The 11th Panchen Lama on Tuesday visited Jokhang Temple, the most renowned monastery in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu arrived around 6 a.m., greeted by lamas dressed in crimson robes and holding Tibetan prayer flags, or hada, a long, scarf-like white silk used by the Tibetans for blessings.

The living Buddha visited the major halls of the temple, paid homage and presented his own hada to statues of Buddhas.

He also led a 30-minute sutra-chanting ceremony, where he and more than 100 lamas at the temple prayed for prosperity and stability.

The ceremony was followed by a head-touching ritual to bless the lamas.

The Panchen Lama began his Lhasa visit on Monday. The lama's visits have become an annual event in recent years.

Born in 1990 in Tibet, the 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu was chosen as the reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Erdini in November 1995 through the traditional method of drawing lots from a golden urn.

He is vice president of the Buddhist Association of China and a member of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body.