Five major temples condemn AI-generated vulgar depictions of Guan Gong
Five major temples in China jointly condemned the use of AI systems to generate vulgar and crude images, videos and text depicting Guan Gong, a revered historical figure and cultural icon. The temples stated the content desecrated Chinese traditional culture and harmed the respect of followers, and reserved the right to pursue legal action.
What happened
Social media accounts used AI technology to generate images, videos and text content depicting Guan Gong with vulgar, mocking content and internet slang.
On 13 February 2025, five major temples—Xizhou Guandi Ancestral Temple, Luoyang Guanlin, Dangyang Guanling, Dongshan Guandi Temple, and Quanzhou Tonghui Guanyue Temple—issued a joint statement condemning the practice as severely violating social morals and cultural boundaries, and harming the reverence followers hold for Guan Gong's culture of loyalty and righteousness.
Reported impact
The temples stated the behaviour seriously injured the respect of Guan Gong followers for Guan Gong's culture of loyalty and righteousness, and desecrated Chinese excellent traditional culture, causing extremely harmful effects.
Index analysis
The temples noted that while AI and technological innovation should be effective paths for exploring and transmitting Chinese culture, they must uphold Chinese cultural positions, strictly follow public order and good morals, and ensure the purity and seriousness of cultural transmission.
The statement said the actions reflect that certain groups lack positive, healthy and culturally uplifting guidance at a spiritual level.
Governance controls
The temples stated they have zero tolerance for any degradation of Guan Gong's image or use of vulgar and bad taste to gain traffic, and they will firmly resist and not tolerate it.
The joint statement reserved the right to pursue legal responsibility through legal means to maintain the dignity and purity of Guan Gong culture and defend the spiritual treasure of the Chinese nation.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.