Recent days have seen numerous scandals in the Communist Party’s Buddhist circles in China. The abbot of Shaolin Temple, Master Shi Yongxin, has been embroiled in corruption allegations, causing a stir. Following this, it was reported that Du Hua, the former chairman of the Leshan Giant Buddha Travel Investment Group, has been expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office, with judicial prosecution pending. Prior to this, Kang Xiaoming, the former general manager of the Leshan Giant Buddha Travel Investment Group, had also been expelled from the Party and is facing legal action.
In a statement released on July 30 by the Sichuan Leshan City Discipline Inspection Commission, it was disclosed that Du Hua, the Party Secretary and Chairman of Leshan Giant Buddha Travel Investment Development (Group) Co., Ltd., has been expelled from the Party and is under investigation for serious violations of discipline and law. Nearly a year ago, Kang Xiaoming, who once worked alongside Du Hua as the general manager of the Leshan Giant Buddha Travel Investment Group, was also expelled from the Party and referred to the judiciary.
Public records indicate that Du Hua, 58 years old, is a native of Jianwei County, Sichuan. He held various positions in Jianwei County, including Director of the County Environmental Protection Bureau, Party Committee Member and Deputy County Mayor, Member of the County Party Committee, and Deputy County Mayor in charge of daily affairs. Subsequently, Du Hua served as Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Leshan City Construction Investment Development (Group) Co., Ltd. From January 2020 to 2025, he held the positions of Party Secretary and Chairman of Leshan Giant Buddha Travel Investment Development (Group) Co., Ltd.
In February 2025, Du Hua was investigated and removed from office on suspicion of serious violations of discipline and law. The investigation report stated that Du Hua had lost his faith, lacked awareness of discipline and law, was disloyal and dishonest to the Party, resisted organizational review, violated procedural rules, made significant personal decisions, abused his position for personal gain in project contracting and loan coordination, and accepted substantial illegal gains. In July, Du Hua was expelled from the Party, his ill-gotten gains were confiscated, and he was prosecuted on suspicion of criminal offenses.
In March 2024, Kang Xiaoming, the deputy of Du Hua and former general manager of the group, was also investigated and removed from office. In September of the same year, Kang Xiaoming was expelled from the Party on charges including bribery and “indulging in extravagant eating and drinking.” He was accused of exploiting his position to benefit others in business contracts and fund disbursements, as well as accepting large sums of money. He has since been prosecuted by the judiciary.
Professor Li Yuanhua, formerly of Capital Normal University, commented in an interview with Epoch Times on July 31, stating, “Both the chairman and former general manager of the Leshan Giant Buddha Travel Investment Group have been expelled from the Party, echoing the overall environment in the Communist Party officials.” He added, “The destruction of religion by the Communist Party is not just about the past Cultural Revolution’s destruction and desecration; it also involves turning religious figures at these sacred places into high-ranking officials, transforming the supposed pure land of Buddhism into a corrupt place.”
Li Yuanhua further remarked, “Under the guise of religion, some ventures like tourism investments are essentially using cultural relics to make money, turning these relics into their own private property for profit.” He believes that within the Communist Party’s officialdom, officials of all ranks have turned power into money, using their authority to engage in corruption.
Regarding individuals implicated in corruption, Li Yuanhua suggested, “Some may have lost their protection and been affected, while others may be involved in even greater corruption themselves. Some not only engage in corrupt practices themselves but also transfer their assets overseas.”
In a separate incident from 2019, the Communist Party’s wealthy second-generation overseas student, Lu Wanzhen, was kidnapped in Canada while flaunting his wealth. Canadian authorities confirmed that Lu Wanzhen’s English name is Peter and he owns many luxury cars, including a Lamborghini, a Rolls-Royce, and a Land Rover.
Subsequent reports revealed Lu Wanzhen’s lifestyle, which included driving luxury cars and wearing extravagant watches in Vancouver, surrounded by numerous attractive women. His mother, Zhang Yuan, is the mastermind behind 15 companies, overseeing a vast business empire. His father, Lu Wenrong, has a net worth of up to 375 million yuan and is a successful businessman who also serves as the vice president of the Daoist Association.
Li Yuanhua noted, “The Daoist Association, ostensibly a religious group, is actually a money-making operation under the guise of religion. After making money, they allow their children to spend extravagantly overseas. With the arrest of Master Shi Yongxin of Shaolin Temple, those hidden so-called businesses will gradually be exposed.”