A grand religious ceremony was held Friday to commemorate the 14th anniversary of the death of the 10th Panchen Lama at the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery in Xigaze, in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
More than 300 lamas recited sutras for the 10th Panchen Lama at the main hall of the lamasery, the residence of Panchen Lamas, for the whole day on Friday.
On Thursday, more than 500 lamas attended an impressive, solemn gathering in honor of the 10th Panchen Lama at the lamasery.
Born into a Tibetan peasant family at Wendu township, Xunhua county in northwestern Qinghai Province in 1938, the 10th Panchen Lama died of illness in Xigaze on Jan. 28, 1989 at the age of 51.
Wangqug, a member of the management committee of the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, described the 10th Panchen Lama as a great patriot, a renowned activist in state affairs, a loyal friend of the Communist Party of China, as well as an outstanding leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
(Xinhua News Agency January 27, 2003)
