Monks chase away fashion models

Monks shooed away a group of women modeling tight-fitting dresses outside the famed Shaolin Temple gates, media reported Friday.

More than 10 models participated in an event held in front of the 1,500-year-old Buddhist temple in Dengfeng, Henan province to promote the qipao, a traditional one-piece dress made popular in 1920s Shanghai.

After attracting lots of attention from tourists, monks soon emerged from the temple and shut down the event.

"If they want to perform a show, they should go to West Lake instead. This damages the image of the temple," said Shi Yongxin, the abbot of Shaolin Temple.

"The Qipaos is part of traditional culture. The purpose of showing them in front of a historic site like Shaolin Temple is to promote traditional qipao culture," argued Li Qiu-ling, the event's organizer.

"In the past many businesses have borrowed the fame of Shaolin Temple to attract attention," said Wang Yumin, a public relations officer for the temple.