In a recent development at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, Abbot Shi Yongxin is currently under official investigation for alleged corruption and other misconduct issues. This has sparked public outcry and raised concerns about transparency in temple finances and the commercialization of religious institutions.
On July 27, the management office of the Shaolin Temple released a statement announcing that Abbot Shi Yongxin is being investigated for suspected criminal activities by multiple government departments. The statement detailed allegations of misappropriation of temple assets by Shi Yongxin, as well as engaging in inappropriate relationships with multiple women and fathering illegitimate children.
Following the news of the investigation into Shi Yongxin, Lawyer Guo Jianxin from the Jiangsu Maosheng Law Firm in Yixing submitted a request for the disclosure of the Shaolin Temple’s financial information for the years 2023 and 2024 to the Henan Provincial Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau.
According to a report by Netease on August 20th, the reply from the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Bureau in Dengfeng City stated that due to the ongoing criminal investigation involving the former abbot Shi Yongxin, the financial reports for the specified years are considered “state secrets” and therefore will not be disclosed based on relevant regulations. This response quickly garnered attention on social media platforms.
Netizens have commented on the situation, with one saying, “The cesspool is too dirty to show”, and another pointing out, “Secrets are everywhere, everything can be deemed as a secret.” Some speculate that the reluctance to disclose the information could be linked to the substantial amounts involved, suggesting that even if it was just a modest sum, they would still claim it as confidential.
Public records indicate that Shi Yongxin, also known as Liu Yingcheng, became the abbot of the Shaolin Temple in 1999. He has been instrumental in overseeing the commercial operations of the temple, with reported annual revenues exceeding two billion yuan. Shi Yongxin has also held positions such as Vice Chairman of the Chinese Buddhist Association and Chairman of the Henan Provincial Buddhist Association, in addition to serving as a delegate to the National People’s Congress for multiple terms.
In fact, Shi Yongxin was previously reported in 2015 for allegations of accepting substantial bribes and leading a morally questionable personal life, but in 2017, the official investigation concluded that there was “insufficient evidence”.
Reports from Caixin Global suggest that the issues raised in the recent notification about Shi Yongxin are essentially the same as those reported a decade ago, but this time it has escalated from informal complaints to an official report. Over the past decade, disputes between Shi Yongxin, the Shaolin Temple, and the local government have been ongoing regarding ticket revenues, temple management rights, and Shaolin trademark ownership.
The decision to station personnel in the name of the Shaolin Temple management office in advance has drawn attention to the issue of temple management rights.
Analysts point out that the root cause of Shi Yongxin’s investigation may lie in the vast wealth accumulated through the commercialization of the Shaolin Temple, attracting greed and ultimately leading to his downfall. The corruption and personal scandals that have circulated for a decade were reportedly tolerated due to the relationships of interest involved.
Furthermore, China expert Henghe suggests that Shi Yongxin’s investigation may indicate that the “transformation” of Buddhism has been completed, with almost all temples now fully commercialized, making Shi Yongxin’s leadership role redundant.