'Qigong master' probed over alleged gun ownership

NANCHANG - Police in east China's Jiangxi province have launched an investigation into self-proclaimed qigong master Wang Lin over his alleged possession of firearms.

An official from the public security bureau of Luxi county said on Monday that they had received several tip-offs about Wang owning guns, which is illegal in China.

Wang, who claims to be a master of qigong, a traditional martial art combined with meditation, stirred up controversy in July after images of his supposed "supernatural power" shows like conjuring snakes out of thin air and of him with many celebrities were posted on the Internet.

The public have questioned the authenticity of Wang's power, with some media accusing him of amassing large sums of money through claimed medical cures of sick people.

Health authorities in Jiangxi said Wang had no license required for a medical practitioner while calling on the public to offer tips and clues pertaining to his illegal medical practices.

Police and health officials said they have not received any such reports so far.

Wang, a 61-year-old native of Luxi, is reportedly in Hong Kong at the moment, as he has permanent resident status there.

Qigong, which combines breathing, physical exercise and mental training methods based on Chinese philosophy, is practiced by people around the world for the purposes of strengthening the body and maintaining health.