Panchen Rinpoche attends religious activities in Tibet

LHASA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po on Wednesday attended religious activities in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, and president of the association's Tibet branch, arrived in Lhasa on May 10.

At around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, Panchen Rinpoche walked into the Jokhang Temple, greeted by Buddhists holding incense burners and playing musical instruments.

In the temple, he chanted sutras, prayed, and presented hadas -- silk scarves used to express respect and greeting -- to Buddhist statues.

He then led more than 100 monks in chanting sutras, and prayed for world peace, national prosperity and stability as well as people's well-being, before giving head-touching blessings to monks for nearly an hour.

Besides performing his duties at the Tibet branch of the Buddhist Association of China, Panchen Rinpoche will attend a series of religious and social activities during his stay in Lhasa.

Panchen Erdeni is one of the most influential "Living Buddhas" in Tibetan Buddhism. Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po was born on Feb. 13, 1990 in Lhari county, the city of Nagqu in Tibet. In 1995, he was approved by the State Council as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen after a lot-drawing ceremony and was enthroned as the 11th Panchen Erdeni.