As we are all aware of the destruction of giant Bamiyan Buddha statues by the Taliban in 2001. That has not only hurt the sentiments of millions of Buddhists around the world but has also coincided with the quick collapse of the Taliban regime and with two decades of continuous chaos and conflict in Afghanistan.
Yet again a giant statue, a 99-feet tall statue of Buddha in Tibet was destroyed on 12th December 2021, not by the Taliban, but by the Chinese government which also tore down 45 Buddhist prayer wheels. It was built with the contribution of the local community to invoke divine benevolence to prevent further natural disasters as the region witnessed an unprecedented number of forest fires, earthquakes, floods, and landslides in recent years.
The destruction has not only deeply hurt the cultural and religious sentiments of all Tibetans, deepening their permanent sense of fear and loathing towards the Chinese but also resembles a sign of more religious repression across Tibet.
China’s oppressive actions have continuously targeted Tibetan Buddhism since Mao’s Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and with renewed vehemence after XI Jinping’s rise to power in November 2012, when drastic repressions have been introduced within China, Tibet, East Turkistan (Xinjiang), and Inner Mongolia. This continued persecution has curtailed the little space available for religious freedom, worsening the situation as a whole.
The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) has employed many methods to eradicate Tibetan Buddhism not only within Tibet but also outside Tibet. In many locations, Buddhist monasteries have been demolished or restrictions on the number of monks and nuns have been severely limited.
According to trusted sources, CCP uses satellites to locate outdoor religious statues in its nationwide campaign to demolish them.
And this is how they detected the Nanhai Guanyin statue and was ordered to be removed.
Even religious statues in graveyards are not spared. In Longfeng cemetery in Hebei province, a nearly 18-meter-tall bronze statue of sitting was demolished on 26th February 2019.
Similarly, on 22nd November 2019, a 17-meter-tall three-faced Guanyin statue in Yunkong Temple was destroyed.
The popularity of Tibetan Buddhism has grown considerably over the past decade among urban residents in mainland China, resulting in mounting suppression at the hands of the CCP. A document issued by a local government in northern China’s Hebei Province in March last year requires to thoroughly investigate the spread of Tibetan Buddhism. Measures include inquiries into monks’ teachings, analysis of initiation ceremonies for novice monks, and other religious activities.
On 3rd January 2021, The Global Times, the CCP mouthpiece, published an article, ‘Observing Historical Convention: The Reincarnation of Tibetan Living Buddha under Central Government Jurisdiction’. The author mentioned that the reincarnation of the living Buddha is meant to settle the problem of the succession of leaders of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
In January 2016, the State Administration of Religious Affairs announced that all reincarnated lamas must be approved by the CCP. This list of reincarnated lamas also included all official ‘living Buddhas’. The living Buddha-in-exile, the 14th Dalai Lama name was also found on the list. The CCP is working to bring every aspect of Buddhism under its control to ensure that only spiritual figures who have its ‘approval’ are allowed.
The popularity of Tibetan Buddhism has grown considerably over the past decade among urban residents in mainland China, resulting in mounting suppression at the hands of the CCP by thoroughly investigating the spread of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Communist Party won’t let people believe in Buddhism or any other religion. Since Xi Jinping came to power, much harsher control has been imposed on religious affairs. He wants to eliminate all religious beliefs so that people only follow the Communist Party.”
Buddhism talks about loving each other, a peaceful community, a compassionate heart, and oneness in all sentient beings which are all necessities of this current world but that is the opposite of what the CCP wishes to have in their community. They want people to be fearful of them for not doing what they were asked for.
Tibetan monasteries are the greatest contributors to the field of education and national identity in Tibet. Scholarly training provided in Tibetan monasteries has sustained the region’s culture, religion, and language. Monasteries are providing education which ultimately brings about faith in tradition and this is a firm counter to Communist ideology. Therefore, the majority of self-immolations (protesting Chinese oppression) that occur in Tibet are committed by monks. This is why Xi Jinping is against traditional Buddhism in Tibet, and why his troops are tearing down revered Buddha statues.
