Research On Tibetan Religious Politics Of Republican Rule Of Law

The Republican era is no doubt a significant period when Chinese society transformed from feudalism into socialism, and it serves as a link between the past and future. The Republican society had been trapped in turmoil, threatened by both domestic strife and foreign aggression, but in terms of Tibetan affair, the Republican government, as other central governments in all ages did, had never given up sovereignty over Tibet and forgotten the cause of great unity of Chinese nation.The priority of administrating Tibet is religion, and the priority of managing religion is establishing and practicing laws and regulations concerning the Living Buddha who plays the role of religious leader. Consensus has been made by central governments in all ages, including the Republican government, that it is the focus of governmental management of Tibetan affair. Study of the Republican central government’s administrative method of Tibet constitutes an essential part of the historical study of national minority of China and might be meaningful for anti-succession and maintaining national unity. Meanwhile, it would be more convincing to discuss the system and legislation of administrating Tibet during the Republican era from the perspective of politics. Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama, an important regulation of managing the Living Buddha, was in an important position during the Republican era in regards to the legislation of Tibetan religion. Not a few researchers have discussed the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama and the search of the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama ⅩⅢ, but it seems there is no one discuss the systematic and procedural design of the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama from the perspective of political system and with special focus on the Republican period yet.This paper is titled with A Political Study of the Legislation of Tibetan Religion of the Republican era:A Case Study of the’Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama’. This is a relatively comprehensive analysis discussing respectively from the political background of Tibet and law and regulation of religion during the Republican era, the enactment of the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama and political system design, the identification of Dalai Lama ⅩⅢ, and the political and legal evaluation of the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama, among which the fourth part is the core of the paper. It objectively evaluates the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama from political and legal perspective, proposing that this regulation generally had helped to maintain the unity of China and the steadiness of Tibet, but it failed to implement religious equality completely, due to the limitations of time and class. Enlightenment from the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama is discussed at the end of the paper. It believes that the system of incarnation of Living Buddha is a complex concerning national sovereignty, central government’s authority over Tibet, religious principles of Tibetan Buddhism and the emotions of believers, so it is not just an internal affair of religion. Central government’s insistence of nominating Living Buddha shows its authority over Tibet, as well as political power’s superiority to religious power. Study of the Administrative Measures of the Incarnation of Lama could provide a frame of reference for the Chinese government to make religious policy and to take management measures.