Overview
- Prosecutors in Xinxiang, Henan, filed charges on Mar 20 for embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, non-state official bribery and offering bribes, with the sums involved not disclosed.
- The case advances four months after authorities approved his arrest in November, following his July ouster as abbot and the revocation of his Buddhist credentials.
- The Shaolin Temple and China’s Buddhist Association accused him of serious violations of Buddhist precepts, including alleged improper relations with multiple women and fathering a child.
- Shi, long dubbed the “CEO monk,” built a vast commercial footprint around the 1,500-year-old temple and helped turn Shaolin into a lucrative global brand.
- In response to the scandal, the official Buddhist association created a new supervisory body in December, and senior officials urged the temple’s new leadership to draw clear lines between religious life and tourism businesses.