Tibetan govt-in-exile to host global meet on Dalai Lama reincarnation

The Tibetan government-in-exile has announced plans to convene an international conference to contest China’s claim of authority over the “Golden Urn” system used in recognising the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama and other senior Tibetan spiritual leaders.

During his ongoing visit to the United States, president of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) Penpa Tsering said the global gathering will bring together historians, legal scholars and experts on Tibetan Buddhism to examine Beijing’s “politically motivated narrative”.

Speaking at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, last week, Tsering asserted that “there is no authentic historical evidence” supporting China’s claim of decisive authority over the reincarnation process.

“We will organise an international conference to assess the historical legitimacy of the 1793 ‘Golden Urn’ decree, which China claims gives it the right to recognise Tibetan Buddhist reincarnations, including the next Dalai Lama,” he said. Tsering reiterated that the question of succession remains “a purely spiritual matter” that should be decided solely by the Tibetan community.

He added that the Dalai Lama’s decision to entrust the Gaden Phodrang Trust with matters related to his reincarnation offers institutional clarity to Tibetans worldwide.

China, however, insists that all reincarnations must follow its national laws, including the Golden Urn system introduced during the Qing dynasty. In 2007, Beijing made government approval mandatory for recognising “living Buddhas,” a move widely condemned as an attempt to extend state control over Tibetan religious institutions.

Tsering argued that the “Golden Urn” method was “rarely used and inconsistently applied” in Tibet, accusing Beijing of selectively invoking history to justify political control. Citing the case of the Panchen Lama — whose true reincarnation remains disputed — he said China’s interference has eroded religious freedom in Tibet.

He also noted that several Dalai Lamas were historically born outside present-day Chinese territory, including the fourth in Mongolia and the sixth in Tawang, now in Arunachal Pradesh — undermining Beijing’s claim that the next Dalai Lama must be born within China. Details of the proposed international conference, including venue and participants, will soon be announced by the CTA’s policy-making body.