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Falun Gong (simplified Chinese: 法轮功; traditional Chinese: 法輪功; pinyin: Fǎlún Gōng; literally "Practice of the Wheel of Law") is also known as Falun Dafa (simplified Chinese: 法轮大法; traditional Chinese: 法輪大法; pinyin: Fǎlún dàfǎ; lit. "Great Law of the Wheel of Law") is a system of mind and body cultivation introduced by Li Hongzhi in 1992. Central to Falun Gong are the teachings of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" and five sets of meditation exercises (four standing, and one sitting meditation).) A few years after its introduction, Falun Dafa quickly grew in popularity to become one of the most popular systems of Qi Gong in Chinese history.

Falun Gong has been the focus of international controversy since the government of the People's Republic of China began a nationwide suppression of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999 for its illegal activities. The Falun Gong came to the attention of the Chinese government when 10,000 practitioners protested peaceful at Zhongnanhai the compound of Chinese top leaders on April 25, 1999.

After the crackdown, the number of Falun Gong practitioners in China was estimated by the government at 2.1 million . The number of practitioners claimed by Falun Gong is much larger, with 100 million followers worldwide including over 70 million in China.A figure of 70 million was quoted in two NY Times articles before the crackdown began. According to the articles, this figure was the estimate of Chinese government. The actual number is unknown.

History and Timeline

Falun Gong, also known as Fălún Dàfă (法轮大法), was introduced to the public by Li Hongzhi on May 13, 1992, in Changchun, China. Invited by Qigong organizations from each area, during the period from 1992 to the end of 1994, Mr. Li traveled to almost all major Chinese cities to teach the practice. In the next few years Falun Gong quickly grew in popularity around the world. As of now, the practitioners are present in more than 80 countries and the books have been translated to over 40 languages.

Beliefs and teachings

Central to Falun Dafa are the five meditative exercises and the teachings known in traditional Chinese culture as the "Fa" (Dharma), or "Dharma and principles" – that are set forth in the book Zhuan Falun. Falun Gong teaches that what it calls the "Buddha Law" can be summarized in three words – Zhen 真, Shan 善 and Ren 忍, which translate approximately as 'truthfulness, benevolence (or compassion), and forbearance'. The process of cultivation is thought of to be one in which the practitioner assimilates himself or herself to Zhen 真, Shan 善 and Ren 忍.

The teachings and priciples of Falun Gong are captured in two main books written by Li Hongzhi: Falun Gong ( Law Wheel Qi Gong) and Zhuan Falun (Turning the Law Wheel). Falun Gong is an introductory book that discusses qigong, introduces the principles and provides illustrations and explanations of the exercises.

Research into health benefits

Research conducted by Quan Zhen Li, Richard Johnson, et al says:

"Drastic system-level changes of gene expression were detected in PMNs of Falun Gong practitioners, while little changes were detected among non-practitioners... Most interestingly, the genes that are regulated in a consensus fashion among the practitioners can be grouped into several functional clusters, which are directly linked to PMN functions in anti-viral immunity, apoptotic property and possibly longevity based upon a much more economical balance of protein synthesis and degradation."

Surveys conducted on practitioners show improvements in health, the most extensive being a Falun Gong health survey conducted on 12,731 Beijing practitioners in 1998. The survey states:

"Our results show that Falun Gong's disease healing rate is 99.1% with a cure rate of 58.5%; Improvement rate is 80.3% in physical health and 96.5% in mental health. The survey indicates that Falun Gong has a significant effect in disease healing and health promotion".

Further reading

All Falun Gong exercises are taught free of charge by practitioners and are also detailed in Li Hongzhi's books, lectures and exercise instruction videos which may be found free of charge on Falun Dafa Websites.

Chinese Government's Persecution of Falun Gong

In July 1999, the government declared the practice of Falun Gong illegal.The United States Congress Resoution 188 states:

"Falun Gong is a peaceful and nonviolent form of personal belief and practice with millions of adherents in the People's Republic of China and elsewhere."

"the Government of the People's Republic of China has forbidden Falun Gong practitioners to practice their beliefs, and has systematically attempted to eradicate the practice and those who follow it"

Jiang Zemin's regime has created notorious government `610' offices throughout the People's Republic of China with the special task of overseeing the persecution of Falun Gong members through organized brainwashing, torture, and murder;

"official measures have been taken to conceal all atrocities, such as the immediate cremation of victims, the blocking of autopsies, and the false labeling of deaths as from suicide or natural causes."

According to the Falun Dafa Information Center (FDI), there are, as of March 12, 2006, 2,840 verified cases of Falun Gong practitioners dying in police and government custody in mainland China, giving rise to allegations of torture and police brutality. The report also alleges that hundreds of thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have been detained, with more than 100,000 sentenced to forced-labor camps. Moreover, there are more than 30,000 documented cases of persecution.

Awards and Recognitions

Falun Gong has been honored with over 1400 proclamations and awards from Australia, Canada, China (before the Persecution), Japan, Russia, the United States and other countries. Especially in the United States, Falun Dafa has received much praise and acclamation.

For the first few years after introducing Falun Gong, Li Hongzhi was granted several awards by Chinese governmental organizations. At the Asian health expo of 1992 and 1993 in Beijing, Falun Gong was successively nominated as the "star qigong". Recognition recieved from the Qi Gong Community include that from Master Da Liu, the Master who introduced Tai-Chi to North America. He said at the age of 95 that he now asks all his students to practice Falun Gong.Mr. Li Hongzhi was nominated for the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize by nearly 600 professors and government officials from 21 countries. Mr. Li was also nominated in 2001 by 28 European Parliament members for the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Theoretical and Epistemological Studies

The content of Li Hongzhi's books include commentaries on questions that have been raised in China's qigong community. Falun Gong's teachings tap into a wide array of phenomena and cultural heritage that has been debated for ages. It is noteworthy that the definitions of many terms usually differ somewhat from Buddhist and Daoist traditions.

Criticism and Controversies

Criticism and controversies about Falun Gong abound.

Difference between Falun Gong and Qi Gong

Critics of Falun Gong point out that while using established Qi Gong terms for cultivation practice, Li’s version applies new meanings to the traditional terms. Deng and Fang (2000) state that Falung Gong differs from all other Qi Gong practices “by rendering a drastically different interpretation of ‘gong’ (energy) and it’s causality.” In Falun Gong, a practitioner is able to accumulate De (德, dé, virtue) through his or her own cultivation efforts, but needs the direct intervention of the master in order to evolve the De into cultivation energy. In Zhuan Falun, Li states: “Cultivation practice depends upon an individual himself while the transformation of Gong is up to the master. The master gives you the Gong that develops your Gong, which will be at work. It can transform the substance of De outside of your body into Gong.”

Li as a savior or supernatural entity

Although Li has never directly said he is God, critics point out that he assumes the role of a divinity by virtue of his claimed supernatural powers. In addition to being the exclusive savior of mankind during this "Dharma ending period," Li promises his disciples that they themselves will become gods some day. He has numerous fashen (law bodies) which also exercise "great supernatural power," cure illnesses and know what the practitioners are thinking at all times.

Claims about preventing catastrophes and cosmic explosions

Li's predictions of cosmic disasters and his claims to be able to prevent them are matters of some controversy. On several occasions Li has predicted cosmic explosions which have not happened. Some critics argue that Li borrowed these ideas from popular science fiction writers in the West, pointing out that such writings have been reported in Chinese media as “scientific facts.”

Fa-rectification: Li’s version of the apocalypse?

Whether Li’s teaching that his Dafa (great law) is judging all sentient beings amounts to an apocalyptic prediction is a matter of some debate. Practitioners strongly reject the apocalyptic label, while commentators generally come to an opposite conclusion. Maria Chang (2004) writes: "Just as human civilizations had been destroyed in the past because of immorality.l.. Li is convinced that the moral decadence of our times is leading to another apocalypse. His writings and speeches are replete with references to the 'Dharma-ending period' of 'the apocalypse,' the 'Great Havoc,' and the 'end times' (mojie). With the end days approaching, Li has set about disseminating Falun Dafa so as 'to provide salvation to mankind….in this final period of the Last Havoc.'"

Debatable significance of Falun Gong awards and recognitions

There is some controversy about how meaningful Falun Gong’s many municipal awards and recognitions are and how they are used to promote the Falun Gong. Falun Gong expert Patsy Rahn (2000), states they “are documents routinely obtained by groups from public officials in the US for public relations purposes” and may be used to mislead people in China into believing “that the American government supports Master Li and his Falun Gong practitioners.” Noah Porter (2003) argues that these awards are not always easy to get, citing one example from Tampa, Florida.

Falun Gong and sexual orientation

Li has made statements condemning homosexuality, describing a homosexual as having a "dark heart, turning demonic." However, homosexuals can practice Falun Gong if they "correct this bad behavior" . The teachings of Falun Gong are seen as homophobic by critics, while defenders of the Falun Gong dispute whether statements made by Falun Gong's founder are fairly interpreted.

Allegation of profiting from Falun Gong

Some critics charge that Li hypocritically made money from the Falun Gong movement although Falun Gong practitioners said Li Hongzhi has not accepted donations from students of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong outside China

The persecution of Falun Gong practitioners has been regarded by most Western governments as a major international human rights issue. As of December 2005, 61 lawsuits have been filed in about 30 countries charging Jiang and several other senior officials with genocide, torture, and crimes against humanity for their roles in the treatment of Falun Gong in mainland China. (need citation) The Chinese government is accused by Falun Gong and many human rights groups of violating the United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT), also ratified by China.

Falun Gong practitioners are often seen on the streets in major metropolitan areas, directly informing the public of the pesecution of practitioners in China.

References

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• Li Hongzhi, Zhuan Falun: The Complete Teachings of Falun Gong (Yih Chyun, Fair Winds Press edition 2001) ISBN 1931412537
• Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong (Law Wheel Qigong) (Yih Chyun, 1993)
• Li Hongzhi, Essentials for Further Advancement (Yih Chyun, 2000?)
• Danny Schechter, Falun Gong's Challenge to China (Akashic Books, 2000) hardback ISBN 1888451130, paperback ISBN 1888451270
• Barend ter Haar, Falun Gong - Evaluation and Further References (incl. extensive bibliography)
• Noah Porter, Falun Gong in the U.S.: An Ethnographic Study (Dissertation.com, 2003) paperback ISBN 1-58112-190-3
• Maria Hsia Chang, Falun Gong: The End of Days (New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 2004) ISBN 0-300-10227-5

External links

Falun Gong sites

• Falun Dafa official website
• Falun Dafa Information Center
• Falun Dafa Minghui Net
• Falun Canada includes Zhuan Falun II in Chinese

• The Nine Commentaries
• The Epoch Times

Critical sites

• Time Asia's article on Falun Gong (May 10, 1999)
• Falun Gong Info: The True Nature of the Falun Gong by Samuel Luo, a Falun Gong critic.
• Critics and followers of Falun Gong: Adherents find fulfillment, but detractors call movement a cult (Secember 18,2005) A San Francisco Chronicle report
• Rick Ross Institute A extensive set of links to articles critical of FLG
• San Jose Mercury News article 2001 news report on how Falun Gong manipulates politicians in the U.S.
• Steve Hassan’s Freedom of Mind Center, an exit counselor's claims of mind control techniques used by Falun Gong
• Bay Area Reporter: Supes Support “Homophobic Cult” detailed report on SF Resolution 66-06
• SF Indymedia: “Homophobic Mind Control Cult” discussion on Falun Gong's view on homosexuality initiated by Samuel Luo; includes extensive user blog comments at the end
• SF Chronicle: Dissident media linked to Falun Gong exposes the connection between the Falun Gong and the Epoch Times
• People's Daily excoriates Falun Gong
• FLG article and discussion from bi-racial website
• The Two Tales of Falun Gong: Radicalism in a traditional form
• Falun Gong Derided as Authoritarian Sect by Anti-Cult Experts (2001) San Francisco Chronicle Report on "Cults and the Millennnium" conference in Seattle
• Commentary About Falun Gong (August 3, 2001) James Randi Educational Foundation
• The Falun Gong: Beyond the Headlines (2000) abstract of article by Patsy Rahn available in Cultic Studies Journal, Volume 17, pages 166-186.

Other sites

• Global Coalition To Bring Jiang To Justice
• Association for Asian Research - China genocide suit on U.S. Supreme Court steps
• CNN - Falun Gong sues ex-president Jiang
• Daily Times - Genocide lawsuit filed against Jiang Zemin
• http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2006&m=April&x=20060416141157uhyggep0.5443231&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html US State Department finding - no evidence of concentration camp]
• The Australian article on credibility of Falun Gong's China concentration camp claim. The article is also very critical of the Chinese government.
• Falun Gong in the U.S.: An Ethnographic Study - a Master's Thesis by Noah Porter, also available in print
• Falun Gong - Evaluation and Further References (Prof. Barend ter Haar, Leiden Univ.) An introductory analysis of the Falun Gong movement in Chinese society and culture from the perspective of the scholar of traditional Chinese religious culture.
• The China Psychiatric Crisis: Following Up on the Plight of the Falun Gong
• United States 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision reversing the Board of Immigration Appeals order of removal of a woman who provided a Falun Gong member with newspaper articles critical of Chinese Government oppression
• Read Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Falun Gong
• Falun Gong
• On the Collusion of Jiang Zemin and the Chinese Communist Party to Persecute Falun Gong, by the Epoch Times, an anti-CCP newspaper
• Falun Gong practitioner's video about the Chinese govt. persecution
• In Memory Memorial website for practitioners deaths while under persecution, updated with their stories
• Global Mission to Rescue Persecuted Falun Dafa Practitioners Includes a database of Falun Gong persecution cases in China. Searchable by Location, Victim, Criminal, Date.
• World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG)
• About the arrest and imprisonment of U.S. Citizen Charles Lee in China
• Friends of Falun Gong
• Series of 2001 Pulitzer Prize winning articles on the persecution of Falun Gong in China By Ian Johnson, Wall Street Journal
• Tsinghua University practitioners' views on science. Part 1 and part 2.
• Controversial preliminary data and claims on Falun Gong's effect on the body: cardiac cells, neutrophil functions, gene expression, and immunity.
• Link to a story about controversial quotes from Li Hongzhi about FLG
• A H2G2 edited-guide article

• Falun Gong
• Human rights
• Meditation