国内英语新闻:Panchen Lama visits rural households in southern Tibet

LHASA, Tibet, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The 11th Panchen Lama on Tuesday visited rural homes in Shannan Prefecture and chatted with peasants before finishing his first visit to this part of southern Tibet.

"I never dreamed a Living Buddha would come to my home," said Mila, 49, a resident in Ztang Township.

The maroon-robed Panchen Lama sat with Mila on a bench in the family's bright new concrete house and talked about a wide range of issues including local living standards, incomes and religious life.

The 11th Panchen Lama gives head-touch blessings to local devotees in front of Sanyai Monastery in Nedong County of Shannan Prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, on June 8, 2010. The 11th Panchen Lama finised Tuesday the two-day visit in south Tibet's Shannan Prefecture where he held large prayer services and gave head-touch blessings to more than 5,000 local devotees.

Patting the head of a three-year-old, the Panchen Lama, now in his 20s, told Mila's family to give the children a good education. He also told the family to work hard for a prosperous life.

"I will pray for you," the Panchen Lama said.

The Panchen Lama gave head-touch blessings to locals as he walked from home to home. He also prayed at the thirteen-century-old Sanyai Monastery.

The Panchen Lama started his tour to Shannan on Monday for his first visit to the area honored as the cradle of Tibetan civilization since he was enthroned as a Tibetan Buddhist leader in 1995.

He returned to Lhasa late Tuesday.

The 11th Panchen Lama, who spends most of his time since the enthronement studying Buddhism in Beijing, started his annual Tibet tour last Thursday, during which he visited a number of monasteries and participated in a variety of Buddhist events.