China Demolishes 1,060 Residences at Larung Gar Buddhist Academy

The Government of China began a demolition campaign at the Larung Gar Buddhist Academy in Sertar County on July 13, 2026. The operation targets approximately 1,060 monastic residences, with authorities ordering displaced monks and nuns to return to their native monasteries or family homes. Reports indicate that some individuals were forcibly removed and that demolitions were carried out at night to avoid public documentation.

Officials justified the drive by citing safety concerns regarding overcrowding, population density, and a lack of proper residential documentation. The state intends to reduce the number of residences from 6,000 to a mandate of 5,000. While authorities initially planned to target areas around the Gyutrul Temple, they shifted focus to residences between monastic and lay quarters following appeals from monastery representatives.

This campaign follows the July 1, 2026, implementation of the Law on Ethnic Unity and Progress. The Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy characterizes the actions as part of a broader Sinicization policy designed to dismantle autonomous Tibetan Buddhist learning centers and strengthen Communist Party control over religious practice. Security at the site has increased, with tighter surveillance of residents and severe access limitations for pilgrims.

Larung Gar is the world's largest Tibetan Buddhist institute and has a history of state-led crackdowns. This latest wave follows previous large-scale demolition campaigns conducted in 2001, 2016, and 2019.