The second revival of Buddhism in Mongol regions, particularly the Geluk tradition, established a monastic network tied to central Tibet. However, religious authority in these regions was not solely dictated by Lhasa. The Qing court, as the dominant power in late imperial China, actively regulated Mongol Buddhism, overseeing reincarnation confirmations, restricting monastic mobility, and imposing administrative policies.
This dual-layered governance placed Mongol monasteries at the intersection of Tibetan religious leadership and Qing imperial control. While Tibetan hierarchs dictated doctrinal matters, Qing officials shaped monastic administration. Mongol monks and monasteries navigated these overlapping authorities, balancing religious tradition with political constraints.
This paper examines how Mongol religious institutions operated under—and at times negotiated—the competing influences of Lhasa and Beijing, highlighting specific cases to explore the impact of Qing policies and Tibetan authority on monastic governance in Mongol regions.