How One Exhibit Is Using Kindness to Expose Beijing’s Hidden Brutalities

‘These virtues can only help us to inspire to make the world a kinder and more just and more compassionate place,’ said Mayor Sue Heins.

Artist Zhang Cuiying (L) and Sue Heins, Mayor of Northern Beaches, posed for a photo at the opening ceremony of the "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Art Exhibition" in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 23, 2025. Wang Nan/The Epoch Times

As autocrats muse about immortality, an exhibit far from Beijing is not only shining a light on the brutal practice of organ harvesting in China, but also offering a beacon in an increasingly fractured world.

Sue Heins, the mayor of Northern Beaches Council in Sydney, says the values embodied in the Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Art Exhibit can help “guide the lives of countless individuals.”

“These virtues can only help us to inspire to make the world a kinder and more just and more compassionate place,” she said in her opening speech of the exhibit on Sept. 23.

The exhibit displays the lives of practitioners of Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) as they walk their own journeys of personal development, but also counteract—through peaceful means—the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution.

Falun Gong was disseminated in the early 1990s and soon spread like wildfire throughout China due to its health and spiritual benefits.

However, in 1999 the CCP’s then-leader Jiang Zemin arbitrarily decided to launch a global persecution against the practice.

Inside China the heavy hand of the state was brought down on those linked to Falun Gong, while internationally, the CCP leveraged its relationships with overseas institutions to continue its persecution.

The exhibit is one means for Falun Gong practitioners to peacefully raise awareness, and has toured over 40 counties and 200 cities around the world ever since its debut in 2004 at the U.S. Congress Building, in Washington, D.C.

Heins believes that the principles of “truthfulness, compassion, forbearance” are “at the very heart of the works” exhibited.

“I think at the moment, with the world the way it is, we certainly need more of all of that, because we don’t see enough kindness, we don’t see enough justice, and we certainly need compassion for everybody around us.”

The audience is appreciating the artwork at the "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Art Exhibition" in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 23, 2025. Wang Nan/The Epoch Times

Michael Regan MLA, the independent member for Wakehurst, echoed Heins’ call.

“The world is in a dark place right now. It is not great,” he said in his speech at the opening ceremony.

“When you’ve got three people in particular meeting and talking about living forever or living for 100 and talking about the way they can do that, that’s scary. Those dictators talking about that kind of rubbish,” Regan said, referring to the discussion between CCP leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin about increasing longevity through organ transplants at a military parade on Sept. 3.

“Art is a great way of storytelling, and there’s a great expression and a great way to to fight those injustices and tell the story and engage more people.

“Artists have blown me away. I don’t know how you can make these things look like photos, but you do. Well done.”

Michael Regan MLA, the independent member for Wakehurst, delivered an opening speech for the "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Art Exhibition" in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 23, 2025. Wang Nan/The Epoch Times

Instead of Crying, My Daughter Stood Silent: Victim

Vivian Zhuang, a Sydney resident who fled the persecution herself, guided the audience through the exhibition while sharing her own story.

Zhuang stopped at a picture named “An orphan’s sorrow.”

“This picture is also my daughter’s face when she was six years old,” she told the audience.

“I was taken to a secret place. Later, I was sent to prison for two years. When I came home … she could have cried … but instead, she stood still silent… My heart was broken.”

Zhuang began practicing Falun Gong in Shanghai in 1998, joined by her husband in 1999. After the persecution began, both lost their opportunity to keep studying at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and were incarcerated for appealing to the CCP regime.

Zhuang was imprisoned for four years before escaping to Australia with her daughter in 2014. However, her husband could not come since could not get his passport back.

“It has been 11 years. Our daughter was eight years old when she left her father, and now she is a young lady in university.”

Vivian Zhuang, a victim of the persecution, guided the audience through the "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Art Exhibition" in Sydney, Australia on Sept. 23, 2025. Phillippe Wang/New Tang Dynasty

Asked what changes the art exhibit may bring to the world, Zhuang said it may be self-reflection.

“On one hand, there’s such a peaceful and beautiful scene, and yet this practice is being persecuted in such a brutal manner. The stark contrast between these two realities forces us to reflect on what we truly seek and what we need to abandon,” she told New Tang Dynasty (NTD), The Epoch Times’ sister media in an interview conducted in Chinese.

“And we must stand on the side of justice and speak out for it. I believe this is what it means to be human—to pursue beauty and a good life. This is also why we must make efforts to protect kindness and goodness.”

Zhuang, whose family found hope when first landing in Australia and are very grateful to the Australian government, warned about the CCP’s infiltration in Australian society.

“My practice taught me kindness and courage. I wish the same peace for all people, but I must be honest, the same government that hurt us is also switching quietly onto Australians … It tries to destroy our values,” she told the audience.

“So I ask you, dear Australian friends, please stay awake. Please stand with us to stop the CCP persecution of Falun Dafa, to help protect our beautiful Australia and our Australian values.”

Details of the art exhibition can be found here.

NTD reporter Philippe Wang contributed to this report.