Shi Yongxin has been sentenced to 24 years in prison in the first instance, with officials stating that the amount involved is nearly 300 million yuan. Many netizens feel that the sentence is too lenient and are questioning who the potential protector behind this case might be. (Video screenshot)
[People News] On Friday (May 29), Shi Yongxin, the former abbot of the Shaolin Temple in Henan, was sentenced to 24 years in prison in the first instance, with officials indicating that the amount involved is nearly 300 million yuan. Netizens expressed that the sentence is too light and are questioning who the protector behind this is.
As reported by the Chinese Communist Party's official media, the Intermediate People's Court of Xinxiang City, Henan Province, publicly announced the verdict against the defendant, 60-year-old Liu Yingcheng (formerly known as Shi Yongxin), for multiple crimes, including embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, bribery as a non-state worker, and bribery. The court decided to impose a prison term of 24 years and a fine of 3.5 million yuan, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
The court noted that Liu Yingcheng exploited his positions as the abbot of the Shaolin Temple and president of the Shaolin Charity Welfare Foundation to illegally embezzle over 131 million yuan in unit property from 2003 to 2025. Additionally, from 2012 to 2022, he misappropriated over 151 million yuan in unit funds for personal use, which had not been returned for more than three months.
Shi Yongxin's residence has been surrounded by green iron sheets, creating a sealed environment, and a warning line has been drawn around it. (Internet image)
The Sentence is Too Lenient
Following the announcement of Shi Yongxin's 24-year sentence, the most common comment in the discussion section was: 'Involved nearly 300 million, and only 24 years?'
Many Chinese netizens have commented, 'Finally, this day has come.' Shi Yongxin has faced numerous controversies over the years, including issues related to commercialisation, financial matters, and rumours about his personal life, which have made him a target of public scrutiny for more than a decade. Many believe that 'everyone has known there were problems for a long time; it’s just that they are only now being officially addressed.'
Some critics argue that the sentencing is too lenient, while others compare it to other economic crime cases, suggesting that, in terms of the scale of involvement and social impact, 'this number is not significant.'
A businessman in a monk's robes
Shi Yongxin, whose original name is Liu Yingcheng, became a monk at the Shaolin Temple at the age of 16, took charge of temple affairs at 22, and became the abbot in 1999.
He is often referred to as the 'political monk,' having held positions such as the secretary of the Shaolin Temple Party Committee, a representative in the National People's Congress of the Communist Party of China, president of the Henan Buddhist Association, and vice president of the Chinese Buddhist Association.
Using the fame of the 'Shaolin Temple,' he has gradually built his own 'business empire.' In the eyes of netizens, he is seen as a businessman disguised in a monk's robes.
Over the years, Shi Yongxin has commercialised and reformed the Shaolin Temple, transforming it from a simple ancient temple into a highly commercialised corporate entity. Its operations extend beyond tourism and sightseeing to include ticket sales, incense donations, and the commercialisation of martial arts performances with global tours, trademark licensing and brand management, overseas Shaolin cultural centres, cultural tourism development and related products, e-commerce, cultural creativity, and merit income, among others. Consequently, Shi Yongxin has been labelled by the public as the 'CEO monk' and 'business monk.'
Many internet users, upon witnessing the transformations at Shaolin Temple, expressed their sentiments: 'Shaolin Temple has long ceased to resemble a temple and now resembles a business.' Some even ridiculed, 'All martial arts originate from Shaolin, and all business also comes from Shaolin.' This sentiment reflects a segment of the public's discontent and disappointment regarding the commercialisation of religion.
The Luxurious Lifestyle of the Bald CEO
For years, Shi Yongxin has been captured by the media in high-end vehicles, including the much-discussed luxury SUVs and business cars, which has led to him being dubbed the 'CEO Monk.' Certain images depict him arriving at events in luxury cars, accompanied by staff, starkly contrasting the traditional image of ascetic monks.
Reports from the internet and media have indicated that insiders disclosed that Shi Yongxin's robes are suspected to feature expensive craftsmanship, including gold threads and jade embellishments, with rumours circulating about '18K gold accessories' and 'high-priced jade rings.' Some images indeed reveal that his robes are intricately crafted, significantly differing from the typical monk's garments found in temples. Not only does he indulge in a lavish lifestyle, but there are also claims that he possesses properties and assets abroad, along with rumours suggesting he has been financially supporting female devotees.
According to insiders, 'The tea he consumes costs thousands or even tens of thousands of yuan per pound; it is indeed tea, specifically Mingqian Juejie tea, and a small package can cost several thousand yuan. The bed he sleeps on is made from high-quality wood, using old timber valued in the millions. Every time I see him travelling privately, he is always in a luxury car worth over a million.'
In response to Shi Yongxin's extravagant lifestyle, asset embezzlement, and chaotic personal life, numerous reports were made against him years ago, including a significant real-name reporting incident in 2015. However, these allegations were dismissed by the authorities with a simple claim of 'no evidence found,' prompting ongoing public criticism of the government for allegedly protecting Shi Yongxin.The
Who is the protective figure behind him?
The public has been persistently asking online: Who exactly is the protective figure behind Shi Yongxin? Who possesses such immense power to shield this fraudulent monk, who has faced multiple allegations? Furthermore, throughout this time, Shi Yongxin has unabashedly showcased his wealth without any sign of restraint.
It was not until July 2024 that the 60-year-old Shi Yongxin was investigated, and he was formally arrested in November of the same year. The Shaolin Temple Management Office reported that Shi Yongxin is suspected of misappropriating project funds and temple assets; he has seriously violated Buddhist precepts, maintained improper relationships with several women, and fathered illegitimate children, among other charges.
In response to Shi Yongxin's sentencing, netizens remarked: 'He has been sentenced, and you think this is justice. In reality, this is merely a personnel adjustment. His arrest and sentencing are not due to the law, but because the party's pig is now ready for slaughter.'
Other netizens added: 'When a temple that should focus on spiritual cultivation becomes a money-grabbing black hole, and when a foundation turns into a tool for asset misappropriation and money laundering, the so-called faith transforms into a purely profit-driven enterprise. He is not alone in his greed; he has been leeching off the interests of religion, business, and local power for decades.'
Heng He, an expert on Chinese issues, believes that Shi Yongxin was initially supported by Li Changchun, a former member of the Jiang faction, and received backing from three party leaders: Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. Each member of the Politburo Standing Committee may have had his own patron. His downfall was not due to the so-called 'anti-corruption' campaign, but rather because his supporter lost power.
Monks from the Shaolin Temple held a flag-raising ceremony. (Internet image)
The Demon King's Conspiracy
The news about Shi Yongxin brings to mind a long-standing story in Buddhism.
It is said that before Shakyamuni entered Nirvana, the Demon King told him: While you are alive, it is difficult for me to mislead sentient beings. However, when the end of the Dharma approaches, I will have my disciples reincarnate in temples, wearing robes. They will appear to be monks on the outside, but inside, they will pursue fame and profit; they will be greedy for wealth, crave power, break precepts, and even mislead sentient beings in the name of the Buddha. They will turn temples into places of commerce, transforming faith into profit, and marginalising true practitioners. By that time, I will not need to destroy the Dharma you taught; it will naturally decay from within.
Since the Chinese Communist Party seized power, it has sought to replace the revered status of deities in people's hearts, continuously suppressing various religions within the country and harshly persecuting steadfast believers. During the Cultural Revolution, nearly all temples, Taoist shrines, and churches across the country were destroyed.
Shaolin Temple rose to fame as a once-declining ancient site, largely due to the success of the film 'Shaolin Temple,' transforming it into a major tourist attraction. At that time, shortly after the reform and opening up, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government was facing financial shortages at all levels. They identified a business opportunity at Shaolin Temple and leveraged this to convert temples nationwide into tourist destinations, profiting from the influx of visitors. This shift resulted in the commercialisation and tourism of temples across China. Beneath this transformation lies the CCP's agenda to exploit tourism development, turning what were once places of spiritual cultivation into profit-generating machines. Consequently, monks have transitioned into workers clad in monk robes, earning salaries and bonuses, rather than remaining devoted believers and practitioners.
Since Xi Jinping took office, a new trend has emerged in religious sites across the country starting in 2018: the raising of the five-star flag in front of Buddhist halls, the display of political slogans outside churches, and even mandates for religious sites to conduct regular flag-raising ceremonies and engage in official policy education and patriotic training. The Beijing authorities have termed this 'Sinicisation of religion,' stressing that religion must 'adapt to socialist society.' As a result, temples, Taoist temples, and churches have established party branches or committees, with abbots and priests now serving as party committee secretaries or branch secretaries. Notably, Shi Yongxin serves as the party committee secretary of Shaolin Temple.
This development has raised concerns among external observers and some religious figures, who question whether it signifies the CCP's gradual integration of traditional religions into the political framework, demanding that religious institutions pledge loyalty to the authoritarian regime, thereby eroding the independence and spiritual integrity of religion.
Some observers have noted that the actions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may gradually transform religion from its original focus on faith, practice, suffering, spiritual cultivation, and karma reduction into a tool for serving the CCP's malevolent agenda. This shift involves encouraging believers and the public to support the Communist Party and disseminating distorted religious teachings that incorporate elements of communism, atheism, and evolutionism, ultimately undermining the integrity of Buddhist scriptures and the Bible. Isn't this precisely the conspiracy that the devil seeks to execute?
The CCP aims to lead the followers of various religions and the general public towards a hellish fate!
(First published in People News) △
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