Li Hongzhi and his "Falun Gong"

On July 22, 1999, the ministry of civil affairs of the people's republic of China issued a notice declaring that the "Falun Dafa research society" and the "Falun Gong" organization under its control had been deemed illegal, and were therefore banned according to law. Then, what kind of illegal organization is "Falun Gong", after all ?

Li Hongzhi was born on July 7, 1952, in Gongzhuling city (formerly Gongzhuling town, Huaide county), in northeast China's Jilin province. From 1960 to 1969, he studied at the Changchun Zhujiang road primary school, Changchun No.4 secondary school and Changchun No.48 secondary school. From 1970, he first worked at an army stud farm, and later served as a trumpet player in a band of the Jilin provincial forestry police corps. From 1978 to 1982, he worked as an attendant at a guesthouse run by the Jilin provincial forestry police corps. From 1982 to 1991, he was a member of the security section at the Changchun cereals and oils company. He began to engage in Qigong activities in 1991, and started to propagate his "Falun Gong" heresy in May 1992.

In 1993, Li fabricated his background, saying, " I was born in Gongzhuling city, Jilin province, on May 13, 1951. When I was a child, the venerable Quan Jue gave me secret instructions to turn me into a Buddhist believer. My training was completed when I was eight years old.

"At the age of 12, the Taoist master Baji Zhenren (eight-pole immortal) taught me Taoist practices. In 1972, I received Taoist instructions from master Zhendaozi (true Taoist), and in 1974, I received further training in Buddhist cultivation, and returned to public life."

In books compiled by the "Falun Gong" organization, it is started, "at the age of eight, Li Hongzhi attained the superb Dafa (great law) with great supernatural powers, such as the ability to move objects (without lifting a finger), fix articles (at whatever spot), control other people's thinking and make himself invisible. His energy potency reached an extremely high level. He understands the truth of the universe, has insights into life and can see the past and future of mankind."

Why did Li Hongzhi change his date of birth from July 7, 1952 to May 13, 1951? In the Chinese lunar calendar, the eighth day of the fourth lunar month is believed to be the birthday of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism, and May 13, 1951 happened to be such a day. Thus, by changing his date of birth, Li intended to indicate that he was "a reincarnation of Sakyamuni."

However, many of Li's former schoolmates, teachers and neighbor, when interviewed, all said Li Hongzhi was no more than an ordinary child, obtaining average marks in his studies. In their reaction to his fabricated story of "spiritual cultivation", their answers were either "impossible" or "I have never seen or heard of that". His superiors and roommates at the stud farm and the forestry police corps also said he was just an ordinary serviceman in an art troupe. They explained that the full schedule of rehearsals and performances, as well as the strict militarized routine and tight time schedule in the forestry police corps could not possibly have left him any spare time to practice his so-called Great Law. His colleagues at the Changchun cereals and oils company also said that Li Hongzhi knew nothing about the so-called practice methods or spiritual cultivation at all before he joined a Qigong breathing exercises training class.

When Li's acquaintances asked him why he made up his life story, Li answered, "No one would believe me if I did not exaggerate a little bit."

Li Hongzhi began to learn the "Gong" of the Chan and esoteric sects from Qigong master Li Weidong in 1988, attended two training sessions, and later learned "Jiugong Bagua Gong" from Qigong master Yu Guangsheng. He fabricated the so-called practice methods of "Falun Gong" by combining the movements of the above two martial arts with movements imitated from traditional Thai dancing. According to Li Jingchao and Liu Yuqing, early disciples of Li Hongzhi, the "practice methods" and movements of "Falun Gong" were designed by Li Hongzhi and Li Jingchao, and "only took initial shape one month before Li returned to public life". At first, Li Jingchao demonstrated the movements on a platform, while Li Hongzhi explained what he was doing. Liu Fengcai, one of Li Hongzhi's early collaborators, made over 70 changes in the teaching materials concerning the practice methods. The picture of Li Hongzhi sitting in meditation on a lotus was made by Song Bingchen, an early disciple of his, using a photographic trick, and painting flammule behind his back. His yellow costume was bought from a store.

Li Hongzhi boasted that "under the guidance of my masters, and combined with the original Dafa which I have practiced hard for years, I have realized and created since 1984 a true way of cultivation which is easy to popularize. After repeated deliberations, demonstrations and biochemical treatment, and approved by great masters, it is named "Falun Gong" and thus has become popular. After I returned to public life and started to spread it in 1992, "Falun Gong" was praised by the masters as a virtuous Dafa". However, facts have proved that this is a sheer monstrous lie.

Li Hongzhi established the "Falun Dafa research society" in Beijing, with himself as its chairman after he created "Falun Gong" in 1992. He also set up 39 general instruction centers, 1,900 ordinary instruction stations and 28,000 practice sites in various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central government. In this way, a complete and well-organized body was formed from top to bottom.

The "Falun Dafa research society" is in charge of everything at the "Falun Gong" general instruction centers in various places, examining and approving the "Falun Gong" organizations, and appointing and dismissing the core members. A series of internal rules and regulations make it easy for "Falun Gong" members to carry out illegal activities in a well organized manner, including the "requirements of the Falun Dafa instruction stations", "regulations on the disciples of Falun Dafa spreading Fa and Gong", "standards for Falun Dafa instructors" and "notice to Falun Dafa practitioners".

As the head of "Falun Gong", Li Hongzhi often issued orders, notices and announcements to the "Falun Dafa research society", the top organization, which would send notices and announcements to the local instruction stations and practice sites through specially-assigned persons, or through the internet, telephone, fax and other modern telecommunications means to guide and coordinate activities in various places.

Aimed at combating articles published by the local news media unmasking "Falun Gong", and the prohibition of the publication and distribution of books, and audio and video tapes on "Falun Gong" by the relevant government departments, the "Falun Dafa research society" and the local general instruction centers organized large-scale activities such as "meetings for promoting and developing Falun Dafa", "gatherings to practice 'Falun Gong'", "ceremonies" and "commemorations", and organized and instigated the "Falun Gong" practitioners to hold many illegal gatherings and besiege media and publishing establishments, and Party and government organs. This seriously undermined public order and the work of these departments.

The facts detailed above fully prove that "Falun Gong" is an unregistered illegal organization with a compact system and complete functions, and also a heretical cult with all the important features of such cults.

 

(Compiled by New Star Publishers, Dec., 1999)