BEIJING: The head of China’s government-run Buddhist association quit his post on Wednesday amid an investigation into allegations that he coerced several nuns into having sex with him.

Xuecheng, a Communist Party member and abbot of the Beijing Longquan Monastery, is one of the most prominent figures to face accusations in China’s growing #MeToo movement.

In a 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.

China’s top religious authority launched an investigation shortly after the allegations were made public. Xuecheng, 51, stepped down at a meeting of the Buddhist Association of China on Wednesday.

“The council accepted Xuecheng’s resignation as president of the Buddhist Association of China,” said a statement posted on Wedn­esday on the association’s website. It was tucked into a long report detailing a council meeting which neither elaborated on the abbot’s reasons for quitting nor referred to the recent probe.

His resignation was welcomed by many online, some who called him a “vulture who takes from the poor”.

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 Aug 1, when he posted a statement rejecting allegations of sexual misconduct.

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.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2018