China to enshrine 'Buddha skull' in imperial tower

Communist China has decided to enshrine what is being regarded as a Gautama Buddha skull in a tower that will be built on the ruins of a 14th century Ming dynasty structure. The skull piece was brought to China by Indian monk Danapala 2,000 years back, Chinese scholars said.

The unique merger between Buddhist and Chinese imperial history is being facilitated by rebuilding the tower, which was destroyed in the 18th century. The tower was originally built by EmperorYong Le in memory of his mother.
The announcement came on a day when senior Chinese leaderLi Changchun called for putting “cultural system reform” high on the Communist Party’s agenda. The purpose is to achieve "greater socialist cultural prosperity."
An official at the city government in Nanjing, where the tower in being rebuilt, said the Buddha remains, or sarira, would be worshipped in the tower after the construction is completed by the end of 2011. The decision to enshrine Buddha remains by rebuilding an old tower came two months after a group of monks and government officials had unveiled the skull relic at a widely televised ceremony in the Qixia Temple in east China's Jiangsu Province.
The official media said that the porcelain tower, which was destroyed in 18th century, was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world in medieval times. Chinese historical records show that the nine-story, 78-meter-tall tower was built over 20 years, using 100,000 workers. It was octagonal in shape with 97 feet in diameter, covered with white and shining porcelain bricks interlaid with colourful bricks and stones.
The skull remains were found buried in a 1,000 year old stupa in Nanjing in July 2008.