In the latest development of the case involving the former vice chairman of the Sichuan Buddhist Association and former abbot of the Stone Buddha Temple in Chengdu, Shi Zhaojie, engaging in a relationship with a female anchor leading to extortion, on June 19th, the implicated female anchor, Cai, was sentenced to probation, while her husband, Qian, was sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in prison. People are now questioning what punishment Shi Zhaojie will face.
After the court’s ruling on the extortion case, Cai received a probation sentence and was fined 50,000 RMB, while her husband Qian was handed a sentence of 5 years and 6 months in prison, along with a fine of 100,000 RMB.
Following the end of the court trial, Cai was permitted to return home and left with her family.
This case had attracted attention on mainland China’s internet last year. In November last year, the name-shan District Court in Ya’an City, Sichuan Province, handled a case of extortion, with the abbot of Stone Buddha Temple in Pujiang County, Chengdu, Shi Zhaojie, charged with the crime of extortion alongside the female anchor Cai and her husband Qian.
According to the indictment, in February 2021, the female anchor Cai had a relationship with Shi Zhaojie at a hotel, which was later discovered by Qian. Qian used hidden cameras to capture video of Cai and Shi Zhaojie engaging in a relationship again. Claiming to be Cai’s husband, Qian demanded 1 million RMB from Shi Zhaojie to settle the matter. Cai eventually received 2 million RMB.
Subsequently, Qian threatened to expose the video, forcing Shi Zhaojie to agree to pay Qian 3.3 million RMB in installments. Worried about continuous extortion, Shi Zhaojie reported the incident to the authorities.
After the announcement of the verdict in this case, netizens have expressed varied opinions, wondering about the punishment Shi Zhaojie will face.
Some netizens lament that the monks nowadays seem to have strayed from their path of spiritual practice and are not reflecting on their vows properly. They recall a prophecy attributed to a demon, mentioning how demons will infiltrate temples and disrupt Buddhism from within. They criticize the recent trend of monks living luxuriously, driving fancy cars, mingling with beautiful women, and indulging in lavish lifestyle, which deviates from the traditional image of monks pursuing spiritual enlightenment.
The Epoch Times’ analysis of the Communist Party, “Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party,” points out that the CCP established Buddhist and Taoist associations in 1952 and 1957 respectively, with a clear requirement for religions to be “under the leadership of the Party.” Under the atheistic leadership of the CCP, temples and monasteries, which should be places of spiritual refinement for monks, have turned into money-making enterprises. Many high-ranking monks are seen living lavishly, accompanied by luxury cars, fine wines, and beautiful companions, while numerous fake monks engage in fraudulent activities, tarnishing the sanctity of Buddhism.
Shi Zhaojie had previously held positions as the vice chairman of the Sichuan Buddhist Association, the president of the Buddhist Association in Pujiang County, Chengdu, and a member of the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.
After last year’s scandal came to light, Shi Zhaojie was successively suspended from his positions as vice chairman of the Sichuan Buddhist Association, president of the Buddhist Association in Pujiang County, and the abbot of the temple. In January this year, he was stripped of his CPPCC membership, and in February, his credentials were revoked.