Ambassador of Sri Lanka to China Dr. Palitha Kohona visited the Yong He Lama temple in Beijing as the VIP guest of the chief monk Xuefeng Hu on 22 June, 2021. Abbot Hu arranged a high level receiving ceremony for the Ambassador.
The chief monk Hu and Ambassador Dr. Kohona had a very productive conversation in the meditation chamber of the temple. The chief monk Hu had visited Sri Lanka some time ago and carried fond memories. He was impressed by the profound Buddhist culture and the sincerity of the people there. Ambassador Dr. Kohona replied that the chief monk was welcome to pay another visit to Sri Lanka once the pandemic was under control. Such a visit would encourage people to people contacts and create better understanding between the two counties.
The Lama Temple was constructed by Emperor Qianlong in 1694, converting his princely residence to a temple. He was born in this house. Today its spacious quarters house 120 monks and attract 3 million visitors every year. Chief monk Xuefeng Hu said there are more than 30,000 Buddhist temples in China and developing links with Sri Lanka was one of his objectives.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Beijing
26 June, 2021
