A discussion on the controversy over Abbot Shi Yongxin's commercialization of the Shaolin Temple.Download the app here:Chinese Short Dialogue | WebsiteChinese Short Dialogue | App StoreChinese Short Dialogue | Google PlayAvailable in 8 languages on the app:Learn Chinese | 중국어 배우기 | 中国語を学ぶ | Изучать китайский язык | Học tiếng Trung | Belajar bahasa Mandarin | Aprender chino | تعلم اللغة الصينية 《English Translation》黄刚: Hua’er, did you watch the news today? Abbot Shi Yongxin of the Shaolin Temple is under investigation for allegedly misappropriating temple assets and violating monastic precepts… What do you think?陈花: Yes, I saw it too. He’s the first abbot to earn an MBA degree, leading Shaolin Temple into business—selling medicine, running online shops, even doing livestream sales. That alone has been quite controversial.黄刚: Exactly, business and Buddhism should be two parallel lines. At first, he might have done it to promote Shaolin culture, but later it seems he went astray, especially with issues about his private life. It’s really shocking.陈花: That reminds me of the saying, ‘A gentleman loves wealth but acquires it by proper means.’ As an abbot, he should set an example. How could he become a slave to greed?黄刚: Right, Shaolin Temple is an ancient Buddhist sanctuary, yet now it’s tied up with commercial interests, and the essence of its culture is being overlooked. It really makes one think about how to balance tradition and modern business.陈花: I hope that after this incident, Shaolin Temple can truly return to its original intentions and find a balance between cultural heritage and development.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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