By Guo Qiang
Global Times
August 19 2010
http://china.globaltimes.cn/society/2010-08/565114.html
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A controversy is persisting over a popular Taoist priest in southwestern Chongqing Municipality, despite an announcement by local authorities that a "comprehensive" and "in-depth" investigation found an accusation against him of rape to be "inaccurate."
Li Yi, who has a reported 30,000 followers - including business tycoon Jack Ma, the founder of Chinese e-commerce firm alibaba.com, and pop singer Faye Wong - had been the focus of a police probe in the past few days over an allegation of raping a college student about six years ago. The Southern Weekend newspaper had claimed he paid 7,000 yuan ($1030) to silence her.
An unnamed spokesman for the Bureau of Religious Affairs in the Beibei district of Chongqing told local news portal cqnews.net Wednesday, in the wake of a comprehensive and in-depth investigation carried out by local police, that there was no evidence to justify the allegations that Li had raped the woman.
The announcement was the latest official response to widespread skepticism over Li, a Taoist priest of Shaolong Taoist Temple of Jinyun Mountain, who has came under fire for his controversial claims and practices.
Li's whereabouts are unknown. Wu Xin, Li's disciple and deputy director of the Jinyun Mountain Taoist Association, was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency that Li has been carrying out closed-door practices for at least a few months, during which time he has had his phone turned off and hasn't accepted visitors.
Formerly known as a "grand master," Li has been met with a barrage of critical reports saying many of his claims are false, such as staying alive for nearly 2.5 hours under water without oxygen, enduring a 220v electric shock and breathing with his heels.
The priest also reportedly runs expensive health and philosophy programs.
The religious bureau confirmed as a fraud his claim of staying alive under water for nearly 2.5 hours, and his expensive programs have been banned for failing to get official approval.
But the bureau said it needs to further investigate other controversies.
A former colleague of Li told the Global Times on condition of anonymity Wednesday that the official investigation has been unconvincing, as there are a number of many leads to follow up on. "How could they draw a conclusion within two days over a case that happened years ago," she said.
Li is the latest "grand master" exposed as a fraud. Zhang Wuben, 47, a once-popular Chinese diet therapist, was found by officials in May to have faked his nutritionist qualifications.
Zhang claimed that mung beans and eggplant could cure diabetes and even cancer.
Sima Nan, a well-known Chinese critic of controversial scientific issues, told the Global Times Wednesday that Li uses religion to boast his "omnipotence" in the media and to his followers.
"With the improvement in living standards, there is a great public demand of regimens for longer and healthier lives, which has been used by people such as Li to make a fortune," Sima said.
Public disappointment in the modern medical-care system have resulted in more people turning to religion for help, Sima said, urging the government to put more effort into spreading scientific knowledge based on facts.
Outcries from skeptics aside, Li still has a number of devote supporters.
Fan Xinman, an editor at China Central Television, said in her blog Tuesday that "I remain to have trust in Li, since I deem him a representative of traditional Chinese culture." Fan has written a book on Li's "magical powers."
Zhu Shanshan and agencies contributed to this story
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