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"Maybe Li Yang will use Shaolin kung fu to beat his wife in the future," a netizen speculated.

"This is probably another marketing gimmick to sell more of his 'Crazy English' books that are seeing disappointing sales," wrote another.

Shi Yongxin said that he did not know much about Li's background, but that "the past is in the past."

The high-profile monk, who has courted controversy himself for developing money-spinning business operations such as kung fu shows, added that Li's conversion to Buddhism is "praiseworthy," and that the Shaolin Temple welcomes anyone who wishes to become layman disciples.

It's not rare for Chinese celebrities to convert to Buddhism. Singer Faye Wong and actor Andy Lau are among the scores of famous people to have become Buddhist disciples.

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