On November 16th, according to the latest official report, the prosecutor in Xinxiang City has approved the arrest of Master Shi Yongxin on charges of embezzlement, fund misappropriation, and accepting bribes as a non-state employee.
On July 27th, the management of the Shaolin Temple announced that the abbot, Master Shi Yongxin, was accused of committing criminal offenses by misappropriating project funds and assets of the temple. He was found to have severely violated Buddhist precepts by maintaining inappropriate relationships with multiple women and fathering illegitimate children. Currently, various departments are conducting a joint investigation into the matter.
On July 28th, the website of the Chinese Buddhist Association issued a statement saying that Master Shi Yongxin’s actions were extremely heinous, significantly tarnishing the reputation of the Buddhist community and damaging the image of monks. The association received a report from the Henan Province Buddhist Association regarding the revocation of Shi Yongxin’s ordination certificate. In line with relevant regulations, the association agreed to revoke Shi Yongxin’s ordination certificate (secular name: Liu Yingcheng).
On August 7th, the website of the Chinese Buddhist Association published an article stating that Master Shi Yongxin was suspected of committing criminal offenses and flagrantly violated Buddhist precepts. The news of him being under investigation by multiple agencies sparked widespread public outcry.
According to reports cited by Shenzhen News Network on September 19th, several individuals closely associated with Master Shi Yongxin, including Zhao, Qian, Liu, and others, have been taken in for assistance in the investigation. Relevant departments are looking into two criminal cases involving Master Shi Yongxin and several illegitimate children.
It was reported that Zhao, a direct relative of Master Shi Yongxin, had previously become the office director of a department in Dengfeng City through the operation of a local official named Niu. Zhao and Niu are currently under investigation.
Those taken in for assistance in the investigation include key personnel from Shaolin Temple’s core enterprises, such as Qian, Huang, Liu, former director of Shaolin Hotel Li, local builder Cui, former director of Shaolin Pharmacy, and others. They were all vital members of Master Shi Yongxin’s business team.
Master Shi Yongxin rose to prominence by promoting the commercialization of Shaolin Temple, earning him the moniker “Shaolin CEO.” Back in 2015, six former disciples, including Shi Yanlu, officially reported incidents of Shi Yongxin embezzling Shaolin Temple’s assets, tarnishing its reputation, having relationships with multiple women, and fathering illegitimate children. However, official reports at the time denied any issues with Shi Yongxin.
Following the investigation of Master Shi Yongxin in July this year, news of his younger brother Liu Yingbiao going missing also surfaced. Liu Yingbiao, the fourth brother of Master Shi Yongxin who also practiced at Shaolin Temple under the name Shi Yongsheng, held positions such as Secretary-General of Shaolin Charity Welfare Foundation, Secretary-General of Shaolin Calligraphy and Painting Academy, Chairman of International Shaolin Temple Culture Media Co., Ltd., and President of the International Shaolin Kung Fu Research Association, all of which were known online.
Earlier reports from mainland China suggested that individuals close to Shaolin Temple revealed that around May this year, local government personnel were stationed at Shaolin Temple purportedly under the management authority. Shaolin Temple entered a state of emergency.
Although Master Shi Yongxin was reported ten years ago, he remained untouched. Now, his sudden downfall has led to speculations that his “backing has collapsed.”
China expert Honghe once told Epoch Times that Shi Yongxin was initially supported by Jiang faction’s former Standing Committee member Li Changchun. Passing through the leadership tenures of Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping, he thrived comfortably, especially with the support of his business empire, which likely had backing from each member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee and potentially all three party leaders.
During Xi Jinping’s era, Shi Yongxin not only avoided downfall in the anti-corruption campaign but also advanced in his career, serving as a member and Standing Committee member of the Henan Political Consultative Conference, as well as the Vice Chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association.
Honghe believes that Shi Yongxin’s commercial empire at the Shaolin Temple was more akin to a private enterprise, which enticed Party and government officials. The Communist Party parachuted a “Red Monk” with a religious educational background, Shi Yinle, to become the new abbot of Shaolin Temple, somewhat resembling a state-owned enterprise taking over a private enterprise because even if the private enterprise is obedient, the Party remains wary.