Qigong master 气功大师 (qi gong da shi)

Wang Lin, a self-proclaimed qigong (breathing exercise) master, became famous in the early 1990s when there was a national craze for qigong. Wang hit the headlines after Jack Ma, founder and former CEO of Alibaba, was seen visiting him in his hometown in Luxi county, Jiangxi province. Soon, netizens posted photographs of Wang with many other famous personalities, including film stars Jet Li, Jackie Chan.

This triggered a media backlash against Wang and sparked public discussions on why some entrepreneurs, film stars and politicians have been paying tribute to the "qigong master". Subsequently, it was found that Wang acted more like a sophisticated "broker" between businesspeople and officials, and celebrities and other elites.

It was reported that Wang even claimed that his qigong skills could cure cancer and other deadly diseases, and with his supernatural powers he could bring the dead back to life. One of his alleged wizardries was to "conjure up a snake in an empty basin".

According to Beijing News, one of Wang's clients was Liu Zhijun, former Minister of Railways. Wang reportedly placed a "lucky stone" in Liu's office to ensure that his position and power remained permanently secure. Ironically, last month a court found Liu guilty of corruption and handed him a suspended death sentence.

Given his "special powers", the "qigong master" charged huge fees to "treat" his clients, some of whom are reported to have paid more than 10 million yuan ($1.6 million) but experienced no improvement in their lives. People were ready to pay millions of yuan to him just to be his apprentice, so that they could make easy money. He also demanded huge "fees" to set up meetings between wealthy businesspeople and powerful officials.

Over the years, Wang accumulated immense wealth through trickery and deceit and established an impressive network of powerful icons across many areas. In his hometown of Luxi in Jiangxi, Wang has built an extravagant five-story villa complete with a man-made lake, and several luxury cars, including a Rolls Royce, and two Hummers, in the garage.

The exposure of Wang has also led people to debate issues like people's sense of insecurity, corruption and even the justification of qigong. And media reports say that an investigation has been launched into Wang's suspected illegal medical practice, with some businesspeople accusing the flamboyant "qigong master" of also being a loan shark.

(China Daily USA 08/02/2013 page16)