In order apparently to emphasize and publicize the imperative of the atheist Chinese government’s final say in the intensely religious matter concerning the recognition and installation of reincarnations of Tibetan Buddhist masters, China on Jul 4 and 5 made much of the selection of the 6th “Living Buddha” Dezhub in Lhasa.A four-year-old candidate with the secular name Losang Doje was selected on Jul 4 as the reincarnation in accordance with the Regulation on Reincarnation of Living Buddha in Tibetan Buddhism, issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs, and with historical conventions and religious rituals, reported China’s official Xinhua news agency Jul 4.

The lot drawing from a golden urn for determining the reincarnation was carried out by the Chinese appointed Panchen Lama Gyaltsen Norbu at a ceremony held at the Jokhang Temple in the presence of Chinese leaders. The report said two slips bearing the names of the two candidates were separately sealed in silk bags and put in a golden urn after being carefully examined by government representatives, senior monks and family members of the candidates.

The report said the selected candidate, Losang Doje, was born on Nov 30, 2005 in Lhunze County of Shannan (Tibetan: Lhokha) Prefecture. The boy’s selection was confirmed after approval by the Tibet Autonomous Region government. China requires highest-level reincarnations to be approved by Beijing.

The report said the 5th living Buddha Dezhub Jambai Gaisanggyaco of Tsakor Temple at Lhokha died in Lhasa on Mar 11, 2000 at the age of 66. It said he used to serve as a member of the Buddhist Association of China, and a member of the Standing Committee of Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, as well as vice-chairman of the Tibetan Branch of the Chinese Buddhist Association.

Significantly, the report said that the 5th Dezhub had advocated the leadership of the Communist Party of China ever since the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1959, and he unswervingly supported national unity and enjoyed high prestige in the religious circle.

China’s online Tibet news service eng.tibet.cn Jul 4 said the “living Buddha” had, in his previous reincarnations, been a Gandain Khripa (Ganden Tripa, the head of the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism), master interpreter of the 12th Dalai Lama, assistant regent, etc, and had once been conferred by the government of Qing Dynasty for their popularities among Buddhist believers.

The golden urn was introduced by a Manchu Qing emperor to resolve the recognition of highest-level Tibetan Buddhist masters in particularly difficult selection circumstances. Tibetans view the golden urn presented by the Manchus, who were Buddhists and whom the Chinese had hated as foreign rulers, as merely a recommendation for use when the traditional method fails to resolve the issue. Some saw it as an interference in the Tibetan religious tradition. Whatever be the case, it was used very rarely. However, the communist Chinese today view themselves as the inheritors of the Manchu imperial powers and the use of the golden urn as a sovereign decree applicable in all cases in keeping with its claim of Tibet being part of China.