(TibetanReview.net, Sep02, 2018) – China is said to be desperately looking for a new face of Buddhism after its incumbent, Master Xuecheng, lost his face and position amid allegations of sexual harassment of two nuns as it prepares to host its 5th World Buddhist Forum (WBF) in Oct 2018. Xuecheng has been placed under investigation.
Xuecheng, the face of China’s Buddhism for a number of years, now stands disgraced, with a 95-page letter of damnation circulating on social media in China, despite desperate early attempts by the government to restrict their circulation. Both the victims were stated to be graduates from China’s elite Tsing Hua University.
Xuecheng, the abbot of the historic Longquan Temple in Beijing, has been forced to step down from his position in the government approved Buddhist Association of China.
Before the allegations surfaced, Xuecheng’s last major act was to send out invitations to high dignitaries across the world, asking them to attend the 5th WBF in Oct 2018, reported the ANI news agency Aug 31. Now, Beijing is believed to be desperately searching for a replacement, and an acceptable face, to front its agenda at the WBF.
Since 2006, China has been hosting its WBF in a failing and desperate attempt to project its Buddhist credentials in a move to try to whitewash the suppression and coercion inside Tibetan areas of the PRC, the report noted.
