Shi Yongxin, also known by his birth name Liu Yingcheng, received a 24-year prison sentence Wednesday for embezzlement, bribery, and related crimes, a court in Henan province ruled [1, 2, 3, 4]. The former Shaolin Temple abbot was also fined 3.5 million yuan as part of his punishment [2, 4].
The court said Shi’s offenses spanned approximately 30 years, from 1995 to 2025, involving the misappropriation of temple assets and funds for personal use as well as bribery linked to temple construction projects and government officials [1, 2, 4]. The exact sums embezzled vary by source. BBC and The Edge reported more than 282 million yuan [1, 3], while South China Morning Post and Straits Times detailed over 131 million yuan for the period 2003-2025, plus 151 million yuan from 2012-2022, alongside about 17 million yuan in bribes [2, 4].
Shi Yongxin served as the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, located in Henan province and known as the birthplace of kung fu, since 1999 [1, 4]. He was placed under investigation and defrocked in July 2025, followed by formal charges in March 2026 [3, 4]. Shi did not file an appeal against the verdict [1, 4].
In public reactions on social media, one Weibo user stated, "Crimes deserve punishment," while another expressed hope that Shi would reform in prison and provide positive guidance to other inmates [4]. Shi himself had said earlier, "If there were a problem, it would have surfaced long ago" [1].
The court's decision marks the latest step in addressing extensive corruption involving prominent religious figures in China. Shi’s sentence and fine were finalized on May 29, 2026, closing a case that has drawn national attention [1, 2, 3, 4].
