{"id":12419,"date":"2020-03-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/savetibet.nl\/nieuws\/monasteries-and-temples-around-lhasa-reopen-after-coronavirus-lockdown-but-religious-restrictions-continue\/"},"modified":"2020-03-31T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-03-30T22:00:00","slug":"monasteries-and-temples-around-lhasa-reopen-after-coronavirus-lockdown-but-religious-restrictions-continue","status":"publish","type":"nieuws","link":"https:\/\/savetibet.nl\/en\/news\/monasteries-and-temples-around-lhasa-reopen-after-coronavirus-lockdown-but-religious-restrictions-continue\/","title":{"rendered":"Monasteries and temples around Lhasa reopen after coronavirus lockdown, but religious restrictions continue"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Amid continued efforts to bolster its image internationally and \nindicate a sense of normalcy after the Coronavirus crisis, Chinese \nauthorities have announced the reopening of some monasteries<\/a> around the Tibetan capital Lhasa to the public, starting today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a circular on March 30, 2020 the Lhasa City Buddhist Association \nsaid that 214 monasteries and temples on the outskirts of the city will \nbe opened from today, March 31, while major monasteries and temples such\n as Sera, Drepung, Ganden, and the Jokhang Temple will remain closed, \nthe circular said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPermission to open these monasteries and temples will be of little \nsolace to the Tibetan Buddhist community while stringent restrictions on\n religious freedom remain in place. The Chinese government wishes to \nportray an image of normalcy in Tibet, and the Buddhist institutions are\n a key factor in this effort. Unfortunately, there is nothing normal in \nsubjecting temples to 24\/7 surveillance, or prohibiting children and \ngovernment officials from participating in religious ceremonies,\u201d Matteo\n Mecacci, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China\u2019s strict control of religious activities takes many forms. Tibetan monasteries are controlled through regulations such as the 2011 policy called the \u201cComplete Long-Term Management Mechanism for Tibetan Buddhist Monasteries.\u201d This system requires a \u201cManagement Committee\u201d of up to 30 lay officials appointed by the government to be responsible for the rituals and other matters in the monastery. This policy constricts the education of new monks in the monasteries according to the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, while it forces them to learn through government-controlled curriculum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December 2019, a school in Lhasa issued a directive<\/a> to parents saying that students could not participate in any religious activities, nor could parents take them to \u201cfaraway places,\u201d during the winter vacation. The directive said parents would be responsible for any consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given below is the translation in English of the Tibetan-language circular<\/a> issued by the Lhasa City Buddhist Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Circular permitting the opening of centers of religious activities (located) at a distance from Lhasa City<\/strong><\/p>

In accordance with implementing the important speech and directions \nof General Secretary Xi Jinping, implementing the Region Party \nCommittee\u2019s and Lhasa City Committee\u2019s new directives and new hopes, the\n Lhasa City Buddhist Association having looked at the situation of the \ncity-wide Tibetan Buddhist centers, size and impact, as well as the \nprevention and control of the pandemic, has the basic plan of their \ngradual opening.<\/p>

Initially, it will be from faraway (places), then county-cities, then\n the main city (Chengguan district) respectively. After survey, it has \nbeen decided that other than Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Ganden \nmonastery, Tsurphu monastery, Tsuglakhang; as well as under Toelung \nDechen county Khyormolung, Taklung Drak, Shongpa Lhachu, Gadhong \nmonastery; under Taktse county, Sang-ngak Monastery; under Lhundup \ncounty, Gadhen Choekhor; under Medro Gongkar county, Katsel monastery, \nDhamchen temple; under Nyemo county, Upper and Lower Bero, Nyima Thang \nmonastery of Newukhulsar, Sangphu monastery, Besar monastery, Namgyal \nSerkhang, Tsamkhung Mani temple, Karchung temple, Dagpo monastery, and \nthose under the Chengguan district, those religious faraway religious \nplaces numbering 214 will be open from March 31, 2020. The general \nreligious believing public can bring along their good health certificate\n and citizen card and go for prayer blessings. However, for the time \nbeing, religious activities involving the assembly of large number of \nreligious believers are being halted.<\/p>

The monasteries should continue work to prevent infection from \noutside and spread from inside. Accordingly, monasteries should \nguarantee that no issues arise: at the door of the monastery, \ntemperature should be taken, masks worn, sanitization done, good air \nflow system so that good work of prevention and control is done.<\/p>

The opening period of the religious centers in the county and city \nwill be announced taking into consideration the situation of the \nprevention and control of the pandemic. Accordingly, the general \npublic\u2019s understanding and support are requested. You are also requested\n to circulate this circular to others.<\/p>

Lhasa City Buddhist Association<\/p>

March 30, 2020<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amid continued efforts to bolster its image internationally and indicate a sense of normalcy after the Coronavirus crisis, Chinese authorities have announced the reopening of some monasteries around the Tibetan capital Lhasa to the public, starting today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":12420,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"categorie":[45,691],"news_tag":[670],"class_list":["post-12419","nieuws","type-nieuws","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","categorie-inside-tibet","categorie-news","news_tag-culture-and-religion"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMonasteries and temples around Lhasa reopen after coronavirus lockdown, but religious restrictions continue - Campaign for Tibet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/savetibet.nl\/en\/news\/monasteries-and-temples-around-lhasa-reopen-after-coronavirus-lockdown-but-religious-restrictions-continue\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Monasteries and temples around Lhasa reopen after coronavirus lockdown, but religious restrictions continue - 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