http://www.tibet.ca/en/newsroom/wtn/archive/old?y=1994&m=10&p=4_1
1. Jiang Zemin meets incarnate Karmapa lama in Tianamnen Square
Xinhua news agency, Beijing, 4 Ocotber 1994
Beijing, 1st October: “I thank the central leadership for the attention shown to me,” said the 17th Living Buddha Garmaba [Karmapa] with a smile on his face when he shook hands with General Secretary Jiang Zemin on Tiananmen rostrum this evening during the National Day ceremony.
At about nine o’clock when the 100,000-people grand evening party was going on, General Secretary Jiang Zemin of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, walked over to Garmaba to shake hands with him. Following the Tibetan tradition, the 10-year old Living Buddha presented a white hada (a piece of silk) as a gift to Jiang Zemin, and Jiang presented one to him in return.
The Garmaba said, “The central government has paid special attention to my trip in Beijing, I have had a pleasant time and I heartily thank the central leadership. ” Jiang Zemin said, ” I hope the Living Buddha will study hard and grow up healthily, so that you can contribute to the economic and social development of Tibet.” Jiang also asked the Garmaba’s teacher to train the young Garmaba into a patriotic Living Buddha with deep love for his religion. Jiang gave his best wishes in the Tibetan language to the Garmaba, and the Garmaba put his palms together, saying “Long live the People’s Republic of China!”
The young Garmaba, by the name of Chilaidoje, was born in Lhamdo township in Chamdo County in the eastern part of Tibet. He was found to be the reincarnated child of the 16th Garmaba Living Buddha whose will defined the birthplace, names of parents and age of his successor. He ascended the holy throne in the Tibet-based Curbo Monastery at a solemn ceremony in 1992 with the approval of the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State Council of China.
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