Panchen Rinpoche attends religious activities in Tibet's Drepung Monastery

Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po is greeted by Buddhists at the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, July 5, 2023. (Photo by Chogo/Xinhua)

LHASA, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po attended religious activities at the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, for the first time on Tuesday.

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 June 18.

At around 9 a.m. Tuesday, Panchen Rinpoche walked into the Drepung Monastery, greeted by Buddhists holding incense burners and playing musical instruments.

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

He then led hundreds of Buddhists in chanting sutras, and prayed for world peace, national prosperity and stability as well as people's well-being. After that, he gave head-touching blessings to the monks.

Built in 1416 in the western suburbs of Lhasa, the Drepung Monastery is the largest of the six major monasteries of the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism.

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.

Over the past decade, Panchen Rinpoche visited the majority of monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism in Tibet and Tibetan-inhabited regions in four other provinces.

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 of Nagqu in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. On Nov. 29, 1995, he was approved and confirmed by the State Council as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen after lot-drawing from a golden urn. He was then enthroned as the 11th Panchen Erdeni. 

This photo taken on July 5, 2023 shows Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po at the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. (Photo by Chogo/Xinhua)

Panchen Erdeni Chos-kyi rGyal-po attends religious activities at the Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, capital city of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, July 5, 2023. (Photo by Chogo/Xinhua)