Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, June 25: Chinese authorities have forcibly shut down the Gangjong Academy of Ancient and Modern Studies, a prominent Tibetan educational institution founded by the late Tulku Hungkar Dorje, whose death followed his detention in a joint operation by Chinese and Vietnamese authorities, according to a report by the Dharamshala-based Tibetan news outlet Tibet Times.
The report states that authorities officially shut down the academy on June 24 after steadily tightening restrictions on its operations over the past two years. Chinese officials had reportedly warned the institution that it would face closure unless it incorporated courses promoting Chinese Communist Party ideology into its curriculum.
When Tulku Hungkar Dorje refused to introduce political education aligned with Communist Party doctrine, authorities allegedly barred the school from admitting new students. The enrollment ban effectively placed the institution on a path toward closure. Following the recent graduation of its final class of around 30 students, authorities moved to permanently shut down the academy, bringing an end to one of the region’s notable Tibetan educational institutions.
The Gangjong Academy of Ancient and Modern Studies, located near Lung-ngon Monastery in Gade County in the Golog region of Tibet, was established by Tulku Hungkar Dorje on July 6, 2008. The institution was widely regarded as an important center for Tibetan learning, offering instruction in Tibetan language and culture while also providing courses in English, painting, traditional thangka art, and calligraphy.
The closure has sparked grief among current and former students. Many have changed their WeChat profile backgrounds to photographs of the academy and the late lama, accompanied by tributes recalling his lifelong efforts to preserve Tibetan religion, language, and culture.
“This noble being dedicated his entire life to the cause of the Dharma and the Tibetan people, giving everything he had,” one message circulating among students reads. “As he once said, ‘This Gangjong Academy of Ancient and Modern Studies represents the very bone and marrow of my love for my people.’”
The closure comes amid an ongoing campaign by Chinese authorities targeting privately run Tibetan schools. Following the shutdown of Sengdruk Taktse School in July 2021, authorities ordered the closure of seven private educational institutions across Golog, including schools in Darlag, Machen, Gade and Chikdril counties. On July 14, 2024, authorities also forced the closure of the well-known Ragya Gangjong Sherig Norbu Lobling School.
Tulku Hungkar Dorje was widely known for his educational, cultural, and philanthropic initiatives. In 2004, he established the Qinghai Gesar Philanthropic Foundation and supported numerous projects dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the Epic of King Gesar. In 2007, with approval from local authorities, he founded the Hungkar Dorje Nationalities Vocational High School, which grew to serve around 1,000 students and staff.
Over the years, he established approximately 14 primary and secondary schools, providing free educational opportunities to thousands of children from nomadic and rural Tibetan communities. He also founded numerous monasteries and monastic colleges dedicated to the preservation and revitalisation of Tibetan Buddhism, language, and culture.
