BEIJING: Prosecutors in the central Chinese province of Henan have charged Shi Yongxin (pic), former abbot of the Shaolin Temple, for alleged embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and bribery, state news agency Xinhua reported on Friday (March 20).
Shi, 60, was put under investigation in July last year.
Nicknamed the “CEO monk” and known for his commercial ambitions, he sought to capitalise on the fame of the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple during his decades-long tenure.
The temple, established in AD495, is known as the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Chinese gongfu.
Last July, Beijing’s top Buddhist authority said Shi would be disrobed for “extremely” bad behaviour.
The temple said that Shi, known as the “CEO monk” for establishing dozens of companies abroad, was suspected of “embezzling project funds and temple assets”.
The monastery also said he had seriously violated Buddhist precepts, including allegedly engaging in “improper relationships” with multiple women.
In response, the Buddhist Association of China, overseen by the ruling Communist Party, said 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”, it added.
Shi 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.
The 60-year-old became 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. - Agencies
