The Dalai Lama, who has lived in exile in India since 1959, accepted the award "with gratitude and humility," according to a statement on his website.
But the award is not viewed favorably by the Chinese Communist Party, which has ruled Tibet since the early 1950s and considers the 90-year-old Dalai Lama a separatist.
"It is well known that the Fourteenth Dalai Lama is not only a religious figure but also, from his political exile, involved in anti-Chinese separatism under a religious guise," said Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
China accuses the Grammys of using awards for political purposes.
