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Falun Gong (Traditional Chinese: 法輪功, Simplified Chinese: 法轮功, literally "Practice of the Wheel of Law") or Falun Dafa (Traditional Chinese: 法輪大法, Simplified Chinese: 法轮大法, lit. "Great Law of the Wheel of Law") is a controversial Chinese Qigong practice with influences from Buddhism and Taoism, which purports to improve the mind, body and spirit. The government of the People's Republic of China, concerned by the group's ability to organize, claims it is an "evil" cult spreading superstition and malicious fallacies to deceive people. Whether Falun Gong is a harmless spiritual movement or an evil cult has been subject to much debate.
Origins and beliefs
Falun Dafa was introduced to the general public in 1992 by Li Hongzhi (now residing in Brooklyn, New York), and grew very swiftly in popularity not only in China but worldwide. It was popularised widely under the PRC government's supervision for 7 years. An estimate of the PRC government presented in 1998 on the public television (state owned) in Shanghai mentioned that in mainland China alone the number of practitioners were approx. 70-100 million. The practice is present in more than 60 countries, mainly in those of North America and Europe.
The three basic moral principles of Falun Gong are: 'Zhen, Shan, Ren', which translate approximately as 'Truthfulness, Benevolence or Compassion, and Forbearance or Tolerance'. It is through focusing on these qualities that a Falun Gong practitioner is able to develop their Xinxing (moral character) which then gives them a greater potential to develop high levels of Gong ("energy", which is actually said to be essentialy different from "Qi") potency.
As well as a set of moral beliefs, there are five sets of exercises central to the Falun Gong system which are supposed to enhance the circulation of energy in the body. The final exercise, a sitting meditation, also helps to create a tranquil mind and, according to the teachings, strengthens 'Divine Powers' of the individual. All exercises are taught free of charge by other Falun Gong practitioners and are detailed in Li's books.
In addition to the basic spiritual principles, Falun Gong boasts a number of unconventional beliefs, many of which may be found in Buddism and other systems of belief. In his dissertation, Zhuan Falun, Li writes he can personally heal disease and that a Falun (a turning wheel of energy) resides in the bellies of all true practitioners. These practitioners can see this Falun turn in their bellies provided their celestial eye in the forehead is not blocked. In addition, he writes that practitioners truly adhering to the Zhen-Shan-Ren principle of the universe won't be hurt as much when hit by speeding cars as they otherwise would. Li claims gods and demons are everywhere, extraterrestrials exist, and that remains of civilizations prior to those we know can still be found and cites the 2-billion-year-old Oklo reactor.
In July 1999 the government decided to put a stop to its popularity and the practice of Falun Gong has been persecuted in mainland China ever since. Most political analysts believe that this was the direct result of events that occurred in April 1999. In Tianjin, as a result of a critical article in a local paper written by a member of Chinese Academy of Science, about a thousand Falun Gong practitioners surrounded the newspaper office. Some protesters were arrested and claimed that they were beaten by the police. Several days later, for 12 hours on April 25, about 10,000 people gathered outside Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of Chinese Communist Party and lined up in meditative postures along a 2 km stretch. Premier Zhu Rongji met with the leaders of the protest and promised to address their grievances within three days. Despite the fact that the demonstration was dispersed peacefully, it was widely reported that Li's ability to organize a protest in the heart of the Chinese Communist Party is said to have alarmed many senior leaders, particularly Jiang Zemin.
Other factors may include the fact that the claimed number of Falun Gong practioners in China is larger than membership of the Communist Party of China. (This statistic is disputed.) Others claim that there were practitioners amongst high officials of the government and that several high ranking army officers had embraced the practice as well and that this was a cause of grave concern for others in power.
Most observers believe that the crackdown was due more to
Falun Gong's organizational ability and potential to challenge the Communist Party of China rather than because of its ideology. This view is bolstered by the fact that groups similar to Falun Gong have suffered less or little persecution, while 12 Christian churches which have beliefs radically different from Falun Gong are currently banned and labeled as "evil sects."
This persecution is currently the subject of complaints by many worldwide human rights groups. In 2000, Ian Johnson of the Wall Street Journal investigated the reports of abuse, and published a series of investigative articles that won him the Pulitzer Prize the following year.
The PRC government claimed that Falun Gong is an evil cult. There are many disputed reports that some believers hurt or kill themselves after reading the books by Li Hongzhi. Some scientists in China contend there was no scientific evidence to show Falun Gong is beneficial for health (despite personal anecdotes and published medical surveys to the contrary).
Some people also think that Li's purpose of introducing Falun Gong is just to earn money. There is no evidence that Li has ever advocated overthrow of the PRC government, nor opposed the government before the government's policy reversal in 1999. Some contend that Li did not even write the books himself. Many concepts of Falun Gong come directly from Buddhism, Taoism or other Qigong. The concept of "Falun" itself also has long existed in Buddhism.
The campaign of government criticism begun in 1999 was considered by most observers to be largely ineffectual until January 2001, when persons claiming to be Falun Gong members, among them a thirteen-year old child, allegedly doused themselves with gasoline and set themselves on fire in Tiananmen Square. Gruesome videos of the incident were widely broadcast on Chinese state television, as were interviews with the thirteen-year old who was horribly burned and whose mother did not survive the incident.
Li Hongzhi has strongly denied that the persons could have been actual Falun Gong members, since killing is strictly forbidden by the principles and precepts of the movement. In addition some have suggested that the incident was either a hoax or staged, and point to some strange inconsistencies present on the video footage of the incident which they claim call into question the integrity of the material. Independent, third-party investigations continue to be denied by the PRC government.
Nevertheless, most observers believe that the incident helped turn public opinion in China against the group and has had the effect of helping the government in intensifying its crackdown. In addition there were reports that Li's distancing of the movement from the Tiananmen incident disillusioned some Falun Gong supporters who were disappointed that Li "abandoned the immolators".
Some claim that today Falun Gong is no longer influential in mainland China and that only outside of China are there still many believers. It is impossible to accurately determine the number of practioners in mainland China, due to government efforts to suppress information on its existence.
Some cult watchdogs in North America have compared Falun Gong activities to those of other groups such as the Church of Scientology, many stopping short of making a judgement either way.
Crackdown
During the first years of the introduction of Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi was granted several awards by Chinese governmental organisations to encourage him to continue promoting what was then considered a wholesome practice. From 1992 to 1994 he lectured regularly all over the country in important Chinese cities before large audiences. The practice was then further spread widely in mainland China for 7 years mainly by word of mouth. References
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