Shi Yongxin

As of January, 2011, Yongxin and the temple operated over 40 companies in cities across the world, including London and Berlin, which have purchased land and property.

In May 2011, it was rumored that Abbot Yongxin solicited prostitutes. While Yongxin himself did not comment on the accusations, Qian Daliang, general manager of Shaolin Intangible Assets Management Center, said "it will depreciate ourselves if we make too many explanations." If it is time for the abbot to come out, he will, Qian added. It was also claimed the temple later explained that Yongxin was performing a Buddhist service for the prostitute, rather than having sex with her.

Yongxin has been widely criticized in the online Buddhist and martial arts communities for commercializing the temple and running it like a business, earning him the nickname "CEO Monk". Most of the criticisms involve gifts he has allegedly accepted, such as a special robe worth 160,000 Yuan ($23,439 USD) in 2009 and a Volkswagen Touareg 4x4 worth over 1,000,000 Yuan in 2006. Other criticisms involve him using advertisements for the temple, the way admission fees are charged, and the fees charged to burn incense. Yongxin has also been criticized for his approval of the demolition of nearby environment in 2001, where the village surrounding the Shaolin Temple was bulldozed in order to help the bid for it to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In November 2009 the official Shaolin Temple website was hacked twice. The first time, the message "Shaolin evildoer Shi Yongxin, go to hell" was posted in calligraphy. The second time, hackers posted a letter said to be written by Yongxin in which he apologized for living a materialistic lifestyle and commercializing the temple.