May 29, 2026, 3:46 p.mMay 29, 2026, 3:46 p.m
Shi Yongxin has been abbot of the world-famous Shaolin Monastery since 1999.Image: keystone
A former abbot of the world-famous Shaolin monastery in China has been sentenced to 24 years in prison.
The Xinxiang Intermediate People’s Court found Liu Yingcheng, better known by his Buddhist name Shi Yongxin, guilty in the first instance of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds and bribery. In addition to the prison term, he must pay a fine of 3.5 million yuan (currently around 406,000 francs), as the court in Henan province, where the Shaolin Temple is located, announced.
Shi joined the temple in 1981 and was appointed abbot in 1999. According to the court, between 2003 and 2025 he exploited his positions as abbot of the temple and president of the Shaolin Foundation to embezzle millions of dollars in funds. The court justified the high punishment with the seriousness of the crimes and the many years over which he is said to have committed them.
Nickname: “CEO Monk”
The Shaolin Monastery in Henan, central China, was founded in 495 AD and is not only a religious place, but also a popular tourist destination due to its world-famous Kung Fu tradition. State media also referred to Shi as a “CEO monk” because he turned the Shaolin Monastery into a global brand with commercial activities such as kung fu shows and fan merchandise, but this was also viewed critically.
According to local media reports, Shi was accused of fathering several children and embezzling funds around ten years ago. At that time he disappeared from the public eye for some time. However, an investigation later cleared him of the allegations. (sda/dpa)