China probes top Buddhist over sex assault
THE former head of China’s government-run Buddhist association is under criminal investigation for alleged sexual assault, the country’s top religious authority said on Thursday.
Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of Beijing’s Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China’s growing #MeToo movement.
He stepped down from his post earlier this month after a report by fellow monks accused him of sex ua l a nd f inancia l improprieties.
In the 95-page report that circulated online late last month, two monks accused Xuecheng of sending explicit text messages to at least six women, threatening or cajoling them to have sex with him, claiming it was a part of their Buddhist studies.
The National Religious Aff ai r s Authority said it had confirmed Xuecheng had sent “harassing messages”, adding that authorities had begun a criminal investigation into the report’s charges of sexual assault.
Investigators had also uncovered evidence that the Longquan Monastery had violated national financial regulations, it added in a statement on its website.
Xuecheng, 51, stepped down at a meeting of the Buddhist Association of China earlier this month following the allegations.
The abbot is also a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, a top advisory board.
A prominent personality in Chinese Buddhist life with a social media following of millions, Xuecheng’s Weibo account has been silent since August 1, when he posted a statement rejecting allegations of sexual misconduct.
Robot monk
In their report, the two monks, who are no longer members of the monastery, said four women gave in to Xuecheng’s demands.
One of the authors said on social media that he was compelled to speak out after the victims were ignored by authorities who said they could not investigate the matter.
There is no lega l def inition of sexua l ha r a s sment i n Ch i na a nd no national regulations on how to handle sex ua l assault cases in schools a nd workplaces.
The report and posts about it have been taken down or censored on social media. Both men were also asked to leave the monastery after news of the report broke.
Located on the outskirts of Beijing, Longquan Monastery has made headlines for combining Buddhism with modern technology, launching last year a two-foot high robot monk that di s penses mantras and k a r mic advice.
The #MeToo movement ignited in Chi na ea rl ier t his yea r wit h more women sta r t i ng to open up about sexual assaults, especia lly on universit y campuses.
Un l i ke i n t he West, where t he #MeToo movement has forced resignat ions a nd spa rked w idespread public debate, t he aut horities in China have sought to control the discussion, somet i mes a l low i ng a nd at ot her times censoring socia l media commentar y.