Final answer:
Tibet, led by the Dalai Lama and following Tibetan Buddhism, has experienced historical tensions with China, escalating after China's incorporation of the region in 1951 and leading to the Dalai Lama's exile. These tensions underscore contrasting views of the religious and secular governance of the landscape.
Step-by-step explanation:
The territory in question is Tibet, known outside of China as the Autonomous Region of Tibet. The traditional spiritual leader is Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, who has been in exile for nearly 70 years due to China's control over the region. The religion he leads is Tibetan Buddhism. Tibet's history with China is marked by ebbs and flows of autonomy and control. Initially, Tibet was an independent kingdom with its state religion. In the 10th century,
China's influence in Tibet fluctuated, and by the 13th century, the Mongols incorporated Tibet into their empire, eventually giving considerable authority to the Dalai Lama. Tensions between political doctrine and religious authority in Tibet exemplify the contrasting views of landscape by sacred and secular forces, particularly after the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Mao Zedong's claim over Tibet led to aggressive policies to spread Communism, resulting in the destruction of monasteries and the suppression of Buddhism, causing a rift between the local populace and the Chinese government.
The issue reflects broader dynamics where the relationship between religious institutions and state power can be contentious, especially within authoritarian contexts like China, where religious practices are often tightly controlled or oppressed.