Arrest warrant for Shi Yongxin approved by prosecutors

Shi Yongxin, the former abbot of the renowned Shaolin Temple located in Central China's Henan province, has been approved for arrest on charges of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and bribery by non-State functionaries, according to a statement issued by the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Sunday.

As designated by the Henan Provincial Public Security Department, the public security authorities in Xinxiang investigated Shi's case for alleged embezzlement and other charges. The Xinxiang public security bureau requested approval from the Xinxiang people's procuratorate for his arrest, which was recently granted, the statement said.

On July 27, the Shaolin Temple announced that Shi was under investigation by multiple authorities for allegedly embezzling funds, misappropriating project funds and temple assets, maintaining long-term inappropriate relationships with multiple women, and fathering at least one illegitimate child.

One day later, the Buddhist Association of China announced that it had agreed to revoke Shi's ordination certificate, which is proof of acceptance into the monastic community.

Shi, 59, became a monk in 1981 and served as the 30th abbot of Shaolin Temple since 1999. The 1,500-year-old temple is the renowned ancestral home of Zen Buddhism in China and abroad and is famous for its long-standing kung fu tradition.