A few days ago, the 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu, vice-President of the Chinese Buddhist Association, indicated that, nowadays, Tibetan Buddhism plays an important role in promoting the country’s prosperity, the people’s well-being and moreover a harmonious society and that Tibetan Buddhism “has entered the golden age of development in all its history.”

On December 1st , for the first time, the Panchen Lama traveled by train from Lhasa to Shigatse where he was holding several Buddhist ceremonies for the last few days. There was a grand ceremony held in the Panchen’s home monastery, the Tashilhunpo Monastery on the 8th of December, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Panchen Lama’s enthronement.

On December the 11th, the Panchen Lama bestowed blessings to thousands of people at His place of residence – that is the Bed-chena-skla-bzang-pho-brng (new palace) located in Shigatse. This was the first super large-scale blessing ceremony held after the Panchen Lama’s 20th anniversary enthronement celebration had been completed.

“This is the fourth time that I have seen the Panchen Lama.”, said Dachong, an 87 year-old civilian in Shigatse City, who was dressed in pure-white Tibetan wool clothes, putting his palms together devoutly, “this year, the Panchen Lama looks even more natural, graceful and merciful. We keep our fingers crossed for His health and longevity.”

Today’s grey-haired Dachong old man was a stone-cutter in his early years. He used to take part in the construction process of the Tashilhunpo Monastery.

The 60 year-old hermit Tseyi Doje recently had especially traveled to Shigatse to pay respects to the Panchen Lama. This old man, who has been living in the deep mountains striving for virtue for over 20 years, honorably became the first believer blessed by the Panchen Lama in the blessing ceremony. “The Panchen Lama bestows blessings to the people, this is good luck for all mankind”, he said.

Since His enthronement in 1995 up until now, the Panchen Lama has succeeded the past Panchen Lamas’ tradition of loving the country and the religion, safeguarding the country and bringing profit to the people, practicing disciplines, observing commandments, grinding away to strive for virtue. “The Panchen Lama’s Buddhist attainments are getting more and more profound and have gained social influences widely, being supported broadly by monks and laymen”, said the vice-President of the Buddhist Academy of China, Zongxing.

Up until now, the Panchen Lama has bestowed blessings to more than 1,500,000 monks and laymen. From the year 2006 to 2015, the Panchen Lama continuously attended the World Buddhism Forum for four times. The Panchen Lama is highly appreciated by the Buddhism circle at home and abroad.

The Panchen Lama said, China has arrived to an era of great transformation and progress, the Chinese people are at an important moment of great renewal, “Tibetan Buddhism should get adjusted and integrate into this great era, urging efforts that will push forward the development of this era, thus at the same time it can achieve tremendous development for itself.”The Panchen Lama indicated that, He is calling on Tibetan Buddhism to contribute all its power to this cause.

This year turning 25 years old, the Panchen Lama was ordained as a male religious novice and as Bhikku (monk) in the years 1996 and 2009 respectively at the Tashilhunpo Monastery. Until now, the Panchen Lama has accepted more than 1,000 abhisecas in Esoteric Buddhism. In 2010, the Panchen Lama was elected to be the vice-President of the Chinese Buddhist Association and a member of the national committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; in 2013, He became a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.