Panchen Rinpoche makes donation for quake-hit area in Xizang

LHASA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Panchen Rinpoche and around 900 monks from Tashilhunpo Monastery held an event on Wednesday to chant prayers and donate money to help those affected by Tuesday's earthquake in Dingri County, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, nearly 1.5 million yuan (about 208,660 U.S. dollars) in donations was collected. Panchen Rinpoche, a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice president of the Buddhist Association of China, on Tuesday made a donation to the quake-stricken area.

Tashilhunpo Monastery was originally built in 1447 in Xigaze, which administers Dingri, and has been Panchen Rinpoche's traditional seat.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Tsogo Township, Dingri County, on Tuesday morning, causing over 120 fatalities and razing thousands of rural houses.