LILY KUO, 王月眉2025年7月29日少林寺方丈释永信。中国佛教协会宣布已注销释永信戒牒。 Peter Parks/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesChinese authorities are investigating the longtime head of China’s Shaolin Temple on suspicion of embezzling funds, maintaining “improper relations" with women and fathering at least one child outside marriage, the temple said.长期担任少林寺住持的释永信正在接受中国当局调查，据少林寺发布的通告，他涉嫌挪用资金，与多名女性保持“不正当关系”并育有至少一名私生子。It is the latest scandal to embroil one of the country’s most famous monks, Shi Yongxin, also known as China’s C.E.O. monk for his work turning the temple, a fabled 1,500-year-old monastery complex in central China, into an international tourist attraction and global brand.这是中国最著名的僧人之一卷入的最新丑闻。释永信素以“佛门CEO”闻名，在他的努力下，这个位于中国中部、有1500年历史的古刹变成了国际旅游景点和全球品牌。A short notice posted on Sunday by the Shaolin Temple’s official account on the Chinese messaging app WeChat said that Shi Yongxin, the temple’s abbot, was under investigation by “multiple departments” for criminal offenses related to the misuse of funds and assets owned by the temple, as well as for “seriously violating” Buddhist principles. The temple did not provide specifics.据少林寺官方微信账号周日发布的简短公告，该寺住持释永信因涉嫌挪用资金和寺院资产、“严重违反佛教戒律”，以及其他刑事犯罪，正在接受“多部门联合调查”，但未透露具体细节。The Buddhist Association of China said on Monday that it had revoked the abbot’s clergy certificate. The organization described his behavior as “completely vile” and damaging to the reputation of the broader Buddhist community and other monks.中国佛教协会周一宣布注销释永信戒牒。该协会称他的行为“十分恶劣，严重败坏了佛教界的声誉，损害了出家人的形象”。Shi Yongxin and the Shaolin Temple could not immediately be reached for comment.记者暂时无法联系到释永信和少林寺发表评论。Known as Liu Yingcheng before he joined the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province as a monk in 1981, Shi Yongxin has been alternately praised for reviving the ancient temple complex, which had been left neglected for decades, and criticized for commercializing it.释永信1981年在河南省少林寺出家前俗名刘应成。他因让这座遭冷落数十年的古刹再现辉煌而受到赞誉，但也有人批评他把这里变得过度商业化。In 2015, a former apprentice of his accused him of embezzling funds from the Shaolin Temple, while an anonymous letter claimed that he had several mistresses and funneled money to them. At the time, the temple denied all allegations and an investigation by Henan officials concluded the accusations were groundless. He remained the temple’s abbot.2015年，他的一名前弟子曾指控他挪用少林寺资金，另有一封匿名信举报他包养多名情妇，并向她们转移资产。当时，少林寺否认了全部指控，河南省的官员进行了调查后得出结论称，这些指控毫无根据。释永信继续担任少林寺住持。Still, he is credited with globalizing the Shaolin name through product licensing and franchises. He set up martial-arts schools overseas and for a time wanted to build a $300 million Shaolin-branded luxury golf resort in Australia. Under his watch, the temple’s commercial ventures have ranged from film production to selling medicine.尽管如此，他仍被认为是将“少林”品牌推向全球的关键人物，方式包括品牌授权和特许经营。他在海外开设武术学校，一度还想在澳大利亚建造一个耗资3亿美元的少林品牌豪华高尔夫度假村。在他的领导下，少林寺的商业版图横跨电影制作、药品销售等多个领域。Today, his success at transforming the temple into a moneymaking machine is apparent to any visitor. On a recent visit by a New York Times reporter, the opening act for the temple’s famous monk kung fu show was a calligraphy demonstration. The emcee pitched three calligraphy works, selling for 300 renminbi (about $42) each. At least one was sold successfully.今天，这座寺院被改造为赚钱机器的痕迹随处可见。《纽约时报》记者近日实地探访看到，著名的少林武僧功夫表演以书法推销开场。主持人展示了三幅书法作品，每幅售价300元人民币，当场成功卖出了至少一幅。To leave the show, audience members had to exit through a warren of gift shops selling not just the usual souvenirs — Buddhist figurines, T-shirts and refrigerator magnets — but also sneakers, jewelry and Labubu dolls.观众看完表演后需要经过狭窄的小道才能离开，小道两旁是销售各种商品的礼品店，它们不仅出售常规的旅游纪念品（如佛像、T恤、冰箱磁贴），还出售运动鞋、珠宝，以及拉布布。Some monks could be seen praying in the temple halls. But the complex was dominated by tourists and the many enterprises catering to them: snack stalls, electric buggies for rent and tour guides hawking their services.虽然能看到一些僧人在寺庙的大殿里诵经，但寺院里主要是游客和迎合游客需求的商家：小吃摊、电动观光车服务，以及招揽生意的导游。The fame that the temple has achieved internationally was engraved on the temple grounds: On a tree-lined walkway lined with stone tablets with inscriptions from various Chinese dynasties, one much newer tablet displayed the names of famous visitors. The list included Mike Tyson, Robert Downey Jr. and Stevie Wonder.少林寺享誉全球的声望铭刻在寺院里：一条绿荫步道两旁除了排列着历代石碑外，还有一块更新的石碑，上面刻着来访名人的名字，包括迈克·泰森、小罗伯特·唐尼，还有史蒂夫·旺德。Berry Wang对本文有报道贡献。王月眉(Vivian Wang)是《纽约时报》驻华记者，常驻北京，撰写关于中国的崛起及雄心如何塑造普通人日常生活的报道。翻译：纽约时报中文网点击查看本文英文版。