China's Religious Scandals: Taoist Leader Hu Chenglin Accused of Corruption and Secret Family

2026/05/22 13:00 Instant News / Comprehensive Report

Chinese National Political Advisor and Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Taoist Association, Hu Chenglin, was recently reported to have been dismissed on suspicion of corruption and having a secret family. (Photo from Weibo)

Scandals continue to emerge from China's religious circles. Following accusations against Shaolin Temple Abbot Shi Yongxin for "suspected embezzlement of temple property, maintaining improper relationships with multiple women for a long time, and having illegitimate children," Chinese National Political Advisor and Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Taoist Association, Hu Chenglin, was recently reported to have been dismissed on suspicion of corruption and having a secret family.

According to comprehensive media reports, on April 7 this year, Full-time Taoist Liu Yongheng publicly accused Hu Chenglin, Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Taoist Association, on the internet, calling him the "Shi Yongxin of the Taoist world," thus opening the prelude to this incident. Liu Yongheng accused Hu Chenglin of claiming to be a celibate ascetic externally, but in reality, he had been secretly married and had children for over 20 years, and had multiple mistresses. He also helped one of his mistresses, born in 1997, obtain a Taoist certificate. The two traveled to Hong Kong together, chartered a luxury cruise ship, and used temple property to buy himself a luxury car, a Land Rover.

Liu Yongheng revealed that Hu Chenglin had been removed from his positions as a National Political Advisor and a director of the China Taoist Association, but he still served as the Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Taoist Association and the supervisor of Xi'an Eight Immortals Temple and Xiangzi Temple, without being expelled from the Taoist order. Liu Yongheng stated that he posted this on Weibo at the time and expressed his willingness to bear all legal responsibilities, but the post has since disappeared.

This month, Hu Chenglin was removed from his positions as supervisor of Xi'an Eight Immortals Temple and Xiangzi Temple, and his title of honorary president of the Xi'an Taoist Association was also revoked. The position of Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Taoist Association is also rumored to have been suspended.