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CNA
4 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Shaolin's "CEO monk" scandal may prompt overhaul of how temples are run in China
China's fabled Shaolin Temple, nestled in forest at the foot of a holy mountain in Henan province, is known as the cradle of kung fu and Zen buddhism. The 1,500-year-old monastery is also at the centre of scandal as its long-time celebrity abbot Shi Yongxin is investigated over alleged financial offences and sexual misconduct. Tourists and disciples continue to stream through the temple gates in Dengfeng, taking photos, lighting incense, bowing reverently in prayer and watching energetic kung fu performances. It looks like business as usual, but there are subtle changes afoot. Most noticeable is the swift removal of any trace of Shi within the temple complex, while its more aggressive commercialism has also been pared back. Shi is known as the 'CEO monk' for transforming Shaolin into a multibillion-dollar global brand. But the announcement in late July that he was facing criminal investigation – and the fast appointment of a new head monk at Shaolin – has fuelled speculation about a possible turning point in how temples are run in China. That could see the state potentially re-evaluating and reforming how temples are governed, operated and commercialised, particularly regarding non-profit models and regulation, in response to decades of debate around the growing entanglement of spirituality and commerce in China. BUSINESS OF FAITH Shi, now 60, joined Shaolin Temple in 1981. He became its abbot in 1999 at the age of 34 and went on to become one of China's most well-known monks by turning the crumbling monastery into a 'commercial empire' and promoting Shaolin culture to a global audience. The Shaolin brand has broad interests – from tourism and investment to cultural merchandise, martial arts exchanges and performances, film production, traditional medicine, property and dining. Run by a network of companies whose operations extend beyond China, its diversified commercial chain has been compared to the Disney entertainment conglomerate. At its peak, Shi reportedly had control or significant influence over at least 18 companies. If we do nothing and the thousand-year-old Shaolin culture fails to thrive … wouldn't we be condemned by history? Shi Yongxin Critics have long accused Shi of going too far with commercialisation but he has defended the approach as a necessary way to protect the temple's legacy. He argued in his autobiography that it was Shaolin's cultural heritage – not its religious faith – being commercialised, and that also meant it could put a stop to the copyright infringement being driven by the brand's appeal. Shaolin Temple has registered hundreds of trademarks since Shi became abbot. 'If we do nothing and the thousand-year-old Shaolin culture fails to thrive in our generation – worse, if it withers – wouldn't we be condemned by history?' he wrote. Shi described a major 'life crisis' in 2009, when there was nationwide outrage over a reported plan to launch an initial public offering for the temple and other tourism resources via a Hong Kong joint venture. Shi denied any involvement and said he opposed the move, which he claimed was being driven by the local government-backed joint venture. The IPO was eventually halted but the episode deepened concerns about Shaolin's commercialisation. Controversy has also extended to Shi's personal life, with allegations surfacing from time to time over the years. In 2015 he was accused of embezzlement and fathering several children – Buddhist monks take a vow of celibacy – but was later cleared of the charges. The temple's management committee announced the latest allegations against Shi in a brief statement on Jul 27 that said he was under investigation for criminal offences. It said Shi was accused of misappropriation and embezzlement of project funds and temple assets, as well as 'seriously violating' Buddhist principles – maintaining 'improper relations' with multiple women over a long period and fathering at least one child. His Buddhist credentials were revoked by the Buddhist Association of China, which accused him of 'seriously undermining the reputation of the Buddhist community and the image of monks'. Companies linked to Shi were also deregistered. Financial magazine Caixin, citing an anonymous source close to Shaolin Temple, reported that Shi was 'taken away' late at night on Jul 25. The report said Shi had been barred from leaving the country earlier in the year when he was also summoned for questioning by authorities after returning from an overseas trip. The source said Shi still had freedom of movement within China at the time and was 'calm' when speaking about the incident. When the South China Morning Post visited Shaolin Temple on Jul 29, the abbot's courtyard in the heart of the complex was sealed off, with a sign stating that this was for 'cultural relic preservation'. On a nearby stele, an inscription recognising Shi for his leadership had been covered up. Some of the most criticised aspects of commercialisation at the temple – such as monks trying to sell visitors expensive incense and bracelets or encouraging them to make large donations in return for blessings – were conspicuously absent. While there appeared to be plenty of tourists at the temple, locals said there were fewer visitors than usual during the peak summer tourism season and there had been a noticeable drop in numbers since the investigation into Shi was made public. But a former monk at the temple – who left some time ago because it was 'too messy' – said the latest allegations against Shi were unlikely to have much of an impact. 'This whole thing with Yongxin – whether he was actually involved in those wrongdoings – it won't affect business at all,' the monk said. 'Tourists will still come to Shaolin Temple as usual.' CHANGE IN DIRECTION? In recent decades, a 'temple economy' has developed in Dengfeng around the Shaolin culture – from martial arts schools to businesses selling kung fu gear and souvenirs. Tens of thousands of students attend the schools and summer kung fu camps regularly attract both Chinese and foreign enthusiasts. But Shaolin is not the only temple that has seen commercial success in recent years as increasing interest in spirituality – particularly among younger Chinese – inspires more trips to places of worship and fuels a crossover with consumer culture. Visitors flock to Buddhist temples, Taoist shrines, their associated vegetarian restaurants and gift shops, where blessed prayer beads and prayer pouches fly off the shelves. There has also been a surge of interest in fortune-telling and meditation experiences. China's temple economy was worth 80 billion to 90 billion yuan (US$11.1 billion to US$12.5 billion) in 2023, according to consulting agency Meritco Group. It estimated market value could exceed 100 billion yuan by the end of this year. The consultancy said 25 million people visited the popular sites of Shaolin, Lingyin Temple in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province and Yonghe Temple – also known as Lama Temple – in Beijing in 2023. They generated some 1.1 billion yuan in annual revenue for the three temples that year. Debates over the commercialisation of temples have simmered for years in China. Some argue that they are sacred spaces for spiritual practice and should not be treated as marketplaces. Others say commercial activities are acceptable to help make temples self-sufficient, as long as they do not cross certain lines, to preserve culture, and that they are a response to shifting economic realities. Meng Liang, chair of the Mencius Foundation, said the investigation into Shi could prompt the government to overhaul how religious institutions were managed. He said reforms could include temples being banned from having direct involvement in property auctions, limits placed on their use of trademarks, and for them to have to contribute income from monastic performances to public welfare funds. That would build on state guidelines issued in 2017 aimed at strengthening regulation and preventing corruption. Those guidelines required temples to 'maintain a non-profit nature', improve financial oversight and to prevent commercial capital from interfering with the practice of Buddhism and Taoism – two of China's five state-sanctioned religions, along with Islam, Catholicism and Protestantism. In 2018, Shi Xuecheng, then head of the Buddhist Association of China, said the religion did not inherently reject commercial activity and that its survival and development needed a certain economic foundation. He was stripped of his titles later that year after an investigation found he had sexually harassed female disciples, one of the most prominent cases of China's #MeToo movement. The new abbot at Shaolin, Shi Yinle, has a more positive public image than his predecessor and is seen as more restrained on commercialisation. In his previous role as abbot of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, also in Henan, Shi Yinle pushed for a balance between Buddhist practice and farming and was often seen out in the fields working with other monks. Many believe he could steer Shaolin towards a less commercial path. It has divided opinion in Dengfeng. For some, Shi Yongxin made a positive contribution to the county, where economic development had been slow before Shaolin shot to fame. 'Under his leadership, Shaolin became a global brand, bringing tourism, schools and new economic opportunities here,' one taxi driver said. Others were less positive. A teacher at a martial arts school said locals had been 'unhappy with Shi Yongxin for years'. 'But just because he's gone doesn't mean things will get better,' the teacher said. Marina Mamysheva, a 26-year-old Russian who spent two months in Dengfeng training in kung fu, said she was not surprised by the investigation into Shi Yongxin but that it had not tarnished her experience. 'I was not really connecting kung fu to religion. I was thinking about balance, discipline, self-development, strength, rather than religious belief,' said Mamysheva, whose interest in kung fu goes back to her childhood. 'You can't say someone is perfect just because they belong to a religion,' she said. 'In every single sector in this world, in each single religion, there are good people and bad people. I just pay attention to the experience I've had here – and it's been amazing. It did help me a lot and I want to come back.' COMPETING INTERESTS The 2009 Shaolin IPO controversy offered a glimpse into the competing interests between the government, companies and the monastic community over how temples are run. As Shaolin expanded commercially, tensions grew between the temple and local authorities over its control and profits, as well as ownership of its lucrative trademarks. Some aspects of commercialism that have drawn criticism – such as overpriced tickets and unauthorised rituals and donation boxes – are things Shi Yongxin publicly opposed. In proposals submitted to China's top legislature over the years he pushed to lower or even get rid of entry fees and condemned fake monks and unauthorised practices for obtaining donations. Yujie Zhu, an associate professor at Australian National University, wrote in a paper published in the journal Tourism Geographies in May that heritage tourism was not just a way to preserve culture or for economic gain but was a 'deeply political process'. His study of Famen Temple, a Buddhist site in Shaanxi, found that its transformation since the 1980s had been shaped by competing forces: 'national and local authorities seeking to integrate it into heritage and tourism frameworks, entrepreneurs leveraging its commercial potential, and religious practitioners striving to continue its sacred functions'. Meng from the Mencius Foundation said the Shi Yongxin case suggested there were 'systemic flaws'. 'Shi's alleged misappropriation of funds went unpunished for a decade,' he said. 'Oversight thoroughly collapsed: Temple finances fall outside corporate law, devotees lack scrutiny channels, and religious authorities have guidance power but no audit authority.' Meng said temples in China were not regarded as enterprises or public institutions, leaving them in a regulatory grey zone. That makes ownership and management of their assets unclear – a situation that can easily lead to disputes and mismanagement, especially as commercial interests grow. According to Meng, the Shi Yongxin case could spur reform to make legal registration and financial disclosure mandatory and to set up an oversight committee made up of representatives from the government, devotees and the Buddhist Association.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Shaolin's ‘CEO monk' scandal may prompt overhaul of how temples are run in China
China's fabled Shaolin Temple , nestled in forest at the foot of a holy mountain in Henan province, is known as the cradle of kung fu and Zen buddhism. The 1,500-year-old monastery is also at the centre of scandal as its long-time celebrity abbot Shi Yongxin is investigated over alleged financial offences and sexual misconduct. Tourists and disciples continue to stream through the temple gates in Dengfeng, taking photos, lighting incense, bowing reverently in prayer and watching energetic kung fu performances. It looks like business as usual, but there are subtle changes afoot. Most noticeable is the swift removal of any trace of Shi within the temple complex, while its more aggressive commercialism has also been pared back. 01:43 Head of China's world-famous Buddhist sanctuary Shaolin Temple under criminal inquiry Head of China's world-famous Buddhist sanctuary Shaolin Temple under criminal inquiry
