China closes two temples for deceiving tourists into donating money

BEIJING (AP) - Authorities have shut two temples on a sacred Buddhist mountain in northern China and arrested six people after fake monks reportedly deceived tourists into donating money, Chinese state media and an official said on Sunday.

The Mount Wutai Administration Bureau closed two of the mountain's dozens of temples and revoked their business licenses on Friday, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

It said the six people were arrested over illegal funding and that the temples had reportedly hired fake monks to con tourists into buying expensive incense and paying unreasonable amounts of money for ceremonies.

An official surnamed Ma at the Wutai Scenic Spot Administration confirmed two temples had been closed and six people detained, and said the case was still under investigation. He refused to give his full name.