|
News stories from AP and Reuters continue to cover the Chinese suppression of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement known as Falun Dafa by its practitioners around the world. Falun Gong (literally "the Practice of the Wheel of the Dharma") is based on ancient Chinese meditation and exercise for mind and body. The Chinese government has banned this popular practice since 1999, a few months after a peaceful rally of some 10,000 protesters took place in Beijing. (It was the largest demonstration since the Tiananmen protests of 1989). Chinese leaders
describe Falun Gong as an evil, subversive cult that leads its members to suicide, and accuse it of having ties to separatist forces in Taiwan. An introduction to Falun Gong from the Center for Studies on New Religions describes the practice as a form of Qi Gong established by Li Hongzi in 1992. Li Hongzhi is a charismatic leader who now lives in New York and oversees the expanding, international Falun Gong organization. Qi Gong refers to a collection of ancient physical and mental exercises for well-being. The Falun Gong practice includes "studying the universal
principles of truthfulness, benevolence, and tolerance" and practicing slow motion exercises that resemble tai chi. Some commentators suggest that the Falun Gong is perceived as a threat in large part because of the leadership abilities, communication, and organizational skills of Li Hongzi. Falun Gong classes are free, and books, videos, and other promotional and instructional materials are widely distributed. Although the organization claims to have about 100 million followers (60 million in China and another 40 million overseas), the government claims there are only 1-2 million "cult" members. Advocacy sites such as the Falun Dafa Information Center
list stories of deaths, detentions, and ongoing persecutions. A disturbing report from Human Rights Watch chronicles psychiatric abuse of Falun Gong practitioners. Keep in mind, there are abundant, official resources from the Falun Gong on the Web. However, there is little information in English that represents the official Chinese government perspective.
|
