Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin resurfaces at Chinese temple, months after claims of misconduct
Scandal-plagued Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin made his first public appearance in months on Saturday, addressing 30 pilgrims at the temple in Henan province amid allegations of fraud and sexual misconduct.
Shi told the pilgrims to focus more on spiritual development and less on physical indulgence because "human bodies are temporary but the spirit is immortal", China News Service reported on Sunday.
"Those who have faith are the happiest," he was quoted as saying.
Those who have faith are the happiest
In July, Shi, the "CEO monk" who heads the famed temple, was accused by a former disciple of fathering several children out of wedlock and embezzling money.
Under the pseudonym of "Shi Zhengyi", the accuser claimed the abbot was kicked out of the temple in the late 1980s, had multiple identities, had sexual relations with several women and even fathered their children, offering copies of documents as evidence.
A week later, the State Administration for Religious Affairs ordered its Henan bureau to conduct "checks" into the matter.
The Buddhist Association of China, of which Shi is a vice-chairman, said the matter "had affected the image and reputation of Chinese Buddhism".
Speculation over Shi's fate mounted in late July when he failed to turn up at a religious gathering in Thailand, but the temple's public relations officer denied Shi was ever under investigation.
Shi Yongxin, who has a master's degree in business administration and is often spotted using an iPhone, is no stranger to controversy. The delegate to the National People's Congress has previously been accused of turning the temple into a cash cow at the expense of the integrity of religious instruction, such as renting the venue to filmmakers.
Read more: China looks into allegations against controversial Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin
In 2006, Shi came under public scrutiny for accepting a luxury car from the local government for his contribution to tourism.
In March this year, he and the temple came under fire again for a plan to build a US$297 million hotel complex in Australia that would include a temple, a live-in kung fu academy and a golf course.
