China's temple economy' in the spotlight as scandals rock influential religious leaders

"In July, not long after Shi returned from a trip to the Vatican to meet the late Pope Francis, the Shaolin Temple released a statement saying that he was being investigated for allegedly misappropriating funds and for fathering illegitimate children with multiple mistresses. Less than a fortnight later he was dismissed and stripped of his monkhood. He has not been heard from since."

"In July, a well-known monk called Daolu real name Wu Bing was stripped of his title by the Buddhist Association of China after police in Zhejiang province said that he was being investigated for alleged fraud. Wu is accused of soliciting public donations under the guise of collecting money for unmarried pregnant women and needy children, which was actually spent on personal extravagances. It is not clear if Wu, who has not been heard from since the news broke, disputes the claim."

"Shi Yongxin, the so-called CEO monk who turned the 1,500-year-old monastery into a commercial empire worth hundreds of millions of yuan, held firm. Soon he was cleared of all charges. The controversies reveal the increasingly precarious position of influential religious leaders in China, as the official support for the commercialisation of religious sites gives way to an emphasis on frugality and political obedience."

Shi Yongxin, the long-serving head abbot of Shaolin Temple, faced earlier allegations in 2015 but was cleared; in July he was investigated for alleged misappropriation of funds and fathering illegitimate children, then dismissed and stripped of monkhood and has not been heard from since. The controversies have extended to other prominent monks, including Daolu (Wu Bing), who was stripped of his title and accused of soliciting donations for unmarried pregnant women and needy children that were spent on personal extravagances. The incidents reflect a shift from official support for commercialization toward emphasis on frugality and political obedience in managing religious sites.

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