China's VIP qigong master Wang Lin has reportedly sought refuge in Hong Kong, after days of intense media scrutiny and ahead of a court hearing in Jiangxi province on Tuesday on fraud allegations.
Wang, 61, entered Hong Kong via the Huanggang checkpoint on Friday, his former disciple Zou Yong told the Beijing News, according to an article published on Tuesday. Zou said he had also seen a photo of Wang in Hong Kong dated July 29.
Zou also said Wang had an apartment near Fortress Hill.
Wang's journey to Hong Kong, if confirmed, points to the growing pressure the self-proclaimed qigong master has been exposed to since the corruption trial of former Railways minister Liu Zhijun last month.
Liu was a known client of the Jiangxi-based necromancer. But Wang's political connections were much wider than formerly known, photos shared recently on microblogs have shown.
Former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, actors Jackie Chan and Jet Li, singer Faye Wong, billionaire Jack Ma and relatives of former president Hu Jintao were seen in the photos with Wang.