China’s world-renowned Shaolin Temple has introduced its abbot – Shi Yongxin – is below felony investigation for alleged embezzlement and “improper relationships” with ladies.
The 59-year-old, whose unique title is Liu Yingcheng, is alleged to have critically violated Buddhist rules by sustaining relationships with a number of ladies over an extended interval and fathering a minimum of one baby, in response to the temple’s authorities.
He’s “suspected of criminal offences, misappropriating and embezzling project funds and the temple’s assets,” the temple stated in a press release.
Shi has “seriously violated Buddhist precepts, maintained improper relationships with multiple women over a long period of time” and fathered a minimum of one “illegitimate” baby, it alleged.
He’s below joint investigation by a number of businesses, it added.
In a press release, the state-supervised Buddhist Affiliation of China stated it authorized the revoking of Shi’s ordination certificates.
His “behaviours are extremely deplorable in nature” it stated, including he has “seriously damaged the reputation of the Buddhist community and tarnished the image of monks”.
On Sunday, an internet discover claiming he was intercepted by authorities whereas attempting to flee together with his mistresses and kids was dismissed as faux by officers, in response to Chinese language media studies.
Beforehand a member of China’s parliament, Shi entered the Buddhist monastery, primarily based within the central Chinese language province of Henan, in 1981 and have become its abbot in 1999, in response to the temple’s web site.
The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple can also be well-known for its martial arts tradition, or kung fu, which has been referenced in lots of motion pictures and TV dramas, together with the 1982 movie The Shaolin Temple starring martial arts famous person Jet Li.
Shi sparked controversy for creating profitable kung fu exhibits and merchandise together with T-shirts, sneakers, tea and a kung fu guide for 9,999 yuan (£1,040), throughout his decades-long tenure.
He posted each day on his social media account on Weibo, on which he has greater than 882,000 followers.
