWD. Reports suggest that Wang Zuo’an declined to release funding for the forum unless the money already disbursed so far to APECF was accounted for. Consequently, the Hong Kong Buddhist Association, which hosted the forum, received only approximately $1.75 million and had to raise the rest. The extent of rift was evident when Xiao Wunan pointedly did not attend the third World Buddhist Forum.

The differences within the United Front establishment could be reflective of the in-fighting underway at the highest echelons of the CCP. While rumours circulating in Beijing suggest Xiao Wunan is associated with Xi Jinping, PBSC member Jia Qinglin who oversees UFWD is a Jiang Zemin loyalist. Wang Zuo’an though reputedly personally affable, is credited with believing that religious freedom is the Party’s prerogative to bestow or determine.

(Views expressed in the column are the author’s own)
Jayadeva Ranade is a former additional secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India

Copyright © 2012 The New Indian Express. All rights reserved.

[beggar]

 Whatever the motive, and whether sincere or not, the results show a different (and happier) story. Without casting too much of a cynical eye on the matter, we might actually choose to see that actually, Buddhism IS growing within China and the Chinese government ARE lending more support to the preservation, restoration and growth of Buddhism, especially within Tibet.

We are hearing reports that there are fewer and fewer monks entering the Tibetan monasteries in India - there just aren't that many monks running away from Tibet to India anymore, possibly because the conditions within Tibet itself are improving. People can see for themselves the improvements to the physical conditions of living within Tibet - infrastructure, roads, facilities and especially monasteries are getting financial aid from the government. Conditions are becoming more conducive within China. And whatever the reasons are, I would guess that people are generally being allowed to practice in relative peace there. Ultimately, isn't that what matters most?

A big businessman may want to give money to a charity out of tainted wish to gain reputation and look good for a false generosity, but at the end of the day, the charity does still benefit and can do something beneficial with the money that they receive. Yes, the business man may not be entirely honorable for his motive, but hey, giving something with a tained motive to help is better than not helping at all?? At least he creates some positive karma, there is some sort of imprint and he may be incited to develop and do more at a later time with a more positive motive.

The same could be said for China - especially as what they are doing is in relations to a higher, sacred object - the Dharma and the Buddhas. Even if their motivations aren't entirely for Dharma itself and have "ulterior motives" the bottom line is that they ARE still somehow indirectly helping the cause of Dharma growth. This in turn creates some merit and some strong karmic imprints that can hopefully blossom into much more concrete sincere support in the future. Either way, both benefit. I still hold that it's better to do something in relations to the three jewels half-heartedly, than not to do it at all, for at least a connection is forged.

A few new articles I've noticed up on the website which might also be of interest, as it points to developments within China vis a vis the changing tides of Dharma activity:

Operation make friends:
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/features/operation-make-friends/

How Shugden Lamas are bringing Tibetans back to Tibet:
http://www.dorjeshugden.com/all-articles/the-controversy/how-the-shugden-lamas-are-bringing-tibetans-back-to-tibet/

[Ensapa]

Even if China does it with an ulterior motive, the end result of it is still a positive one as many Chinese people can easily benefit from it. Even if a person does not practice Dharma sincerely, there will still be seeds planted in that person's mindstream that would ripen in the future, so nothing is 'wasted' so to say. After all, China is the world's most populated nation. Whatever CTA wants to think otherwise is not exactly relevant anymore in this context and in this case because China is many, many, many times more powerful than CTA will ever be. Until CTA grows up and leads and develop Dharamsala, I dont think anyone would really take them seriously as a country. They better not push the envelope with India or else they would be downgraded even further. CTA has to focus on developing itself instead of silly things like the Dorje Shugden ban where it is but a religious ban and not a secular one. The longer they keep up the ban, the less they will develop.

[dsiluvu]

We are hearing reports that there are fewer and fewer monks entering the Tibetan monasteries in India - there just aren't that many monks running away from Tibet to India anymore, possibly because the conditions within Tibet itself are improving. People can see for themselves the improvements to the physical conditions of living within Tibet - infrastructure, roads, facilities and especially monasteries are getting financial aid from the government. Conditions are becoming more conducive within China. And whatever the reasons are, I would guess that people are generally being allowed to practice in relative peace there. Ultimately, isn't that what matters most?

Beggar... you actually brought a very good point... yes it has been a long while since we last hear news of the influx of monks running across the border in to India's Tibetan Monasteries. I wonder why? These days we see more and more monasteries being refurbished, restored and subsidies given to monks in Tibet by the Chinese Govt.

They are now allowed to pray and continue their studies and high Lamas like His Eminence Gangchen Rinpoche, Lama Wangchuk Rinpoche, His Holiness 101 Gaden Trisur Lungrik Namgyal, Yongyal Rinpoche and Lama Thubten Phurbu all have been active in going in to China and not wasting time, they've either been blessing,  teaching, setting up monasteries, or attending Buddhist forums. They can see a far bigger picture and importance... which is spreading the Dharma and in keeping good ties with China...they also get the opportunity to help their own people in this way.

So instead of CTA appreciating their great works and to request them to help talk to the Chinese of their autonomy quest, the CTA burn their bridges which potentially connects them with China. And all this because they say these Lamas are worshiping an evil spirit and hence a HHDL's enemy. How silly... they need Manjushri pills! In fact if they make friends with these influential Lamas again, and make friends with China like how some of these high lamas have done so, they would most likely get what they want.

Thanks beggar for sharing those two very interesting articles... it makes good sense... you see with a giant mountain like China you sure don't try to challenge... no one, no leader have so far dare to upset China but Tibetan Exile Govt seems to think their continued campaign of self-immolation poor me stories will help lobby support and help gain Tibet's freedom... far from it.... I am sorry to say . It is high time they tone down, humble down just like Buddhist teaching and request help while they still can.   

[beggar]

Even if China does it with an ulterior motive, the end result of it is still a positive one as many Chinese people can easily benefit from it. Even if a person does not practice Dharma sincerely, there will still be seeds planted in that person's mindstream that would ripen in the future, so nothing is 'wasted' so to say. After all, China is the world's most populated nation.

Great point you've got there. My teacher said to me once that if someone was being angry and was deciding between punching a tree or punching a Buddha statue, he would rather they punch a Buddha statue, because in doing so at least a connection is still created with the Buddha, no matter how "bad" it might seem for the moment. In the long term, imprints are still planted and a connection is still forged so that eventually, even if it's a long way away, the karmic imprints within that person will still open up for the person to practice well and deeply. And that's better than not having any connection at all.

So this is the same with China. Whatever their motive is - political, or to undermine the Dalai Lama, or to upset the government - the bottom line is still that Dorje Shugden and his practice is being shared with many more people and thereby being upheld and preserved into the future. And isn't that what we want, after all?

And just to throw a spanner in the works - don't you think the Dalai Lama knows this? Or the fact that the more he speaks against the practice and stops it, the more the Chinese will pick it up and make it flourish? Because, again, whatever their reasons, imprints of Dorje Shugden are being firmly implanted in the minds of over a billion people. That far outweighs the tiny, few 100,000 exiled Tibetans. Again, don't you think the Dalai Lama knows this? 

[Ensapa]

Great point you've got there. My teacher said to me once that if someone was being angry and was deciding between punching a tree or punching a Buddha statue, he would rather they punch a Buddha statue, because in doing so at least a connection is still created with the Buddha, no matter how "bad" it might seem for the moment. In the long term, imprints are still planted and a connection is still forged so that eventually, even if it's a long way away, the karmic imprints within that person will still open up for the person to practice well and deeply. And that's better than not having any connection at all.

So this is the same with China. Whatever their motive is - political, or to undermine the Dalai Lama, or to upset the government - the bottom line is still that Dorje Shugden and his practice is being shared with many more people and thereby being upheld and preserved into the future. And isn't that what we want, after all?

And just to throw a spanner in the works - don't you think the Dalai Lama knows this? Or the fact that the more he speaks against the practice and stops it, the more the Chinese will pick it up and make it flourish? Because, again, whatever their reasons, imprints of Dorje Shugden are being firmly implanted in the minds of over a billion people. That far outweighs the tiny, few 100,000 exiled Tibetans. Again, don't you think the Dalai Lama knows this?

The imprints are not only implanted in the minds of the Tibetans, but also in the minds of the Chinese who are exposed to Dorje Shugden, as well as practitioners around the world who are too paranoid. People by default have a lot of fear when it comes to spirituality and religion and they tend to be on the high lookout of cults as they are extremely fearful of being sucked into one since everyone wants happiness and nobody wants to suffer or be on the wrong side of things. The Dalai Lama declaring Dorje Shugden to be a cult thus resonates deeply with people and it does leave a very lasting impression in many people. So in some way, it plants the seeds very deeply into the minds of the people who hear it. The Dalai Lama in that sense is sowing seeds of a massive scale for people worldwide to receive Dorje Shugden as their future Dharma protector.

[DharmaSpace]

Nationalism may have been the flavour of the day at the start of the 20th century, whereby in the east you find intellectuals in the Asia start to know and discover they need to be free from western imperialism and colonisation. In the west states like Germany and Italy, had iconic leaders like Hitlers and Mussolini who helped shape this world at this period of time, i believe at that time the Latin Americans were coming into their own.

A hundred years later this is no longer the case. People are more likely to be subservient and faithful to the massive corporations they belong to. Top corporations of this day they treat their people really well so they can retain the best people possible and pamper the top performers.  So a corporation runs in many countries and can  bring their people to a lifetime of wealth and contentment. Can nations take care of their people as well corporations can these days? I doubt it.

Which brings me to my point even if we have our own nation is it necessarily we will be taken care of? No, many countries have self serving leaders and people in power who oppress or lead their people in the wrong way. So If the Chinese with their technology and know how can give a better standard of life to tibetans why not?  And the Tibetans can progress much much more.  So this issue about DS harming tibetan independence is totally bs, the CTA is screwing this up all by themselves without any help from DS or China.

Yes China has the ulterior motives of trying to dominate religion, why religion is power and reaches into people's minds. It is hard to be able to police people's minds so the Chinese invest in Religion and they expose their people to various teachers and facets of Buddhism. China people are protective of their domain and people by them advocating Buddhist conferences indirectly, the top nation in the world is condoning Buddhism and it helps their people who have spent years out of touch with spirituality and Buddhism to reconnect and rekindle this relationship once more. China was a GREAT buddhist nation once before, it is only returning to its Roots by doing so.

[brian]

Which brings me to my point even if we have our own nation is it necessarily we will be taken care of? No, many countries have self serving leaders and people in power who oppress or lead their people in the wrong way. So If the Chinese with their technology and know how can give a better standard of life to tibetans why not?  And the Tibetans can progress much much more.  So this issue about DS harming tibetan independence is totally bs, the CTA is screwing this up all by themselves without any help from DS or China.

Yes China has the ulterior motives of trying to dominate religion, why religion is power and reaches into people's minds. It is hard to be able to police people's minds so the Chinese invest in Religion and they expose their people to various teachers and facets of Buddhism. China people are protective of their domain and people by them advocating Buddhist conferences indirectly, the top nation in the world is condoning Buddhism and it helps their people who have spent years out of touch with spirituality and Buddhism to reconnect and rekindle this relationship once more. China was a GREAT buddhist nation once before, it is only returning to its Roots by doing so.

Done with CTAs as i think China is doing a good job to revive the quality of life to Tibetans in Tibet. With the rapid economy growth in China, Tibet will surely be benefited from such impact and what more to say if religion freedom to be given to the people in China (including Tibet). I feel by giving religion freedom will be the best for any place as spiritual as Tibet. Yes i do agree with you that religion can protect the mind of the people there. Things can only proper in Tibet if this continues.

[Namdrol]

Irregardless of the political motivation, the fact is China, the communist state, is organizing big Buddhist forum in various parts of Asia. If they can do so out of China, definitely it means they support the growth of Buddhism inside China even more, whatever their motivation is.

So, the end result is, Buddhism grows, Dharma grows, that's all we care at the end of the day, rejoice!

Dalai Lama, albeit an well-known figure, is not instrumental, any Buddhist forum can go on without Dalai Lama and still be successful. What about other key figures like Thich Naht Tahn, Master Hsing Yun etc?

So, Dalai Lama attended or not, does not determine the success or failure of a Buddhist event.

[dsiluvu]

Irregardless of the political motivation, the fact is China, the communist state, is organizing big Buddhist forum in various parts of Asia. If they can do so out of China, definitely it means they support the growth of Buddhism inside China even more, whatever their motivation is.

So, the end result is, Buddhism grows, Dharma grows, that's all we care at the end of the day, rejoice!

Dalai Lama, albeit an well-known figure, is not instrumental, any Buddhist forum can go on without Dalai Lama and still be successful. What about other key figures like Thich Naht Tahn, Master Hsing Yun etc?

So, Dalai Lama attended or not, does not determine the success or failure of a Buddhist event.

Well said Namdrol! I think as we move forward... we can see that the Dalai Lama era is slowly slowly dissolving as other Lamas are becoming more popular and influential who are in their prime at this moment who can also stand on their own without the need to ride on the Dalai Lama's fame and definitely His Holiness Trijang Rinpoche is one of them... thanks to the ban

Let's not forget that Buddhism does not only belong to Tibetans and China has herself a strong heritage of Buddhism in their history so I do believe China will rise up again to be one of the world's strongest and influential country where Buddhism shall once again grow and infiltrate down to Asia and the world. It is even much better now as China is open and supportive in spiritual growth of even Tibetan Buddhism.... as this helps them improve their image to world and improve its tourism industry which also improves their economy. This will then improve the living conditions of Tibetans.... so actually this is a good sign as the Tibetans will also progress and improve in their livelihood.

China to boost tourism in Tibet

LHASA -- China's top tourism official on Thursday pledged special support to boost tourism in Tibet and make it a "pillar industry" for the plateau region.

The National Tourism Administration has decided to issue special policies for Tibet to help it develop infrastructure, attract investment and visitors, improve services and develop key tourist destinations, said Shao Qiwei, head of the administration.

"Tibet has abundant tourism resources, many of which are so unique and appealing to both domestic and foreign visitors," Shao said at a tourism workshop held in Lhasa, capital of Tibet autonomous region. "The prospect for development is huge."

Shao said developing tourism can also significantly increase the income of rural Tibetans. The sector will bring viability to Tibet's economy as well, he said.

Tibet is situated at the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau with predominant ethnic Tibetans and a prevailing Buddhist culture. Signature tourist destinations include the world's highest peak Mount Qomolangma, the sacred lake Nam Co, Tibetan Buddhism heritages like the Potala Palace, the Jokhang Temple, and the Zhaxi Lhunbo Monastery.

The number of tourists travelling to Tibet has been growing by an average 30 percent annually in the past five years. Last year, more than 8.69 million people visited Tibet, bringing in a tourism revenue of 9.7 billion yuan ($1.53 billion), according to government figures. Authorities aim to double the tourist visitor number by 2015.

[Big Uncle]

Well, it is obvious that China is subtly encouraging support of Buddhism for various reasons and amongst many, it is home-grown. Tibetan Buddhism had been practiced by the elite imperial family for hundreds of years and today, it can be seen in the imperial temples like Yong He Gong and the Forbidden City curators have recently officiated the opening of a new wing called Zhong Zheng Dian, which displays Tibetan Buddhist collection of sacred objects that used to belong to the imperial family.

-------------

From the Ashes, Tibetan Buddhism Rises in the Forbidden City
By DIDI KIRSTEN TATLOW
(http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/from-the-ashes-tibetan-buddhism-rises-in-the-heart-of-the-forbidden-city/)


One of a half-dozen newly restored Buddhist buildings at the Hall or Rectitude, or Zhong Zheng Dian, in the Forbidden City, Beijing.

On a freezing Tuesday this week, dozens of special guests from China’s cultural, political and business elites gathered within the blood-red walls of the Forbidden City. They were there for the opening of the newly restored Hall of Rectitude, the center of Tibetan Buddhism during China’s last imperial dynasty, the Qing.

After a fire in 1923, the hall and about a half-dozen surrounding buildings that comprise the Buddhist architectural complex lay in ruin for nearly a century in the northwestern corner of the 8,000-room former imperial palace.


A Yamantaka mandala dating from the 18th-century reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty, in one of three galleries in the restored Zhong Zheng Dian, or Hall of Rectitude, in the Forbidden City, Beijing.

After six years of restoration funded by the Hong Kong-based China Heritage Fund, the Zhong Zheng Dian, as it’s known in Chinese, is back, rebuilt from the ground up, though it won’t be open to the public for at least two years according to officials at the Forbidden City’s Palace Museum, the Beijing News said (in Chinese).

The opening comes at a tense time in relations between the Beijing government and people in the Tibet autonomous region. At least three more Tibetans burned themselves to death in protest of Chinese rule this week, according to a Web site run by Tibetan exiles.

This brings the number of self-immolations by Tibetans to about 90, according to overseas-based Tibet advocacy groups. Significantly, the protests are taking place outside the autonomous region in the Tibetan-populated homeland provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu, which were once relatively peaceful, said Robert Barnett, a scholar of Tibetan studies at Columbia University. This presents a “very dramatic issue for China and its strategies,” Mr. Barnett said.


The still unrestored Yuhua ge, or Rain Flower Pavilion, a Tibetan Buddhist building, next to the restored buildings of the Zhong Zheng Dian in the Forbidden City, Beijing


As I mingled in the crowd in the Forbidden City on Tuesday afternoon, I heard, once or twice, the words “Dalai Lama” spoken quietly, seriously — and one such mention turned into an impassioned discussion about “why the Dalai Lama doesn’t like China,” among three visitors who looked Chinese and spoke Mandarin, as they looked at Tibetan tangkas, or religious paintings, in one of the new galleries.

Officially, though, the painful state of Sino-Tibetan relations wasn’t mentioned at the event, where the guests included the China-born, naturalized American Nobel laureate, Chen Ning Yang (physics, 1957); a deputy foreign minister, Cui Tiankai; and Shan Jixiang, the recently appointed head of the Palace Museum, who has big plans for the institution.

Historically and religiously, the event was deeply significant.

Much of China’s claim to Tibet rests on the close relationship that existed between Beijing and Lhasa during the reign of three Qing emperors — Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong — in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Dalai Lama, Tibet’s religious leader, exercised great influence on the emperors during that time, in a patron-priest relationship.

Artistically, too, it’s significant: the palace’s large collection of Tibetan art and artifacts, including ritual worship objects, once again have a unified home in three galleries, as well as a small research space, the Research Center for Tibetan Buddhist Heritage.

“It’s like a home-coming for the artifacts,” said Gerald Szeto, an architect at the Beijing-based firm of Mo Atelier Szeto, who did the interior design of the galleries. “For a hundred years the whole area was left fallow,” he said.

The Palace Museum says it has about 20,000 Tibetan Buddha statues in its collection dating from the 7th to the early 20th centuries, and over 1,000 tangkas. Some were on display on Tuesday, including an intricate, highly-colored, 18th century, three-dimensional mandala of brass and enamel (above), and tangkas painted in gold.

“The art and ancient artifacts are very mysterious to the outside world because they’ve never been shown before,” Luo Wenhua, a curator and researcher of Tibetan and Buddhist art at the museum, said in a telephone interview.

“There are written records for almost every piece in the imperial collection, including where it is from, which year it was made, and the name of donors, its history and so on,” said Mr. Luo, who has in the past called for greater protection for Tibetan Buddhist history in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai, here in Chinese.

“Some have very detailed information. This makes the pieces more precious, no matter what their artistic or academic value, because compared to other similar stuff in the rest of the world there are clear clues as to their identities,” he said.

“It supports the study of Buddhist culture in Tibet and Mongolia, and its influence in China.”

Just hours after the ceremony Tuesday, around midnight, a 18-year-old Tibetan, Sangay Tashi, set himself on fire and died in protest, Phayul.com reported.

And on Thursday, a father of two, Tsering Namgyal, 31, set himself on fire and died, it reported.

There was no indication that the deaths were connected to the event in Beijing, but the symbolism of re-opening this center of historic Tibet-Chinese relations will resonate.

Also on Tuesday, CNN broadcast an interview with the United States ambassador to China, Gary Locke, who in October traveled to affected areas of Sichuan Province, during which Mr. Locke said there were “high expectations even by the Chinese people” for China’s new leader, Xi Jinping, to improve relations with Tibetans. (Read a transcript of the interview, transcribed by the International Campaign for Tibet, an advocacy group.)

“His remarks will be welcomed by Tibetans as evidence that their grievances are being heard globally, if not yet in Beijing,” said Todd Stein, director of government relations at the International Campaign for Tibet.

[Ensapa]

China is not subtle in her encouragement of Buddhism. They have been organizing Buddhist councils and restoring many Buddhist temples in China and Tibet. I wont see that as subtle but as overt. China has realized that the cultural revolution brought about moral decay in its citizens and because of that they would need to have a religion that can help them bring back the humanity and morality of its citizens. They have chosen Buddhism as it would not have any political problems as compared to the other religions, i feel because nothing in Buddhism can be used for political gains unlike other religions. The last thing China wants is for their citizens to have dischord as a result of religion, so in lieu of that, I am pretty sure that China is basing this decision to support Buddhism because Buddhism has a track record of promoting peace and harmony in the country.

[vajrastorm]

Whatever may be said about China's push for Buddhism in China, be it politically motivated or otherwise, it is still a push and its results, as Beggar has said, can be seen in the fact that Buddhism is growing in China.

Whatever it is, the recent spate of self immolations, has not served to do other than increase the Chinese Government's anti-Dalai Lama stance. The CTA, by not advising against the self-immolations, is causing the Chinese Government to be more suspicious of them(and the Dalai Lama) as being behind the self-immolations.

On the other hand,as was also pointed out by Beggar, the group of highly attained Gelug Lamas, like HH Gaden Trisur Rinpoche and HH Gangchen Rinpoche, have braved being ostracized by the CTA for being enemies of the Dalai Lama and of the Free Tibet cause. And they have been thus condemned and ostracized just because they practice Dorje Shugden, the Protector of Lama Tsongkhapa's teachings.! These brave Lamas have settled in foreign countries , but have returned to Tibet and entered China with the sole purpose of spreading the Dharma.  There are also brave Lamas, who have remained behind in Tibet. These brave Lamas practice Shugden and are great Dharma practitioners and teachers of Dharma as well.

Together, they have continued to spread and preserve the Dharma of Je Tsongkhapa, so very necessary for these degenerate times, not only in Tibet but in China. They have wisely realized that the use of force or violence or adopting a hostile stance will not help the cause of Tibetan Buddhism. So now, they are welcomed and seen as friends and are allowed to grow and spread Buddhism and Dorje Shugden practice in China.  In their peaceful spread of Dharma, they are also subtly working to preserve the Tibetan language,culture and tradition.Even Lamas who have settled in foreign countries still preserve the language, culture and tradition of Tibetan. We see this very clearly in the videos (that this website has kindly provided) of HH Trijang Chocktrul Rinpoche's tour of Europe to turn the wheel of Dharma.

Hence, in China, Buddhism is growing and Tibetan Buddhism is also growing through the spread of the Dorje Shugden practice.

[Ensapa]

As time passes by, it would be more and more clear that the link CTA has to Tibet is Dorje Shugden. they can only get Tibet back if they resist the Dalai Lama and pray to Dorje Shugden to have Tibet back, simply because the Tibetans in Tibet are strong practitioners of Dorje Shugden as well and they wont be happy to know that CTA has banned their favorite deity. I did speak to a Tibetan in the Kham province once online, and she said she hates the CTA a lot as well as the people in Dharamsala because they are going against her Guru, Trijang Rinpoche. I like it that Guru devotion is something that most of the people in Tibet still has, as opposed to flipping when the Dalai Lama says it is bad. How can the Dalai Lama overwrite our root Guru's instructions? How can any Lama overwrite our root Guru's instructions?