India, July 2 -- The 'Golden Urn' is at the heart of the ongoing controversy over how the next Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader, will be chosen. While the 14th and current Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has asserted that the temporal institution will continue but his "reincarnation" will "not be chosen by China", the Chinese government has hit back saying any successor will have to be approved by Beijing.

"The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other great Buddhist figures must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a press briefing. Mao was referring to a selection method introduced by the then emperor of the Tibet...