A laptop and butter tea are indispensable daily items to 15-year-old Gyaincain Norbu, the officially recognized 11th Panchen Lama.

He is the highest-ranking figure of Tibetan Buddhism currently in China, selected as the reincarnation of his predecessor by the central government in 1995.

Receiving a Buddhist education in Beijing while learning computer skills and English, the young leader has a typical Tibetan lifestyle.

The traditional Tibetan drink and food of butter tea and zanba, or roasted highland barley called qingke by locals, are his favorite breakfast food.

"Every morning His Holiness has zanba and butter tea for breakfast," said Lobsang Dainta, who has been the Panchen Lama's personal attendant for more than six years.

For lunch and supper he also has traditional Tibetan food such as beef dumplings, either steamed or boiled. "He never treats himself to fish or seafood, but sometimes he has a tin of walnut juice," said Lobsang.

With an innate talent for studying the Buddhist sutras, the teenager also finds his laptop to be extremely useful.

The young lama spends most of his time between lunch and 4:00 PM on his laptop and reading, and is finding English lesson interesting. "He giggles when erring in pronunciation during his lessons," said Lobsang.

His English tutor, Xu Lianbi, a veteran ethnic Han teacher in his 60s, said he can communicate in simple English and understand some short readings.

He has two 90-minute English classes each week and spends two evenings studying English and Chinese. He practices also Tibetan handwriting for an hour every evening.

Studying Buddhist sutras, however, is the main occupation of the Panchen Lama's daily life, said his acolyte. "Only when he is occupied by religious rituals can the study be canceled."

"His Holiness shows great wisdom in Buddhism study, and he is very conscientious and diligent," said Salong Punlag, a managing lama in Zhaxilhunbo Lamasery.

(Eastday.com December 2, 2004)