Shaolin Temple’s ‘CEO monk’ probed for embezzlement, relations with women
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
China’s birthplace of kung fu rocked by embezzlement probe
Abbot Shi Yongxin, long known as the “CEO monk”, is suspected of “embezzling project funds and temple assets” Shaolin Temple said Shi had “seriously violated Buddhist precepts”, including by allegedly engaging in “improper relationships” with multiple women. A hashtag related to the temple scandal had been viewed over 560 million times on social media platform Weibo, as of Monday morning. China’s government exercises authority over the appointment of religious leaders.
Chinese authorities are investigating the head of the temple where kung fu was born over alleged embezzlement and other misconduct, the monastery said.
Abbot Shi Yongxin, known as the “CEO monk” for establishing dozens of companies abroad, is suspected of “embezzling project funds and temple assets”, the Shaolin Temple said in a statement on WeChat Sunday.
It said Shi had “seriously violated Buddhist precepts”, including by allegedly engaging in “improper relationships” with multiple women.
ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement
“Multiple departments” were conducting a joint investigation, the temple said.
Shi has previously been accused by former monks of embezzling money from a temple-run company, maintaining a fleet of luxury cars and fathering children with multiple women.
China’s government exercises authority over the appointment of religious leaders, and “improper” conduct is often grounds for removal from office.
A hashtag related to the temple scandal had been viewed over 560 million times on social media platform Weibo, as of Monday morning.
The last post to the abbot’s personal account on Weibo declared: “when one’s own nature is pure, the pure land is here in the present”.
ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement
Shi faced similar allegations in 2015 which the temple called “vicious libel”.
Shi, 59, took office as abbot in 1999 and in the following decades expanded Shaolin studies and cultural knowledge overseas.
He helped the temple establish dozens of companies — but received backlash for commercialising Buddhism.
The temple, established in AD 495, is known as the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Chinese kung fu.
Shi was first elected vice-chairman of the Buddhist Association of China in 2002 and has served as a representative to the National People’s Congress, the country’s top lawmaking body.
mya/oho/tym
‘Sexual relations with several women, fathering illegal children’: Why is Chinese Shaolin Temple’s ‘CEO monk’ being investigated?
Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the Shaolin temple, is under criminal investigation on multiple issues. Chinese authorities are investigating Shi for embezzlement, improper relationships with several women and fathering ‘illegitimate children’ with them. Shi was often referred to as ‘CEO monk’ for making Shaolin kung fu globally famous, and the news of the investigation is being received with shock by the Chinese. Shi has been under the lens in the past too for similar allegations, particularly in 2015 for alleged sexual relations with women. But investigators later cleared him of the charges. In the same year, the temple was criticised for a lavish expansion plan of the complex. The plan worth $300 million included a hotel, a golf course, and a kungfu school. The temple is the inspiration for the video game and film series Mortal Kombat. American music band Wu-Tang Clan and others have referenced the temple in their songs. Thousands of people across the world visit the temple every year mainly to witness the martial arts practices.
Why is Shaolin temple chief being investigated?
The temple said on Sunday (July 27) that Chinese authorities are investigating Shi for embezzlement, improper relationships with several women and fathering ‘illegitimate children’ with them.
Shi, the Shaolin Temple’s abbot since 1999, has been stripped of his ordination certificate, China’s Buddhist association said on Monday.
Shaolin temple chief led a lavish life
According to reports, Shi is known to have accepted a Volkswagen SUV, a robe with gold thread and several similar expensive gifts from both governments and companies. The Buddhist Association described his actions as extremely bad, seriously damaging the reputation of the Buddhist community and the image of monks.
Shi the Shaolin temple abbot is no stranger to controversy
Shi has been under the lens in the past too for similar allegations, particularly in 2015 for alleged sexual relations with women and embezzling temple funds. But investigators later cleared him of the charges. In the same year, the temple was criticised for a lavish expansion plan of the complex. The plan worth $300 million included a hotel, a golf course, and a kung fu school.
Shi made Shaolin kung fu famous
Shi is credited with popularising Shaolin Kung fu, an ancient art form that found a new life through Chinese and Hollywood films. He created a monks’ group who performed Shaolin kung fu shows across the world. The Shaolin temple also started schools abroad for teaching martial arts.
Shi is absent from his social media account
Shi is also popular online, with a Weibo account that has 880,000 followers. Buddhist teachings are regularly posted on the account. But he hasn’t posted there after July 24. Shi’s legal troubles are now a top discussion point on Chinese internet.
What is Shaolin Temple and why is it famous?
Shaolin Temple is a 1,500-year-old Buddhist monastery situated in the mountains of Henan province. Thousands of people across the world visit the temple every year mainly to witness the martial arts practices, particularly Shaolin kung fu.
Shaolin temple was popularised by Kung Fu movies in the late 1970s and 1980s. These include the film Shaolin in 1982 featuring Jet Li. The temple is the inspiration for the video game and film series Mortal Kombat. American music band Wu-Tang Clan and others have referenced the temple in their songs.
Shi the Shaolin temple abbot is no stranger to controversy Shi has been under the lens in the past too for similar allegations, particularly in 2015 for alleged sexual relations with women and embezzling temple funds. But investigators later cleared him of the charges. In the same year, the temple was criticised for a lavish expansion plan of the complex. The plan worth $300 million included a hotel, a golf course, and a kung fu school. Shi has been under the lens in the past too for similar allegations, particularly in 2015 for alleged sexual relations with women and embezzling temple funds. But investigators later cleared him of the charges. In the same year, the temple was criticised for a lavish expansion plan of the complex. The plan worth $300 million included a hotel, a golf course, and a kung fu school.
Shi made Shaolin kung fu famous
Shi is credited with popularising Shaolin Kung fu, an ancient art form that found a new life through Chinese and Hollywood films. He created a monks’ group who performed Shaolin kung fu shows across the world. The Shaolin temple also started schools abroad for teaching martial arts.
Shi is absent from his social media account
Shi is also popular online, with a Weibo account that has 880,000 followers. Buddhist teachings are regularly posted on the account. But he hasn’t posted there after July 24. Shi’s legal troubles are now a top discussion point on Chinese internet.
What is Shaolin Temple and why is it famous?
Shaolin Temple is a 1,500-year-old Buddhist monastery situated in the mountains of Henan province. Thousands of people across the world visit the temple every year mainly to witness the martial arts practices, particularly Shaolin kung fu.
Shaolin temple was popularised by Kung Fu movies in the late 1970s and 1980s. These include the film Shaolin in 1982 featuring Jet Li. The temple is the inspiration for the video game and film series Mortal Kombat. American music band Wu-Tang Clan and others have referenced the temple in their songs.
US to release result of probe into chip imports in two weeks
The Trump administration will announce the results of a national security probe into imports of semiconductors in two weeks. President Donald Trump suggested higher tariffs were on the horizon. The probe could lay the groundwork for new tariffs on imports in both sectors. The U.S. relies heavily on chips imported from Taiwan, something Democratic former President Joe Biden sought to reverse during his term by granting billions of dollars in Chips Act awards to lure chipmakers to expand production in the United States. The investigation was one of the “key reasons” the European Union sought to negotiate a broader trade agreement, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said.
TURNBERRY, Scotland/EDINBURGH, July 27 (Reuters) – The Trump administration will announce the results of a national security probe into imports of semiconductors in two weeks, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday, as President Donald Trump suggested higher tariffs were on the horizon.
Lutnick told reporters after a meeting between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that the investigation was one of the “key reasons” the European Union sought to negotiate a broader trade agreement that would “resolve all things at one time.”
Sign up here.
Trump said many companies would be investing in semiconductor manufacturing in the United States, including some from Taiwan and other places, to avoid getting hit by new tariffs.
He said von der Leyen had avoided the pending chips tariffs “in a much better way.”
Trump and von der Leyen announced a new framework trade agreement that includes across-the-board 15% tariffs on EU imports entering the United States.
Trump said the agreement included autos, which face a higher 25% tariff under a separate sectoral tariff action.
The Trump administration in April said it was investigating whether extensive reliance on foreign imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors posed a national security threat.
The probe, being conducted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, could lay the groundwork for new tariffs on imports in both sectors.
The Trump administration has begun separate investigations under the same law into imports of copper and lumber. Earlier probes completed during Trump’s first term formed the basis for 25% tariffs rolled out since his return to the White House in January on steel and aluminum and on the auto industry.
Trump has upended global trade with a series of aggressive levies against trading partners, including a 10% tariff that took effect in April, with that rate set to increase sharply for most larger trading partners from August 1.
The U.S. relies heavily on chips imported from Taiwan, something Democratic former President Joe Biden sought to reverse during his term by granting billions of dollars in Chips Act awards to lure chipmakers to expand production in the United States.
Reporting by Andrew Gray and Andrea Shalal; Editing by Leslie Adler
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Share X
Link Purchase Licensing Rights
Shaolin Temple’s ‘CEO monk’ probed for embezzlement, relations with women
Abbot of China’s famed 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple is under criminal investigation. Shi Yongxin, 59, is suspected of misappropriating and embezzling project funds. He is also accused of “improper relationships” with women and fathering illegitimate children. Shi has overseen the temple since 1987 and became its abbot in 1999. He was a delegate of China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress, for around two decades until 2018. The temple did not answer a call from Reuters for comment on the allegations.
Shi Yongxin, 59, previously a member of China’s parliament, is “suspected of criminal offences, misappropriating and embezzling project funds and the temple’s assets,” the temple said in a statement, adding Shi is under joint investigation by multiple agencies.
BEIJING (Reuters) -The abbot of China’s famed 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple is under criminal investigation for alleged embezzlement, “improper relationships” with women and fathering illegitimate children, religious authorities said.
Nicknamed the “CEO monk” and known for his commercial ambitions, Shi sought to capitalise on the monastery’s fame during his decades-long tenure at Shaolin Temple, the fabled birthplace of kung fu and the setting for many martial arts films in the central Chinese province of Henan.
Shi has “seriously violated Buddhist precepts, maintained improper relationships with multiple women over a long period of time” and fathered at least one “illegitimate” child, the temple said in its statement released on its social media account on Sunday.
In a statement issued on Monday, the state-supervised Buddhist Association of China said it approved the revoking of Shi’s ordination certificate, adding that his “behaviours are extremely deplorable in nature, have seriously damaged the reputation of the Buddhist community and tarnished the image of monks.”
In 2015, a letter circulated online accusing Shi of misconduct and improper sexual relations. The temple denied the allegations at the time.
Shi, known as Liu Yingcheng before he became a monk in 1981, has overseen the temple since 1987 and became its abbot in 1999, the temple’s website showed.
In 2008, the temple opened an online store, offering a range of goods including shoes, tea, T-shirts, and a kung fu instruction manual for 9,999 yuan ($1,395).
Its business ventures over the years also included book publishing, medicine, kung fu performances, film production, asset management and real estate.
Shi posted daily on his social media account on Weibo with more than 882,000 followers.
Shi was a delegate of China’s rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress, for around two decades until 2018. He has also been deputy head of China’s Buddhist association.
($1 = 7.1685 Chinese yuan renminbi)
(Reporting by Xiuhao Chen and Ryan Woo)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Three people killed in train crash in Germany, police say
There were around 100 people on board when two carriages left the tracks. The train was on a roughly 90 km (55 miles) route between Sigmaringen and Ulm. The cause of the crash was under investigation, the police said. German national rail company Deutsche Bahn said there were “many injured” and its thoughts were with the victims.
There were around 100 people on board when two carriages left the tracks between the towns of Riedlingen and Munderkingen, near the corner of Germany that borders France and Switzerland, police in the city of Stuttgart said.
Sign up here.
Item 1 of 5 A general view at the site where a local passenger train derailed causing several casualties, in Riedlingen near Biberach, Germany, July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth [1/5] A general view at the site where a local passenger train derailed causing several casualties, in Riedlingen near Biberach, Germany, July 28, 2025. REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
The train was on a roughly 90 km (55 miles) route between Sigmaringen and Ulm. The cause of the crash was under investigation, the police statement said.
A picture by German news agency DPA showed carriages largely intact but jackknifed into each other and rolled onto their sides.
German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DBN.UL) said in a statement there were “many injured” and its thoughts were with the victims and their loved ones. It was not clear what had caused the train to derail, it said, adding that it would support the authorities in their investigation.
Reporting by Francois Murphy in Vienna and Christian Ruettger in Berlin Editing by Ros Russell, Giles Elgood, Nick Zieminski and Diane Craft
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab