Buddhist Leader from Tibetan Tradition Confirmed Deceased 8 Months After Disappearance.

Recently, there have been reports indicating that Tulku Hungkar Dorje, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist leader who went missing eight months ago, has passed away. He was known for his advocacy in protecting the Tibetan language and culture before his disappearance.

According to Radio Free Asia and Voice of Tibet on April 3rd, Chinese officials confirmed on Wednesday (April 2nd) that Tulku Hungkar Dorje, a leader in Tibetan Buddhism, has recently died at the age of 56.

Reports suggest that two independent sources have stated that this influential leader went missing after publicly calling for the protection of the Tibetan language and culture.

On Wednesday, Chinese officials summoned seven monks from Long’en Monastery to inform them of Tulku Hungkar Dorje’s death, but did not disclose specific details regarding the time, place, and cause of death. These monks were also required to sign a formal government document confirming the news of his passing. Officials did not reveal the whereabouts of his remains or provide information on where he was detained during the months of his disappearance.

Tulku Hungkar Dorje had been “disappeared” since July 2024. Since his disappearance, the Chinese authorities have strictly prohibited temple monks and local Tibetans from discussing his whereabouts, and have banned the dissemination of any past audio or video material about him. By December 2024, it was reported that Beijing had begun to detain several well-known lamas from various parts of Tibet for questioning, sparking concerns that Tulku Hungkar Dorje may have died while in custody.

It is known that Tulku Hungkar Dorje was the 10th abbot of Long’en Monastery in Gande County, Qinghai Province. He had spent several years studying in India and the United States.

In 2005, he founded the first Tibetan Buddhist nunnery in Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and established several schools and vocational training centers to provide free education to Tibetan children in pastoral areas. These schools not only taught Tibetan language, Tibetan history, but also included subjects like Chinese, English, mathematics, moral education, thangka painting, Tibetan medicine, tailoring, and carpet weaving.

After his disappearance, most of these institutions were closed down shortly, with one of them ceasing operations as early as 2021.