Sexual harassment of nuns by abbot verified

Master Xuecheng, abbot of the Beijing-based Longquan Temple and former head of the Buddhist Association of China, sent obscene messages to female monks, China's top religious affairs regulator confirmed on Thursday.

Xuecheng is suspected of violating Buddhist precepts by sending female monks harassing material, and he will receive punishment according to the constitution of the Buddhist Association of China, the State Administration for Religious Affairs said in a statement.

The verification came after a 95-page report accused Xuecheng of various violations, including sexual harassment of several nuns, illegally expanding the scale of the temple and embezzling donations from believers.