China: Highest ranked monk accused of sexual harassment
BEIJING: China’s highest ranking Buddhist monk who is also a political advisor to the government has been accused of sexually harassing and assaulting nuns at a monastery in Beijing.
Xuecheng, abbot of Beijingbased Longquan temple, has denied allegations he sexually assaulted and harassed nuns by “controlling their minds” in the garb of religious teachings.
This is the latest case in China’s escalating incidence of high-profile persons being accused of sexual misconduct.
Hundreds of monks stay and study at the monastery located on the outskirts of Beijing.
Xuecheng is a member of the Standing Committee of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – the country’s top political advisory body – and head of the government-affiliated Buddhist Association of China.
Two monks from Longquan temple, Xianjia and Xianqi, said in a report submitted to the public security department (police) – which was leaked online on Wednesday – that Xuecheng “sexually harassed several nuns, including sending illicit messages to them and forcing them to have sexual relations with him”.
“However, the temple said the two whistleblowers have ‘forged materials, distorted facts and spread false information’ that misled the public,” the Global Times tabloid reported.
“Xuecheng was taken for questioning by relevant authorities days ago before being released,” the newspaper reported, quoting an anonymous source.
The man at the centre of the scandal seemed unperturbed. He posted pictures of a national flagraising ceremony on social media on Wednesday, vowing to carry forward the Communist Party’s campaign to infuse patriotism in religion.
China’s #Metoo movement has been slow to take off but appears to have escalated in July with accusations being levelled against influential persons.