The former head of the Chinese temple known as the birthplace of kung fu has been arrested over suspicion of embezzlement, local authorities said Sunday.

Shi Yongxin, the ex-abbot of the Shaolin Temple, was removed in July for “extremely” bad behaviour. Allegations of misappropriating project funds and temple assets saw him placed under investigation and disrobed.

Authorities in central Henan province, where the Shaolin Temple is, approved Shi’s arrest on “suspicion of embezzlement, misappropriating funds and accepting bribes as a non-state employee”, the Xinxiang Procuratorate said in a statement.

Shi, 60, took office as abbot in 1999 and in the following decades expanded Shaolin studies and cultural knowledge overseas.

He became known as the “CEO monk” for establishing dozens of comp

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