WASHINGTON—More than 2,000 practitioners of the Chinese spiritual practice Falun Gong sat in meditation in front of the Capitol with lit candles held in hand.
Stretching into the distance, they illuminated the National Mall in the nation’s capital on Thursday night. Their display was a show of solidarity against the persecution of their beliefs in China, which will reach the 10-year mark on July 20. The event was also to honor those who have lost their lives to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) brutal campaign of torture and imprisonment.
Tony Qiu, 40, a computer engineer, said the Falun Gong practitioners even have “compassion from the depth of their hearts... towards the policemen and the government officials that have treated them unfairly.”
He also said, “We want to let everyone know about the compassion that Falun Gong practitioners have shown,” and “we show the world that there is hope, and even under harsh persecution, we persevere.”
Back in 1999, Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) planned to wipe out the practice in three weeks through a brutal campaign of torture, beatings and imprisonment.
More than 3,200 people are confirmed to have lost their lives to the CCP for practicing Falun Gong, although the complete numbers cannot be confirmed.
Zhizhang Li, 63, said, “The persecution started because of Jiang Zemin’s personal jealousy and because there are too many people who want to be better people ... In the world there is a truth that good will prevail and evil will lose ... the power of compassion is the greatest so the evil cannot win.”
Stretching into the distance, they illuminated the National Mall in the nation’s capital on Thursday night. Their display was a show of solidarity against the persecution of their beliefs in China, which will reach the 10-year mark on July 20. The event was also to honor those who have lost their lives to the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) brutal campaign of torture and imprisonment.
Tony Qiu, 40, a computer engineer, said the Falun Gong practitioners even have “compassion from the depth of their hearts... towards the policemen and the government officials that have treated them unfairly.”
He also said, “We want to let everyone know about the compassion that Falun Gong practitioners have shown,” and “we show the world that there is hope, and even under harsh persecution, we persevere.”
Back in 1999, Jiang Zemin, the former leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) planned to wipe out the practice in three weeks through a brutal campaign of torture, beatings and imprisonment.
More than 3,200 people are confirmed to have lost their lives to the CCP for practicing Falun Gong, although the complete numbers cannot be confirmed.
Zhizhang Li, 63, said, “The persecution started because of Jiang Zemin’s personal jealousy and because there are too many people who want to be better people ... In the world there is a truth that good will prevail and evil will lose ... the power of compassion is the greatest so the evil cannot win.”
Despite the challenges they have faced through the years, the practice continues to gain support. It is now practiced by people in over 100 countries around the world.
Its popularity is attributed to its health benefits, free teachings, and its foundation in the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.
Eric Nugent, 23, spoke of the practitioners’ resolve: “The longer [the persecution] continues, the more efforts practitioners put in. They are not giving up—they are steadfastly determined. It is very moving.”
