The29-Article Ordinance for the More Effective Governing of Tibet (Chinese:欽定藏內善後章程二十九條[1]), also calledtwenty-nine-article Imperial Ordinance,[2] was an imperial decree concerning the governance ofTibet that was supposedly issued by theQianlong Emperor of China'sQing dynasty in 1793.[3][4] Article 1 stated that the purpose of theGolden Urn was to ensure the prosperity ofGelug, and to eliminate cheating and corruption in the selection process.[5] Article 12 stated that relatives of theDalai Lama orPanchen Lama must not hold government positions, or participate in political affairs.[6]
There were three versions in the Tibetan language, and the original was not found. The corresponding text in Chinese was not listed as 29 articles, but parts and parcels of it were seen in variousmemorials to the throne and decrees.[7][8]
In 1792, the Qianlong Emperor publishedThe Discourse of Lama that described the history of lamas and the reincarnation system. In it he described how the Golden Urn system was invented and said it would be a more fair mechanism of selecting the Dalai Lama than choosing reincarnated lamas based on private designation, or based on one person's decision. It is also used to eliminate greedy families with multiple reincarnated rinpoches and lamas.[9][10]
^達賴喇嘛和班禪額爾德尼周圍的隨從官員，過去都是他們的親屬，如達賴喇嘛的叔父和班禪額爾德尼的父親班丹團主，都是私人升任，又如達賴喇嘛之胞兄洛桑格登主巴，依仗勢力多行不法。今後應依西藏各階層及扎什倫布僧俗人民之願望，在達賴喇嘛和班禪額爾德尼在世時，其親屬人員不准參預政事。達賴、班禪圓寂後，如果還有親屬，可以根據他們的技能給予適當的職務。The attendants and officials around the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Erdeni were previously their relatives. For example, the Dalai Lama's uncle and the Panchen Erdeni's father, Bardan Tuanzhu, were promoted privately. Another example is the Dalai Lama's elder brother, Losang Gedan Zhuba, who relied on his power to engage in many illegal activities. In the future, we should follow the wishes of all levels of Tibetan society and the monks and laypeople of Zhaxi Lhunbo Monastery. During the lifetime of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Erdeni, their relatives are not allowed to participate in political affairs. After the passing of the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Erdeni, if there are still relatives, they can be given appropriate positions according to their skills.
^"张云：钦定藏内善后章程二十九条的形成与版本问题" [The compilation and versions of 29-Article Ordinance for the More Effective Governing of Tibet].iqh.net.cn (in Chinese). Archived fromthe original on 2021-02-23. Retrieved2020-12-20.
^"藏文《水牛年文书》和《新订章程二十九条》探析" [A Study of TibetanDocuments of the Water-Ox year and29-Article Ordinance for the More Effective Governing of Tibet].西藏研究 (in Chinese) (3). 1993 – via tibet.cn.
