Tibetannet

President Xi Jinping met with the Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu in Zhongnanhai of Beijing, capital of China, Jun. 10, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

On Jun 10, 2015, President Xi Jinping met with the Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu in Beijing. The Panchen Lama detailed the conditions of his 20-year enthronement, and Xi Jinping congratulated him on the progress that he has achieved. The Panchen Lama was advised to advance his religious study, nurture his own virtue, carry on the legacy of his predecessor, and promote positive Buddhist doctrines, such as those upholding kindness, denouncing wickedness, promoting equality and generosity as well as helping the needy. Xi Jinping also expected the Panchen Lama to grow into "a Tibetan Buddhist leader with great religious achievement, deeply loved by the monks and secular followers" and actively engage in the cause to incorporate Tibetan Buddhism into socialist society under the Buddhist principles of equality and compassion among all beings.^

The Panchen Lama said that he would definitely take the 10th Panchen Lama as an example and firmly work for the unification of the country and all its ethnic groups; and that he would study hard and dedicate himself to incorporating Tibetan Buddhism into socialist society and promoting harmony and stability of Tibet.

This is the third time they met. Xi Jinping met with the Panchen Lama in 2006 when he was the Party Secretary of Zhejiang CPC Committee, and they warmly shook hands and exchanged greetings at a New Year’s tea party hosted by the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in 2014.

In fact, Xi Jinping also enjoyed a relationship with the 10th Panchen Lama. In July 2011, then Vice President Xi Jinping visited the Tashilhunpo Monastery and presented a Khada on the 10th Panchen Lama’s memorial stupa.

In addition, Xi Jinping’s father, Xi Zhongxun, had a profound friendship with the 10th Panchen Lama since the early days after the founding of New China.

In Apr. 1951, Xi Zhongxun met the 10th Panchen Lama for the first time. The 10th Panchen Lama was traveling to Beijing via Xi’an. Xi Zhongxun, the then major person in charge of the Northwest Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, met the 10th Panchen Lama at the airport. After the 10th Panchen Lama got off the place, he exclaimed, "We are making a special trip to Beijing to greet Chairman Mao!"

That day, Xi Zhongxun received the 10th Panchen Lama in his own home in the Northwest Bureau compound. The 10th Panchen Lama quickly began to play together with Xi Zhongxun’s eldest son Xi Fuping, since they are of the same age.

On Apr. 28, 1952, the 10th Panchen Lama arrived in Lhasa. From then until 1962, Xi Zhongxun was entrusted by the central government to be responsible for contact with the 10th Panchen Lama, and relations between them grew closer. Each year during the Spring Festival the 10th Panchen Lama would reside in Beijing, and he would spend at least one day together with Xi Zhongxun and his family.^

On Dec. 15, 1951, the day before the 10th Panchen Lama returned to Tibet from Xining of Qinghai Province, Xi Zhongxun was entrusted by the central government to go to Xining to see him off. The 10th Panchen Lama said, "Without the correct leadership of the CPC and Chairman Mao, there would be no peaceful liberation of Tibet, nor we would be able to return to Tibet."

In Dec. 1978, Xi Zhongxun and the 10th Panchen Lama were both rehabilitated during the 11th Third Plenum of the CPC. When he saw Xi Zhongxun, the Panchen Lama was very regretful, and he said, "It was because of my ‘70,000-Word Memorial’that you were implicated; I’m really sorry." Xi Zhongxun said to him, "This isn’t an issue of who implicated whom. Both of us have undergone the test and increased our knowledge. The central party committee understands you."

At the end of 1980, Xi Zhongxun was put in charge of the central government’s ethnic and religious affairs. As a result, there were even more opportunities for him to be in contact with the 10th Panchen Lama, and their friendship grew stronger. They would often chat together about anything and everything.

The Panchen Lama died suddenly in January 1989 from a myocardial infarction. Xi Zhongxun was overcome with grief. He wrote, "The CPC has lost a loyal friend, and I have lost an intimate friend with whom I have worked together for 40 years."

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The 10th Panchen Lama (front right) is warmly welcomed by Xi Zhongxun (front left) in Xi’an while on his way to Beijing, Apr. 22, 1951. [Photo/Agencies]

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Deng Yingchao, Xi Zhongxun, the 10th Panchen Lama, and others attend the inaugural ceremony of the High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China, Sep. 1, 1987. [Photo/Agencies]