Former Shaolin Temple Abbot Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Embezzlement and Bribery

Siyongxin Led Shaolin Temple for Over 25 Years
Embezzled 66.8 Billion Won Through Abuse of Power

The former abbot of Shaolin Temple in Henan Province, China, who was arrested last year on charges including embezzlement and bribery, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison in the first trial.

According to China's official Xinhua News Agency and Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily on May 30, the Intermediate People's Court of Xinxiang City in central Henan Province sentenced former abbot Liu Yingcheng (former Dharma name Siyongxin, age 60) to 24 years in prison and imposed a fine of 3.5 million yuan (approximately 780 million won) on charges including embezzlement and misappropriation of funds in the course of his duties, as well as accepting and offering bribes.

Former abbot of Shaolin Temple, Liu Yingcheng (Dharma name Suyongxin)

He was accused of abusing his position for about 30 years, embezzling and misappropriating a total of 300 million yuan (about 66.8 billion won). Liu Yingcheng admitted his guilt and stated, "I will not appeal."

Born in Anhui Province in 1965, Liu is one of the most famous Buddhist monks in China. He joined Shaolin Temple in 1981 and became its abbot in 1999, leading the temple for more than 25 years until his expulsion last year. He also served as chairman of the Henan Buddhist Association from 1998 and as vice president of the Buddhist Association of China from 2002. Holding an MBA degree, he was nicknamed the "CEO of Shaolin Temple." While he was criticized for excessive commercialization through ventures such as kung fu shows, film shoots, and the sale of Shaolin Temple souvenirs, he was also recognized for turning Shaolin into a global brand.

After the verdict was released, the Buddhist Association of China stated that "the principle that everyone is equal before the law was demonstrated," and emphasized that "this serves as a strong warning and wake-up call for figures in the Buddhist community." The association also described the verdict on Liu Yingcheng as "the result of his own actions."

Shaolin Temple is known as the birthplace of Chinese martial arts, kung fu. On July 27 last year, the Shaolin Temple Administration officially announced that Liu Yingcheng was under investigation for criminal offenses. The following day, the Buddhist Association of China announced that his monk status had been revoked. At the time, the association said, "Siyongxin's actions were extremely malicious and seriously damaged the honor of the Buddhist community and the image of monks," adding, "We firmly support the legal actions taken against him." Subsequently, on November 16 of the same year, the Xinxiang City People's Procuratorate approved his arrest.

The downfall of Liu Yingcheng dealt a major blow to the reputation of the Chinese Buddhist community but also spurred institutional reforms. At the end of last year, the Buddhist Association of China announced the establishment of a supervisory body to strengthen oversight of monks' conduct. Separate from these charges, Liu Yingcheng also faces allegations of inappropriate relationships with multiple women and of fathering at least one illegitimate child.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.