A consecration ceremony for a jade Buddha presented by the Myanmar government was held Monday by the Chinese Buddhist Association in Beijing's Lingguang Temple.

When visiting China last June, General Maung Aye, vice-chairman of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council, said that he would present a jade Buddha to China on behalf of the Myanmar government to commemorate China's sending of the tooth relic of Sakyamuni to Myanmar for enshrinement.

The tooth relic, still treasured in Lingguang Temple, has so far been sent to Myanmar three times to be enshrined and worshipped there at the request of the Myanmar side.

On a nine-inch pedestal, the 54-inch-tall jade Buddha was formally handed over to China early this year, and will be enshrined in the Jade Buddha Hall of Lingguang Temple.

The Chinese Buddhist Association made considerable preparations to welcome the jade Buddha. For instance, it rebuilt and refurbished the old Buddhist hall to enshrine the Buddha.

The ceremony was attended by officials from the Chinese State Administration of Religious Affairs and the Chinese Buddhist Association as well as hundreds of monks and laymen.

A Myanmar government delegation headed by Minister of Religious Affairs U Aung Khin and some diplomats from the Myanmar Embassy in China also attended the ceremony as honored guests.

(Xinhua 05/07/2001)