China Buddhist Association's Tibetan Branch held a meeting to commemorate 20th anniversary of the attainment of nirvana of 10th Panchen Lama in Lhasa on Jan 20.

10th Panchen Erdini Qoigyi Gyaincain died in his 51 in Deqen Kelzang of Xigaze on January 28, 1989. A holy stupa for 10th Panchen Lama started to build up on the third day after his death and was completed in Sep 1993.

Losang Gyaltsen, director of TAR United Front Work Department said:"The meeting held by China Buddhist Association's Tibetan Branch is to commemorate 20th anniversary of the attainment of nirvana of 10th Panchen Lama, to cherish the memory of this Tibetan patriot and to thank his efforts on safeguarding national unity."

In 1980s', 10th Panchen condemned separatists firmly, he said: "I will safeguard national unification resolutely. Any acts or aims of splitting the motherland are unacceptable. I would like to make my greatest efforts for unification of the motherland."

"Though 10th Panchen has been dead for 20 years, his spirit of holding the banners of patriotism and socialism, safeguarding the motherland's unification, carrying out the ethnic and religious work, promoting the harmony among ethnic groups, and establishing normal religious order is worthy of learning and advocating," Losang Gyaltsen said.

Nowadays, the 11th Panchen Erdeni Qoigyi Gyibo enthroned in 1995 after 10th Panchen Lama passed away has been worshiped by many religious believers.