The former head of a Chinese temple renowned as the birthplace of kung fu has been sentenced to 24 years in prison and fined 3.5 million yuan ($517,000) for crimes including embezzlement and bribery. Buddhist monk Shi Yongxin, 60, was charged in March this year after being placed under investigation last July.
Court Ruling and Charges
A court in the central Chinese province of Henan handed down the sentence, stating that Shi had abused his role as the abbot at Shaolin Temple to embezzle, misappropriate, and take and give bribes totaling about 300 million yuan over nearly three decades. Shi pleaded guilty and told the court he would not appeal, according to state media reports.
Investigation and Allegations
Shaolin Temple said last July that its head monk was under joint investigation by multiple agencies for suspected criminal offenses, including embezzlement and violation of Buddhist precepts by maintaining improper relationships with multiple women over a long period. Shi's monastic certificate was swiftly revoked by the Buddhist Association of China amid the investigation.
Association's Response
Responding to Shi's sentencing in a statement, the association said on Friday, July 29, that 'he brought it on himself.' Shi, known as Liu Yingcheng before he became a monk in 1981, oversaw the temple since 1987 and became its abbot in 1999.
