COLOMBO, Aug 23 (NNN-XINHUA) – China’s White Horse Temple, donated a Buddha statue to Sri Lanka at yesterday’s handover ceremony, at the Dharmayathanaya Temple, in Colombo.
The chief incumbent of Dharmayathanaya Temple, Ven. Elle Gunawansha Thero, Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena, head of the White Horse Temple, Ven. Yinle, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong and his wife, Counsellor Jin Qian, and the delegation from the Luoyang Municipal Committee, attended the ceremony.
At the ceremony, Gunawansha Thero stated that, the Buddhist exchanges between Sri Lanka and China have a long history. The donation of the Buddha statue by the White Horse Temple to Sri Lanka marks a significant event, in the history of Buddhist exchanges between the two countries.
“We will place the statue at Dharmayathanaya Temple, hoping it will showcase Buddhist culture and the friendship between Sri Lanka and China to visitors and devotees,” said Gunawansha Thero.
Qi said that, China-Sri Lankan Buddhist exchanges have a long history, and have built enduring friendships that are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people of the two countries. Since establishing diplomatic ties, interactions between China and Sri Lanka’s Buddhist communities have grown closer, further reinforcing our bilateral relationship.
During the ceremony, monks from both China and Sri Lanka held a chanting and consecration ceremony for the Buddha statue, which is placed opposite the Bandaranaike International Conference Hall, symbolising the friendship between China and Sri Lanka.– NNN-XINHUA
