China’s imposition of authority is not subtle. Red Chinese flags fly everywhere—even (or especially) from the Potala Palace overlooking Lhasa, where generations of dalai lamas resided before the current occupant of that august politico-religious post (the 14th dalai lama) decamped in 1959 to exile in India. Just as common are propaganda posters depicting all of China’s presidents, from Mao Zedong to the incumbent, Xi Jinping. Chinese guards in orange jumpsuits that make them look like henchmen from some Bond movie are omnipresent inside Buddhist monasteries. No doubt undercover operatives are just as numerous, if less conspicuous.
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