Students from Lhasa Teachers College supplied “Bitter Winter” with some interesting documents.
by Lopsang Gurung
Teachers and students at Lhasa Teachers College (also known as Lhasa Normal College), a higher vocational college directly under the jurisdiction of the city of Lhasa, reported to “Bitter Winter” that they are systematically prohibited from participating in religious activities during the holidays.
As an example, they supplied “Bitter Winter” with instructions about the Sho Dun Festival (or Yogurt Festival) of last Summer prescribing that “students have no permission to participate in religious activities during Sho Dun.” The festival traditionally concludes a one-month summer retreat by the monks, with food and musical shows offered to lay people.
For the Dragon Boat Festival and other Spring holidays in 2024, students also received notices that “teachers and students are strictly prohibited from participating in religious activities and entering religious places” and time should be more profitably employed to study the Party’s ideology.
Lhasa Teachers College students also supplied “Bitter Winter” with notices students and teachers received the day before the solemn cremation of former Prime Minister Li Keqiang in Beijing on November 2, 2023.
“Because Comrade Li Keqiang’s body will be cremated in Beijing tomorrow,” the notice stated that “all teachers and students are strictly prohibited from participating in illegal activities tomorrow.” In connection with the cremation’s date, the notice continued, “The school will vigorously investigate whether there are students who illegally sell religious supplies. The school will check the abnormal signs on students’ jerseys (such as religious).”
“This has become routine,” one student told “Bitter Winter.” “We have the impression that during the holidays or taking advantage of every feast or event we are kept under surveillance to make sure that we do not participate in religious activities.”
