‘Vatican City (AsiaNews) – This morning in the Vatican (2.1.2025), Pope Francis received a delegation of monks from the Shaolin Temple, a temple of great importance in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Photos published by Vatican News show the Pope in his study with religious figures from Henan province, China.’
The former Head Monk (Abbot) of the Shaolin Temple in Henan – Shi Yongxin – is being vestigated for three distinct crimes:
1) Breaking the Buddhist Precepts
2) Embezzling Funds
3) Siring Illegitimate Children
As an ordained Buddhist monk – Shi Yongxin is required by China’s Secular Law – to firmly uphold the rules of morality contained within the Vinaya Discipline.
Part of the Vinaya Discipline involves a Buddhist monastic making their living through “begging” – but this has been altered in China to “farming” – so that the monastics can grow their own fruits and vegetables (Shi Yongxin ate meat in public). Chinese Buddhist monastics are vegetarian-vegan – but they are not permitted to directly handle money or partake in business (all lay activities). Lay Assistants must correctly and honestly handle any money donated to a temple.
A Buddhist monastic is required to be “celibate” in word, thought, and deed. Shi Yongxin is said to have fathered children with Buddhist nuns and lay-women – all much younger than himself.
The above constitute the primary case against Shi Yongxin – but it appears that this monk – without official permission, chose to travel to the Vatican and attend a private visit with the Pope. This meeting happened during early 2025 – but Mainland China (PRC) does retain good relations with the Vatican – albeit in an “unofficial” capacity. Why “unofficial”? This is because the Vatican (an “Independent” State) is the only country in Europe to still maintain diplomatic relations with “Taiwan” – and view Taiwan as the “Republic of China” (ROC). The Vatican does NOT recognise the “People’s Republic of China” – as the Roman Catholic Church has a long history of supporting fascism and opposing “Socialism”. The Catholic Church supported Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany, provided priests to bless the Nazi and fascist troops invading the USSR, helped thousands of Nazi War Criminals escape Europe after the war, and is fully supportive of Neo-Nazi Ukraine today. The chatter on Chinese-language website in the PRC is of the opinion that Shi Yongxin was up to no good – and this feeds into his “defection” stories, etc. Indeed, it is believed that this might well be a Vatican-inspired intrigue designed to strengthen US foreign policy, bolster the image of Taiwan, and damage the PRC.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 