An art teacher has caused a stir by taking all his clothes off in front of a class to make a point while giving a lecture.

Mo Xiaoxin, an assistant professor of art at the Teachers' University of Technology in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, stunned 30 students by stripping naked.

The teacher said he wanted to emphasis the power of the body and "confront taboos."

Mo was teaching a class on physical art and humanity culture studies, the first course of its kind to be approved by the Ministry of Culture. It has been running for six years.

Mo's action, which was not expected by his students, stunned all those present, and has led to heated debate after being reported on Tuesday by a local newspaper.

"Mo's nudity might have disgusted many students who weren't prepared to see the unattractive body of an old man," said Wang Xiongjun, a college student in Beijing.

However, people in art circles say they can understand Mo's action.

According to Zhuang Tianming, dean of the Art Research Institute under Nanjing Museum, teaching with nude models is common in the art world, with teachers themselves sometimes acting as nude models.

"In Mo's case, the motivation for his action should be considered before any judgement is made," he told China Daily.

"The action is excusable if it was part of the lesson," said Zhuang, adding that nudity was fundamental to studying physical beauty and sketching.

Zhuang said it is a pity society is not tolerant enough towards the artistic use of nudity.

However, an official with the Ministry of Culture said Mo's nude teaching was an improper act, reported Beijing News.

"Mo's project on humanity and physical art concentrates on material collecting, sorting and analysing. It is improper to teach nude for this research project," Tian Junting, an official with the ministry, was quoted by the newspaper as saying.

But during an online interview with Sina.com on Wednesday, he denied the allegation that he took his clothes off just for the publicity.

"It was for artistic research. I would not adopt this method of teaching in normal classes. The teaching methodology of public classes should be approved by university supervisors beforehand," said Mo.

Art school heads said the school would not punish the teacher.

"Mo's way of doing research might need modification and we will talk with him about that. But the school won't punish him for this action. It is not against any rule," an art school spokesman, surnamed Zhang, told China Daily yesterday.

(China Daily 09/29/2006 page3)