Recent reports highlight a significant escalation in China’s control over Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist study center located in Serthar County, within Tibet’s traditional Kham province, now part of Sichuan Province. Around 400 military personnel and helicopter surveillance were deployed on December 20, 2024, signaling heightened state control over this iconic site.
Larung Gar Under Siege
Founded in 1980 by the late Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, Larung Gar has been a beacon of Tibetan Buddhist scholarship, attracting thousands of monks, nuns, and lay practitioners from across the globe. However, the academy has increasingly become a target for China’s efforts to suppress Tibetan cultural and religious identity.
The recent deployment of troops and surveillance helicopters marks the latest chapter in a series of crackdowns that began with large-scale demolitions and evictions in 2016-2017, which halved the academy’s population from 10,000 to significantly fewer residents.
The Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has reported China’s plans to enforce further restrictions at Larung Gar starting in 2025. These measures include:
Limiting residency for monks and nuns to a maximum of 15 years, disrupting the traditional lifelong commitment to religious practice.
Mandatory registration for all religious practitioners.
Reducing the total number of residents.
Forcing Chinese students to leave the academy, targeting its inclusive ethos.
These regulations are viewed as a systematic effort to undermine the academy’s role as a hub of Tibetan identity and autonomy.
Larung Gar’s vibrant community has been central to preserving Tibetan language, traditions, and spiritual practices. Its inclusivity and scholastic rigor have made it a symbol of resilience against external pressures. For Tibetans, Larung Gar is more than a religious site; it is a cultural lifeline now under severe threat.
China’s actions reflect a broader campaign to assimilate Tibet’s distinct identity into the Han Chinese mainstream through Sinification. This strategy includes promoting Mandarin over Tibetan, restricting religious practices, and employing state surveillance to control daily life.
Sinification, the assimilation of non-Han ethnic groups into Chinese cultural and political life, has historical roots in China’s imperial history. Under President Xi Jinping, this policy has intensified, particularly in Tibet and Xinjiang. Sinification aims to erase indigenous identities by:
Promoting Mandarin as the primary language.
Suppressing local traditions and religious practices.
Relocating Han Chinese citizens into minority regions.
These measures are framed as fostering unity but are widely seen as tools for cultural erasure and domination.
The militarization of Larung Gar mirrors Beijing’s broader strategy in Tibet:
Mass Demolitions: In 2016, thousands of homes were destroyed, displacing over 4,000 residents. Many were relocated under strict surveillance, disrupting the community’s spiritual and social fabric.
High-Tech Surveillance: Advanced cameras, facial recognition, and checkpoints have turned Larung Gar into a heavily monitored zone.
Psychological Toll: The presence of armed personnel in a sacred space exacerbates fear and emotional distress among residents.
China’s actions in Larung Gar have drawn criticism from human rights organizations and governments worldwide. While countries like the United States and European Union have voiced concerns, economic and strategic ties with China often temper their responses.
For Beijing, tightening control over Tibet is part of a broader effort to secure its western borders and prevent unrest. However, these strategies risk fueling resentment and international condemnation, further isolating China on the global stage.
