Shaolin must meet moral challenges on new path
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An online rumor that Shi Yongxin, Shaolin Temple's abbot, was found soliciting a prostitute and taken away by local police during a recent crackdown on pornography has spread like wildfire on the Web. The temple issued an online statement Sunday, saying their abbot was hosting activities in the temple these days and the message was "pure slander."
This is not the first time that the 46-year-old abbot has witnessed attempts to tarnish his public image. Last year, the temple's website was taken down by a hacker attack, and a letter purportedly written by the abbot was posted there, proclaiming Shi a sinner ashamed of setting the temple on a path of no return to commercialization.
Meanwhile, Shi's photos, taken while being awarded a luxury sports car by local government for his contributions to GDP or toting an iPad to a meeting of the National People's Congress, have been transferred to various online forums and stirred up huge controversy.
In China, it is widely believed that a Buddhist temple should be a tranquil, detached sanctuary where people can seek peace of mind. This may be what people wish for, but the reality is quite the opposite – in this bustling and dazzling era, an insular temple usually struggles to survive and may fall into a desolate condition.
Shi believes that the Shaolin Temple should be integrated into modern society. Over the past few years, he has used his business acumen to enhance Shaolin's reputation as a cultural treasure. He has improved the destitute sight of his temple and publicized Shaolin's name awareness abroad. He deserves some respect for developing the temple into a world-famous landmark and helping Shaolin prosper.
At the moment, Shi needs to take a break from his tight schedule and think more about his role as abbot. Shi is a high-profile figure and he must be aware that some of his deeds have cast doubt on the spiritual essence of Shaolin.
News reports on Shaolin staging global kung fu performances, building luxury tourist lounges, holding bikini fashion shows and even planning "chain stores" make people worry that the temple may be facing a moral crisis.
After removing economic pressure, shouldn't there be a bottom line under the feet of the Buddha?
Religions have never been separate from "secular" monetary and material support. The public needs to be more tolerant of Shi's promotion of the Shaolin brand name and avoid relating everything he does to capitalist impulses.
In the meantime, Shi must find the subtle balance point between the secular and the spiritual. He must manage the age-old cultural gem in a way that society can accept. This poses a real challenge to the abbot's future strategy.
