Shaolin Temple in Henan province has condemned an online attack against its abbot last week as slander and has turned to the police for help.

Targeted by salacious accusations in the past that the police confirmed to be false, the abbot, Shi Yongxin, 50, has now been accused of paying for sex with several women, including Buddhist nuns and some of his female followers.

The accuser, using the name Shi Zhengyi and claiming to be a disciple of the temple, posted an article last week that created an uproar on the Internet, beginning on Saturday.