YANGON, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Venerable High Buddhist Monk Yi Cheng was conferred by the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council Tuesday with high religious title, Aggamaha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja, for his distinctive attribution to the purification, perpetuation, promotion and propagation of Buddha's teachings.
Yi Cheng, in person, received the title among over 200 eminent venerable Buddhist monks, nuns and lay persons recipients from home and abroad at a ceremony held at the sacred precinct of the newly-built Uppatasanti Shwedagon Replica Pagoda in Myanmar's new capital of Nay Pyi Taw.
The 205 recipients include 11 from abroad, 18 elder nuns and 23lay persons.
The ceremony was attended by Vice Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Vice Senior-General Maung Aye and other government leaders.
The 97.5-meter high Uppatasanti Pagoda is the replica of the world's famous Shwedagon Pagoda in the former capital of Yangon.
Yi Cheng, President of the China Buddhist Association, who leads a seven-member Buddhist delegation, arrived Nay Pyi Taw via Yangon on Sunday to attend the religious event.
Yi Cheng once won some two highest honorable Buddhist religious titles in 2007 conferred by the Sri Lankan Buddhist circle.
Ahead of the religious title presentation ceremony, a series of inaugural ceremonies for the Uppatasanti Pagoda such as upper enshrinement of religious objects and hoisting of sacred golden umbrella, diamond orb and vane atop the pagoda as well as offering the golden lotus robe, the emerald bowl and the consecration of the pagoda were held for three successive days.