According to the South China Morning Post, Shi Yingle took over the monastery on July 29 and immediately carried out "five decisive reforms." He stopped commercial performances and expensive initiation rituals, closed shops on the temple grounds, limited the income of monks, obliged them to farm and reduced access to smartphones to 30 minutes a day.
In addition, international travel programs with martial arts demonstrations have now been canceled. Morning prayers begin at 04:30, after which the monks must work in the fields and practice martial arts. All forms of entertainment are prohibited. According to the newspaper, more than 30 people left the monastery, some of them complained that the restrictions prevented even the reading of sacred texts.
The changes occurred after the scandalous resignation of the former abbot Shi Yongxin, who was accused of embezzlement of funds, violations of Buddhist precepts and long-term illicit relationships with women. The new head has previously criticized the way of life in the monastery, accusing some monks of idleness, ordering food to places of meditation and listening to pop music while chanting mantras.
