The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government.
At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural values — efforts increasingly deemed subversive under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) rule. Born in 1969 in Dga’de Dzong, Golog Prefecture, Qinghai (Amdo) Province, he pursued studies at various Tibetan monasteries and in Beijing and the US.
In 2002, he received government approval to become the 10th abbot of Longen Monastery, which supported more than 700 monks and nuns. Two years later, he founded the Qinghai Provincial Gesar Charity Foundation, which provided free food, clothing and medical care to impoverished Tibetans in Golog.
In 2007, Rinpoche established a multidisciplinary technical school offering free education to Tibetan children in Golog, accepting more than 300 students. His contributions extended beyond Buddhist teachings, as he viewed himself as a philanthropist and an educator.
In 2021, Xi’s administration intensified its campaign to shut down privately run Tibetan cultural schools, as part of a broader push for cultural assimilation. Rinpoche’s school was among those targeted and it subsequently closed. More than 100 schools were forced to shut down and merge with government-run institutions where Mandarin was the primary medium of instruction.
Unlike private schools in other parts of China, those Tibetan schools were free and focused on promoting the Tibetan language, culture and identity. Xi’s war on Tibetan identity has made Tibetan-language schools key targets. That campaign escalated further with the banning of the Tibetan language in college entrance exams and on social media platforms such as Douyin.
The closure of Tibetan-run schools was followed by the establishment of colonial-style boarding schools, where children were separated from their families. Those schools prioritized ideological re-education and Mandarin language instruction.
Rinpoche came under closer scrutiny in September last year when he refused to welcome the Chinese government-appointed Panchen Lama during a visit to his monastery. From that point onward, Rinpoche was subjected to several interrogations, signaling a serious risk of detention if he did not flee the country. He was accused not only of defying state policies, but also of composing lifelong prayers for the Dalai Lama.
Fearing for his safety, Rinpoche fled to Vietnam, seeking refuge. However, in March, Chinese intelligence agents, reportedly with the cooperation of local Vietnamese police, apprehended and detained him. Just days after his detention, news of his death was announced.
Rinpoche’s death in Vietnam has drawn attention to the Chinese government’s pressure on Tibetan religious figures and its transnational repression of dissidents. In 1995, the Chinese government kidnapped 11th Panchen Lama Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, recognized by the Dalai Lama, and installed its own state-selected Panchen Lama, Gyaltsen Norbu. In 2015, it was accused of being responsible for the death of another prominent religious figure, Tulku Tenzin Delek. The 17th Karmapa fled Tibet in 2000.
While those figures are known internationally, many lesser-known Tibetan monks and educators have been detained solely for promoting the Tibetan language and culture. Additionally, since 2015, thousands of monks and nuns have been forcibly evicted from major Tibetan Buddhist institutions such as Larung Gar and Yachen Gar, as Xi’s government intensifies its religious repression. The Chinese government’s assault on Tibetan Buddhist leaders is part of a larger agenda of cultural assimilation and the erasure of Tibetan identity.
Rinpoche’s death also highlights the alarming nature of China’s transnational repression of dissidents. In February, the Guardian reported that China ranked highest in suppressing exiled dissidents globally. Since Xi came to power, the Chinese government has launched an overseas dissident surveillance program known as Operation Fox Hunt, which targeted more than 100,000 individuals across 120 countries between 2014 and 2021. Those activities were orchestrated in cooperation with the host nations. Notably, Rinpoche’s death in Vietnam coincided with Xi’s official visit to the country.
The tragic death of Rinpoche marks a critical juncture in Xi’s aggressive campaign to silence prominent Tibetan Buddhist figures advocating for the preservation of Tibetan culture and identity. That war on Tibetan identity goes far beyond closing schools and suppressing language, it now extends to hunting spiritual leaders beyond China’s borders.
Dolma Tsering is a postdoctoral researcher at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
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