The setting of a Yiguandao cult Photo: website of China Anti-Cult Network

Police in Anqiu of Weifang, East China's Shandong Province has cracked a criminal case of a cult called "Yiguandao" which ensnared more than 600 members from 2022 to early 2024, including more than 30 minors. By advocating the idea that "the younger the age of the members one recruited, the greater the merit of the recruiter," the organization severely distorted the youngsters' values and endangered social security and stability, China Anti-Cult Network, an official website launched in 2017 against the cults, revealed on Monday. 

Yiguandao claimed contemporary time is doomsday and one can only get redemption by believing in and joining in such organization. Yiguandao preys on the fear of the unknown and the inherent desire for health and happiness in human nature, and exerts mental control over its members through the dual tactics of intimidation and inducement.

In this case, the organization claimed the doomsday is coming to intimidate members and distribute brainwashing materials. Some even forced new members to make 10 wishes and pledge never to leave the organization, otherwise they would suffer "divine punishment and misfortune." 

The organization's activities have covered nine cities in Shandong Province and extended to multiple other places in China, showing the feature of transregional spread, according to the police. 

Its activities not only cover nine cities in Shandong Province, including Jinan, Yantai, Weifang, Dezhou, Liaocheng, but also extend to many other regions across the country, according to the China Anti-Cult Network.

This Yiguandao organization exerts systematic mental control to "brainwash" its members. It forced them to attend so-called "study sessions" to receive one-sided indoctrination. Meanwhile, it gradually integrated ordinary members into the organization's operation by conferring positions, assigning tasks, turning them unknowingly into tools for activities and illegal dissemination.

The organization expanded through infiltration via acquaintance networks, ensnaring members by leveraging social ties such as relatives, fellow townspeople, neighbors and colleagues. To strengthen mental control, the organization frequently held offline gatherings under various pretenses and established online classes via platforms like WeChat and ZOOM, gradually building a closed group ecosystem. By forcing members to abide by the study plans, assessment systems, and life norms it has formulated, Yiguandao slowly cut off members' connections with normal society, eventually turning them completely into puppets enslaved by the cult. 

The Yiguandao organization amasses wealth by demanding members pay "merit fees" and selling Yiguandao books to them. It claims that the more "merit fees" a member pays, the greater their "merit", using this to carry out mental coercion and property plunder.

Yiguangdao even extended its evil tentacles to the minor group. According to the disclosure by the police officers handling the case from the Anqiu Municipal Public Security Bureau, this organization not only forced its members to "let the whole family join the cult", but also spread the absurd claim "the younger the age of the members one recruited, the greater the merit of the recruiter." It deliberately induced members to drag minors in and its despicable acts are utterly outrageous.  

The main culprit in this case is an elementary school teacher surnamed Liu who joined Yiguandao in 2015 in South China's Guangzhou. Gradually becoming obsessed with the cult through attending its gatherings and study sessions, Liu not only donated all his salary as "merit fees," but also recruited his family members to join Yiguandao. What's worse was that he took advantage of his position as a teacher to deceive and recruit more than 20 elementary school students into the cult. Apart from his work hours, Liu devoted himself entirely to Yiguandao affairs on a daily basis, spending six to seven hours on the so-called "meditation practice" and forcing others to participate with him. Obsession to the point of losing his mind led to the neglect of his work and the breakdown of his family, and caused inestimable harm to the physical and mental health of minors.

Yiguandao harmed people yet it cannot escape the justice. Principal offenders including Liu, Yuan and Dong violated the relevant provisions of the Criminal Law and the Law on Penalties for Administration of Public Security. As a result, they were sentenced to detention ranging from six months to three years, and fines ranging from 6,000 yuan ($841) to 20,000 yuan, per the China Anti-Cult Network.  



Global Times