News Analysis
On July 27, Shi Yongxin, the abbot of China’s Shaolin Temple, the fabled birthplace of kung fu and Zen Buddhism, was recently placed under investigation for alleged embezzlement of funds, according to the monastery’s official social media account.
The 60-year-old monk also faces accusations of breaching the Buddhist precepts by “maintaining improper relationships with multiple women over a long period” and fathering at least one illegitimate child, according to the notice.
However, according to Chinese dissidents and insiders, Shi’s case is no isolated incident. Rather, they say it reveals a deeper, decades-old policy by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to co-opt religious institutions for political control. In this context, Shi is less a rogue monk and more a carefully cultivated agent of the regime….
Shaolin Temple Scandal Highlights CCP’s Infiltration of Faith Institutions, Experts Say
