Panchen Lama

The last time this happened was after the death of the ninth Panchen Lama in 1937.

"The Panchen Lama should be a purely religious man and not a political figure," the monk said.

China tried to promote the Panchen Lama, then just 20 years old, as the sole religious leader.

He said, "You know what happened to the new Panchen Lama."

Does he know how many political prisoners there are, the youngest in the world being the Panchen Lama?

After the 10th Panchen Lama's death at the age of 50, the search for his reincarnation began.

The boys were found by a committee seeking the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.

The 10th Panchen Lama added sumptuous sitting rooms and audience room.

During his travels, he visited the 9th Panchen Lama.

The post, which is now held by the Panchen Lama, is largely symbolic.

The present incarnation of the Panchen Lama is disputed.

He was posthumously recognised as the third Panchen Lama.

"The Chinese leadership should approve the new Panchen Lama because that's the way it was in the past," he said.

"And the new Panchen Lama will be from Chinese territory because that's the historical pattern."

From a field of 28 candidates, each born around the time of the Panchen Lama's death, the committee selected a boy.

Today, he stood his ground, saying in a statement that "my recognition of the Panchen Lama's reincarnation cannot be changed."

The Panchen Lama has been revered by Tibetans for about 300 years.

Tibetans had already chosen a boy they considered a reincarnation of the Panchen Lama.

Work resumed in 1989 after the death of one of its leading critics, the Panchen Lama.

And they can't keep their Panchen Lama in Tibet.

He was appointed vice-president of the Committee in 1959, the 10th Panchen Lama being its president.

"If the new Panchen Lama devotes himself solely to religion, then we would fully support him.

He was proclaimed the 11th Panchen Lama.

The Panchen Lama is the second highest Gelugpa leader, but does not have civil authority.

The original Panchen Lama still languishes under house arrest in Beijing.