A Chinese court has sentenced former head of the famed Shaolin Temple, Shi Yongxin, to 24 years in prison after finding him guilty of embezzlement, bribery and other financial crimes spanning nearly three decades.
Shi Yongxin, 60, who once led the world-renowned Shaolin Temple widely regarded as the birthplace of kung fu, was also fined 3.5 million yuan (about $517,000) by a court in central China’s Henan Province.
The court said Shi abused his position as abbot of the Shaolin Temple to embezzle, misappropriate funds, and accept and give bribes amounting to about 300 million yuan over a period of nearly 30 years.
Authorities said Shi was placed under investigation in July last year and formally charged in March this year before the court delivered its verdict.
He was also accused of violating Buddhist principles, including maintaining improper relationships with multiple women over an extended period, according to earlier statements from the temple.
Shi, who was born Liu Yingcheng before becoming a monk in 1981, reportedly pleaded guilty during the trial and indicated he would not appeal the judgment.
Following the investigation, his monastic certificate was revoked by the Buddhist Association of China.
In response to the sentencing, the association said Shi “brought it on himself,” according to state media reports.
Shi had served at the Shaolin Temple since 1987 and became its abbot in 1999, overseeing one of China’s most globally recognised cultural and religious institutions.
