Falun Gong vs Communist China

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Falun Gong vs Communist China

• Jason Blakeburn, Destry Elms, Alexander Gang,
  Lauren Kolker
• Honors Colloquium

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Abstract

• Allegations have been made against the Chinese
  government concerning concentration camps
  targeted against Chinese practitioners of Falun
  Gong. From their investigations, the United
  States government found no evidence to support
  the allegations. Is Falun Gong really a threat to
  the Chinese government? Through investigative
  research in the Dulaney-Brown Library and its
  resources, as well as a personal interview with a
  Falun Gong Master, our team is attempting to
  uncover the truth behind Falun Gong and Communist
  China.
• Falun Gong, one of the fastest growing
  religions in China, was founded in 1992 by Li
  Hongzhi. Li Hongzhi and his followers
  characterize themselves as practitioners
  cultivating the Buddha Fa and not as religious
  devotees. There are currently 100 million
  practitioners of Falun Gong worldwide 80 million
  of these are from China. In the midst of the
  persecution, Falun Gong continues to grow and
  thrive attracting more followers every year.

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Religion in China

• Religion in China covers a wide range of beliefs
  and practices including Confucianism, Taoism,
  Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and the multiple,
  traditional religious practices of many Chinese.
  Each has played an important role throughout the
  history of China, with Confucianism, Taoism, and
  Buddhism molding the culture of the country into
  what it is today.
• Since the Communist rule began in October 1949
  all religions have been severely handicapped.
  This persecution of religion intensified during
  the Cultural Revolution, beginning in 1966 and
  ending in 1976 with the death of Chairman Mao.
  Gradually, religious freedom is returning to
  China, but the government still exerts firm
  control over what type of religion is suitable
  for the Chinese people. The key guideline
  established by the Chinese government for all
  religious organizations is that they be
  compatible with patriotism and national unity.
  (Ludwig 229)

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Officially Recognized Religions of The Peoples
Republic of China (PRC)

• Buddhist Association of China
• Chinese Taoist Association
• Three Self Movement (Protestant Christianity)
• China Christian Council (Protestant Christianity)
• Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association
  (officially independent from Roman papal
  authority)
• Chinese Islamic Association
• (Ludwig 228,229)

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What is Falun Gong?

• Founded in 1992 by Li Hongzhi
• A blend of Taoism, Buddhism, and the popular
  religious traditions of China (qigong), with a
  mystical understanding of modern science
• Main purpose the cultivation of vital energies
  through truthfulness, compassion, tolerance, and
  physical exercises prescribed by Hongzhi

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Falun Gong in the words of its
founder/practitioners

• According to Falun Gong teachers and
  practitioners, Falun Gong (also called Falun
  Dafa) is a high-level cultivation practice guided
  by the characteristics of the universeTruthfulnes
  s, Benevolence, and Forbearance.
• "Cultivation" means continuously striving to
  better harmonize oneself with these universal
  principles. Practice refers to the exercises
  five sets of easy-to-learn gentle movements and
  meditation. Cultivating oneself is essential
  practicing the exercises supplements the process.
• Over time, the principles of Dafa unveil the
  deepest and most profound truths of the universe.
  Following the principles, practitioners of Falun
  Dafa are able to reach very high realms,
  enlightening to the true meanings of life, and
  finding the path of return to their origins and
  true selves.
• While the exercises have deep inner meanings,
  they also help to reduce stress and can bring
  great improvements in health and fitness.

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Chinas Response to Falun Gong

• In order to place the ban on Falun Gong, the
• Chinese Government made specific accusations
• Falun Gong is an evil cult.
• It is harmful to the physical and mental
  well-being of the people.
• It hurts society by disrupting social order and
  the work of institutions.
• It is superstitious and antiscience,
  hypocritical, criminal, treasonous, seditious,
  and well-organized.

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Details of the Accusations

• The Chinese government claimed innumerable cases
  of the psychological and physical well-being of
  people being threatened by Falun Gong
  participants.
• They give specific examples of alleged suicides
  supposedly caused by the Falun Gong.
• They denounced the sect, saying Falun Gong
  promotes unscientific ideas such as idealism,
  theism, and feudal superstition.
• Sanctimonious is used to describe the followers
  of Falun Gong.
• The legality of Falun Gong was questioned because
  all organizations formed in China have to be
  approved by the Chinese government.
• Falun Gong participants were accused of stealing
  fifty-nine confidential government documents.
• To overturn the Peoples Republic of China and
  to subvert socialism was the most feared
  accusation made by the Chinese government.

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Allegations the U.S. Congressional Reports

• In March 2006, U.S. Falun Gong representatives
  claimed that thousands of practitioners had been
  sent to 36 concentration camps throughout the
  PRC, particularly in the northeast, and that many
  of them were killed for profit through the
  harvesting and sale of their organs. Many of
  these claims were based upon allegations about
  one such camp in Sujiatun, a district of Shenyang
  city in Liaoning province.
• According to Epoch Times reports, of an estimated
  6,000 Falun Gong adherents detained there,
  three-fourths allegedly had their organs removed
  and then were cremated or never seen again.1
• American officials from the U.S. Embassy in
  Beijing and the U.S. consulate in Shenyang
  visited the area as well as the hospital site on
  two occasions the first time unannounced and
  the second with the cooperation of PRC officials.
  After investigating the facility, officials
  found no evidence that the site is being used
  for any function other than as a normal public
  hospital.2
• In December 2005, Chinese officials reportedly
  confirmed that executed prisoners had been among
  the sources of organs for transplant and
  admitted that a market for such organs had
  existed, but denied that they had been removed
  without consent.3
• In March 2006, the Chinese Ministry of Health
  announced stricter regulations that would require
  written consent from organ donors, ban the sale
  of human organs, and limit the number of
  hospitals allowed to perform transplants.4
• Specific citations available.

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Group Analysis

• Falun Gong is a practice devoted to the
  cultivation of higher principles within ones
  inner being.
• However, whether or not Falun Gong is a concrete
  religion can still be questioned because there is
  no worship directed towards a specific deity or
  God(s).
• With the research we have done so far, we do not
  think that Chinas persecution of the Falun Gong
  practitioners was as prevalent as they led
  society to believe however, we believe that
  persecution definitely existed under the
  Communist regime.
• We also believe that the Chinese government
  compounded on the few examples of radical
  behavior, evident in all religions or practices,
  within the circle of Falun Gong.

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Methodology Future Research

• Utilizing the Dulaney-Brown Library, we found
  articles and books pertaining to Falun Gong.
• Additionally, we used credible sources from the
  World Wide Web.
• One of the most valuable aspects of our research
  included a personal interview with a Falun Gong
  practitioner.
• In the future, we would like to delve into what
  makes a practice become a religion and whether or
  not Falun Gong meets the criteria. We have a
  basic understanding, but further research is
  needed.
• We would like to further investigate the
  allegations made by both sides in order to see
  what is propaganda versus what is fact.
• Ideally, this would entail a trip to Chinaat our
  own expense.

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Works Cited

• Chang, Maria Hsia. Falun Gong The End of Days.
  Connecticut Yale UP, 2004.
• China and Falun Gong. August 2006. CRS Report
  for Congress. 30 October 2008.
  http//italy.usembassy.gov/pdf/other/RL33437.pdf.
• Li, Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun. Third Translation
  Edition. New York The Universe Publishing
  Company, 1999.
• Li, Hongzhi. China Falun Gong. Third Translation
  Edition. Revised Edition. New York The Universe
  Publishing Company, 2000.
• Ludwig, Theodore M. The Sacred Paths of Doom
  Understanding the Religions of the World. New
  Jersey Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.
• Schmidt, Luke. Falun Gong Practitioner. Personal
  Interview. 26 October 2008.
• Unknown Author. Online image.
  http//www.clearwisdom.net/emh/article_
  images/wangbin1.jpg.
• Unknown Author. Online image.
  http//photo.minghui.org/photo/images/
  selected/world_wide/images/c4_GermanSistersPracti
  ceExercise5.jpg.