The Buddhist Association of China (BAC) has published biographical details on the just over 1,300 living buddhas in the Chinese mainland to help followers check their authenticity.

The BAC published details of 870 individuals it recognizes as reincarnated buddhas in January, saying that a growing number of frauds were trying to cheat people out of money. Another 441 living buddhas got the biographical treatment on Thursday.

The bios, accessible at www.chinabuddhism.com.cn, www.sara.gov.cn and www.tibet.cn, have been viewed up to 98,000 times per day, according to the BAC.

This system has safeguarded the rights and interests of Tibetan Buddhists and also increased public understanding about living buddhas, said the seventh Drukhang living buddha Drukhang Thubten Khedrup, also vice president of the BAC.

The latest group of 441 verified living buddhas are largely from Sichuan Province, while the first 870 are from Tibet, Yunnan, Gansu, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Liaoning.

Editor: Ellen Liu