Shaolin Abbot Shi Yinle

Wai Jia: The Kung Fu Forum Shaolin Kung Fu
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Abbot of Luoyang’s White House Temple appointed as new abbot of Shaolin
Appointment follows criminal investigation into former abbot Shi Yongxin
By Global TimesPublished: Jul 29, 2025 08:55 PM
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Shi Yinle Photo: VCG

Shi Yinle, abbot of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, Central China’s Henan Province, has reportedly assumed the position of abbot of the Shaolin Temple, according to a statement from the Shaolin Temple following the launch of an investigation into its former abbot.

According to a release from the Shaolin Temple on Tuesday, in accordance with the regulations on the appointment of abbots in Chinese Buddhist Temples, and upon the democratic deliberation and approval by the monastic community of Shaolin Temple, Venerable Yinle has been ceremoniously invited to assume the position of abbot of Shaolin Temple following due procedures.

According to an introduction from the website of the White Horse Temple, Shi Yinle, whose secular surname is Yin Qingquan, was born in July 1966 in Tongbai, Henan Province. In 1982, he was tonsured as a monk on Tongbai Mountain. In September 1983, he received full ordination at Qixia Temple in Nanjing. He later studied at the monastic training program of Qixia Temple under the Buddhist Academy of China, and in 1986 he enrolled at the Buddhist Academy of China.

In October 2003, Shi Yinle was appointed by the Henan Buddhist Association to oversee the affairs of White Horse Temple. On November 1, 2005, Master Yinle was officially installed as the abbot of the White Horse Temple - bringing an end to the temple’s eight-year vacancy in the abbot position, according to the release from the website.

Shi Yinle previously served as a delegate to the seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and held the position of deputy secretary-general of the Buddhist Association of Henan Province.

The Buddhist Association of China announced Monday that it has agreed to revoke the ordination certificate of Shi Yongxin, abbot of the renowned Shaolin Temple, over suspected criminal offenses, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

Shi Yongxin is under a joint investigation by several departments, the temple management office announced in a statement on Sunday.

Shi Yongxin is suspected of criminal offences, including embezzling and misappropriating project funds and temple assets. He has also been accused of serious violations of Buddhist precepts, maintaining long-term inappropriate relationships with multiple women and having at least one illegitimate child, Xinhua reported, citing the Shaolin Temple management office.

Shaolin Temple, in Central China’s Henan Province, is internationally known for its deep-rooted kung fu tradition, per Xinhua.

Global Times
I wonder if Shi Yinle will adopt a Shaolin name. Yin is outside of the lineage poem.

Abbot Scandals
Shaolin Abbot Shi Yinle

Shaolin Journeys
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Here’s a little more on Shi Yinle

China appoints new abbot of Shaolin Temple after sacking predecessor over corruption, sex scandals

Edited By Anuj Shrivastava
Published: Jul 30, 2025 at 00:10 IST | Updated: Jul 30, 2025 at 00:10 IST
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Shi Yinle, the new abbot to the Shaolin Temple in central Henan province of China. Photograph: (X@thinking_panda)

Story highlights
The Shaolin Temple also accuses the former abbot Shi Yongxin of maintaining improper relationships with multiple women and having children with them, violating the vow of celibacy. A vendor said Yongxin’s misconduct as a “playboy monk” had tarnished the image of Buddhism.

China has appointed a new abbot to the Shaolin Temple in central Henan province after authorities at the Buddhist monastery announced that Shi Yongxin, its head monk for more than 25 years, is being investigated for alleged financial and sex scandals. Shi Yinle, 59, who is currently abbot of the White Horse Temple and is also deputy head of the Henan Provincial Buddhist Association will replace Shi Yongxin, said a statement from the Shaolin Temple on Tuesday. “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 statement said.

Meanwhile, the Buddhist credentials of disgraced former abbot Shi Yongxin have been revoked, and companies linked to him have been deregistered.

“Shi’s actions are extremely bad, seriously damaging the reputation of the Buddhist community and the image of monks,” the association said. No individual was above the law or the moral standards of their faith, the association added, emphasising its commitment to uphold the discipline and integrity of the Buddhist community.

The Shaolin Temple, established over 1,500 years ago in China’s central Henan province, is the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and a Unesco World Heritage site, famous as the cradle of Shaolin kung fu, while the White Horse Temple, also in Henan, was the first Buddhist temple in China established under the patronage of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han dynasty.

President Xi Jinping visited the White Horse Temple in May as part of an inspection tour to Henan.

The new abbot, Shi Yinle, was born in southern Henan’s Tongbai county in 1966 and ordained at the Tongbai Mountain Temple at the age of 16. After training at the Qixia Temple in eastern China, he went to study at the Chinese Buddhist Academy in 1986.

After graduating in 1990, Shi Yinle joined the Henan Provincial Buddhist Association. In 2003, the association appointed him to serve at the White Horse Temple, where he was promoted to abbot two years later.

The Shaolin Temple also accuses the former abbot of maintaining improper relationships with multiple women for a long time and having children with them, violating the vow of celibacy required of Buddhist monks.

A vendor near the temple said Shi’s misconduct as a “playboy monk” had “tarnished the image of Buddhism” and added that business had “dipped slightly” over the past few days because of the scandal.

Shi Yongxin, the controversial “CEO monk”, was ordained in 1981 and took full control of the Shaolin Temple in 1999, after which he transformed it from a crumbling monastic compound into a multibillion-dollar global brand. He is known as the first Chinese abbot to hold a master’s degree in business administration.

Under his leadership, the temple started opening schools outside China and formed a travelling troupe of monks who performed shows of Shaolin kung fu—the temple’s signature style of martial arts.

The Shaolin Temple is a globally recognised Buddhist sanctuary and draws thousands of disciples annually, including many from overseas.

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Do we think that by simply replacing the Abbot so quickly will do away with the impact the former Abbot’s actions? I think the impact of the situation is way bigger than it is being reported and what the extent of the actions are. Everyone in the Martial Arts community is talking about this and asking a lot of questions to those of us who have trained in Shaolin Gongfu… Thoughts?

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What happens next? Fair question. We shall see.

If Shaolin has taught me one thing, it’s that all things are impermanent.

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New abbot of China’s legendary Shaolin Temple rolls out ‘996’ routine, 30 monks reconsider their Zen

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The new Shaolin abbot’s strict ‘996’ schedule has reportedly led to 30 monks reconsidering their path amid tighter discipline and lifestyle reforms. — Picture via Facebook

By Malay Mail
Saturday, 09 Aug 2025 2:45 PM MYT

BEIJING, Aug 9 — China’s legendary Shaolin Temple has entered a new era of discipline that would make even the hardest-working tech employee blink.

Following the ousting of former abbot Shi Yongxin over allegations of financial and sexual misconduct, his successor Shi Yinle has imposed a rigorous set of reforms — including a schedule dubbed “Buddhist 996,” after the famously brutal Chinese tech industry routine of 9am to 9pm, six days a week, the South China Morning Post reported.

Shi Yinle, 59, who previously led The White Horse Temple, China’s first Buddhist temple, took charge of Shaolin Temple in Henan province on July 29.

Known for his low-profile but firm leadership style, the new abbot wasted no time announcing five major reforms aimed at restoring the temple’s spiritual purity and financial transparency.

According to the South China Morning Post, key changes include halting commercial performances, banning expensive consecration rituals, removing temple shops, promoting self-sufficiency through farming, and overhauling income distribution by scrapping criticised fees.

The abbot openly criticised some monks for straying off the spiritual path, stating bluntly: “Now some monks neither truly practise nor properly work.”

Examples included monks ordering takeaway in meditation rooms or listening to pop music during chanting.

As part of the new order, the Hong Kong-based newspaper reported that monks must attend morning prayers at 4.30am, spend hours farming, and practice Zen martial arts in the afternoon.

Entertainment is all but banned, with mobile phones confiscated and stored centrally, and screen time capped at just 30 minutes daily.

The temple’s diet has tightened, favouring vegetables, with tofu limited to once a week.

The reforms have sparked a wave of departures: within a week, more than 30 monks and staff reportedly resigned.

The South China Morning Post reported it is unclear whether these individuals transferred to other temples or left monastic life altogether.

One young monk likened losing his mobile phone — used for reading scriptures — to “losing an arm,” while another joked about now “smelling vegetables and feeling like vomiting.”

The strict new regime has ignited spirited debate on mainland social media.

One user commented, “This helps weed out a large number of fakes who became monks just to enjoy life.”

Another added, “Those leaving were never real monks, they chanted ‘gold’ rather than Buddhist scriptures. It is a good thing. Let them go and take away the impurities with them.”

A third quipped, “When pilgrims arrive at the Shaolin Temple and see how hard the monks live, they suddenly feel their own lives are not so bad after all.”

It’s a little ironic that the 996 comes from the tech industry when Yongxin was the “CEO monk.”

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Ooph! That sounds absolutely miserable. I feel bad for the monks. This strikes me as the pendulum swinging way too far in the other direction. Hope it settles down. Tofu only once a week?! C’mon!

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Over 30 Monks, Staffers Quit After New Shaolin Temple Head Slashes Phone Time

Monks who fail assessments for three consecutive months under a new “bottom-tier elimination system” may be required to leave.

  • Edited by: Abhinav Singh
  • Offbeat
  • Aug 08, 2025 17:59 pm IST [LIST]
  • Published OnAug 08, 2025 17:58 pm IST
  • Last Updated OnAug 08, 2025 17:59 pm IST
[/LIST] Read Time: 3 mins

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The new abbot has implemented stringent rules.

More than 30 monks and staff members have left the internationally renowned Shaolin Temple after the newly appointed abbot, Shi Yinle, slashed screen time on mobile phones, imposed strict diets and long working hours. Shi Yinle took over from former Shaolin abbot Shi Yongxin, who is being investigated for financial and sexual misconduct, having led the temple in central China’s Henan province for more than two decades.

Shi Yinle, 59, was appointed the abbot on July 29 and immediately announced five sweeping reforms, according to a report in South China Morning Post.

  • Halt commercial performances.
  • Ban high-priced consecration rituals.
  • Remove temple shops.
  • Promote monastic self-sufficiency through farming.
  • Overhaul income distribution by eliminating previously criticised fees.
As per Shi, the monks had strayed from the spiritual path, adding that they were neither truly practising nor properly working. He cited examples of monks ordering takeaway food in meditation rooms and listening to pop music during chanting.

The new rules mandate that monks report for morning prayers at 4:30 am, followed by farming and Zen martial arts practice. The mobile phones will now be stored in a central storeroom, with all forms of entertainment banned. Screen time has been reduced to 30 minutes.

Monks who fail assessments for three consecutive months under a new “bottom-tier elimination system” may be required to leave.

The move triggered a wave of resignations, but it remains unclear if the monks or staffers were transferred to other temples or left entirely.

The Shaolin Temple has gained worldwide prominence, not only for being a religious institution but also for its martial arts and culture, which has been referenced in many movies and TV dramas, including the 1982 film “The Shaolin Temple,” starring martial arts superstar Jet Li.

Shi Yongxin, whose original name is Liu Yingcheng, entered the Shaolin Temple in 1981 and became its abbot in 1999. He was known as a “CEO monk,” attracting criticism for developing commercial operations to promote kung fu shows and merchandise.

Last month, the temple announced that Shi Yongxin was under investigation on suspicion of misappropriation and embezzlement of project funds and temple assets. He is alleged to have committed criminal offenses and violated Buddhist precepts by maintaining relationships with multiple women over a long period and fathering at least one child.

One of the coolest phones I ever saw belonged to a Shaolin monk. It had LED disco lights when it rang and the ringtone was a Buddhist chant.

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This reckoning has been decades in the making. about dam time. waiting excitedly for further developments

pretty much unforgivable as the public temple kung fu is atrocious. If you wanna be a fake monk fine, but u gotta have the real kung fu.

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Party chief of Henan talks with abbot of Shaolin Temple, calls on religious figures to take lead in abiding by laws, regulations: reports

By Global Times Published: Dec 15, 2025 09:57 AM

Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain in Henan Province. Photo: VCG

Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain in Henan Province. Photo: VCG

The Party chief of Central China’s Henan Province conducted an unannounced visit on Sunday to Shaolin Temple in Songshan Mountain and held in-depth discussions with Abbot Shi Yinle.

Liu Ning, secretary of the Communist Party of China Henan Provincial Committee, visited the Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng to inspect the development of the cultural and tourism market. He had an in-depth exchange with Abbot Shi Yinle, urging religious figures to adhere to the direction of the sinicization of religion in China, according to Henan Daily.

Liu also called on religious figures to take the lead in abiding by laws and regulations and strictly observing religious discipline, continuously enhance their spiritual cultivation, properly handle the relationship between Shaolin Temple and Shaolin culture, clarify the boundaries between Shaolin Temple, the Songshan Mountain scenic area, and cultural and tourism development, return to the true essence of religion, and safeguard the reputation and image of Shaolin Temple, Henan Daily reported.

Shi Yinle, former abbot of the White Horse Temple in Luoyang, Henan Province, assumed the position of abbot of the Shaolin Temple, according to a statement from the Shaolin Temple in July.

The Buddhist Association of China announced it revoked the ordination certificate of Shi Yongxin, former abbot of the Shaolin Temple, over suspected criminal offenses, according to the Xinhua News Agency.