Top Monk At Shaolin Temple Ousted After Sexual Misconduct, Financial Crime Scandal

China has appointed Shi Yinle, former abbot of White Horse Temple, as the new head of the Shaolin Temple—just two days after the monastery confirmed that longtime abbot Shi Yongxin was under investigation for alleged financial crimes and sexual misconduct, according to the South China Morning Post.

“In accordance with the regulations on the appointment of abbots of Chinese Buddhist Temples, after democratic evaluation and approval by the Shaolin Temple and following the relevant procedures, Venerable Yinle was invited to be the abbot of the Shaolin Temple,” the temple said Tuesday.

Shi Yongxin, who led Shaolin for over 25 years, has been stripped of his Buddhist credentials, and companies linked to him have been deregistered. The Buddhist Association of China condemned his actions as “severely damaging to the reputation of Buddhism and the image of monks” and confirmed that his ordination certificate was revoked.

The Shaolin Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Henan and birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Shaolin kung fu, announced that Yongxin was accused of embezzling temple funds, misusing assets, and maintaining long-term improper relationships with multiple women, fathering children in violation of monastic vows.

The SCMP writes that on Tuesday, the abbot’s courtyard was sealed off for “cultural relic preservation,” and an inscription honoring Yongxin’s leadership was covered. Locals criticized the disgraced abbot as a “playboy monk” who “tarnished the image of Buddhism.”

Shi Yinle, born in Henan’s Tongbai county in 1966, was ordained at 16 and studied at the Chinese Buddhist Academy. After joining the Henan Provincial Buddhist Association, he began serving at White Horse Temple in 2003 and became abbot in 2005. He has traveled abroad to promote Buddhism and foster cultural exchanges, and he currently serves as a deputy to the 2023–28 National People’s Congress.

Despite the scandal, the Shaolin Temple remained crowded with tourists this week. A local taxi driver noted that while “being a monk is just a profession” and the temple is “at the very least, still a tourist attraction,” the investigation into Yongxin was “only natural” given long-standing rumors.