Reply Telegram to the Dalai Lama and Comment on the Draft Reply Telegram
(April 22, 1957)
Dear Dalai Lama:
The telegram you sent us from Lhasa on April 1st has been received, thank you for your greetings.
You and Panchen Erdeni went abroad to participate in the two thousand five hundredth anniversary commemoration of Sakyamuni’s[3] nirvana and to visit India, making an important contribution to enhancing the friendship between the two countries of China and India, and leaving a deep impression on personages from all circles. After this long journey, please take good care of your health. I wish you new achievements in the work of strengthening the unity of all nationalities of the motherland and the internal unity of Tibet.
Mao Zedong
April 22, 1957
[1] Dalai Lama, i.e., Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, one of the religious leaders of Tibet, at the time Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress and Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region.
[2] Panchen Erdeni, i.e., Panchen Erdeni Chökyi Gyaltsen, one of the religious leaders of Tibet, at the time Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and First Vice Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the Tibet Autonomous Region.
[3] Sakyamuni, a person of the Shakya clan of ancient India, founder of Buddhism.

Better to reply separately. Return to Xu Bing for handling.[1]
Mao
[1] This is a comment written by Mao Zedong on a letter of instruction from Xu Bing, Deputy Head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. On April 1, 1957, the Dalai Lama had sent separate telegrams to Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De. When Xu Bing submitted the draft reply telegram to the Dalai Lama prepared by the United Front Work Department, he had suggested sending one joint reply telegram in the names of the four individuals Mao, Liu, Zhou, and Zhu.