Ex-head monk of China's 'kung fu temple' jailed for embezzlement

Shi Yongxin is sentenced to 24 years in prison for embezzlement and bribery. Former head monk of China's Shaolin 'kung fu' temple jailed for embezzlement Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Shi Yongxin - who had earlier admitted his guilt - said he would not appeal against Friday's court verdict Shi Yongxin putting his palms together in a prayer position. He is wearing a yellow robe. File photo Ex-head monk of China's 'kung fu temple' jailed for embezzlement The former head of China's famous Shaolin Temple - known as the birthplace of kung fu - has been sentenced to 24 years in jail for crimes including embezzlement and bribery. Shi Yongxin had misappropriated temple assets worth more than 282m yuan ($42m; £31m) from 2003 to 2025, a court in the central Henan province said. It said Shi had also used his official position to illegally obtain millions from temple construction projects, as well as offering huge bribes to Chinese officials. Shi - whose birth name is Liu Yingcheng - had earlier admitted his guilt, China's state Xinhua news agency reported. On Friday, he said he would not appeal against the verdict. The 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple - located on a mountain range - attracts thousands of disciples from China and elsewhere every year. Shi took office there as abbot in 1999, soon earning the nickname "CEO monk" for transforming the institution into a global brand. Under his leadership, the temple started opening schools outside China and formed a travelling troupe of monks who performed Shaolin kung fu shows - the temple's signature style of martial arts. Last year he was defrocked, China's Buddhist association said. Shi was investigated for embezzlement and fathering several children in 2015, but was later cleared of the charges. In an interview with BBC Chinese that year, he said: "If there were a problem, it would have surfaced long ago." The name "Shaolin Temple" has gained prominence in pop culture over the years, including being the title of a 1982 film starring Jet Li. The temple is referenced in songs by American hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan and inspired a spin-off of the video game Mortal Kombat. Taiwan Travelogue is the first novel translated from Mandarin Chinese to win the prestigious award. The BBC visited China’s EV factories and found they are dominating the ecosystems shaping the global auto industry. Dong Guangping, an activist and former police officer, spent hours at sea before reaching Korean waters. Twisha Sharma's death on 12 May has sparked rival claims of murder and suicide and dominated headlines. As temperatures peak, Delhi’s informal workers continue working despite growing health risks. Students blame the CBSE's newly-launched digital evaluation system used for marking this year's Grade 12 exams. Duterte is facing charges relating to a long and bloody war on drugs in which thousands were killed. Rescuers in Laos have found five villagers alive inside a flooded cave after they were trapped for a week.