Shi Yongxin
Posted on 10/15/2011 1:19:05 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Shaolin Temple rejects 'vicious lies' about abbot and a mistress
(Shanghai Daily)
10:54, October 14, 2011
China's Shaolin Temple yesterday made a public announcement rejecting online rumors that its abbot financially supported a female university student as his mistress, raised their son in Germany and had been caught by police for visiting prostitutes.
The temple said the rumors were "vicious lies weaved out of nothing but caused great damages to its abbot Shi Yongxin and the Buddhist temple itself."
The temple has reported the case to police so they can investigate.
The temple is also inviting anyone who has any evidence to show that Shi has violated any laws or the temple's regulations, as the rumors allege, to report directly to it or to the police via e-mail or telephone on shaolin495@gmail.com or 86-371-62749305.
It is also asking for any evidence that can lead police to the persons or groups that "viciously weaved the lies and spread the rumors."
It promised that anyone who came up with useful evidence could receive a cash reward of up to 50,000 yuan (US$7,834) or a free two-day stay at the temple in central China's Henan Province to experience the Shaolin life.
The online rumors also alleged that the abbot held at least US$3 billion in overseas accounts and had private villas in the United States and Germany.
They said Shi had been financially supporting a young woman called Li Jingqian, a graduate of Peking University. The rumors said Shi had raised a son with the woman and they were both living in Germany.
According to some Chinese news websites, the rumors had been declared to be true by a German radio station.
Previously, other rumors had been circulating online that Shi had been caught paying for sex in Henan Province during a police raid to crack down on prostitution.
However, the temple responded to say that Shi was "performing a Buddhist service for the prostitute, rather than having sex with her."
Shi, the temple's 30th abbot, was previously mired in controversy for vigorously promoting commercial development of the ancient temple.
He initiated the opening of a Shaolin pharmacy and monks have visited many countries to perform kung fu shows. He also attracted wide public attention when he was spotted in a luxurious SUV car and using an iPad in public.
Read the eyes. They truly are the windows to the soul They do not lie.
Shao Lin Temple is a commercial enterprise that sells its Kung Fu brand for profit. The monks can marry, eat meat and act tough all in one day. A commercial enterprise with a profit motive does not good monks make. We were not impressed when we visited there a couple of years ago. The real Kung Fu activities occur at our beloved Mount Emei and Mount Wudong. The abbot of Shao Lin Temple has had a reputation of being mister Kung Fu tough guy and so I would not be greatly surprised if the rumors were true.
Disappointed is not the word we felt, it was disgusted!
And so, Grasshopper, one sees that Truth is fleeting.
Totally agree. A lot of what they do in Shao Lin is derivatives of modern Wushu, which tend to be flashy and dazzling (for tourists). As you correctly mentioned, to see real GungFu Emei and Wudang are much better since they still believe in the traditional systems. They may not be as flashy (they may even not be flashy at all), but they work far better than 360 degree spinnng kicks and backward flips. A style like XingYi looks almost boring, but in terms of effectiveness it is ridiculously effective. But most people would rather see some flashy Shao Lin form done by some monk in saffron robes, and thus almost 100% of people who go to visit Mt Emei or Mt Wudang are almost always serious martial artists. Since you went there, what style do you do?
I am not into martial arts although I have an understanding of it since one of my sons is an accomplished practitioner of a hybrid style developed by Anthony Gao from Malaysia. I taught three years at Southwest Jiaotong University about a ten minute walk from Baoguo Temple and Fuhu Temple on Emei Shan. I taught English to some of the monks on the mountain as well. My wife studied Tai Qi with one of the seven immortals of Emei Shan (seven masters who hold that title from centuries ago). We were invited to most of the conferences and meetings because of our connections to the temples. Even have a special passport from Baoguo that let us into most of the temples for free.
My wife wanted to go to Shao Lin while we were looking at courtyard houses in Shanxi Province two summers ago so we could one day design and build our own in Thailand. Made a side trip just to visit Shao Lin. The monks were less than friendly and we felt it was just commercial Buddism gone insane. I am a long-time student of Chinese and Chinese history and culture so I never turned out a trip to a Chinese temple.
Cheers!
I would love to visit. I’ve been to Beijing for business, but it would be nice to go and see some of these monks (obviously not the Shao Lin type) at Emei or Wudang.
Emei is a mystical place indeed. Fuhu Temple (Crouching Tiger Temple) was our favorite. It is a female convent (is that what one calls it) and the head teacher there became our good friend. We even brought her here to Bangkok for a visit. For more info see:
Obviously Abbot Shi’s style of martial arts is far superior to ours.
Many thanks for the link. God bless.
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