Shaolin Temple Confirms Abbot Shi Yongxin Under Investigation for Corruption, Keeping Mistresses, and Having Illegitimate Children

On the evening of the 27th, Shaolin Temple of Songshan, Henan, China, officially issued a notice stating that the temple’s abbot, Shi Yongxin, is suspected of criminal offenses, embezzling and misappropriating project funds and temple assets, and has seriously violated Buddhist precepts. He has "maintained improper relationships with multiple women over a long period and has had illegitimate children." He is currently under joint investigation by several departments.

According to comprehensive reports from Chinese media, the Shaolin Temple administrative office issued an announcement in the evening mentioning the above and stated that "relevant information will be promptly made public."

Several Chinese media outlets reported on the 26th that, after news broke that Shi Yongxin had been taken away for investigation that morning, media reached out to the temple’s contact person, but the call was immediately hung up. When tried again and eventually answered, the contact responded, "He hasn't been seen recently," and "Wait for the official announcement."

A source familiar with the matter revealed that it was unclear whether "the great monk" (Shi Yongxin) was "cooperating with the investigation" or if he was being "investigated for personal issues."

Born in 1965, Shi Yongxin was the key figure who led the marketization and even commercialization of Shaolin Temple, making him a representative figure in China's Buddhist community. From 1998 to 2018, he served four terms as a national legislative representative and currently serves as a vice president of the official "Buddhist Association of China."

Under Shi Yongxin’s leadership, Shaolin Temple’s international fame soared, and it achieved startling profits, but his business tactics were widely regarded as having departed from Buddhist teachings, plunging himself and Shaolin Temple into ongoing, unresolved controversy.

Shi Yongxin’s personal morals have also long been questioned. As early as 2015, Shi Yongxin was publicly accused of having sexual relations with multiple women, fathering several illegitimate children, and illegally obtaining the abbotship of Shaolin Temple. However, the Henan Provincial Religious Affairs authority later responded that the allegations were untrue.

Despite this, Shi Yongxin has actively aligned with the Chinese government’s religious policies. In late July 2018, after the authorities instructed all religions to "raise the national flag at religious sites," Shi Yongxin declared that Shaolin Temple would take the lead in raising the flag. On August 27 of the same year, a flag-raising ceremony was held for the first time in over 1,500 years at Shaolin Temple’s main entrance.