Former abbot of China's famous Shaolin Temple sentenced to 24 years in prison for corruption

"They caused severely harmful consequences and adverse social impact," CCTV reported the court as saying. Shi confessed his crimes, voluntarily disclosed details that law enforcement authorities had not yet discovered and showed remorse, CCTV added.

Last year, Shaolin Temple announced that Shi was under investigation on suspicion of misappropriation and embezzlement of project funds and temple assets. Shi was also alleged to have committed criminal offenses and violated Buddhist precepts by maintaining relationships with multiple women over a long period and fathering at least one child, according to a notice from the temple's authority on its WeChat account at that time. The fame of the Shaolin Temple, based also in Henan, has gone beyond a religious institution. It is renowned for its martial arts culture, or kung fu, which has been referenced in many movies and TV dramas, including the 1982 film "The Shaolin Temple," starring martial arts superstar Jet Li.