Local authorities in China said Sunday they had approved the arrest of the former head of the Shaolin Temple, known as the birthplace of kung fu, over suspicion of embezzlement.

Ex-abbot Shi Yongxin was removed from his position in July for "extremely" bad behaviour. Allegations of misappropriating project funds and temple assets saw him placed under investigation and defrocked.

Authorities in central Henan province, where the Shaolin Temple is located, 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 on Sunday.

It was unclear if Shi had already been detained.

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

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