July is a terrifying month for the Chinese Communist Party. Anniversaries in Hong Kong and Tibet highlight the weakness of authoritarian Chinese communism. Recent statements coming from Beijing on the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday are defensive to the point of sounding ridiculous: According to the Chinese government, “The Dalai Lama must reincarnate in China, according to the laws of the People’s Republic.” Apparently, there’s a section in the Chinese constitution governing the afterlife.