Welcome to “Current Affairs Scan”. I am Jin Ran.
Since last weekend, Beijing has been hit by continuous heavy rains, causing the Miyun Reservoir to overflow. Even the usually optimistic Beijing officials have to admit the seriousness of the situation this time. As of today, it has been publicly acknowledged that at least 30 people have died, over 30 roads have been damaged, large areas have experienced power outages, and 80,000 people have been forced to evacuate.
When people talk about Beijing, they often refer to the urban area within the Sixth Ring Road on the map. In the outskirts of Beijing lies the Miyun County, where the Miyun Reservoir, known as the “life-giving water of Beijing,” is located. This reservoir, Beijing’s largest, covers approximately 180 square kilometers. On July 27, the Miyun Reservoir could no longer hold back the water and began to overflow downstream. By the 28th, all six gates of the Miyun Reservoir dam were opened, causing floods to rush down and directly engulf the town of Taishitun 10 kilometers away. Villages were instantly swallowed up, houses and trees collapsed, and roads washed away.
According to eyewitnesses, when the flood surged into the villages, the sound was like thunder, and many people were unable to escape and were swept away by the flood. Witness the terrifying scene as the flood enters the town center.
Some question why in recent years there have been frequent “Beijing defense battles” with increasingly severe flooding in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Besides defending Beijing, they also have to protect the unfinished “Xiong’an New Area” and hurriedly evacuate the residents. Some long-time Beijing residents express that there were not such frequent floods in Beijing before, but now they have become an annual recurring disaster.
Some directly point fingers at the massive reservoirs built by the Chinese Communist Party, which have become a curse for Beijing. Originally constructed to prevent flooding, these reservoirs end up causing more frequent floods, becoming sources of larger floods. When floods come, infrastructure in many areas that may not appear problematic under normal circumstances are exposed. On July 28, in Yanjiao, Beijing, Yanmei Street, a road that was recently repaired, collapsed as soon as it rained.
Just yesterday, some netizens were saying: fortunately, this flood was only on the outskirts of Beijing. However, today the urban areas of Beijing are also submerged.
Beijing residents are aware that the Forbidden City in Beijing has rarely accumulated water since its completion. Even in heavy rainfalls, it can quickly drain. It is said that when the Forbidden City was built, an elaborate underground drainage system was installed underground. Rainwater would flow rapidly into underground pipes and be discharged outside the palace. A prominent example is the super heavy rainfall in Beijing in 2023, where large areas in the city experienced flooding, disrupting subway services, and was termed a “thousand-year event” by official media. However, the Forbidden City remained dry, as if untouched by the rain. At that time, staff at the Palace Museum marveled, “The drainage system from 500 years ago still outperforms modern city planning.”
However, today, the Forbidden City is also experiencing water accumulation. Because in 2023, the term “thousand-year event” was used for the rain, if authorities were to upgrade it to “ten thousand-year event,” it would exceed China’s five thousand years of civilization, inviting ridicule. Therefore, even the official Chinese media is facing embarrassment in its language use, encountering a “thousand-year event” awkwardness.
In the early hours of July 28, when news of the Miyun Reservoir in Beijing began to overflow, a netizen from Zhuozhou, Hebei, near Beijing, posted a video pleading for the upstream not to release more water, or they would not be able to withstand it.
A resident from Zhuozhou lamented: ever since Baiyangdian became the “Xiong’an New Area,” whenever flooding occurs, it either floods Beijing or Zhuozhou – a choice between the two. They cursed: this foolish “millennium project” has caused harm. Following the overflow of the Miyun Reservoir in Beijing, the Temple Palace Reservoir in Hebei also started to overflow, submerging numerous villages. Local residents exclaimed, “This morning everything was fine, and now the water is up to our waists!”
Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei are collectively known as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, located close to each other. While they may not necessarily share the good times, natural disasters do not differentiate between them. On July 28, the floods in Jizhou District in Tianjin also appeared alarming.
Even those unfamiliar with China likely know about the famous Shaolin Temple. Recently, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin, was detained. Suddenly, a widely respected Buddhist monk became embroiled in scandal, making it seem as though not even Sichuan’s “face-changing” technique could save him from such extraordinary accusations.
This explosive incident in the Chinese community began on July 25. A police notification triggered the frenzy: it stated that the Shaolin Temple’s abbot, Shi Yongxin, attempted to escape with 34 people and was intercepted by Kaifeng police. This news caused an immediate uproar. After all, the Shaolin Temple is a symbol of contemporary Chinese Buddhism, known as the “first temple under heaven,” and Shi Yongxin embodies this symbol. Coupled with the addition of Shaolin martial arts, his image has transcended religion to become a cultural icon.
Interestingly, the standard operating procedure for the Chinese government when faced with such incidents is denial, regardless of the truth. Therefore, the local police quickly issued a statement to dispel rumors.
The police account replied: The notification is false, please do not spread it further. Investigations are currently ongoing. Initially, it seemed that this matter might end as it often does, but when reporters reached out to the Shaolin Temple for verification, instead of denials, they were told: “He has not been seen recently, please wait for official information.” Many began to speculate that Shi Yongxin might be in serious trouble given this response, coupled with the police statement: “Investigations are currently ongoing.”
As countless onlookers eagerly awaited developments, anticipating the unraveling of a grand scandal, a bombshell was dropped. On July 28, the Chinese Buddhist Association issued a statement revealing that: “Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin is suspected of criminal activities, embezzling funds from private projects and temple assets, and maintaining improper relationships with multiple women, resulting in illegitimate children, a severe violation of Buddhist precepts. Multiple departments are currently conducting a joint investigation. His actions have severely damaged the reputation of the Buddhist community and tarnished the image of the monastic community. I have received a report from the Henan Provincial Buddhist Association on the cancellation of Shi Yongxin’s religious position. In accordance with relevant regulations, I agree to revoke his duties (secular name: Liu Yingcheng). This announcement is hereby made.
The content summarized in everyday terms is: A rogue monk engaging in a lavish lifestyle, involving embezzlement, debauchery, and deception, may have impressive achievements, but due to exposure, the Buddhist community has decided he no longer fits to influence others in typical monk fashion. The ancient Shaolin art of shifting blame has been utilized to banish him. This announcement serves to inform you.
To comprehend this matter, we must delve into Shi Yongxin’s “business empire.” The Shaolin Temple, once a symbol of Chinese Buddhism, is now more of a cultural industry chain than a religious site. From warrior monk performances to cultural tourism, from incense offerings to ticket revenues, the Shaolin Temple’s annual income amounts to billions at the least.
Insiders have revealed that they have witnessed financial records of a certain temple renovation project in the Pearl River Delta. Just the daily incense offerings bring in tens of millions annually. This includes sponsorships, income from ceremonies, sale of ritual items, accumulating to hundreds of millions each year with a profit margin of eighty percent.
The scale of the Shaolin Temple surpasses that of typical monasteries. Estimated billions in annual income raked in by the temple may only represent its visible earnings. The burning question remains, where does all this money end up? Netizens speculate that the real puppeteer may be hidden behind the curtains, while the three visible names as the face of the temple read: Shi Yongxin.
Shi Yongxin’s recent scandal has exposed a past where he had been systematically shielded from multiple scandals over the last decade, being allowed not only to pass without consequences but also to rise through the ranks from a monk to the abbot and even Vice Chairman of the 10th Council of the Chinese Buddhist Association. In 2015, someone named “Shi Zhengyi” reported Shi Yongxin to the State Religious Affairs Bureau, the Disciplinary Commission, and the media over corruption and improper relationships with women and more. Looking back to December 28, 2015, the official Communist Party mouthpiece, People’s Daily, published an article stating: “Investigation results into allegations against Shi Yongxin: ‘Dismissed’ not true; having two illegitimate daughters not true.” Dismissed means his monastic status being revoked, and the mention of ongoing investigations into Shi Yongxin’s financial and other matters according to law and regulations. Despite the allegations, it amounted to nothing in the end.
It is crucial to note that over the past ten years, similar reports had been made, and recently, on July 27, the same People’s Daily, a long-standing Communist propaganda outlet, published a new article.
This time, it read: “Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin is suspected of criminal activities, embezzling funds from private projects and temple assets, maintaining improper relationships with multiple women resulting in illegitimate children.” Netizens sarcastically commented: “People’s Daily is ruthlessly hitting itself! 2015: Claims about Shi Yongxin are rumors! 2025: Claims about Shi Yongxin are true!” Ten years ago, not only did People’s Daily refute claims against Shi Yongxin, but even CCTV, the national broadcaster, staunchly defended Shi Yongxin in its news reports.
Chinese people are aware that when both People’s Daily and CCTV endorse a Chinese figure, they must have substantial backing. Therefore, the question arises: who is the umbrella protecting Shi Yongxin?
According to insiders, Shi Yongxin’s rise to the abbotship of the Shaolin Temple and his subsequent influence were pivotal to the former head of the Chinese Buddhist Association and senior Communist leader Zhao Puchu. Zhao Puchu and Shi Yongxin first met in April 1992 when Zhao visited the Shaolin Temple as a guest, with Shi Yongxin serving as the host monk. They met at least ten times after that. However, it wasn’t solely Zhao Puchu who enabled Shi Yongxin; the real mastermind pulling the strings was the former paramount leader of the Chinese Communist Party and a devout believer in Buddhism, seeking power and wealth, Jiang Zemin.
Jiang Zemin had specifically invited religious figures including Zhao Puchu to meet at Zhongnanhai, thus establishing Zhao Puchu as the frontline mule in the religious arena with Shi Yongxin in tow, endorsed by Jiang Zemin. After Zhao Puchu’s passing, Jiang Zemin personally attended his funeral.
This is why over the past decade, Shi Yongxin has been exposed to multiple allegations of corruption and immorality, well-known within the industry, but untouchable. He became increasingly audacious and insufferable, unfitting for a monk who should embody detachment. He even traveled in a manner befitting an emperor, requiring attendants to hold ceremonial umbrellas over him wherever he went.
Will the Shi Yongxin storm mark the end of an era, or will it merely herald the rise of another scandalous monk reshuffling the deck? From my perspective, whether Shi Yongxin believes or not, they are all crooked fruits from the twisted tree of the Chinese Communist Party. As long as the tree stands, the assortment of monks it yields, sprouting since conception, are inherently rotten; what quality can we expect? Just as a netizen aptly put it: “In an era where a monk turns into a major embezzler, it must be a dark age with no hope. Their temples are often dens of avarice and debauchery, their emperors must be inept and immoral rulers.”
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