The news concerning the abbot of the Shaolin Temple in China, Master Shi Yongxin, being taken away for investigation has attracted significant attention. The latest update reveals that the Chinese Buddhist Association has canceled Shi Yongxin’s ordination certificate. The scandal involving Shi Yongxin not only impacts Buddhism but also extends to the mainland Chinese film and television industry, where several Shaolin Temple projects have reportedly been left unfinished.
On July 26, news circulated online about the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin, being taken away for investigation, sparking widespread public concern. On the evening of the 27th, the Shaolin Temple officially released a brief statement: “The abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin, is suspected of criminal offenses, including embezzlement of project funds and temple assets; serious violations of Buddhist precepts, engaging in long-term improper relationships with multiple women and fathering children out of wedlock. Currently, multiple departments are conducting a joint investigation.”
According to reports in mainland Chinese media, during the 1990s when Shi Yongxin was in charge of the Shaolin Temple, he began promoting the commercialization of the temple. Since the widespread popularity of the Hong Kong film “Shaolin Temple” starring Jet Li in 1982, the Shaolin Temple has increasingly focused on the visual adaptation of this valuable intellectual property (IP). It was rumored that when Stephen Chow was filming “Shaolin Soccer,” Shi Yongxin demanded Chow to change the movie title or pay royalties. The disagreement reportedly led to the film losing its mainland Chinese market.
Reports indicated that due to the Shaolin Temple’s copyright issues, Chow suffered losses, but this did not necessarily affect other film and television works. In 2009, “Shaolin” officially began filming, assembling A-list actors such as Jackie Chan, Andy Lau, and Nicholas Tse, and obtained direct authorization from the Shaolin Temple.
It was reported at the time that Shi Yongxin invested 150 million yuan, allowing his disciple and film producer Fu Huayang to take full charge of the film-related work. To support this film, Shi Yongxin, who was the abbot of the Shaolin Temple at the time, even established the “Shaolin Temple Cultural Communication Company,” appointing disciple Fu Huayang (born Fu Zhenglong) as the general manager and director of the Shaolin Temple Cultural Center. This marked Shi Yongxin’s extensive penetration of the film industry using the Shaolin Temple IP.
Following the success of “Shaolin” starring Andy Lau, Shi Yongxin further capitalized on this by granting IP rights to major film and television companies to produce works related to the Shaolin Temple. In 2012, Enlight Media held a press conference announcing the one-year preparation for the 3D film “Shaolin Temple.” It was reported that to celebrate the successful setup of the production team, Shi Yongxin even gifted a sword.
However, what puzzled many was that despite the film being planned since 2013 and years of preparation, there was no progress until 2020 when production was confirmed under Beijing Enlight Media. The film primarily cast newcomers, and preparations seemed to have stalled at this point. Now, five years have passed, and it appears that this much-anticipated 3D version of “Shaolin Temple” will likely remain unfinished following Shi Yongxin’s investigation.
In addition, Shi Yongxin served as the executive producer in 2018 and announced the filming of “Shaolin Temple 2.” In contrast to the 3D “Shaolin Temple,” the team for “Shaolin Temple 2” consisted of top-tier professionals, including the directorial team behind Jet Li’s version of “Shaolin Temple.” The production team even expressed intentions to “nurture the next Jackie Chan.”
After experiencing several unfinished film projects, in 2020 Shi Yongxin met with renowned CCTV director Zhang Jizhong to discuss co-production of a Shaolin Temple film and television series. However, as predicted, Zhang Jizhong’s long-awaited Shaolin Temple-themed project also came to a halt.
Records show that after venturing into the film and television industry, Shi Yongxin successively established Henan Shaolin Temple Film and Television Co., Ltd., as well as Shaolin Temple Industrial Development Co., Ltd. (which was later transformed into “Henan Shaolin Intangible Asset Management Co., Ltd.” in 2008). In conjunction with developing Shaolin Temple tourism, Shi Yongxin, holding the position of the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, also served as the responsible person for at least 17 companies, including Dengfeng Shaolin Pharmacy Co., Ltd. (established in 2003) and Shaolin Huanxi Di (established in 2007, a restaurant), earning him the title “Shaolin CEO.”
Of special interest is an incident on the early morning of July 27th at 2 a.m., when veteran Chinese entertainment journalist Due Hu directly contacted the acclaimed director Fu Huayang. Due Hu went straight to the point: “Has your master really been taken away?” Fu Huayang’s response was cryptic: “I flew back from Shanghai to the Shaolin Temple on the 25th specifically to see my master! But when I looked everywhere he frequented—there was no trace of him! Where could he be? Has he been taken away? Who took him away? Why was he taken away? I’m completely perplexed! I’m frantic, searching everywhere, but there’s no news. If something indeed happened, I believe the legal system will reveal the truth sooner or later!”
In fact, as early as 2015, Shi Yongxin was accused of receiving substantial amounts of money and having questionable personal behavior. Although the official investigation in 2017 concluded that evidence was lacking, rumors regarding his overseas assets, illegitimate children, and other matters have persisted, keeping Shi Yongxin at the center of public controversy.
Now that the truth has come to light, a report by “Caixin” indicates that the issues highlighted in the Shaolin Temple management’s notification, such as embezzlement of project funds and temple assets, serious violations of Buddhist precepts, and maintaining improper relationships with multiple women and fathering illegitimate children, are essentially the same as those reported a decade ago. This time, the accusations have escalated from public allegations to official notifications. Some netizens lamented: “It’s not surprising that Shi Yongxin is being investigated; what’s truly surprising is why it has taken this long for him to be investigated?”