Monk remanded after alleged theft of Monkey King statue from Hong Kong temple
A mainland Chinese monk has been remanded in custody after allegedly stealing a statue of the Monkey King, a deity famed in classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, from a Hong Kong temple. The 57-year-old, Zha Jianxin, appeared in West Kowloon Court on Wednesday after being charged with one count of theft involving a statue belonging to Lung Mo Temple in Tsuen Wan. The statue, valued at…
A 57-year-old Chinese Buddhist monk, Zha Jianxin, has been taken into custody in Hong Kong on charges of stealing a statue of the Monkey King from a temple. The monk appeared in West Kowloon Court on Wednesday, charged with one count of theft involving a statue valued at HK$2,000 (US$255). The statue depicts Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King from the 16th-century novel Journey to the West.
In Chinese culture, the character is often viewed as a symbol of resilience, rebellion, transformation, and spiritual growth. Court documents indicate that Zha holds a two-way permit and resides in Shenzhen. He allegedly took the statue from Lung Mo Temple in Tsuen Wan on August 24. At the hearing, Zha declined to apply for bail but requested to make a phone call to a fellow monk.
His lawyer stated that the defendant was scheduled to assist a friend by chanting sutras but was unable to do so due to the legal proceedings. The magistrate granted the request and ruled that Zha must remain in custody. The next court hearing is set for September 23.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post - Hong Kong's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
