Authorities are investigating the abbot of China’s iconic Shaolin Temple for suspected embezzlement and improper relationships with women, reviving similar allegations from 2015.
Shi Yongxin, 59, also known as “CEO monk,” is accused of embezzling project funds and temple assets while breaking Buddhist vows by having relationships with multiple women and fathering children.
Yongxin who was elected as vice-chairperson of the Buddhist Association of China in 2002, was detained by police last week as the probe began, while China’s Buddhist Association revoked his ordination certificate Monday.
His Weibo page, which has nearly 900,000 followers, went silent after July 24. A now-debunked fake police notice also claimed that he had 174 illegitimate children, illegally transferred $41.3 billion and tried to flee to the U.S. with mistresses and some kids was dismissed as fake by Chinese authorities.
The historic Shaolin Temple, founded more than 1,500 years ago in Henan province, holds UNESCO World Heritage status as the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and kung fu martial arts.
Since becoming abbot in 1999, Shi earned his “CEO monk” reputation by building a commercial empire that operates across 40 countries.
His business ventures included touring kung fu shows, licensing deals for movies and games, and running companies in publishing, traditional Chinese medicine and property development.
Addressing criticism of his business approach, Shi once told state media, “If China can import Disney resorts, why can’t other countries import the Shaolin Monastery?”
“The investigation of Shi Yongxin is undoubtedly the most sensational case of corruption in a Buddhist temple in recent years,” Hu Xijin, the former editor of state-run Global Times newspaper and a prominent commentator, wrote on the social media site Weibo, where the Shaolin Temple story was trending.
“It tells people that in today’s China, there is no place that can be considered a ‘safe haven’ for corrupt practices.”
Vendors near the Shaolin Temple now say fewer tourists are visiting, with one describing Shi as a monk whose personal conduct hurt Buddhism’s reputation.
Authorities promise to release further information as the multi-agency investigation continues. Temple officials appointed Shi Yinle as the new abbot Tuesday.
Since being appointed several longstanding commercial activities at the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng, Central China’s Henan Province, have vanished just days after the new abbot took office following the launch of an investigation into its former abbot Shi Yongxin, according to an article posted by Shanghai-based media outlet Yicai on its official WeChat account on Wednesday.
On July 30, the second day of Abbot Yinle’s tenure, previously ubiquitous paid offerings such as “health incense” and “family blessing incense” disappeared, Yicai reported.
Other noticeable changes include the removal of donation-oriented QR codes formerly worn by “martial monks.” Materials about the temple that previously required payment are now freely displayed at public stands, said the report.
Outside the abbot’s residence, which once hosted celebrities, foreign dignitaries and business leaders under former abbot Shi Yongxin, metal barriers now obscure the entrance.
Several A4-printed signs posted on the barricades read: “Prioritize protection, strengthen management, uncover value, utilize effectively, and bring cultural relics to life,” along with a reminder that all individuals and organizations have a legal duty to protect heritage.
The abbot’s residence has been barricaded for some time, but when asked whether this change is related to Shi Yongxin’s arrest, staff members declined to comment, said the report.
The management of staff members is currently overseen by the Shaolin Temple Administrative Office, a government-appointed body formed in May with personnel dispatched from Zhengzhou and Dengfeng’s departments of religious affairs and united front work departments, not by the temple, a staff member told the Yicai reporter.
Another veiled structure includes a commemorative monument erected in 1999 to mark Shi Yongxin’s promotion. The staff confirmed that the monument was covered the day he was detained, according to the report.
In front of the Mahavira Hall at the center of the temple, some visitors were seen lighting incense and offering prayers. Meanwhile, many tourists were lining up at a nearby incense stand to take “health incense” free of charge.
“This used to cost money. This time, I didn’t see anyone (collecting payment),” said Wu from Zhengzhou, Central China’s Henan Province. Wu, who often brings out-of-town friends to visit the Shaolin Temple explained that in the past, a single stick of incense could easily cost dozens or even hundreds of yuan, with the more expensive ones could surpass 1,000 yuan. But on this visit, he found no one running incense stalls — if anyone wants to offer incense now, they can just take it, said the Yicai report.
Abbot Yinle has not publicly commented on the reforms. Repeated attempts to reach the temple’s administrative office were declined, according to the report.
