China bureau investigates Shaolin Temple abbot over sex and fraud claims
Shi Yongxin. Image via @echinanews’s Twitter feed.
The controversial abbot of China’s famed Shaolin Temple is under investigation over online allegations of misbehavior.
The religious affairs bureau under the Denfeng city government says it was asked by the national body to look into claims made against Master Shi Yongxin.
The one-sentence notice was issued late last week and viewed on the city government website on Monday.
The notice didn’t specify any of the claims, although media reports say the accusations include that Shi fathered children with at least two women and embezzled temple funds.
The accuser, Shi Zhengyi, said the abbot is an “embezzler and womanizer” with illegitimate children.
China’s Xinhua news agency reported that the Bhuddist Association of China has called for for full clarification.
Calls to the temple in Henan province south of Beijing rang unanswered.
Shi has been criticized by some for seeking to turn the temple and its famed kung fu fighting monks into a commercial enterprise.
China News Service reported Monday that Shi was absent from a planned delegation of monks to Thailand. The organizer told the service that he was informed Saturday that Shi would not be able to travel to Thailand as planned.
Shi was supposed to head a delegation of 42 monks and 45 other Buddhists at cultural exchange activities in Bangkok and Chiangmai between August 1 and 6.
Additional reporting from Associated Press | Image via @echinanews
