World of Martial Arts: Martial Arts News

Shaolin Monk's Suicide Shocks Martial arts world

Things are again getting worse in New York Shaolin Temple. On around 12:40 pm on, 24th November, 2006, Friday, a Shaolin monk named Shi Hengshan, aka Jimei Wang, hanged himself in the backyard of an old couple in New York. Shi Hengshan was being a shaolin kung fu instructor of Shaolin Temple Overseas Headquarter at 41st Ave, Flushing. Monk Shi Hengshan was immigrated to USA by Shi Guolin who is Abbot of New York Shaolin Temple. Abbot Guolin is being criticized for the cause of the suicide. It is said that Abbout Guolin was ill treating and torturing Shi Hengshan and many other buddist monks throughout time.

Shi Hengshan was working with Shi Guolin for three years, but with out any salary. He got sick many times and he wasn't able to get any medical attention since he was penniless and the Abbot didn't helped him in attaining a medical insurance. And at last he got seriously injured during workout and instead of getting any aid, he was kicked out of the temple by Abbot Guolin explaining that he didn't extend Hengshan's visa and his working visa is expired. So it was no longer legal for him to stay in USA. But a the same time Shi Guolin was not ready to give Shi Hengshan's passport back. So Hengshan was in a deadlock.

Shi Hengshan is not the only monk who was hired as a Chinese Martial Arts Instructor by Abbot Shi Guolin. Another Shaolin monk who suffered was Yuguo Song. The ill fated Shaolin Kung fu instructor tried to suicide by jumping down from second floor. Fortunately or unfortunately, he was not able to kill himself. But was seriously injured and sent back to china.

Many people suspects Shi Hengshan's suicide to be a murder. But until now, no evidence found to support this.