China has denied the accusations of Tibetan rights groups that authorities are evicting people from Larung Gar and have demolished part of the structure. Authorities explained that the world's largest Tibetan Buddhist Institute is simply being renovated to avoid fires and lessen crowd levels, according to Xinhua.

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China has dismissed allegations that "it is another attempt by China to subvert the influence of Tibetan Buddhism," a senior government official from Garze, who asked not to be named, told The Global Times.

"The site has grown immensely in recent years, with a steady influx of tourists and lay people from other provinces and foreigners, that even monastery leaders have lost track of the number of their personnel," the official said.  "It is unfair and a burden on them to use offerings given by local believers to provide free accommodation and education to the unregistered."

The dismantling of residential buildings that dot the hillside around the center is expected to make it easier for firefighters to reach Larung Gar. The center has experienced several fire incidents in recent years.

Meanwhile, Free Tibet, an overseas Tibetan secessionist organization, said that the demolition team "accompanied by Chinese police and members of the armed forces dressed in plain clothes" started destroying living quarters at Larung Gar Institute and evicting residents on Thursday.

In June, local government officials ordered the estimated 10,000 Buddhist monks and nuns living there to be cut down to 5,000. Now, only the over 8,000 registered monks and nuns will be allowed to stay in Larung Gar. Furthermore, foreigners will also be allowed to stay granting that they comply with the monastery's registration process, the anonymous official noted.

TagsLarung Gar, Tibet, Tibet Buddhism, Tibetan Institute, Tibet demolition