Destruction at Larung Gar Greater Than Earlier Reported

Chinese authorities destroyed 4,725 monastic dwellings during the last year at Sichuan’s Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, with a total of over 7,000 demolished since efforts to reduce the number of monks and nuns living at the sprawling center began in 2001, a senior abbot at Larung Gar said this week.

In a June 20 address to Larung Gar’s remaining residents, the abbot said that more than 4,828 monks and nuns had also been expelled since 2016, with many forced back to their hometowns and deprived of opportunities to pursue religious studies.

“We are discussing ways to help those who have had to leave Larung Gar in their studies and practice,” the abbot said, while praising those who remained for their hard work and “excellent performance” following this year’s final exams.

Counting both China’s initial campaign of destruction in 2001 and a second campaign begun last year, the abbot said “these two stages of hardships faced by Larung Gar were unprecedented in the 40 years [since the center’s founding].”

“We are hoping that Larung Gar will not face tough situations like these again for a very long time,” he said.

Full story: rfa.org

Reported by Lhuboom for RFA’s Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney.