The Golden Urn is a method introduced by the Qing dynasty of China in 1793 for selecting Tibetan reincarnations by drawing lots or tally sticks from a golden urn. After the Sino-Nepalese War, the Qianlong Emperor promulgated the 29-Article Ordinance for the More Effective Governing of Tibet, which included regulations on selecting lamas. The Golden Urn was ostensibly introduced to prevent cheating and corruption in the process but it also positioned the Qianlong Emperor as a religious authority capable of adducing incarnation candidates. A number of lamas, such as the 8th and 9thPanchen Lamas and the 10thDalai Lama, were confirmed using the Golden Urn. In cases where the Golden Urn was not used, the amban was consulted. Lhamo Dhondup was exempted from the Golden Urn to become the 14th Dalai Lama in 1940.
The Qianlong Emperor issued two Golden Urns. One is enshrined in Jokhang Temple in Lhasa and is to be used for choosing Dalai and Panchen Lama reincarnations; the other is in Yonghe Temple in Beijing for choosing Mongolian Lama, known as Jebtsundamba Khutughtu, reincarnations.[5]
The specific ritual to be followed when using the Golden Urn was written by the 8th Dalai Lama, Jamphel Gyatso.[1] The names and dates of birth of each candidate were to be written in the Manchu, Han, and Tibetan languages on metal or ivory slips and placed in the urn. After prayers before the statue of the Jowo in the Jokhang temple in Lhasa, a slip was drawn. The 7th Panchen Lama, Palden Tenpai Nyima, used the Golden Urn for the first time in 1822 to choose the 10th Dalai Lama, Tsultrim Gyatso.
Republic of China
On 12 August 1927, the Central Government mandated that before the publication of new laws, all laws regarding Tibetan Buddhism should continue unless they conflicted with new doctrine or new laws of the Central Government.
In August 1929, the Supreme Court of the Central Government ruled that before the publication of new laws, preexisting laws about Tibet and the reincarnation of rinpoches or lamas applied.
In 1935, the Central Government of China published the Ordinance of Lama Temple Management (Chinese: 管理喇嘛寺廟條例).[6][7] Article 2 states that reincarnated lamas are limited to those who were reincarnated previously, unless approved by the Central Government. Article 5 states that all monasteries, temples, and lamas must register with the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission. Article 7 states that the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission shall draft the methods of lamas' reincarnation, appointment, rewards and punishments, registration, etc., and submit them to the Executive Yuan for approval.
In 1936, based on articles 2 and 7 of the Ordinance of Lama Temple Management (Chinese: 管理喇嘛寺廟條例), the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission published the Method of Reincarnation of Lamas (Chinese: 喇嘛轉世辦法).[8]
Article 3 states that the death of lamas including the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lama should be reported to Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, soul boys should be found, reported to and checked by Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission, and a lot-drawing ceremony with the Golden Urn system should be held. Article 6 states that local governments should invite Central Government officials to take care of the sitting-in-the-bed ceremony. Article 7 states that soul boys should not be searched for from current lama families.
The Method of Reincarnation of Lamas (Chinese: 喇嘛轉世辦法)[8] was abolished in 2004.
People's Republic of China
In 2004, the Central Government published the Religious Affairs Regulations (Chinese: 宗教事务条例).[9] Article 36 states that the reincarnation system must follow religious rituals and historical customs and be approved by the government.
In 2007, the Central Government published the State Religious Affairs Bureau Order No. 5 (Chinese: 国家宗教事务局令第5号). Article 7 states that no group or individual may carry out activities related to searching for and identifying the reincarnated soul boy of the Living Buddha without authorization.
Article 8 states that a lot-drawing ceremony with the Golden Urn is applicable to rinpoches or lamas reincarnated previously in history. The State Administration for Religious Affairs handles requests for exemption, and the State Council handles requests for exemptions that would have significant impact.
On 26 January 1940, the Regent Reting Rinpoche requested the Central Government to exempt Lhamo Dhondup from lot-drawing process using Golden Urn to become the 14th Dalai Lama.[13][14] The request was approved by the Central Government.[15]
Method of appointment on 14 May 1995 differed from that authorized by Central Government; Tibetan government-in-exile claims its method involves using possessions of the former Lama to identify his reincarnation, as the new child incarnate will reportedly recognize his past items amid miscellaneous ones.[20]
Lot-drawing ceremony was held on 29 November 1995, and Gyaincain Norbu was approved by the Central Government on 8 December 1995 to become the 11th Panchen Lama.[21]
Designated by the Dalai Lama, not approved by Central Government of China.[27]
When the People's Republic of China annexed Tibet, Lozang Penden Tenpé Drönmé escaped to Taiwan.[28] It has been reported that before his death in 1957 he had signed a pledge that he would not reincarnate until the Republic of China retook the mainland.[29] However, the Dalai Lama recognised the current incarnation, Tendzin Dönyö Yéshé Gyatso, on 11 August 1998. He was born in 1980 in Tsongkha, was ordained at an early age and came to India as a refugee in 1998. He is now residing in the re-established Drepung Monastery, in India.[27] Neither he nor two other claimants to be the current Changkya[30] are recognised by either Taipei or Beijing.[29]
^http://www.tibetology.ac.cn/2018-05/04/content_41720529.htm 这是乾隆皇帝为防止包括西藏在内的蒙藏上层贵族利用活佛转世之机夺取宗教权力和防止大喇嘛与蒙藏世俗势力结合而采取的一项重要措施 This was an important measure taken by Emperor Qianlong to prevent the Mongol and Tibetan nobles, including Tibet, from taking advantage of the reincarnation of the living Buddha to seize religious power and to prevent the great lama from combining with Mongolian and Tibetan secular forces.
^ 光绪三年（一八七七年），由八世班禅丹白旺秀和摄政王公德林呼图克图、三大寺和扎什伦布寺的全体僧俗官员，联名要求驻藏大臣转奏朝廷，以只选定了一名灵童，且经各方公认，请免予金瓶制签。当年三月，光绪帝谕旨:"贡噶仁钦之子罗布藏塔布开甲木措，即作为达赖喇嘛之呼毕勒罕，毋庸制签，钦此。" [In the third year of Guangxu (1877), the eighth Panchen Lama Danbai Wangxiu and the regent Delin Hutuktu, all monks and lay officials from the Three Great Temples and Tashilhunpo Monastery jointly asked the Minister in Tibet to transfer to the court. Since only one soul boy has been selected, and it has been recognized by all parties, please be exempt from signing the golden bottle. In March of that year, Emperor Guangxu issued a decree: "Lob Zangtab, son of Gongga Rinqin, opened Jiamucuo, that is, as the call of the Dalai Lama, Bielehan, there is no need to make a lottery."]
^Norman, Alexander (2008). Holder of the White Lotus: The Lives of the Dalai Lama. London: Little, Brown. p. 165. ISBN978-0-316-85988-2.
^Arjia Rinpoche (2010). Surviving the Dragon: A Tibetan Lama's Account of 40 Years Under Chinese Rule. New York: Rodale Books. p. 207. ISBN978-1-60529-754-5. ...When we made our selection we left nothing to chance. In the silk pouches of the ivory pieces we put a bit of cotton at the bottom of one of them, so it would be a little higher than the others and the right candidate would be chosen.
^Arjia Rinpoche (2010). Surviving the Dragon: A Tibetan Lama's Account of 40 Years Under Chinese Rule. New York: Rodale Books. p. 207. ISBN978-1-60529-754-5. We had to prostrate to the so-called Panchen Lama...we had neither the respect for nor faith in this chosen child... I felt soiled by this gesture.
