San Francisco Residents Celebrate 12th Annual World Falun Dafa Day

SAN FRANCISCO—People from around the Bay Area gathered together in San Francisco on May 14 to celebrate the 12th annual World Falun Dafa Day. Festivities had also been held in Sacramento the day before on May 13, the actual date of the festival.[etssp 366]

The celebration began with Falun Dafa practitioners performing standing exercises followed by peaceful sitting meditation at Justin Herman Plaza.

Later, practitioners and supporters of Falun Gong, led by the Celestial Band, paraded through Chinatown to Portsmouth Square where they sang Falun Dafa songs.

Falun Dafa is a spiritual belief founded in China by Mr. Li Hongzhi in 1992, whose birthday is on May 13. The practice is based on the characteristics of truth, compassion, and tolerance with the purpose of improving the health of both the body and soul.

The practitioners of Falun Dafa are diverse, coming from different countries, ethnic backgrounds, and age groups.

A member of the Celestial Band Victor Lu said, “I learned the practice in college from my mom’s friend who was cured of many chronic diseases after she obtained Falun Dafa.”

He has been practicing for 13 years now and thinks that Zhuan Falun, the book which embodies the principles of the spiritual practice, is “magnificent,” and “answered [his] questions about the purpose of life.”

Linda, an elderly lady, said that practicing Falun Gong for the past three years has made her “stronger, happier, and more patient.” This was her first Falun Dafa Day and she had attended the Sacramento celebration as well.

Younger practitioners also found that the practice helped them in their daily lives. High school student Eileen Ying said that Falun Gong kept her “mentally and physically healthy.” She participated in the parade by demonstrating exercises along with other practitioners.

Despite their peaceful intentions of self-cultivation, Falun Dafa practitioners are currently persecuted by the Chinese communist regime. The persecution began in 1999 and is still happening today in China. Since then, thousands of practitioners have been tortured to death and even more are illegally detained in prisons, mental wards, and labor camps.

Participants of the celebration hope to draw attention to the ongoing persecution in China and allow the citizens of San Francisco to witness the truth about Falun Dafa.

“Every year we hold this event to commemorate those who have lost their lives in the persecution, to call to stop the persecution of practitioners in mainland China, and to show people how great this practice is,” says Lu. “We also celebrate our Master Li Hongzhi’s birthday and his great compassion in leading us to becoming better people.”

David, frequent participant of Falun Dafa events and computer engineer, had been cured from gastritis through cultivation. He believes that the event can clear up incorrect notions that many citizens in San Francisco have about Falun Dafa.

“When they see what Falun Dafa Practitioners are really like, persevering [in truth clarification] despite the persecution, they will definitely feel their good intentions,” he said. “Our actions speak louder than words.”