Translation by : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
News on CCP, Communist Buddhism
News (1)
Current Situation at Shaolin Temple: Police guard the intersection, toll-charging monks disappear, Shi Yongxin's house is sealed off
Editor : Lin Qing / https://www.ntdtv.com/gb/2025/07/28/a104007123.html / Image : After Shi Yongxin's incident, many netizens were curious about the current situation at Shaolin Temple. They discovered that police were guarding the entrance, Shi Yongxin's house was sealed off, and the toll-charging monks had disappeared. (Image composite from the internet)
The scandal-ridden Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin has finally been investigated, sparking widespread attention. Following the incident, many netizens were curious about the current situation at Shaolin Temple. They discovered that police were guarding the entrance, Shi Yongxin's house was sealed off, and the toll-charging monks had disappeared.
According to a post by blogger "Muqiao Jianke" on Toutiao, after the incident involving Shi Yongxin, the area outside Shaolin Temple remained bustling with activity, much of it specifically because of the "Shi Yongxin incident."
The post stated that the blogger had visited Shaolin Temple before and was quite familiar with it. However, upon entering the temple this time, he noticed a significant difference; the atmosphere seemed much quieter.
In the past, upon entering the temple, monks holding QR codes and collecting fees from tourists under various pretexts were commonplace. Now, they are nowhere to be seen, and even the martial arts monks offering paid lessons have vanished.
The medicine vendors who used to sell medicine at the entrance, where the clamor was constant, have now been removed. Out of curiosity, the blogger made a special trip to the former abbot Shi Yongxin's residence to see what was going on there.
The blogger was genuinely surprised to see Shi Yongxin's residence surrounded by green iron sheets, a cordon and guarded by personnel, forbidding anyone from entering or observing.
From the outside, only the outline of the house could be vaguely discerned. The once-popular location was now heavily sealed off.
Not only was the atmosphere inside Shaolin Temple drastically different, but the atmosphere outside also seemed somewhat solemn. Anyone entering the Shaolin Temple area now had to undergo police inspection, and intersections were manned.
The blogger remarked that the Shaolin Temple now felt like "everyone was in danger." Not only had the temple changed its previous methods of operation, but it was also constantly trying to distance itself from Shi Yongxin, leaving the monks feeling apprehensive.
In response, most netizens felt that this was "long overdue." It turned out that the Shaolin Temple's "stench of money" had long been widespread.
The article stated that after Shi Yongxin became the abbot, the more money Shaolin Temple raked in, the worse its reputation became. As Shi Yongxin vigorously promoted the commercialization of "Shaolin Temple," the temple's reputation gradually declined.
A day earlier, a Shaolin Temple announcement confirmed the news that Shi Yongxin was under joint investigation for suspected criminal offenses and affairs with multiple women. The CCP-controlled Buddhist Association immediately issued a "political statement" and revoked his ordination certificate.
Shi Yongxin was a "political monk" trained by the CCP. He was promoted to Shaolin Temple abbot through the CCP-installed promotion of Zhao Puchu, the former president of the Buddhist Association.
Zhao Puchu, himself a CCP member, was the culprit planted by the CCP to undermine Buddhism. As early as 1990, he promoted monks at Buddhist academies across China to "love the country and the religion" and raise the blood-red flag, a practice now common in temples across CCP China.
News (2) to (5) / Editor: Zhongkang / Source: Epoch Times / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0729/2254514.html
News (2)
Become a revolutionary monk with a high salary: "You can get married, as long as you don't show off. I will help you find a place to live after marriage"
— Almost becoming a monk: New York-based writer Cai Kefeng exposes the CCP’s manipulation of religion
"You can get married, as long as you don't show it off. "Monks within the CCP system are state-appointed. Political needs are their job, not their faith."
Image : Cai Kefeng published "Opening the Southern Window" in December 2015, documenting the various waves of exodus from China to Hong Kong and Macau under Chinese Communist Party rule since 1949. In the chapter "Highly Salary Monk Recruitment," he recalls his experience being recruited by a neighborhood committee as a "fake monk." (Cai Rong/The Epoch Times)
Recently, various news reports surrounding Shi Yongxin, the abbot of China's Shaolin Temple, have been trending online, sparking outcry over his alleged involvement in criminal offenses, the embezzlement of vast sums of money, and even a long-standing sex scandal. Many find it hard to imagine that a controversial "political abbot" like Shi Yongxin could emerge from the pure land of Buddhism. However, if Shi Yongxin is placed within the context of China's system, these issues transcend individual issues and instead reveal institutional structures and arrangements.
Image : Shi Yongxin (seated) is widely recognized as a "political monk." (Cancan Chu/Getty Images)
In the chapter "Highly Paid Monks" in his book "Open, Southern Window," Cai Kefeng reveals that he was recruited by a neighborhood committee in the 1970s to act as a monk for a high salary. (Photo provided by Cai Kefeng)
In the chapter "Highly Paid Monks" in his book "Open, Southern Window," Cai Kefeng reveals that he was recruited by a neighborhood committee in the 1970s to act as a monk for a high salary. (Provided by Cai Kefeng)
Cai Kefeng, former president of the New York Overseas Chinese Writers Club, shared a personal experience from the 1970s in an interview with The Epoch Times yesterday (the 28th). His account reveals how Chinese Communist Party officials carefully select young people from university students to enter temples to serve as "monks" in name only, but in reality as part of the United Front—the origin of the so-called "political monks."
News (3)
A high-paid monk: "You can get married, just don't show it off."
Cai Kefeng recalls that in the autumn of 1973, while recuperating in Guangzhou, a female neighborhood committee official named Huang unexpectedly visited his home. His mother panicked, suspecting some "problem" at home, but the woman, with a warm smile, addressed him directly, "Is your son feeling better? I'm here to discuss a political assignment."
This assignment was unusual. According to the female cadre, due to the improvement in Sino-US relations, "since US President Nixon's visit to China, many foreign friends have been visiting China frequently. The central government needs people with cultural qualifications to receive foreign guests, and they are currently intensifying their training. Most urgently needed are young intellectuals with a high level of ideological awareness to work in temples, churches, and other religious venues."
She added, "You won't have to do any physical work, but will mainly be receiving foreign guests. It's not yet clear which temple you'll be assigned to, but it will be a religious profession."
Commissioner Huang then listed the requirements: the candidate must have a university degree, preferably one or two foreign languages, have no political record, be under 30, and come from an ordinary family background. "Performance" will be the key consideration. Cai Kefeng was deemed to meet these requirements, and his personal file had already been reviewed. They offered him a monthly salary of 80 yuan, far higher than the average salary for a university graduate at the time (approximately 51.5 yuan) and several times the income of an ordinary worker. In an era when most people earned only a few dozen or twenty yuan a month, this position was considered "highly paid and well-paid."
When Cai Kefeng pressed, "Comrade Huang, what exactly does the job entail?" Commissioner Huang smiled and said, "Becoming a monk!"
The mother and son were at a loss for words. The mother immediately objected, "I'm counting on my son to carry on the family line, how can he become a monk?" Commissioner Huang, smiling unwaveringly, patiently explained, "It's just a job, not a true monastic life. You have to shave your head, wear work clothes—that is, a cassock—and a monk's hat while working, and chant sutras and eat vegetarian food at the temple. But you can go home every week to reunite with your family, and you can enjoy meat dishes like chicken, duck, pork, and fish whenever you want. You're no different from ordinary people."
She even added, "Oh, and you can get married and have children, just don't advertise it. We'll help you arrange housing after your marriage. You can go home on your weekly day off, and work at the temple on your workday."
Cai Kefeng recalled that the other party saw the history book on his desk and praised him highly, saying, "It's best for a monk to study liberal arts. Since you're so interested in literature and history, you're perfect for it!"
However, the Cai family did not need the job urgently. His brother and sister had successfully smuggled themselves into Hong Kong and regularly sent money back to Guangzhou to support the family, ensuring their financial well-being. More importantly, Cai Kefeng didn't want to be ridiculed by his classmates as a "fake monk." He firmly declined, saying, "I just want a normal job." His mother also dissuaded him, saying, "During the Cultural Revolution, temples were destroyed and ancestral graves dug up. If it happens again, this kind of job would be considered a 'professional superstitious practitioner' and you'd be paraded through the streets with a dunce cap on your head. It's not worth it, not worth it!"
Commissioner Huang hastily assured him, "No, no, this is a revolutionary monk, accepting a revolutionary mission!" As she finished, she seemed to realize she'd said too much and changed the subject, "Think about it again. If you're interested, come to the neighborhood committee and see me. It doesn't matter if I'm not around. With a nod, we'll help you transfer your organizational status to the South China University of Technology Revolutionary Committee..."
Cai Kefeng ultimately declined the offer of a "high-paying professional monk."
Looking back years later, Cai Kefeng recalled that college students were already scarce in those days, and those who met the selection criteria were even rarer. However, he understood that once he was in, it would be difficult to escape, so he declined and instead embarked on three thrilling smuggling operations. He successfully arrived in Macau in 1975, then moved on to Hong Kong, ultimately settling in New York City.
News (4)
The "Abbot" in a dance hall: When monks become institutional roles
Cai Kefeng's experience resonates with a story recounted by online commentator and host of the "Sky High, Sea Wide" channel, Zhang Xiujie, on his July 28th program, "Why Did a Buddhist Monastery Emerge as Shi Yongxin?"
In his program, Zhang Xiujie pointed out that high-ranking figures in religious circles actually hold administrative ranks and are not true monks, but rather figures within the system. He recounted an incident from 1983: A college classmate's father, the editor-in-chief of a magazine, sent a reporter to interview the abbot of a temple in eastern China that was "more famous than Shaolin Temple," and the classmate accompanied the reporter.
After knocking on the temple door and explaining their purpose, the monks replied, "The abbot isn't here." The group was puzzled—according to tradition, the abbot should reside within the temple, so why was he out? The monks revealed that the abbot had been dancing at a nightclub in a certain city.
Surprised, the two headed straight for the nightclub. When they asked, "Is the abbot here?" the waiter replied, "Yes," and they seemed familiar with the abbot. A middle-aged man in a suit and neatly coiffed hair was summoned, claiming to be the abbot. When the reporter expressed his wish to interview him that evening, the abbot replied, "Wait a moment, let's change the venue." He then removed his wig, donned his robes, and began the interview.
Zhang Xiujie concluded, "So, why would a figure like Shi Yongxin emerge from the pure land of Buddhism? Don't overthink it. The reason is simple: when politics enters any field, especially religion, religion mutates."
News (5)
Pawn or monk? Shi Yongxin is not an isolated case
Cai Kefeng said that he was watching Zhang Xiujie's program that reminded him of his past and shared it, hoping to help the outside world understand that the so-called "political monk" is actually part of the national United Front project.
From this perspective, he believes that Shi Yongxin's rise and controversy are no longer simply a matter of personal morality. He is more like a carefully orchestrated pawn, a representative figure selected within the system. His age, historical background, and past National People's Congress representatives all fit the criteria for selecting "political monks" back then.
According to public information, Shi Yongxin was born in 1965 and ordained at Shaolin Temple at the age of 16 (1981). He then traveled to various temples to study. Upon returning to Shaolin Temple at the age of 19, he was elected to the temple management. At the age of 22, he became the director of the Shaolin Temple Management Committee, a position of leadership for decades. He also served as a deputy to the National People's Congress for several terms, and his activities spanned religion, politics, and business.
Shi Yongxin's rapid rise in age and seniority is clearly no accident. Cai Kefeng bluntly stated, "If he only became a monk after reaching an agreement with the central government, then this is all state-directed, and he's merely an executor."
Cai Kefeng stated that even though Shi Yongxin is currently embroiled in scandal, it shouldn't be viewed simply as a personal fall. "In the eyes of the CCP, personal morality is merely a minor issue; it's the result of years of institutional cover-up and permissiveness. People laugh at him for having affairs, but how many of those in the central government, while appearing serious, have mistresses? These are only exposed when something goes wrong. These aren't just ordinary scandals, but political manipulation."
In the Chinese system, Cai Kefeng believes that "monks" have long become a form of administrative role. They are not practicing as monks but rather working and carrying out united front work. They are monks, officials, business managers and ultimately, tools of the system.
Cai Kefeng concluded, "The question we should ask isn't whether he's worthy of being a monk, but rather, who allowed him to become one?"
News (6)
Inside story: Did Zhang Youxia overthrow Shi Yongxin?
—Who was the driving force behind Shi Yongxin's downfall? Insider information on the "collusion" revealed
Reporter : Wang Duruo / Editor : Fang Xun / https://www.aboluowang.com/2025/0731/2255319.html
On 27 July 2025, Shaolin Temple abbot Shi Yongxin was reportedly suspected of criminal offenses and is under a multi-agency joint investigation. On July 29, Shi Yinle, abbot of Luoyang White Horse Temple, took over, breaking the Shaolin Temple tradition of having a monk from the temple take over.
Shi Yongxin has been in charge of temple affairs for 38 years since 1987, serving under three Communist Party leaders: Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, and Xi Jinping. During his tenure at Shaolin Temple, he established a martial arts monk corps and aggressively expanded his business empire. After Xi Jinping came to power, Shaolin Temple became a tool for the CCP's overseas united front work and the Belt and Road Initiative.
In 2015, Shi Yongxin was reported for alleged misconduct and accepting bribes, but the 2017 investigation concluded that there was "insufficient evidence." He remained unaccounted for for a long time, believed to be protected by Jiang Zemin's faction and Xi Jinping.
Now, on the eve of the Beidaihe meeting, Shi Yongxin's sudden fall from power has attracted widespread attention. Commentator Li Yanming analyzed that Xi Jinping is facing a health and power crisis, and veterans like Zhang Youxia and Wen Jiabao have become key to the political situation. Shi Yongxin has close ties to the Chinese Communist Party's military, particularly with special forces and veteran Henan military leaders. Jia Ting'an, Cao Gangchuan, and others have frequent interactions with him.
In recent years, military purges have intensified, with Henan-born generals such as Rocket Force Commander Li Yuchao and Army Deputy Commander You Haitao successively dismissed. The former Nanjing Military Region has become a key target of the purge, with several generals from the 31st Group Army under investigation. Students from the Shaolin Martial Arts School are spread across theater commands, the armed police, garrisons, and the Central Security Bureau. Zhang Youxia spearheaded the military purge, and Shi Yongxin's downfall may be related to this.
Li Yanming observed that Wu Yi visited the Shaolin Temple twice, in 2003 and 2004, condemning the architecture for undermining the ancient style and ordering renovations. She also promoted renovations to the Shaolin Temple during Wen Jiabao's tenure. The new abbot, Shi Yinle, previously hosted Wu Yi and presided over White Horse Temple for 20 years. He maintains a low profile, avoids commercialization, and opposes trademarking the temple name.
In 2005, Wen Jiabao's visit to India facilitated the construction of an Indian-style Buddhist temple at White Horse Temple, which was implemented by Shi Yinle. Funded by India, this temple was India's first official Buddhist cultural project overseas. Shi Yinle led the monks in personally cultivating the land and operating machinery, emphasizing the pure traditions of Buddhism. His previous stance was diametrically opposed to that of Shi Yongxin.
Shi Yongxin was deeply intertwined with the Chinese Communist Party's military, united front, religious, and ideological systems. His fall from power sends a strong signal of political change. Shi Yinle's sudden appointment sets the stage for subsequent rectification. Will the Shi Yongxin case escalate, and which senior officials will be implicated? The answers are becoming clearer as the situation evolves.
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