China investigates top Buddhist monk for sexual assault

Deutsche Welle

Chinese police have opened a criminal probe into sexual misconduct claims against high-profile Buddhist monk Xuecheng, China's top religious authority said Thursday.

A statement from the State Religious Affairs Administration said he is also facing censure from the official government-run Buddhist Association on suspicion of "violating Buddhist precepts."

The 51-year-old stepped down as head of the association earlier this month after fellow monks accused him of sending explicit text messages and demanding sexual favors from nuns at his monastery in Beijing's northwestern suburbs. They also said he had embezzled funds. Xuecheng denies the charges.

#MeToo in China

The monks posted their allegations online in a 95-page report that included testimony from victims. They said four women gave in to Xuecheng's demands.

The religious affairs authority said in its statement that it had confirmed the monk had sent "harassing messages," and that investigators had uncovered evidence that his temple had violated national financial regulations.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and an influential political adviser to the central government, is one of the most well-known figures to face accusations in China's spreading #MeToo campaign.

The movement began in the country earlier this year, with women increasingly speaking out against sexual misconduct. In recent weeks, academics, civil society activists and television personalities have all been called out for inappropriate behavior.

Xuecheng's Longquan monastery, on the outskirts of Beijing, is popular with educated Chinese and has a reputation for merging Buddhism with modern technology — last year it made headlines by introducing a robot monk capable of dispensing mantras.

This article was originally published on DW.com. Its content is separate from USA TODAY.