索朗卓玛：Xizang's successful journey of religious inheritance

Since the Xizang Autonomous Region was established six decades ago, it has achieved all-round, pioneering development where regional ethnic autonomy is guaranteed and religions protected by law.

From the full guarantee of freedom of belief to an improved inheritance mechanism to the enhancement of the rights and interests of religious personnel, the inheritance of religion in Xizang is in harmony with social progress, demonstrating the pragmatism of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics.

Freedom of religious belief

Multiple religions coexist harmoniously in Xizang: There are more than 1,700 sites where Tibetan Buddhist religious activities are held and about 46,000 monks and nuns; four mosques and about 12,000 native Muslims; and a Catholic church with more than 700 followers.

Freedom of religious belief is a real right enjoyed by all ethnic groups, protected by local regulations. Homes have prayer halls or niches and traditional activities such as studying the scriptures and initiations in Tibetan Buddhist temples are carried out normally. More than 1,700 religious and folk activities are held according to traditional customs.

Improved religious inheritance mechanism

Xizang has improved its religious heritage system, organically integrating traditional religious institutions with modern management models. The tradition of reincarnation of the living Buddhas, an important form of inheritance in Tibetan Buddhism, is fully respected. The"Tibetan Buddhism Living Buddha Inquiry System" launched in 2016 has effectively prevented fraud and money-grabbing by people pretending to be living Buddhas, and safeguarded the legitimate rights and interests of believers. As of 2024, 93 newly reincarnated living Buddhas had been recognized, ensuring the legality and credibility of the inheritance process.

The religious education system has been improved, with the traditional study of scriptures connected with modern education. Nine Tibetan-language Buddhist colleges will be built across the country with 920 million yuan ($128.8 million) earmarked for the construction.

More than 3,000 monks are studying at the Xizang Buddhist College and its 10 branches while 130 have obtained the degree"Thorampa," the highest academic title in Tibetan Buddhism.

This integrated development model retains the tradition of religious heritage while enhancing the comprehensive quality of religious talents, providing solid talent support for the sustainable development of religion.

Religious activity sites enhanced

Xizang has increased investment in the construction of religious activity sites, achieving a qualitative leap in infrastructure and public service levels. Since 2011, more than 98 percent of temples have access to roads, communication, electricity and water. The living conditions of monks and nuns have been improved with renovation of their living quarters, the construction of temple nursing homes, and upgraded medical and health services.

Fourteen temples have set up branch libraries which, besides ancient books, also house cultural relics. In this way, religious sites have been transformed from single religious activity spaces into important carriers of the inheritance of fine traditional culture.

Rights and interests of religious personnel

Religious personnel are included in the overall social development and security system that attaches equal importance to spiritual culture and material life.

Since 2015, Xizang has been building health clinics in temples, training doctors, and improving the social security benefits of monks and nuns. The government has invested more than 26 million Chinese yuan ($3.6 million) in subsidies each year to achieve full medical insurance, old-age insurance and minimum living allowance cover, as well as accidental injury insurance and health check-ups for monks and nuns.

From basic living security to health protection, it has relieved the worries of the majority of monks and nuns, enabling them to engage in religious activities with peace of mind and share the fruits of social development.

In terms of spiritual and cultural rights, Xizang has strengthened the protection of religious scriptures and the construction of cultural facilities. A large number of documents and classics, such as the Chinese translation of the Tripitaka, the scriptural collections of various Buddhist schools, has been compiled and published.

Electronic versions of the Tibetan Tripitaka have been issued, and various religious classics have been printed in individual volumes, providing rich textual resources for religious personnel to study them and pass on the doctrines, creating convenient conditions for them to enhance their religious literacy.

Sixty years of development and achievements made in the inheritance of religion in Xizang show the efficacy of the system of regional ethnic autonomy. These achievements have not only guaranteed people's freedom of religious belief, but also promoted the adaptation of religion to a socialist society, providing strong support for the harmony, stability, development and progress of Xizang.

(From CGTN；Suolang Zhuoma, a speical commentator for CGTN, is an associate researcher at the Institute of Religious Studies, China Tibetology Research Center. )