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Shaolin monks fight for share of ticket money
Print Edition
A LEGAL showdown between a renowned Buddhist temple in central China and its administration agency snagged headlines as the two battle over ticket fare distribution of the tourist site.
The Nanfang Metropolis Daily yesterday reported that a group of monks staged a small demonstration at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province last Saturday, demanding the whereabouts of money from ticket sales, which is managed by the administration committee of Songshan Shaolin scenic area where the temple is located.
The demonstration came almost a year after the temple sued the committee for failing to give a portion of the ticket fares to the temple. According to a contract signed by both parties in 2009, for each 100 yuan (US$16.30) ticket sold, 30 yuan should go to the temple.
The committee failed to give almost 50 million yuan worth of ticket money to the temple between January 2011 and October 2013, according to the lawsuit files, which demand the money and a penalty of more than 2 million yuan.
Denying the requests, a committee official reportedly told the newspaper that “monks don’t need that much money anyway,” fueling a wave of debate on the Internet.
On microblog Sina Weibo, a post about the case has been forwarded more than 3,000 times, with many users unleashing scathing comments.
“Why do officials need that much money anyway?” said one, mocking the comment.
“Why not just open the temple to the public free of charge? This way it would solve your quandary,” read another.
Shi Yongxin, head of the Shaolin Temple, said its financial staff had taken pains to ask for the money from the committee multiple times but were constantly ignored.
“They have violated the interests of the monks in Shaolin Temple, and I believe the court will give us justice,” Shi said.
The monk, who has courted controversy himself for developing money-spinning business operations such as kung fu shows, said the ticket money is a necessity in the temple’s maintenance, the monks’ daily expenses and in Buddhist rituals.
The committee said the dispute over revenue is due to a misunderstanding of the contract. A worker said the temple counts ticket sales based on visitor numbers but neglects the fact that many people get in free or with a discount.
According to official statistics, from January 2011 to October 2013, at least 670,000 people visited the site free of charge, while 840,000 bought half-priced tickets.
“If we’re not getting money, how do they expect us to give money?” the person said.
The suit is currently proceeding, and the court will open a trial and announce a verdict should reconciliation efforts fail.
The administration committee of the scenic area was formed in 1984 and has been designated in charge of the Shaolin Temple since. Over the years, it has been involved in several disputes with the temple over ticket sales.
In 2011, the Dengfeng city government allocated 15 million yuan to the temple to help ease tensions.
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