Explaining Falun Dafa

The article below represents my own understanding of Falun Dafa and the current situation in China. They cannot represent the true meaning of Falun Dafa,. For a completed and direct understanding of Falun Dafa, read the main text of Falun Dafa, the book "Zhuan Falun".

Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is an ancient practice for mind and body, that originated in pre-historic China. The practice involves slow, gentle movements and a meditation. It is easy to learn, enjoyable to practice, and free of charge. A central component of Falun Gong practice is studying the universal principles of Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance. Falun Dafa has five sets of exercises. The movements are simple and easy to learn, and are suitable for all ages. The first four exercises are to be practised standing, the last one is a seated meditation in tranquillity. There is no restriction on time, location and frequency for doing these exercises.

Falun Dafa's way of cultivation is self-motivated. It is based on the Buddha's School, but is not associated with any religion. There is no rule, responsibility or obligation of any kind applied to practitioners. Through practicing Falun Dafa according to their effort and willingness, a practitioner can become free from health problems and more peaceful minded, and progress towards high levels of cultivation. There is no limitation for what one can achieve through cultivating Falun Dafa.

Falun Dafa is practiced by people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds, in more than 40 countries worldwide. Everyone is welcome to learn Falun Dafa and to practice together with us. Every Falun Dafa practice group offers free voluntary instructions regularly.

Mr. Li Hongzhi introduced the practice of Falun Dafa to the general public in China in 1992. He then taught the practice publicly for two years in China, after which the practice continued to spread primarily by word of mouth. In keeping with Chinese tradition, Mr. Li is sometimes respectfully referred to as "Master" or "Teacher." He is not accorded special treatment, nor does he accept money or donations from students of Falun Dafa or anyone else. He has ensured that the practice is available to all people, and without any terms or conditions. Mr. Li has given occasional public lectures over the past few years in various countries, including Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Canada, and the USA.

Falun Dafa practitioners strive to become increasingly better people in all environments and conditions, and try very hard to gradually give up various bad habits and attachments like anger, anxiety, jealousy and the desire for personal fame and gain. Master Li encourages normal family life and advises that releasing attachments does not mean a loss of material wealth or status, only one's attachment to those qualities and things. As a result, the spread of Falun Dafa has helped to improve family harmony, co-operation at work, safety in neighbourhoods, care for the environment, stabilization in societies, and goodness in people's hearts.

Background Information on the Situation in China

Before July 1999, Chinese government organizations praised and supported Falun Gong, and honoured Master Li Hongzhi on a number of occasions. There was TV and newspaper coverage about the benefits of Falun Gong and how it helped people regain health from suffering many years of illnesses. According to inside resources, several veteran cadres of the National People’s Congress conducted an investigation into Falun Gong because there had been complains about unfair treatments of the practice in some places, even as recently as 1998. They came to the conclusion that "Falun Gong brings much benefit to the country, without any negative impact."

Why did the Chinese government go back on its words and launch an unprecedented brutal crackdown on this peaceful meditative cultivation practice? The fuse seems to have been lit on 25 April 1999 when about 10,000 practitioners went to Zhong Nan Hai, the official residence of the Chinese central government, to appeal peacefully to the government to stop some illegal and unfair treatments of Falun Gong practitioners in Tienjin city (about 200km from Beijing). A senior government official received a few representatives and assured them that the government would treat all Qigong (a health practice with ancient roots) practices equally. After the meeting, all the practitioners went home peacefully. However, Jiang Zemin, the president of China became very agitated, and out of jealousy and fear of losing his personal power over the country (Falun Gong practitioners have outnumbered the Communist Party membership, and many communist party members are also Falun Gong practitioners), he was determined to crush Falun Gong completely. He and a few of his accomplices decided to "destroy the reputation of Falun Gong practitioners, bankrupt practitioners financially and eradicate Falun Gong physically".

To date, the Chinese government has used any method available to terrorize and pressure people to renounce their faith. They have pitted society and family members against each other with threats and heavy fines, and thousands have lost their jobs and their homes. Millions of Falun Dafa books and tapes have been publicly burned and destroyed. Access to all Web sites regarding Falun Dafa has been blocked or jammed in China, and those who send out accounts of the beatings and abuse they experience while in detention have been arrested and jailed for "leaking state secrets". Practitioners are denied legal representation and have received sentences of up to 18 years in prison in show trials. Thousands of others are sent to forced labor camps with no trial at all. Even worse, many Falun Dafa practitioners are being committed to psychiatric wards and forcibly medicated with powerful psychotropic drugs, causing serious harm to their bodies.

To date, there have been more than 53 documented cases of otherwise healthy practitioners being beaten and tortured to death while in detention.

During these months of violence and torture, Falun Dafa practitioners have shown unparalleled kindness and forbearance. Not a single practitioner has struck back or physically retaliated against the police. Worldwide, all practitioners have used only non-violent, peaceful, and legal means to appeal. This kind of conduct, in the face of such torment and injustice exhibited on such a large scale, has spoken eloquently to the world about the fundamentally peaceful and compassionate nature of Falun Dafa.