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There was an important ordination on Saturday for the 11th Panchen Lama. The ceremony took place at the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery, the largest in Xigaze, in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Over 1,000 monks and Buddhists gathered at the Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery.

The two hour ordination is for 19 year-old Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu. He is one of the two most senior living Buddhas in Tibetan Buddhism.

Zhaxi Lhunbo Lamasery monk Cering Doje said, "The whole ceremony followed the traditional way of the ordination. This means the 11th Panchen's achievements in both Buddhism study and cultural knowledge have reached a very high level."

The 11th Panchen Lama vowed to liberate all living creatures from worldly sufferings, as well as to contribute more to the ethnic unity, peaceful life of people and carry forward the Buddhism spirit.

Representatives from the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, State Administration of Religious Affairs, the Buddhist Association of China and the regional government sent their wishes for him.

A Xigaze resident said, "I came here very early this morning to send my best withes for the 11th Panchen. It is such a big ceremony, so you can see that the freedom of our religious belief is protected in here, and we all hope our life will become better and better."

The 11th Panchen was approved by the central government as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama 14 years ago.

Since then, he's paid frequent visits to Tibet and other Tibetan populated areas in Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, and Yunnan to meet his followers.