China's state treasure, the holy Buddha Finger Sarira left Xi'an, capital of the northwestern Shaanxi Province, for the Republic of Korea (ROK) Friday for a month-long enshrinement there.

The Buddha Sarira, or the finger bone relic of Buddhism founder Sakyamuni, was kept at Famen Temple of Xi'an, where it was unearthed after being buried underground for more than 1,000 years. The enshrinement activity got a special permission from the Chinese government, in response to the request of the ROK Buddhist believers.

About 1,000 Buddhists held a religious ceremony on Thursday at the temple to see off the holy Buddha Finger Sarira. The ceremony was chaired by Master Monk Yi Cheng, president of the Buddhist Association of China, and Master Monk Sheng Hui, who is in charge of the escort, at the Famen Temple, one of the four sacred places in Chinese Buddhism.

The Buddhists, from both China and the ROK, saluted the images of Buddha and chanted aloud sutras from Buddhist classics at the ceremony.

The Buddha Finger Sarira is going to the ROK at the invitation of the ROK Buddhist Association. Some 20 million Korean Buddhists and Buddhism believers are expected to worship the relics.

"This is an important event in the 1,600-year history of friendly relations between the two countries," said Master Monk Sheng Hui.

The enshrinement of the Buddha Finger Sarira in the ROK could bring the ROK people happiness, improve social morality and boost friendship between the two countries, said Hui Cong, head of the inviting Buddhist delegation from the ROK.

The Buddha Finger Sarira will stay in the ROK from Nov. 11 to Dec. 20.

Since it was unearthed from a secret chamber at the Famen Temple in 1987 after being buried underground for more than 1,000 years, the Buddha Finger Sarira has been sent to Thailand and China's Taiwan and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for enshrinement. The three activities, arranged respectively in 1994, 2002 and 2004, attracted millions of Buddhism believers.

The Sarira has been confirmed by archeologists as the middle finger of the left hand of Sakyamuni, which was enshrined by the imperial families in Tang Dynasty (618-907). It was unearthed from an underground palace found in the Famen Temple in 1987.

China's Buddhist society sent a 108-member group to escort to ROK the Buddhist treasure wrapped up in jade, crystal, sandalwood, silver and iron coffins layer upon layer. There will be another 35 items of relics dating back to Tang Dynasty, which were also unearthed in Famen Temple, to be exhibited along with the Buddha Finger Sarira in ROK.

Source: Xinhua