BEIJING, China: The abbot of China’s famed Shaolin Temple, long known as the birthplace of kung fu, is being stripped of his monastic status for what authorities described as “extremely bad behaviour” following a probe into financial and personal misconduct.
Abbot Shi Yongxin, dubbed the “CEO monk” for aggressively expanding the temple’s brand and commercial reach overseas, is accused of embezzling temple funds and violating Buddhist precepts.
The monastery said on Sunday that Shi allegedly siphoned off project money and assets, and engaged in inappropriate relationships with multiple women.
“Multiple departments” are involved in the joint investigation, the temple said in a statement on WeChat.
Yesterday, the Buddhist Association of China – under the supervision of the ruling Communist Party – announced it would revoke Shi’s certificate of ordination, citing actions that “seriously undermined the reputation of the Buddhist community and the image of monks”.
Shi, 59, was previously accused by former monks of embezzling funds from a temple-run company, owning a fleet of luxury vehicles, and fathering children – allegations that resurfaced despite earlier denials.
A hashtag related to the scandal had garnered over 560 million views on Weibo by Monday morning.
The abbot’s last Weibo post read: “When one’s own nature is pure, the pure land is here in the present.”
Shi took up the abbot role in 1999 and helped turn the 1,500-year-old temple into a global brand.
Though he expanded Shaolin cultural studies and established dozens of businesses abroad, critics accused him of commercialising Buddhism.
He also held influential roles: elected vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of China in 2002 and serving as a delegate to China’s National People’s Congress.
China’s government tightly regulates religious leadership, and accusations of “improper” conduct often result in removal from official posts.
In 2015, the temple had dismissed similar accusations as “vicious libel”. – AFP
