The Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province has come under fire for selling "Shaolin Kung Fu and Medicine Secret", a series of kung fu instruction manuals.
Priced at about 10,000 yuan each, or nearly 1,500 U.S. dollars, the book is the most expensive item in the temple's online shop.
An article in the China Youth Daily says the Shaolin Temple has focused too much on making money, harming its prestige as a Buddhist pilgrimage site.
In traditional culture, kung fu masters only pass down their skills to their apprentices based on their virtues rather than on economic conditions. But the article points out that the high price of the book prevents most martial art lovers from buying it.
The article also questions the manual's authenticity and originality and points out that it has no real contents. It is believed to have been written by Shi Yongxin, the temple's celebrity abbot, the article says.
The article emphasizes that the Shaolin Temple should restrict its commercial endeavors and return to its role as a symbol of Buddhist culture.
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