Dalai Lama’s Successor Search: China vs. Tibet, Stakes Are Chill

After 80 years of the Dalai Lama guiding Tibetan Buddhism since his toddler debut, the saga to pick his successor is heating up. The 90-year-old leader’s open chats about who’s next are like reality TV meets spiritual chess. From a 'village in north-west Tibet' to forced exile post-1950s Chinese invasion, the plot thickens as Buddhist monks debate who gets the cosmic throne while China watches like the world’s least subtle stage mom.

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Source: Theguardian | Published: 7/28/2025 | Author: Presented by Lucy Hough with Hannah Ellis-Petersen and Lhadon Tethong; produced by Leah Green and Ross Burns; executive producer Homa Khaleeli