Grand Ceremony Held to Welcome Enshrinement of Sakyamuni's Fingerbone in Taiwan

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 ◆ Grand Ceremony Held to Welcome Enshrinement of Sakyamuni's Fingerbone in Taiwan

A grand Buddhist ceremony was held here Sunday morning in the gymnasium of Taiwan University to welcome the enshrinement of Sakyamuni's Fingerbone in Taiwan.

The fingerbone, also known as sheli, has been enshrined in the Famen Temple in northwest China's Shaanxi Province before it was flown in Saturday.

As many as 5,000 Buddhists from across the straits attended this grand event.

After the ceremony, the sacred Buddhist relic started to be open to Buddhists and will be enshrined in different places in Taiwan for totally 37 days.

In 1994, the fingerbone was sent to Thailand and being worshipped there for some 80 days.

The fingerbone, believed by experts to be the only one remained of its kind in the world, was rediscovered at the Famen Temple in Shaanxi Province in 1987 after being sealed and stored in a underground palace for more than 1,000 years, and has long been worshipped by Buddhists.