Falun Gong is ancient knowledge for modern people. Falun Dafa

July 20, 1999 16 years ago is a day that tens and hundreds of millions of Chinese people will forever remember. It was on that day that the persecution of Falun Gong began, and a life-changing event took place in the lives of over 70 million Chinese people, not including their relatives. They have been discredited in the media. Many have survived layoffs, prisons, labor camps, torture, and some have undergone forced organ harvesting. It was on July 20, 1999 that former PRC President Jiang Zemin opposed the spiritual practice of Falun Gong to the public by issuing a directive to defame Falun Gong practitioners and destroy and destroy them physically.

On July 20, every year for the past 16 years, followers in almost all major cities of the world, including Kiev, go out with public actions to the local embassies of the PRC or to the main streets and squares of the city. They demonstrate their meditation exercises to passers-by and talk about how like-minded people are being persecuted in China. They present beautiful paper lotuses to passers-by and collect signatures on petitions to free the doctrine imprisoned followers from prisons and correctional camps.

We found out why Falun Gong practitioners fell out of favor with the Chinese authorities and the extent of this persecution behind the Great Wall of China.

The extent of the persecution of Falun Gong

“The Communist Party must destroy Falun Gong ... How is it possible that the Marxism that we profess, the materialism and atheism that we believe in, cannot destroy what Falun Gong is promoting? If that were true, wouldn't we be a laughing stock? " - wrote Jiang Zemin on April 25, 1999, in a letter addressed to the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party.

To purposefully suppress Falun Gong in China, the authorities have created a special committee with virtually unlimited powers - the 610 Committee. In order to justify the suppression of Falun Gong to the public, the Chinese Communist Party has used the Chinese media it controls, such as the Xinhua News Agency and Renmin Ribao.

In 1999, there were tens of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in some major cities. However, since July 20, 1999, the police have arrested people who are trying to go out and do these exercises.

Since 2000, the human rights organization Amnesty International has covered the situation of the Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong in its annual reports.

In 2006, UN Special Rapporteur on Prevention of Torture, Manfred Novak, reported that 66% of torture victims in China are Falun Gong practitioners.

Amnesty International's (AI) Annual Human Rights Report in 2011 states that the Chinese authorities have resumed a campaign to "transform" Falun Gong practitioners, demanding that prison and correctional camp workers force the imprisoned followers of the teachings to renounce their beliefs. Those who did not want to sign a declaration of renunciation of their faith (prison guards called such "stubborn") were tortured, as a rule, until the person cooperated with them. Many, according to AI, died in custody or shortly after their release.

Since January 1, 2011, the Falun Dafa Clearing House has documented over 30 deaths of practitioners as a result of beatings and torture. The organization believes that although the real number of deaths due to repression is much higher, even with such calculations, there is no other group of people among prisoners of conscience in China where the death rate is higher.

According to the Falun Dafa Information Center, there have been 3,432 officially reported deaths of Falun Gong practitioners as a result of the persecution in China. In addition, the organization claims that over 100,000 people have been illegally sent to labor camps and more than 6,000 have been sentenced to imprisonment for up to 18 years.

Testimony of a torture victim

About 100 types of torture are used against Falun Gong practitioners: dousing with ice water, sticking bamboo sticks under their nails, sleep deprivation, force-feeding urine and feces, putting a plastic bag on the head, "dead man's bed", etc. This is stated by the non-governmental organization Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group, which defends the rights of the followers of this doctrine. She provides a description of these tortures on her website, and also indicates a specific list of places where they are used.

Chinese Li (for security reasons, a pseudonym is indicated), who left China in 2005 and lives in Kiev, spoke in more detail about how Falun Gong practitioners are treated in Chinese prisons. In 2000, his mother was imprisoned in a labor camp for one year. On May 17, 2002, she was arrested in Jiagedachi District and imprisoned in the Heilongjiang Women's Prison in Harbin City for 12 years (from May 19, 2002 to May 18, 2014) "for participating in the activities of the Falun Gong organization."

He last saw her in 2005, when he was allowed to meet with his mother in prison. “She used to [weighed] 60-70 kg, and in 2005, when I saw her, she was about 30 kg,” Lee said. He also transmits the story of his mother, which he managed to record when he met. “I was tied to a chair all day, and I was so tired that I often fell to the floor,” Li recounts her words. - They inserted toothpicks between the eyelids, pricked with needles and pulled hard on my ears, slapped my face. My face even contorted because of this. It was restored only after a few years. These 7 days were the most terrible in my life, when I think about it, I involuntarily shudder. "

“After the persecution began in 1999, my mother approached the Chinese government to educate people about the benefits of practicing Falun Dafa and the pointlessness of the persecution,” Li told us. “Because of this, the Chinese Communist Party illegally sentenced her to a labor camp for a year and 12 years in prison! In prison she was severely persecuted with cruel torture. " Li said he called Heilongjiang Prison again two weeks ago, hoping to talk to his mother, but the prison guards refused again.

His mother, Li Yushu, was also able to transmit outside the prison through other inmates and Falun Gong practitioners from Harbin City at large, describing the torture methods that were used against her in the prison. Her story was published on minghui.net, where Falun Gong practitioners from China post first-hand updates on the situation of persecution across China. Below is a partial account of Li Yushu's story:

“Since March 14, 2005, I was transferred to the 10th district, to a specially built hospital. Criminal Xu Zhen (the killer) persecuted Falun Dafa practitioners very actively in order to get an early release from prison. She lives on the 3rd floor. Once she ordered me to go upstairs from the 1st floor, but I refused. She and other criminals then forcibly carried me to the 3rd floor, put on prisoners' clothes, and forced me to watch videos that slandered Falun Gong. I threw off my prison uniform, and because of this they beat me. "

Forced organ harvesting

David Matas, a well-known Canadian human rights activist, together with former Canadian government member David Kilgour, published a report that indirectly confirmed the existence of illegal organ harvesting in China from Falun Gong practitioners. By analyzing the official data of the PRC on the number of operations performed from 2000 to 2005. and comparing with the same number for the previous 6 years - from 1994 to 1999. - they concluded that 41,500 more operations were carried out. To see if the prisoners were Falun Gong practitioners who donated these operations, both Canadians decided to investigate.

However, when they wanted to go to China for a face-to-face investigation, the PRC embassy did not issue them a visa. Therefore, Kilgour and Matas conducted their research in absentia, using phone calls where they presented themselves as needing organ transplants and asked if they could be provided with organs for surgery as soon as possible, such as organs from Falun Gong practitioners. According to their report, they called about 120 Chinese hospitals where transplant operations were performed. Of these, 15 admitted to using Falun Gong practitioners as organ donors. 14 clinics have recognized the use of living organs from prisoners. 10 hospitals said that the information about the source of the organs is secret and they cannot reveal it over the phone.

In addition, the researchers called 36 different detention centers and courts in China, four of which admitted to using organs from Falun Gong practitioners.

David Matas showed us a letter sent to the Chinese Embassy on May 31, 2006, asking for a 1-month visa to find out if forced organ harvesting is actually taking place in clinics and correctional camps in China. However, when David Kilgour came to a meeting with a representative of the embassy, ​​the latter argued that he refused to travel for the investigation by the fact that it was enough to believe the information of the Chinese Embassy of Canada that there was no organ harvesting in China and therefore there was no need to go to China.

Why the Persecution of Falun Gong Started

From the time Falun Gong was introduced to the public in May 1992 until the persecution began in July 1999, the number of Falun Gong practitioners has grown to tens of millions. In 1999, Chinese government officials said in an interview with The Associated Press and The New York Times that their research shows that "at least 70 million" Chinese are practicing Falun Gong. "(AP: 4/26/1999; New York Times: 4/27/1999).

“Jiang was jealous of the widespread popularity of Falun Gong among the people,” said Dr. Shiyu Zhou, spokesman for the Falun Dafa Information Center, pointing to the main initiator of the persecution. “Falun Gong has attracted national attention and has truly brought change to society. After so many years of turmoil and bustle, the people of China have returned to a more traditional Chinese way of life, working together, thinking others first and emphasizing kindness. It may sound strange at first, but the people's admiration for Falun Gong made him angry. This is the main reason why he did it. "

Another reason the Chinese government initiated the persecution at the Falun Dafa Clearinghouse is the incompatibility of the atheistic communist ideology and the teachings of Falun Gong based on the spiritual principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and traditional Chinese culture.

In his column on CNN, the director of the Laogai Research Foundation, Chinese dissident Harry Wu pointed out that there are at least 1,100 forced labor camps in China, which are tightly controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Harry Wu believes that the Laogai camp system works as a repressive mechanism to control and essentially destroy anyone whose political, religious or social views differ from the CCP's.

Since 1999, the Falun Dafa cultivation school has been officially banned in China. According to the official data of the Chinese authorities, the practitioners committed murder, suicide, passed on state secrets, in addition, Falun Gong exercises led to mental disorders.
As you know, the essence of cultivation is described in the main book Zhuan Falun, there are others, most often it is Li Hongji's speeches at practitioners' conferences. There are also 5 sets of exercises. There are Falun Gong practitioners in many countries around the world, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus.
However, there were no reports of practitioners' crimes or mental disorders for outside of China I personally have not found it on the Internet. This apparently does not exist in either the Russian-speaking or the English-speaking segment. All opponents of Falun Gong copy materials provided by the China Xinhua News Agency. And it is written in them about the Chinese events. The question immediately arises, why is nothing like this happening in Russia, Europe, America, and other countries? The set of exercises has not changed, why have you not heard anything about crazy people? Where are the criminals? Orthodox and Protestant organizations that deal with "sects" are very interested in such information. But she's not there. And how could it be hidden on the Internet.
Some have suggested that Falun Gong has a strict, almost military organization, and the order that directed people to commit crimes was passed on through local practice site leaders. This is impossible for the following reasons.
In Zhuan Falun, Li Hongzhi categorically prohibits killing:
“… If only they cultivate themselves according to the righteous Law, it is impossible to kill living beings. The requirement is very categorical, no one can kill living beings, this is beyond doubt "
(Zhuan Falun Lecture 7, "The Question of Killing Sentient Beings")

The head of the practice site, like all the leaders, are the same practitioners like everyone else. They are called consultants.

Here's what it says about the consultant service:

“However, there are also counselors who do not serve so well, this is mainly expressed in the method of service, for example, in order to force our students to obey them so that things go better, they are in charge of administration. It is unacceptable. Learning the law is voluntary. "

“Moreover, they often spread the word of an unreliable source or something sensational in order to convince and lead others to obedience in order to increase their authority, or they resort to original inventions. All this is unacceptable. Our consultants volunteer to serve everyone. They are not teachers, much less should they show such a stubborn desire. "

“In fact, there is a Great Law that every practitioner learns. Our students will evaluate every act of counselors according to the Great Law, they will separate good from bad. They can see everything clearly. As soon as you have the idea of ​​elevating yourself, they will immediately notice that you are wrong with your xinxing, so only modesty will help you get things done. Authority can be won only by the fact that you study the law well ”.

(Zhuan Falun Volume 2, How to Run a Counseling Service, 1995)

We have already seen that in the Great Law, and it is clearly stated in Zhuan Falun, killing is categorically prohibited. The counselor is not a teacher; he is a practitioner like everyone else. His ability to give orders is apparently zero: “every act of consultants in accordance with the Great Law will separate good from bad”; to engage in authoritative interpretation of doctrine (as is the case in Christianity) in this school is generally not accepted: you can only talk about your personal understanding (the depth of understanding depends on morality).
In addition, it should be noted that Falun Dafa practitioners strive for non-action, try not to interfere in various affairs, because they do not see karmic predestination.

About non-action:

“Since you do not know the predetermination of a certain deed, it is very easy for you to make a mistake, therefore we adhere to non-action, you cannot do anything. Some say, "I want to teach bad people." Then my advice is to go to the police. However, we do not require you to stay aloof in the event of murder or arson. "

Reading Falun Dafa books has a calming effect, rather it can be used to deal with stress (this is not, of course, its purpose, if stress is boring, then you need to get rid of addictions, look in yourself), relaxes the nervous system, and the intonation of the voice becomes very calm. You can treat Falun Gong in different ways, for some it suits, some not, but the statement that it calls for the murder of oneself or others is a deliberate lie that cannot withstand the light of day.
But why then banned Falun Dafa by the CCP? In order to get closer to understanding this, let's talk a little about the state structure. For a normal life in any country, society and (or) the state must perform certain functions, work out a social order. It includes various things, for example, the production of competitive products, helping the poor, organizing health care, education, protecting against crime, controlling officials, promoting a healthy lifestyle, preventing crime, and so on. The law of conservation of energy operates: matter cannot arise from nothing, energy only passes from one state to another. Society also cannot gain anything without losing anything, without making an effort. In democratic countries, a significant part of the social order is carried out by people within the framework of public organizations. This implies not only altruism and charity, but also mutually beneficial cooperation. A typical way of thinking of a citizen of a democratic country: if there is a task, I will complete it myself, or together with other interested people. These are ecology and strikes, Alcoholics Anonymous, and people who went for a joint run; there was even a free rider organization in Sweden. In totalitarian countries, they are guided by the state, people perceive themselves as part of a large family, they are used to obeying. And almost the entire social order falls on the shoulders of the state apparatus. But an official, unlike a member of a public association, is a person who is not interested in doing work, he simply works off his salary. If society is weak and does not control them (thereby it does not fulfill the social order), then there is always a danger that the status of an official is determined not by the efficiency of his work, but by his relations with his superiors. It turns out that the state apparatus must control itself. Executions, repressions, wars weaken the desire for acquisitions among officials and the people (officials are recruited from them), people become cleaner. Li Hongji said: "This is karma, it and all the stubborn aspirations of a person condition each other."
(Zhuan Falun Lecture 4, "Loss and Gain")

Karma is eliminated through the experience of suffering.
If you do not lose, you will not gain. In totalitarian countries, getting a certain level of state care has to pay with minimal human rights: the right to life, health, freedom of opinion. Freedom of information is particularly restricted in such countries. The examples of the Soviet Union and China can serve as an illustration of this point of view.
Many Soviet old-timers say that it was during the Stalinist period that bureaucratic abuses were minimal, people did not work for remuneration, but this period was the most difficult (wars, repressions). In the Brezhnev period (more likely even after Stalin's death), many went to the civil service with the desire to improve their situation, to get something for themselves and their families. Then the process went like a snowball. No large-scale repression was carried out. The USSR collapsed. The Chinese Communist Party steadily suppresses everything that, at least indirectly, is capable of freeing people from its psychological influence.
Perhaps once, when Falun Gong received the highest award at the China National Health Expo, many prominent statesmen hoped that the widespread dissemination of this practice would help curb corruption and improve the moral health of the state apparatus.
As you know, China is currently building a "socialist market economy", which is a serious departure from previous doctrines. However, power remains in the hands of the Communist Party, no political reforms followed. The economic miracle of China is due to the fact that the industrial countries of the West moved their industries to its territory, due to the good climatic conditions and cheap labor, as well as low environmental requirements. It is clear that this situation has raised serious concerns among the old communists, in particular, Jiang Zemin.
In response to the accusatory media coverage, Falun Dafa practitioners took to the streets in silent protest, followed by the banning of Falun Gong, many practitioners were sent to a camp, and some were executed.
Some will say that Qigong and religious organizations existed in China before and still exist, which "to varying degrees" satisfy the requirements of modern Chinese statehood. Why is the Falun Dafa school targeted? The fact is that this school, the only one of the qigong schools, had a detailed teaching on moral self-improvement, and in many respects it could not suit the communists.

In totalitarian countries, a person must unquestioningly obey, even if he is ordered to kill, these countries live according to concepts rather than written laws, cruelty is necessary for such systems to survive. Lee Hongji says:
“The criterion for assessing good and evil should not be based on individual or collective approval. A person evaluates in accordance with his own concepts. If I think someone is good or kind to me, I will say that he is good. And someone has ideas peculiar to him. Then, if someone corresponds to his concept of good, he will say that this person is good. The same is the case with the collective. If something favors the interests of the collective and the achievement of some goal, then people will consider it good and allow it to exist, but it is not necessarily good in the true sense of the word. The Cosmic Principle or Buddha Law is the only, unchanging criterion for judging humanity and everything else. This is the only criterion for distinguishing between good and evil. "
(Zhuan Falun, Volume 2, "The Decline of Humanity and Dangerous Ideas")
Therefore, decrees of the Party leadership that contradict the essence of the Falun Dafa school's teachings will be negatively perceived by the public and will not be followed by practitioners. Why should the Communist Party limit itself? In China, there is a one-party system, if competitors appear, then they can be slandered in the media, sent to a camp, and finally executed. And all this for the benefit of the state.

Falun Gong also prohibits killing, if the communists need it, it will be impossible to explain the need to people.

One of the ways to maintain social order is to promote patriotism, that is, attachment to one's country, one's land. Li Hongji said:
"In other words, the Earth is the garbage dump of the Universe."
(Zhuan Falun, Volume 2, "The Decay of Humanity and the Emergence of the Enlightened")
China, therefore, is part of this dump. The communists' greatest concern was apparently the cultivation of Falun Dafa by high-ranking officials and the military. The massive dissemination of, one might say, cosmopolitan ideas could not but cause fear among the old communists.
In totalitarian communist countries, the spirit of collectivism is strong, while the state of mind of an individual is highly dependent on the opinion of others, on the opinion of the collective. A person, as it were, does not live in himself, communicating with others, he pays attention mainly not to the inner world of a person, but to his social connections. It is difficult for such people to look into themselves, to understand their own characteristics. Collectivists often make different demands on those around them, they want to feel in each person a friend, brother, and comrade-in-arms. If a person does not correspond to their ideas, intolerance arises. Political regimes use it skillfully.
There is no doubt that cultivating Falun Gong makes a practitioner psychologically independent of other people's assessments and opinions.
“Desire or unwillingness, joy or sadness, love or hate - everything in human society flows from these feelings. If you do not part with these feelings, then you will not be able to improve yourself. When a person frees himself from them, then nothing can hurt him, and the thoughts of an ordinary person cannot shake him. They, these feelings, will be replaced by mercy, which is something even more noble. "
(Zhuan Falun Lecture 4, "Improving Xinxing")
"Everyone knows that those who have attained the level of an Arhat no longer take to heart anything that happens among ordinary people and always remain cheerful, they do not care what damage they cause."
(Zhuan Falun Lecture 9, "A Person with a Great Natural Basis")
How are practitioners' emotional bonds weakened?
First of all, a person does not ask for anything from outside, but seeks in himself. At the same time, the inner world (thoughts, feelings, knowledge, experience, inclinations) is actualized, then relations (including subordination) remain in the outer world, they are not felt and become, as it were, unreal. This is possible when you expect absolutely nothing from others, either psychologically, ideologically, politically or materially. And the more a person receives from others, the more he becomes attached to them. If a practitioner is insulted and harassed, then he deliberately suffers. Insults cause offense precisely because our emotional state depends on the attitude of those around us, in other words, we want (actually ask) to be respected, celebrated for our successes, and admired us. The practitioner does not ask for anything, so he is calm. The first time insults can cause suffering, if a person has endured calmly, without bad thoughts, then the second time he will have to endure less, finally, the opinion of other people about us will be almost indifferent.
The inclination to obey, to respect elders is brought up in the family. The head of state is the prototype of the father (in totalitarian countries). Here is what the main book of Falun Dafa says about relationships with relatives:

“They say that the Buddhist religion has already come into chaos, the content of Confucianism has entered the Buddhist religion: respect for parents, love for children - all this has entered there, but Buddhism has no such content. What does it mean? The real life of a person is Yuan-shen *, the mother who gave birth to your Yuan-shen is your real mother. In the six circles of reincarnation are your countless mothers, perhaps they are human, and maybe not. In all your incarnations, your children are also innumerable. Who is your mother, who are your children - after death no one will recognize anyone, you still have to extinguish the sins you have committed. People live in delusion and cannot give up these things in any way. One cannot free himself from attachment to his child, considering him to be the best; but the child died, and what a wonderful mother he has, but she also died. The person is heartbroken and just wants to go after them. You didn’t even think, didn’t they come to torment you? Thus, they want to unsettle you from the rut of normal life.
Ordinary people may not understand this, but if you become attached to these things, you will absolutely not be able to cultivate yourself, so there is no such content in Buddhism. If you want to improve yourself, then you need to give up human feelings. "

* Yuanshen - soul, primordial spirit (Chinese)
“Of course, we cultivate ourselves in the society of ordinary people, we must also respect our parents, raise children, maintain good relations with people in all circumstances of life, do good to people, especially to our relatives. You should maintain good relations with everyone, including your parents and children, take care of others everywhere - such a soul is already devoid of selfishness, it is filled with compassion and mercy. As for feelings, they are typical for ordinary people, for which they live. "

(Zhuan Falun Lecture 6, "The Devil Out of His Soul")

In many religious organizations, believers hope (I do not claim that the religions themselves teach them this) to be saved, to cure diseases, to receive money by performing certain formal actions, showing devotion to the Church. They are trying to beg for something from the higher powers, they are looking for outside help. In fact, they want to compensate for the lack of personal improvement by demonstrating loyalty to the organization. Religions create such an opportunity for people, if you wish, you can limit yourself to “doing outside”: if you confess, you reset the count of sins, using the right of the Church to forgive sins through the ministers, and if you confess before death, then you will go to heaven. People become dependent on organizations. A person prepares himself for the thought that he alone cannot do anything.
Falun Gong is also an organization that also says that it is almost impossible to find salvation outside of this school today. But there is a very significant difference here. The Falun Dafa school always emphasizes (very often) that the basis is personal inner cultivation, and no formalities, no requests, even twenty-four-hour Falun Gong exercises alone, in principle, can not give anything.
“It is imperative to keep your soul righteous. In self-improvement, no one can replace you. You yourself must truly cultivate. Only then will you be able to raise your level. "
(Zhuan Falun Lecture 3, "What Does Master Give His Students?")

“If he does not practice self-improvement, does not improve his heart, then everything will be in vain. No one will rise up without perfection of his soul ”.

“Even if you bow down to the ground every day, beat your forehead to blood and burn incense bundle after bundle, all this will lead to nothing. You must really cultivate your heart. "
(Zhuan Falun Lecture 3, "Complete Devotion to One Direction of Cultivation Needed")

That is, it all comes down to the cultivation of internal qualities, and social interactions with the external environment, the attitude of the party and society do not play a decisive role. Of course, practitioners show mercy, want to save all sentient beings, provide psychological help to other people, it is also easy for them, because they breathe calm and harmony.
The question is sometimes asked: "Why is the Zhong Yuan Xu Mingtang Qigong School not banned in China?" From this it is concluded that the CCP is tolerant of qigong schools, and Falun Gong is to blame for being persecuted. The existence of even permitted organizations, in particular Zhong Yuan, is not so cloudless in China.
Having looked at the website of this school, and the manuals for grades 1 and 3, I can say the following.
Zhong Yuan does not contain more or less intelligible principles of self-improvement of the soul, does not define the moral ideal, exercises and techniques are used as methods of self-development. The goals of the school: curing their illnesses, learning how to heal others, achieving success in business, opening the third eye, the ability to see other spaces, acquire an immortal body, helps to solve the problem. It is distinguished by a pragmatic approach: you form your tasks, and we give you the means. Falun Gong says that the cure of diseases and the appearance of supernormal abilities, the opening of the heavenly eye are side effects of cultivation, even to improve health, one needs to grow morally, not only exercise, treatment of others is prohibited (Zhuan Falun describes in detail how some pseudo qigong masters treat diseases, and what comes of it). Falun Gong's goal is to save sentient beings. Falun Gong makes it clear that the key to health and ability is moral growth. In the book Zhong Yuan Qigong (grade 3 of ascent) it is also mentioned that if you harm others a lot, you will go to hell, that health depends on calmness. But this is rather a rare mention, let us note once again that Falun Dafa puts cultivation first, and only exercises second. Thus, it can be said that Zhong Yuan does not advance his moral ideal, so he cannot threaten communist morality.
The question of the killing of living beings is also not understood in the same way. On the subject of killing sentient beings, Xu Mingtang said:
“But if we look at our human world, we will see that we are raising a lot of animals in order to kill them later, if a person did not take care of chickens, then 90% of them would die naturally from various diseases. But since people treat them and give them special medications as a preventive measure, almost all of them stay alive. From these positions, we accumulate positive, positive karma ”1.
That is, if you take care of living things and then kill, you get the following:
we earn white matter with care (De)
killing, we earn black (this the master admits)
ultimately, the balance turns out to be zero or even positive (therefore, there is no direct ban on killing animals)
But at the same time:
“From the point of view of qigong, there is no difference between people, moreover, there is no difference even between people and animals, because all this is Life. And many animals also practice, and they also have a soul ... "2 (emphasis added)
It is not very clear: they take care of children for a very long time, can they also be killed if necessary? And the most interesting thing: this view is convenient for the Communist Party, which fulfills certain social obligations and fights corruption, and on the other hand, needs cruel means of solving internal political and territorial problems.
Attention is drawn to the pronounced commercial side of Zhong Yuan. From the official website3 it is impossible to download a single book, not a single video lesson for free, classes are paid, getting an instructor's diploma also costs money. Here is one quote from the article "Success Factors in Zhong Yuan Qigong" 4: "The third factor is" Tsai "- money, wealth. To practice this system, you definitely need money ... Education here costs more than elsewhere. "
All Falun Dafa materials are distributed on the Internet for free: you can download books, audio lectures, video tutorials with exercises. Li Hongji said that Chinese officials want to make money on qigong:
“In China, Falun Gong used to be an affiliate of the Chinese Qigong Research Society, but we noticed that this association not only does not do scientific research, but also does not study qigong methods and does not want to learn them. She only makes money and uses qigong for that. Therefore, in March 1996, we withdrew from the Qigong Association. After we left, they criticized us, and we didn’t pay attention to it ”5.
It was difficult to believe in this, except in the communist rules to chase after profit, but the example of "Zhong Yuan" seems to confirm this. In addition, "Zhong Yuan" pays much more attention to the development of the Earth (which creates the preconditions for patriotism), Xu Mingtang was engaged in martial arts, his technique is used in Shaolin. The latter evokes ideas about wars, the defense of the Fatherland, and patriotism, which is quite satisfactory for the Chinese authorities.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the ideology of modern China is no longer what it used to be, as evidenced by the multiple reprints of Zhuan Falun in China. This was completely impossible neither in the 60s nor in the 70s of the last century. It seems that the persecution caused Falun Gong ideas to spread widely among the highest party members and the military, the old forces spokesman Jiang Zemin saw this as a threat to the stability of the communist regime; the peaceful demonstration of protest by 10,000 practitioners in Beijing in response to media criticism also played a role. He saw in this school an ideological opponent capable of giving people a new meaning in life, leaving the Communist Party out of business in this sense. As the example of Zhong Yuan showed, party members allow those organizations to exist that do not reduce the social base of the Communist Party and contribute to the preservation of the existing order.

The swastika is a common Buddhist symbol for Falun Gu'n (Chinese trad. 法輪功, simpl. 法轮功, pinyin Fǎlún Gōng, literally meaning "practice of the Wheel of the Law") or Falu'n Dafa (Chinese trad. 法輪 大法, simpl. 法轮 大法 , pinyin Fǎlún dàfǎ, literally means “Great Law of the Wheel of the Law”) is a Chinese organization, whose adherents call it “the school of self-improvement of soul and life”, which became widely known in the early 1990s in China. Falun Gong is said to teach meditation techniques through exercises to improve physical health as well as moral and spiritual purity. Falun Gong is also called Falun Dafa ("The Great Law of Falun"). The school has millions of followers in almost all countries.

Falun Gong adherents claim that they strive to follow truth, kindness, and patience in their own daily life.

Critics of the Falun Gong teachings believe that hatred is preached to any individual or organization that criticizes the favorite, Li Hongzhi, as well as refusal of medical assistance and pharmaceuticals, which allegedly led to countless cases of death and spiritual insanity of followers. In critical literature, the organization is called a sect.

Founder of Falun Gong

The founder of Falun Gong is Li Hongzhi. In 1992, he introduced Falun Gong at the Eastern Health Expo in Beijing. In 1993, Falun Gong also participated in this exhibition, where he received the three highest awards. At the same time, this method of practice in China began to be called Golden Falun Gong - for its effectiveness in healing the body. Soon the way to practice Falun Gong became popular throughout China. Li Hongzhi graduated from the main book of the teaching system, Zhuan Falun, in 1994. In addition to describing the principles of Falun Gong, the book touched upon development topics, the meaning of place and time, and the mysteries of the universe.

Falun Gong Practitioners Show Exercises Falun Gong practitioners do exercises designed to promote health in the open air. The principles of this method of practice are fully described in Zhuan Falun and other books, also on video and audio cassettes, as well as websites.

Suppression of Falun Gong Activities in the PRC

In 1999, the Chinese government took away Falun Gong's legal status and protections and prohibited its publication. In 1996, Li left China to give Falun Gong lectures in Europe, Asia and Australia. In 1998 he moved to New York. Falun Gong practitioners in China, on orders from above, began to be persecuted by the police. On April 25, 1999, approximately 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners held a day-long, peaceful demonstration outside the Central Appeals Cabinet.

The government responded on July 22, 1999 with a complete ban on Falun Gong in China. It also tried to issue an international arrest warrant for Li Hongzhi on charges of developing a "sinister cult" that spreads prejudice to deceive people. For political reasons, the warrant was not taken into account by the United States government and the international police organization Interpol. Falun Gong practitioners around the world have been explaining the truth about the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners by the Chinese Communist Party.

Falun Gong practitioners themselves maintain that this teaching is not a religion or a cult, and has nothing to do with politics. They say that followers should not leave tangible property, work, or family life. The goal of the practice is to gradually get rid of selfish desires.

Falun Gong

The Falun Gong (Wheel of Law Practice) movement was founded in 1992 by retired military man Li Hongzhi. It combines within itself elements of Buddhism, Taoism and the classical healing practice of qigong.

The movement has gained immense popularity. According to some sources, up to 70 million people took part in it in China. Chinese immigrants to the United States were also fascinated by the new teaching. The number is believed to be around 8 million.

The Chinese authorities were frightened by this unusual popularity of the religious movement and began to fight with it. Falun Gong leaders have brought thousands of their own followers to Tiananmen Square in Beijing, demanding official recognition of the movement. But this demonstration of a significant number of adherents led to a reversible result. Traffic was banned in July 1999.

Video: Falun Dafa Falun Gong Qigong Exercise

Since then, its activists have occasionally held public protests, but their participants have been arrested. In late 2000, in Tiananmen Square, several alleged Falun Gong adherents committed self-immolation. But the organization's management considered this the result of police provocation and refused to admit that the victims belonged to the movement.

Falun Gong favorites have repeatedly emphasized that it is not a religion, but a spiritual practice. Li Hongzhi, for example, states that members of the movement can belong to any religion. In this he is similar to the neo-Hindu gurus who say that the practice of Indian yoga is compatible not only with Hinduism, but also with other religions. But the syncretic teaching that frames the practice of Falun Gong contains Buddhist and Taoist tenets.

The movement has no fixed membership or clergy. Its participants emphasize that they are not so much an organization as a group of like-minded people united on a volunteer basis. This frightened the Chinese authorities, who do not like amateur performances, especially in the field of religion.

When Falun Gong books became bestsellers in 1996, they were banned; When the state media estimated that 70 million people were practicing Falun Gong, which was more than the number of members of the Chinese Communist Party, at that time, the media was swept by a wave of lies about Falun Gong, and the state security authorities began to spy on the practitioner and harass them in every possible way.

It was in response to these violations by the authorities of their country's Constitution that practitioners gathered in Beijing in April 1999.

In a 1999 Washington Post article, it is stated that "Jiang has made the sole decision that Falun Gong" must be eliminated "(article in English). Journalists and internal sources noted Jiang's "envy" of Falun Gong and his obsession with "eradicating" the practice.

China analyst Willie Lam believes that by organizing a nationwide campaign, Jiang wanted to "set up" power for himself, while at the same time destroying a group he saw as a threat to his power.

In addition, the difference between the ideology of the atheistic Communist Party and the ideology of the spiritual practice of Falun Gong, which is based on the principle of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, played a role.

Finally, as noted in The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, the persecution of Falun Gong is the latest in a series of brutal campaigns used by the party to remind the population that people are under its constant control.

Mao Zedong once said that in China, a cultural revolution should be carried out every seven or eight years. Indeed, since 1950, not even ten years have elapsed without the state carrying out some brutal campaign to suppress the masses. From the crackdown on counterrevolutionaries, the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, the brutal suppression, to the persecution of Falun Gong, the Party has killed 60 to 80 million Chinese citizens.

- The Chinese Communist Party is not stupid - would it hardly kill innocent people like that?

Hitler is not stupid - but he killed 6 million Jews. Why did the Khmer Rouge kill one in every four Cambodians? If Tibetan monks only want to piously worship and meditate, why are they still tortured and killed in the Chinese gulags? If teenage girls in Darfur did nothing wrong, why were they raped? Mladic was not a fool, why did he want to kill all the Muslim men in Srebrenica?

One can look at things from the perspective of the criminals and thus understand their economic and political motivations behind the massacres. However, we believe that to some extent there is evil here, with which it is difficult to agree - how can such things be done in relation to a person?

On the other hand, very many Chinese either take part in this campaign, or turned a blind eye to it precisely because they intuitively know what evil the Communist Party can commit. After public executions, organizing, cannibalism and massacres - a total of 60 to 80 million of these people's relatives died during the CCP's reign - the evil perpetrated against Falun Gong was already all too recognizable.

“If Falun Gong is good, why was it banned? Why isn't it done to other groups?

First, many other groups have also been banned and persecuted. Christians who refuse to attend party-controlled churches, Tibetan Buddhists and, of course, Democrats and other human rights activists are all persecuted in China, and in some cases the persecution lasts for decades. There are also areas of qigong that are forbidden, and you will not see their followers doing exercises in the parks of China.

There is no need to look for those who are persecuted more than others. These groups are grossly abused and tragic for countless families of these people. Moreover, the aggressor against these groups is the same person.

When asked how the current persecution of Falun Gong is different from the persecution of other groups, it can be answered that the difference is as follows:

Falun Gong was the largest group in society in terms of the number of adherents, excluding the Communist Party. According to the estimates of the Chinese government itself in the late 90s. at least 70 million people were involved in this practice, reflecting the huge number of people affected by the persecution. The US Department of State notes that Falun Gong practitioners make up about half of all inmates in China's forced labor camps according to reports. Based on the reports of survivors in these camps, it can be concluded that in some cases, about 90% of the inmates are Falun Gong practitioners. In the winter of 2007, a huge number of additional Falun Gong adherents were placed in new cells.

Jiang Zemin and the Communist Party launched an extensive campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. In the early days of the persecution, it was common for the Chinese to react to the campaign as a Maoist, evocative, and which they believed was a thing of the past. In this regard, Falun Gong, like the groups during the Cultural Revolution, has become a target of persecution: practitioners and followers are attacked by intense propaganda, house-to-house searches of followers are conducted, they are beaten, publicly condemned, and tortured for which no one is responsible. Like many groups in the 1960s, Falun Gong has become the target of financial ruin and massive exile to labor camps for its adherents, a process that is systematic and carried out on a scale not seen since Mao's death in 1976.

- How did the persecution start?

The persecution officially began at 3 pm on July 22, 1999, when China Central Television (CCTV) began broadcasting programs about the new ban with anti-Falun Gong propaganda. Falun Gong practitioners who were on their way to petition the government to support the practice at the time were grabbed, put on buses, and detained in stadiums and conference rooms. This was followed by the burning of Falun Gong books and demonstration trials.

Two days before the nationwide persecution was announced, Falun Gong coordinators who were regarded as the main leaders were arrested at night at their homes.

More than a month before the persecution began, on June 10, Jiang Zemin set up the 610 Office to eradicate Falun Gong. Two months earlier, about 20 Falun Gong practitioners had been arrested and beaten after they protested peacefully in the form of a sitting meditation in front of the publishing house of a magazine that slandered Falun Gong. This arrest led to the famous event at the walls of Zhongnanhai, when thousands of practitioners gathered there. During 1998, Falun Gong practitioners meditating in parks were vigilantly monitored by security officials and interrogated.

The beginning of the persecution can be seen as early as 1996, when the first article criticizing Falun Gong appeared in the Chinese newspaper Guangming Daily, initiating attacks on Falun Gong in the state media.

Didn't Falun Gong practitioners surround Zhongnanhai? Wasn't this provoking the Chinese government?

On April 25, 1999, about 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners gathered outside the walls of the Zhongnanhai government headquarters in Beijing. This meeting was legal, and the assembled people intended to go to the nearby State Bureau of Appeals, not to the government headquarters.

The right to appeal against abuses committed in China is guaranteed by the Constitution. In fact, on the eve of these events, the authorities in Tianjin, near Beijing (in that city, Falun Gong practitioners were arrested and beaten), advised Falun Gong practitioners to petition directly in Beijing.

The practitioners gathered in response to the state's persecution that had already begun. In this case, it was the result of a 3-year media attack on Falun Gong, beatings of 45 Falun Gong adherents in Tianjin City, and the banning of Falun Gong books.

This gathering of people was completely peaceful. Also, not a single passage or passage was blocked, the movement was free.

In fact, this could have led to a completely different result. On that day, Zhu Rongji, who was the prime minister at the time, met with Falun Gong representatives and promised to resolve their problems. The practitioners who were detained in Tianjin were released. However, a few hours later, when everyone had already dispersed, Jiang Zemin intervened and completely changed the policy. He accused the practitioners of keeping Zhongnanhai under a "siege" and stated that if Falun Gong was not destroyed, it would be a shame for the party and show its weakness.

- Does it seem like Falun Gong has changed its nature and is now highly politicized?

First, although Falun Gong practitioners are protesting, suing Chinese officials, and persuading the Chinese to leave the Communist Party, they remain persistently disinterested in gaining power.

The founder of Falun Gong and practitioners in China and beyond are constantly clarifying that they do not want to conquer power, they only want to stop the persecution. Many years have passed and the CCP has not changed its genocidal policy against Falun Gong, so the only seeming possible way to stop the persecution is to destroy the Communist Party.

Second, this activity was not carried out in any form by Falun Gong practitioners before the persecution began. Before the suppression began, all that Falun Gong practitioners did was meditate and read Falun Gong literature in a group or at home and introduce others to the practice.

Last but not least, even if Falun Gong was involved in politics, what's wrong with that? In any free society, this clearly cannot be the basis for persecution. Only in a state with an authoritarian Communist Party regime, a regime that does not tolerate any ideology different from it, is it considered that it is a crime to engage in politics.

- What is the form of the persecution?

In China, the Communist Party uses all available methods to force people to give up their beliefs through intimidation and pressure. Falun Gong practitioners are denied education, fired from jobs, deprived of custody of their children; they are publicly abused, abducted and sexually abused in police stations. Those who expose the abuse they suffered in custody are sent to prison for "divulging state secrets."

All practitioners are denied defense by lawyers, and some are sentenced to up to 18 years in prison simply for their faith. Hundreds of thousands were reportedly sent to forced labor camps (China's gulag system) without trial or investigation. Many healthy, normal people were sent to psychiatric hospitals, where they were forcibly injected with drugs that destroy the nervous system.

Currently, the Center has confirmed 3,415 Falun Gong adherents' deaths as a result of the persecution (many more are believed to be); hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are being held in prisons and forced labor camps. Independent experts also confirmed the fact of selling Falun Gong practitioners from prisoners.

Falun Gong Qigong is an ancient knowledge that is transmitted and adapted for modern people. Since 1992, the Falun Dafa cultivation system has been publicly passed on by Mr. Li Hongzhi. Over 100 million people around the world practice Falun Gong. Since 1999, brutal covert repression has continued in China.

In the West, many people are already adopting alternative forms of treatment and health maintenance. Someone is trying different diets. Someone is looking for those who know the technique of acupuncture, massage. Some go to specialists in color therapy, yoga and Ayurvedic medicine.

Qigong is also gaining popularity in Western society. Classes qigong began to be held in cultural centers, fitness rooms and institutes. In the homeland of qigong, China, you can see people of all ages practicing various forms of qigong in the parks early in the morning, such as Tai Chi or Falun Gong.

The Chinese believe that they have secrets that are passed on to the people through. Secret knowledge helps them look younger, live longer and give them wisdom. In the early 90s of the last century, Falun Gong (in the form of qigong) became very popular in China.

Why, with so many ancient secrets in China, has Falun Gong become the most popular form of qigong in the country? Why is it still widely practiced today, despite the brutal persecution of his followers in the PRC? What is Falun Dafa, and what makes it such an exceptional practice?

The Ancient Origins of Falun Gong

In Asia, spiritual practices of this kind are often referred to as “cultivation,” or “cultivation,” or qigong. They are an integral part of classical Chinese culture. Various Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian practices fall into this category.

Consistently and methodically in ancient times, followers of spiritual practices achieved a state of inner purity and balance. In the process of cultivation, deep mechanisms are involved in order to lead a person to true healing of both mind and body. Eventually, a person could approach a state of such spiritual exaltation, which in the Asian tradition is known as "enlightenment" or "attaining Tao."

What is Falun Gong Learning (Falun Dafa)

Unlike monasticism and solitude in mountains and forests, Falun Dafa is practiced in the community and its followers can have families, children, and careers. Falun Gong seeks an internal transformation that is reflected in external positive changes in attitudes towards the world. In this way, a Falun Dafa practitioner becomes more patient in his family, as well as a more conscientious worker and active member of society.

According to the founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi, the practice is based on human assimilation with the highest quality (property) of the universe - Zhen 真 Shan 善 Ren 忍. Practice is guided by these higher principles, relying on the laws formed by the development of space.

In his books and lecture notes, Mr. Li Hongzhi reveals many issues that were previously a deep mystery. The main book Zhuan Falun describes many mysterious phenomena in the development of mankind. Master Li talks about the ancient traditions of cultivation, the laws of the development of the universe, and explains many of life.

The book Zhuan Falun in various languages. Photo from the book exhibition in Moscow.

Qigong Falun Gong consists of five energy exercises (four complexes are performed while standing and one is sitting - meditation), but the basis is cultivation training. Self-improvement is understood as the continuous striving of a person to live in accordance with the principle of the Universe Zhen-Shan-Ren (translated from Chinese Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance). Cultivation is the main goal of a Falun Dafa practitioner, while doing the exercises is an aid. After all qigong is not just gymnastics , but the method of perfecting the soul and body.

Most of the people who practice the Falun Gong exercises and follow the teachings of Falun Dafa show significant improvements in health and mental well-being. They manifest themselves in reducing stress levels, improving sleep, feeling light, energized and in a good mood. There are many cases of overcoming life-threatening diseases.

Demonstration of the Falun Gong exercises in Moscow during a city event.

The exact way to get rid of diseases thanks to Falun Dafa is not understood by modern medicine, as it is a completely different level of knowledge and a different approach to healing. However, the effects of practicing Falun Gong can be measured and recorded.

The Amazing Effect of Falun Gong

In 1998, one population census conducted by the Chinese government shows that at least 70 million people are practicing Falun Dafa. This definitely indicates that Falun Gong is the most popular qigong practice in Chinese history.

Many practitioners share personal experiences proving that Falun Dafa has powerful healing properties. Below are just two reviews.

“Just a month after I started cultivating in accordance with the universal principles of Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the disease (leukemia), incurable by modern medicine and costing my family hundreds of thousands of yuan [tens of thousands of dollars], disappeared completely. "Says a Falun Gong practitioner from mainland China.

Another tip about Falun Gong:

« Previously, I had second degree osteonecrosis (bone degeneration) and was practically paralyzed for about a year. But only three to four days after I started practicing Falun Dafa, I gave up my crutches and could walk again, ”explains another Falun Gong practitioner from China.

Research confirms the positive effects of Falun Dafa

In 1998, the first major medical study of Falun Gong practitioners was conducted in Beijing. Of the 12,731 people who participated in the survey, 93.4% had an initial illness. 49.8% of them suffered from at least three diseases before practicing Falun Gong.

By studying and practicing Falun Gong Qigong, their health improved. This improvement occurred in 99.1% of people, 58.5% of them recovered completely. The percentage of subjects reporting that they felt "very energetic" increased from 3.5% at the start of the practice to 56.6% at the end of the experiment.

The study also found that 12,287 people, or 96.5% of the participants, felt mentally healthier after practicing Falun Gong Qigong.

In addition, a Beijing study found that the number of Falun Gong practitioners is increasing rapidly every year.

Practicing the Falun Gong Exercises in China. 1990s

According to this study, every Chinese citizen who practices Falun Dafa saves the government 3,270 yuan in medical expenses a year. At the time of the study, 1 yuan was worth about $ 0.12 and the average worker in China earned about 500 yuan per month. Multiplying this figure by tens of millions of followers of the ancient system, we see that Falun Gong saved billions of dollars in medical expenses for the Chinese budget.

Another study was conducted in Taiwan. 1,182 participants were examined and observed. The report says that through Falun Gong, bad habits are naturally eliminated. According to the study, 81% of the participants in the experiment quit smoking, 77% began to abstain from alcohol, and 85% stopped gambling.

Falun Gong awards in China and abroad

Falun Gong and its founder have received many awards and commendations from government officials and organizations around the world. Many Falun Gong practitioners have received awards for their active contributions to community service.

In 1993, the founder of the practice, Mr. Li Hongzhi, was named "People's Qigong Master" in Beijing. The official authorities presented him with the "Award for high progress in avant-garde science."

In the same year, the journal of the Ministry of Public Security of China, People's Security, wrote about Mr. Li's services to society, about his contribution to "promoting the traditional virtues of the Chinese people in the fight against crime, in maintaining public order and security, and in promoting justice in society ”.

The founder of Falun Gong, Mr. Li Hongzhi, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times. In 2009 he was presented with the Spiritual Leader 2009 award.

Master Li Hongzhi has always insisted on distributing Falun Gong free of charge so that it would be available to all people. For this reason, all books, videos and other educational materials are provided free of charge online at the international site falundafa.org.

Few people today know that Falun Dafa and its followers gained widespread official recognition in China in the 1990s. Before there was an abrupt change in political winds in 1999 when Falun Gong was secretly persecuted in China.

The Marathon of the Persecution of Falun Gong in China

1999 year. "Destroy their reputation, ruin them financially, destroy them physically!" This is the personal order of Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, against Falun Gong practitioners. Thus began the marathon of the persecution of 100 million civilians in China. The repressions affected people of all ages, with the inhuman methods of humiliation, torture, rape and murder inherent in the communist regime.

"Declare all deaths of Falun Gong practitioners a suicide!" This is the next order of the leader of the Communist Party of those years, Jiang Zemin. He personally issued an order to establish an executive branch with a special mission to eradicate Falun Gong. This body was called the "610 Office" - a body reminiscent of the Gestapo, standing above the government and reporting only to Jiang. The atrocities that the "610 Office" committed were unspeakable and beyond any common human sense.

Unprecedented criminal business in China

In early March 2006, information appeared about the existence of death camps in China. There, Falun Dafa practitioners were kept as a living bank of organs and body parts for transplantation. Subsequently, their corpses were burned in crematoria to hide the traces of crimes.

Former Canadian attorney general David Kilgour and international human rights lawyer David Matas independently investigated and confirmed that illegal organ harvesting in China does exist. The investigation is based on dozens of types of evidence. Among them are interviews with eyewitnesses, recordings of telephone conversations with doctors in Chinese hospitals, collecting data for blood samples of detained in camps and prisons of practitioners of the meditative practice of Falun Dafa, etc.

The results of this study were published by David Kilgour and David Matas in a July 2006 report. This independent report has been translated into 19 languages ​​(organharvestinvestigation.net), and received support in more than 30 countries around the world, as well as the European Parliament and the United Nations.

Supporting Falun Gong in the World

Today, more than 100 million people practice Falun Dafa in over 110 countries around the world. Since it began to spread in China in 1992, the whole world has become convinced of the effectiveness of the ancient meditative cultivation system and the benefits for the whole society. However, the brutal persecution of Falun Gong continues today. What can be done while living far from the place of cruel reprisals against peaceful people?

For many years now, Falun Dafa practitioners around the world have been calling people to pay attention to this global problem. Politicians and authorities in many countries, bound by economic interests, hesitate to tell the truth. But ordinary people, voice their voices in support Falun Gong and his wonderful principles of honesty, kindness and patience.

Around the world, signatures were collected at the UN for a petition organized by the association of doctors DAFOH, against the persecution Falun Gong in China and the end of organ harvesting for sale. For 2018, more than 3 million signatures were collected and the collection of signatures was stopped due to the inaction of the UN.

Today anyone can vote for good on change.org