CCTV airs 6th Lama series

Reflects central govt’s administration over Tibet

China’s State television broadcast a documentary on the 6th Panchen Lama’s journey to Beijing more than 200 years ago since Wednesday, which shows the patriotic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

The first three episodes of the documentary Pilgrimage-Panchen, were aired on China’s Central Television’s (CCTV) main channels Wednesday night, and the remaining two followed on Thursday.

The documentary showed the 6th Panchen Lama, Lozang Palden Yeshe (1738-80), the great religious leader of Tibetan Buddhism, traveling thousands of kilometers to Beijing to celebrate the Qianlong Emperor’s 70th birthday in 1780.

Aside from the journey, the documentary also traced the 29-article Ordinance for More Effective Governing of Tibet in 1793 and “golden urn” system for confirming the reincarnated soul boy of a deceased Living Buddha, which was established by Qianlong in 1792.

According to Li Yang, the documentary’s director, they filmed the 6th Panchen’s route to Beijing. They also interviewed research fellows at institutes, employees at Potala Palace and the Tashilunpo Monastery and inheritors of Tibetan culture and crafts, Lhasa-based tibet.cn reported.

The documentary opened with the handwriting of the 11th Panchen Lama Bainqen Erdini Qoigyijabu.

“The documentary reflects the effective historical administration and management of the central government of Tibet, as well as the authority of the central government over the living Buddha reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism,” tibet.cn said.

“I watched the documentary before I slept last night. Aside from feeling proud, I was also touched by the documentary and learned a lot,” a Sina Weibo user said.

The 6th Panchen’s meeting with Qianlong is significant because it shows the determination of the local Tibet authority and dignitary lamas to maintain the unify of the motherland, Li Decheng, a research fellow at the China Tibetology Research Center, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Presenting the 6th Panchen’s patriotism and unearthing the historical facts are meaningful for Tibetan Buddhism to inherit and pass on the tradition of loving the motherland and the religion, Li said.

The documentary will also be made into English, French and German versions for overseas release, according to tibet.cn.

Li said he believes the documentary could positively spread the history and culture of Tibet and correctly illustrate the relationship between Tibet and the central government, the patriotic tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and the Chinese central government’s sovereignty over the region.

The CCTV has produced several documentaries in recent years on Tibet, such as the Roof of the World, Extreme Road, Deep into the Shambhala and Minya Konka.

The documentaries were also released on video-streaming websites, such as youku.com and bilibili.com.