The fight over the 91-year-old’s reincarnation is becoming a test of China’s power over Tibet—and whether his spiritual legacy can outlast him.

With the revered Tibetan leader over 90 years old the rivalry between New Delhi and Beijing over who speaks for the Buddhist world is entering its most consequential phase.

The fight over the 91-year-old’s reincarnation is becoming a test of China’s power over Tibet—and whether his spiritual legacy can outlast him.