Official: the Chinese people never allow other countries to interfere with internal affairs (7)

The 11th Panchen Lama is worshipped by the mass of religious people.

Focus: Another question, and possibly a secret... Where is the Panchen Lama -- or the one chosen by China, now?

Zhu: There is only one Panchen Lama, who is selected strictly in line with historical conventions and religious rituals. And he is the 11th Panchen Erdeni. You have deliberately asked only half of the question, and now I will fill in the other half: Where is the so-called Panchen who was illegally appointed by the Dalai Lama?"


The 11th Panchen Lama, Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu (front) attends a sub-forum of the Second World Buddhist Forum (WBF) in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, on March 29, 2009.(Xinhua/Han Yuqing)

Focus: You're right.

Zhu: First I want to say that the Dalai Lama fabricated a big lie about the Panchen Lama's reincarnation. The Dalai Lama made use of western people's lack of Buddhism knowledge, especially understanding about Tibetan Buddhism, to serve his claim that the selection of the Panchen Lama's reincarnation was his own right. Actually, behind the reincarnation of the Dalai and Panchen lamas, there is a complete set of historical conventions and religious rituals, which have evolved through a very long history.

First of all, after the Dalai or Panchen died, local Tibet authorities must report to the central government and get the approval to seek a successor. Then they would start a major project to find a group of candidates for the reincarnated soul boy. These children would go through a series of screening. Then the local authorities would report to the central government and let the government decide whether the last several candidates can take part in the lot-drawing from the golden urn. The golden urn itself was offered by the central government. Only after getting the central government's approval, can the child selected through lot-drawing officially become the reincarnated soul boy of his predecessor. The sitting-in-bed ceremony, when the soul boy ascended to the seat of his predecessor, must be presided over and overseen by the Tibet commissioner from the central government. Then the central government would issue a conference edict and a gold seal to him as approbation. Only then the child officially became the new Dalai Lama or Panchen Lama. Such traditions already became set and complete in 1793 during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. There were occasions when candidates didn't go through the lot-drawing process if there was only one candidate, but this should also get the approval from the central government.


The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu (L) visits a farmer's home at Labu village in Nanmulin County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, and gives touch-head blessing to the wife of the farmer on July 23, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

I've said a lot on this, just to illustrate that the selection of the 11th Panchen Lama went through a complete set of political and religious procedures. It was politically legal and religiously divine. Now the Panchen Lama is already a young man with outstanding learning, religious accomplishments and integrity. He is worshipped by the mass of Tibetan religious people. He is currently doing religious study in Tibet. The Dalai Lama violated the historical conventions and religious rituals and it was illegal and invalid for him to appoint a so-called Panchen Lama. The boy chosen by him is our own child, a child of the Tibetan ethnic group and a citizen of our country. We will surely create environments for him to grow healthily.

Focus: Where is the soul boy chosen by the Dalai Lama growing healthily now? In Tibet, will believers recognize a politically chosen Panchen Lama?

Zhu: The boy illegally chosen by the Dalai Lama is, of course, growing healthily in the territory of China. He will become a man that is useful for the country and Tibetan people. And the 11th Panchen Erdeni has won recognition and respects from the mass of religious people. Every time he took part in religious activities in Tibet and other Tibetan areas, tens of thousands of religious people would come to welcome him and pay their homage.

The Dalai Lama always says that the 11th Panchen Lama was born out of politics. But he should never forget that he himself became the Dalai Lama only after the approval by the central government. According to his logic, he himself is the very product of politics.

Focus: Thank you very much for giving us such detailed answers. I know that "Tibet" is a very tough topic. Under many circumstances, few people can talk in such a length and such details on this topic like you.

Zhu: I was hoping that you would raise much tougher questions. I think that one basic principle for a reporter is to report truths, including the truths you have seen in Tibet and the truths we have talked about today.

Source: Xinhua
【1】 【2】 【3】 【4】 【5】 【6】 【7】