Even a simple celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday in Tibet is considered a major threat to China’s “national unity”.

-By Yeshi Dawa

On July 6, the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, will celebrate his 90th birthday, marking 66 years in exile. As Tibetans and devotees around the world gear up for a grand celebration in recognition of his contribution to Tibet and the world, the Chinese government began preempting this celebration through a political message.

On June 6, a month prior to the celebration, Chinese President Xi Jinping met their appointed Panchen Lama (Gyaincain Norbu) to reaffirm allegiance from the latter on promoting “national unity” and reinforcing the ideology that “religions in China must be Chinese in orientation”- in other words, sinicisation of Tibetan Buddhism.

The “national unity” in the Chinese jargon implies the unwavering loyalty to the party and suppression of the “separatist” elements. Even a simple celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday in Tibet is considered a major threat to China’s “national unity”. Nevertheless, President Xi’s third encounter with the Panchen Lama signals a stern message to the Tibetans in Tibet ahead of this significant milestone in the Dalai Lama’s life.

The past two meetings between Xi Jinping and the Panchen Lama were focused on the latter becoming a “patriotic leader” and focusing on the “adaption of Tibetan Buddhism to socialist society”. The third meeting between them, however, shifts to the promotion of “national unity”, which demands complete loyalty to the party and a complete ban from engaging in an activity that causes harm to the image of China.

One activity that stands out is the reverence of the Dalai Lama in any form or shape. There has been a known case of arresting 30 Tibetans since 2013 for engaging in celebrating the birthday of the Dalai Lama. Despite all the restrictive measures, Tibetans in Tibet still find different ways to honour the legacy of the Dalai Lama on his birthdays.

For example, during the 88th birthday of the Dalai Lama, a painting – portraying a holy hat of the Dalai Lama and 88 in Tibetan numerals – was widely circulated in Tibet through various social media platforms. Click here to read more