Abbot says he may sue online promulgators of harmful rumor

Beijing - Shi Yongxin, a well-known abbot at the famous Buddhist Shaolin Temple, has denied a recent online rumor claiming that police had caught him in the act of soliciting a prostitute.

In a statement published on Sunday on Shaolin's website, the temple said the malicious rumor severely tarnished Abbot Shi's reputation and deeply hurt many Buddhists' feelings.

"The abbot feels great disappointment at this rumor, and he reserves the right to sue those who are responsible for spreading it," the statement said.