After a lengthy absence from the public eye, former Ren Ci chief Ming Yi is back with a bang.

Chinese tabloid Shin Min Daily News reported today (April 29, 2015) that the 53-year-old monk is now recuperating in a hospital. After several verifications, the reporter found out that he had a major op on April 27: He donated one of his kidneys.

The kicker?

The recipient, according to Shin Min, is a total stranger who is from a low-income family.

Ming Yi and the recipient are recuperating well.

The last time the monk, whose real name is Goh Kah Heng, was in the limelight was in October 2009 when he and his aide Raymond Yeung were found guilty of taking $50,000 from Ren Ci Hospital after a 21-day trial. The monk was sentenced to 10 months in jail but only spent six months following an appeal.

He was also known for his daredevil stunts performed at the highly-publicised Ren Ci Hospital charity shows.

Top photo from www.buddhistchannel.tv

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