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.

Wang has been accused by mainland media and one of his disciples of conducting illegal medical practises and claiming he has supernatural powers.

"It's as if the whole country has turned against me, turning black into white and white into black," Wang told The New York Times 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". People's Daily said that people like Wang Lin were purveyors of "spiritual opium".