Head of China’s Shaolin Temple to be removed over embezzlement claims
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Abbot Shi Yongxin, known as the “CEO monk” for establishing dozens of companies abroad, had also been accused of maintaining a fleet of luxury cars and fathering children with multiple women.
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BEIJING - The head of the Chinese temple known as the birthplace of gongfu will be disrobed for “extremely” bad behaviour, Beijing’s top Buddhist authority said on July 28, after allegations of embezzlement saw him placed under investigation.
The Shaolin Temple said on July 27 that Abbot Shi Yongxin, known as the “CEO monk” for establishing dozens of companies abroad, was suspected of “embezzling project funds and temple assets”.
The monastery said he had seriously violated Buddhist precepts, including allegedly engaging in “improper relationships” with multiple women.
“Multiple departments” were conducting a joint investigation, the temple said in a statement on WeChat.
In response, the Buddhist Association of China, overseen by the ruling Communist Party, said on July 28 it would cancel his certificate of ordination.
“Shi Yongxin’s actions are of an extremely bad nature, seriously undermining the reputation of the Buddhist community, hurting the image of monks,” the association said in an online statement.
The association “firmly supports the decision to deal with Shi Yongxin in accordance with the law”.
He had previously been accused by former monks of embezzling money from a temple-run company, maintaining a fleet of luxury cars and fathering children with multiple women.
China’s government exercises authority over the appointment of religious leaders, and improper conduct is often grounds for removal from office.
A hashtag related to the temple scandal had been viewed over 560 million times on social media platform Weibo, as at the morning of July 28.
The last post to the abbot’s personal account on Weibo declared: “When one’s own nature is pure, the pure land is here in the present”.
Abbot Shi faced similar allegations in 2015, which the temple called vicious libel.
The 59-year-old took office as abbot in 1999 and in the following decades expanded Shaolin studies and cultural knowledge overseas.
He helped the temple in China’s Henan province to establish dozens of companies – but received backlash for commercialising Buddhism.
The temple, established in AD495, is known as the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Chinese gongfu.
Abbot Shi was first elected vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of China in 2002 and had served as a representative to the National People’s Congress, the country’s top lawmaking body. AFP
