Qigong 'master' Wang Lin holed up in Hong Kong
Controversial self-proclaimed "qigong master" Wang Lin broke his silence from a chic Hong Kong hotel room to compare his situation to that of NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden.
Controversial self-proclaimed "qigong master" Wang Lin broke his silence from a chic Hong Kong hotel room to compare his situation to that of NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden.
"It's as if the whole country has turned against me, turning black into white and white into black," Wang told in his first public comments since the controversy surrounding him erupted on the mainland a week ago. "It's truly beyond my comprehension."
Wang confirmed he is hiding out in an unspecified Hong Kong hotel, having acquired permanent residency in the city 18 years ago. He denied any wrongdoing and said he was the target of corrupt political dealings.
"If I go back, I'll certainly be arrested," Wang said.
His appearance in Hong Kong comes as condemnation of his spiritual martial arts practices reaches fever pitch on the mainland. State-owned media outlets have portrayed his qigong healing skills as a hoax that had helped him amass an enormous fortune and gain the confidence of leading officials.
Two news programmes called Wang "a vulgar magician" who made a living "deluding celebrities and blinding the public". said that people like Wang Lin were purveyors of "spiritual opium".
Photos of Wang's limousines and luxury villa have been widely circulated online, along with images of him with former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, ex-Politburo Standing Committee member Jia Qinglin , disgraced railways minister Liu Zhijun, actors Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and others.
In a 1997 companies registry filing, Wang appears as a director of the Hong Kong-based Australia Chinese Friendship Association Ltd.
The Melbourne-based Australia Chinese Friendship Society had no knowledge of such a company, its president, John Breheny, told the by phone.
Records also show that since 2008 Wang has been one of three directors of the Kowloon Bay-based Hui Long Holdings Ltd., with registered capital of HK$100 million. The company has been involved in construction projects in Yichuan, an hour's drive from his hometown, according to local government statements.
Wang's court case against former disciple Zou Yong began this week. Zhou, who Wang claims owes him 33 million yuan (HK$41.42 million), has provided information for press attacks against Wang.
