The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, a Tibetan Buddhism spiritual leader, blessed thousands of followers by conducting a head-touching in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region last week.

The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu (1st left) touches a woman's head to give her blessing.

The Panchen Lama performed the ritual at Dechen Kelsang Potrang, his residence in the city of Xigaze, on Aug. 6 and 7.

Tashi, 81, came from Rinbung County and waited in line for four hours before meeting the lama.

After the Panchen Lama touched Tashi's head to give the blessing, Tashi could not hide his excitement.

"To see the Panchen Lama in person and receive his blessing made me so happy," Tashi said.

More than 13,000 people were blessed by the Buddhist leader, who has blessed over a million people since 1995, according to Salung Phunla, vice chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Many people had to wait like Tashi, moving slowly in a line that only continued to grow as the days dragged on.