China is notorious for its efforts to control things in Tibet but the law that the Chinese government passed in 2007 was beyond absurd. According to the law it’s illegal for Tibetan Buddhist monks to reincarnate without the government´s permission.
On 3 August 2007 China’s State Administration for Religious Affairs issued a decree that all reincarnations of Tibetan Buddhist monks must have government approval, otherwise they are “illegal or invalid”. The decree states
It is an important move to institutionalize management on reincarnation of living Buddhas. The selection of reincarnates must preserve national unity and solidarity of all ethnic groups and the selection process cannot be influenced by any group or individual from outside the country.
It also requires that temples which apply for reincarnation of a living Buddha must be
legally-registered venues for Tibetan Buddhism activities and are capable of fostering and offering proper means of support for the living Buddha.
Reincarnation applications have to be submitted to four governmental bodies for approval: the religious affairs department of the provincial-level government; the provincial-level government; State Administration for Religious Affairs; and the State Council.
All of which is sadly part of China’s efforts to sideline the current Dalai Lama and take control of the selection (when the time comes) of both the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama.
For more see http://humansarefree.com/2011/02/china-bans-reincarnation-without.html and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Religious_Affairs_Bureau_Order_No._5.
The Dong Tao chicken is a somewhat gruesomely bizarre breed with elephantine legs and feet. It is very popular in Vietnam where it is prized for its meat, which is considered far more delicious than that of normal chickens.
I spotted this on the menu of a Taylor Walker pub in central London — Mayfair, forsooth! — on Saturday. It raised quite a giggle amongst the assembled company.
For some time I’ve been collecting fun things one can do which shouldn’t be either especially scary (so no bungee jumping) or outrageously expensive (so no world cruises). I now have a list of 50 which don’t quite form a bucket list for me, although it is interesting to see which ones I’ve done and which I haven’t. When I get round to it I shall put the list on my website, but meanwhile I thought this month we would have a selection, just as a taster. Ten Fun Things To Do (which shouldn’t cost a fortune).
Have a summer picnic and remember to take the champagne
See a lunar or solar eclipse
Take part in a performance of Messiah (or any other choral piece) from scratch
Every time you go more than 25 miles from home, buy a postcard and send it to a friend or relative
Have something named after you (eg. new species, park bench, cocktail)
Do some guerilla gardening: find a small piece of neglected public land, plant some flowers there and tend them
Visit a different museum every month for a year
Take a trip on the London Eye (or an equivalent large Ferris wheel) at sunset
Have your fortune told (just don’t take the result too seriously)
