Ex-Head Monk of Shaolin Temple Sentenced
The former head of China's renowned Shaolin Temple, recognized as the birthplace of kung fu, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for offenses including embezzlement and bribery.
Shi Yongxin was found to have misappropriated temple assets valued at over 282 million yuan ($42 million; £31 million) between 2003 and 2025, according to a court in Henan province, located in central China.
The court also stated that Shi exploited his official position to unlawfully obtain millions of yuan from temple construction projects and provided substantial bribes to Chinese officials.
Shi, whose birth name is Liu Yingcheng, had previously admitted to his wrongdoing, as reported by China's state-run Xinhua news agency. On Friday, he declared that he would not challenge the court's verdict.
Shaolin Temple's Global Influence
The Shaolin Temple, which has a history spanning 1,500 years and is situated on a mountain range, attracts thousands of disciples from China and abroad annually.
Shi assumed the role of abbot in 1999 and quickly earned the moniker "CEO monk" due to his efforts in transforming the temple into a global brand.
During his tenure, the temple expanded by establishing schools outside China and creating a traveling troupe of monks who performed Shaolin kung fu demonstrations, the temple's distinctive martial arts style.
In the previous year, Shi was defrocked by China's Buddhist association.
Previous Investigations and Cultural Impact
Shi was investigated in 2015 for embezzlement and fathering multiple children but was subsequently cleared of these allegations.
In an interview with BBC Chinese that year, he stated:
"If there were a problem, it would have surfaced long ago."
The name "Shaolin Temple" has become prominent in popular culture over the years, including being the title of a 1982 film starring Jet Li.
The temple is also referenced in songs by the American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and inspired a spin-off of the video game Mortal Kombat.
