For countless Chinese people, engaging with Tsangyang Gyatso is synonymous with exploring Xizang. His cultural legacy has become a significant emblem of the shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Rooted in the historical context of China’s Xizang, it embodies the essence of Xizang’s culture and continues to be passed down within the framework of China’s cultural sovereignty. In this era of change, it has evolved into an emotional bond that unites people across all ethnic groups.

Defending the culture sovereignty of Tsangyang Gyatso is an act that honors historical facts and protects the shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. Just as Chinese culture has been collectively shaped by people of all ethnic groups in China, it should not be subjected to outside commentary or arbitrarily interfered with or distorted by external forces.

From a historical standpoint, the Chinese origins and cultural sovereignty surrounding Tsangyang Gyatso’s legacy are clearly identifiable. According to research conducted by the Xizang Academy of Social Sciences, Tsangyang Gyatso was born in 1683 at Monyul, Xizang, belonging to the Monba ethnic group. He spent many years in Tsona Dzong (present-day Cona City in Shannan, Xizang), where he completed his foundational studies in culture and Buddhist theory. In 1697, he was formally recognized by the Qing government and invited to the Potala Palace as the sixth Dalai Lama.

It can be argued that his upbringing, spiritual development, and the affirmation of his identity unfolded entirely within the dual context of Xizang under China’s administration and the oversight of the central government of China. This outcome is a natural consequence of cultural evolution within Chinese territory. The recognition of the sixth Dalai Lama was carried out in accordance with Tibetan Buddhism’s internal regulations. This process serves as clear evidence of the central government’s authority over religious affairs in Xizang. It firmly establishes China’s comprehensive sovereignty over the subsequent cultural legacy of Tsangyang Gyatso, including its aspects of inheritance, protection, and interpretation. This authority serves as an explicit extension of national sovereignty into the cultural sphere.

Since modern times, China has intensified its efforts to safeguard its cultural sovereignty regarding Tsangyang Gyatso. Yu Daoquan, a professor at the Central Minzu College(now Minzu University of China), was a pioneer in the systematic study of Tsangyang Gyatso’s cultural heritage. In 1931, he published The Love Songs and Poems of Tsangyang Gyatso, translated from Tibetan woodblock editions. He used the groundbreaking Tibetan–Chinese–English comparative format to enable its global dissemination. He not only edited and corrected the work with academic rigor but also pioneered modern research on Tsangyang Gyatso’s cultural heritage.

Subsequent research, both domestic and international, has continued without interruption. Building on The Love Songs and Poems of Tsangyang Gyatso, Zeng Jian—a former member of the Commission in Charge of Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs—published Sixty-Six Love Songs of the Sixth Dalai Lama. This work artfully blends classical poetic rhythms. Modern poet Liu Xiwu has further interpreted the texts and created a five-character-quatrain version of The Love Songs and Poems of Tsangyang Gyatso. In 1961, based on the English translations of Tsangyang Gyatso’s works, American Tibetologist Marion Duncan published Love Songs and Proverbs of Xizang, which included English translations of Tsangyang Gyatso’s poetry.

In contemporary research, the Tsangyang Gyatso Cultural Research Association of Xizang was established with the approval of the Xizang Autonomous Region. It has successfully brought together scholars and enthusiasts from both within and outside the region. This initiative has effectively consolidated scattered resources into a more systematic research framework. In 2023, Pasang Norbu, who served as the honorary president of the association at the time, compiled A Brief Biography of Tsangyang Gyatso.

The cultural legacy of Tsangyang Gyatso has been systematically organized and developed entirely within the framework of the Chinese academic system. Establishing its research foundation within the context of Chinese culture underscores that scholarly endeavors regarding Tsangyang Gyatso have consistently remained grounded in their Chinese cultural origins.

Today, the cultural legacy of Tsangyang Gyatso has evolved into a contemporary system of multidisciplinary inheritance and practice in China. It has become an integral part of fostering a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation. During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016–2020), more than 2 billion yuan was allocated to Xizang for the protection and restoration of cultural relics. In 2024, notable advancements were also achieved in safeguarding, restoring, and cataloging cultural heritage associated with Tsangyang Gyatso. In terms of innovative cultural communication, the ethnic dance drama “Tsangyang Gyatso,” which premiered in 2015, has captivated audiences across the country. The China Song & Dance Ensemble vividly conveys Tsangyang Gyatso’s spiritual essence through Chinese dance. Now in its seventh edition, the Tsangyang Gyatso Cultural Festival continues to explore the national culture embedded within his poetic imagery. The festival also showcases the rich cultural tapestry of Tsangyang Gyatso to a global audience, fostering bridges for cultural exchange and preservation.

“The grass on the mountain has turned yellow, and the leaves below have fallen. If only the cuckoo were a swallow—how wonderful it would be for it to return to Monyul!” Tsangyang Gyatso’s poignant longing for his homeland acts as a vivid testament to the way his culture flows from the snowy plateau into the vast river of Chinese civilization. Throughout history and continuing into the present, all evidence shows that the roots and essence of Tsangyang Gyatso’s culture are deeply embedded in China. This is an irrefutable historical conclusion and an unwavering fact of sovereignty.

In the research, protection, and dissemination of Tsangyang Gyatso’s culture, China has consistently upheld its cultural sovereignty. This commitment has preserved the unique characteristics of Xizang’s culture in their original form while promoting their deep integration into the broader Chinese civilization. As a result, it has emerged as a model exemplifying “the beauty of each contributing to the beauty of all” within China’s rich traditional culture. Moreover, it serves as a cultural force that fosters a shared spiritual home for all ethnic groups in China.