China Investigates Shaolin Temple’s Head Monk On Suspicion Of Financial And Sexual Misconduct

HONG KONG — The caput of China’s celebrated Shaolin Temple has been defrocked arsenic he is investigated by authorities for alleged financial offenses and intersexual misconduct.

Shi Yongxin, nan temple’s abbot since 1999, has had his ordination certificate revoked, China’s state-backed Buddhist Association said successful a connection Monday, citing allegations that he embezzled and misappropriated task costs and temple assets.

The 59-year-old belief leader besides collapsed his vow of celibacy, having “improper relationships” pinch women complete a agelong play of clip and fathering astatine slightest 1 kid retired of wedlock, nan temple said successful a abstracted connection Sunday.

Shi’s actions are “particularly egregious, severely damaging nan estimation of nan Buddhist organization and tarnishing nan image of monastics,” nan relation said, adding that it “firmly supports” nan investigation by aggregate agencies.

Calls to nan Shaolin Temple went unanswered connected Monday.

Dubbed nan “CEO monk,” Shi globally commercialized nan Shaolin Temple based successful China’s cardinal state of Henan, a 1,500-year-old monastery recognized arsenic nan cradle of kung fu. As of Monday, 4 companies are still registered nether Shi’s name, according to Qichacha, a Chinese firm database operator.

Led by Shi, nan temple has raised its world floor plan complete nan years done tourism, performances and training. It has besides established aggregate overseas taste centers, including successful nan United States, Australia and Europe.

Though Shi has faced akin accusations successful nan past, they were rejected by belief authorities astatine nan time.

In 2011, Shi downplayed online rumors that he had mistresses and children. “There’s nary request to vindicate. When things for illustration this happen, conscionable fto it go,” he told state-run newspaper People’s Daily.

In 2015, respective of Shi’s students accused him of extortion and bribery, drafting heightened attraction from China’s apical belief affairs body. A two-year investigation later cleared Shi of wrongdoing.

The latest investigation was wide satirized connected Chinese societal media, wherever commenters noted nan irony of nan allegations against Shi fixed that his belief requires him to unrecorded frugally.

“All nan wishes I made for wealthiness and occurrence astatine nan Buddhist temples person travel existent for nan monks,” 1 personification wrote connected nan Chinese societal media level Weibo.