But Buddhist parables are rarely so straightforward.įive years on, Mr Shi is still at Shaolin, cleared of all charges. It was easy to dismiss the abbot as a sham, a venal man cloaked in religious garb. Police opened an investigation after an accuser claimed that Mr Shi had enriched himself and violated his vows of celibacy. In 2015 the extent of his hypocrisy seemed to be revealed. Who could resist it? Under Mr Shi, a monk with an MBA, the monastery has expanded abroad and made plans to list on the stockmarket. “CEO monk” is his moniker, appearing in headlines again and again. Mr Shi has been criticised for transforming hallowed ground into a crass business venture. But in recent years it has had more infamy than honour. Founded 1,500 years ago, it is the cradle of kung fu and Zen Buddhism. Tourists flock there to see its warrior monks, impossibly flexible young men who fell imaginary foes with flying kicks beneath the craggy peaks of Mount Song. Mr Shi is abbot of Shaolin Monastery, one of the world’s best-known Buddhist shrines. Voiced by this man, Shi Yongxin, the words sound heavier, weighed down by scandal. When the last joss-stick burns down, he glides out of the room without a word, later offering a brief explanation of the meditation: “True wisdom emerges not from a calculating mind but from the wellspring of your heart.” It is the kind of line that might appear on a motivational poster. All are robed in grey apart from the cherubic man in saffron, their leader. Under its abbot it has opened international branches and made plans to list on the stockmarketįOR NEARLY two hours the monks sit folded in the lotus position, motionless and silent. Shaolin is the cradle of kung-fu and Zen Buddhism.