Xinhua county in Hunan province hoped to raise 14 million yuan a year from the temple - projected to cost 50 million yuan ($7.8 million) - from ticket sales and other tourist activities, but the project stopped after the cash ran out, China National Radio said. The county government demanded villages "donate" money starting in 2010, with each village forced to give between 6,000 and 10,000 yuan depending on their size, it added.

The money was deducted from irrigation subsidies which were supposed to help overcome the effects of frequent floods and droughts. Village officials were threatened with having their salaries confiscated if they did not comply, the report said. Despite the strongarm tactics, the project is still 30 million yuan short, and building work on the temple has been suspended. The report did not say if any officials have been punished.