China probes former Shaolin Temple head monk Shi Yongxin over embezzlement, sexual misconduct claims

Beijing: China has accused the former head monk of its most famous Buddhist temple of embezzling funds and sexual misconduct, beginning a new investigation more than a decade after similar allegations surfaced.

Shi Yongxin, the abbot of the Shaolin Temple until he lost his ordination, was under scrutiny for allegedly misappropriating temple assets, the 1500-year-old monastery said in a notice on its official WeChat account on Sunday.

The institution also accused Yongxin of violating Buddhist precepts by having long-term relationships with several women and fathering illegitimate children.

The announcement raises questions about timing that have dominated Chinese social media. Many users wondered why authorities acted now, nearly a decade after disciples first publicly accused Yongxin of similar behaviour in 2015.

Yongxin, the dharma name he is known by, emerged largely unscathed from allegations, including of rape, embezzlement and fathering children, at the time.

Henan provincial authorities cleared him of a claim of having an illegitimate daughter that year and accusations of financial wrongdoing in 2017, citing insufficient evidence.

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Bloomberg News has been unable to reach Yongxin. The Shaolin Temple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The China Buddhist Association moved swiftly to distance itself from Yongxin, announcing on Monday that it had cancelled his ordination certificate.