Monday, September 22, 2008

Shi Yongxin

Shi Yongxin is the current principle abbot of the Shaolin Temple. He is the thirteenth successor after Buddhist abbot Xue Ting Fu Yu. Yongxin is not a martial abbot, but a clerical one, and his duties are scholarly; martial abbot Shi De Li is responsible for training monks at the Shaolin Temple.

A Dharma gathering was held between August 19 and 20, 1999, in the Shaolin Monastery, , China, for Buddhist Master Shi Yongxin to take office as abbot.

Yongxin wears the robes of the abbot, a yellow robe with a red sash, called a patriarch's robe. It is strictly forbidden to wear if one is not a high ranking monastic, which is applicable in all Chinese Buddhist sects. Though it is not illegal, wearing such a robe without proper training is considered offensive towards the Buddhist community.

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