Commentary
December 10th marks Human Rights Day to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
Less than a year later, on October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, declared the creation of the People’s Republic of China.
In 1947, in preparation for the drafting of UDHR by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conducted an international survey on the origins and philosophical foundations of human rights.
China’s response to the survey is “Human rights in Chinese tradition“I came from Lo Chung-Shu, a UNESCO special consultant and professor of philosophy at the University of West China in Chengdu, Sichuan.
Lo did not have the concept of Western human rights declared in the Political Constitution in China, but Chinese have basic human rights based on the concept of “mutual duty” Confucianism to prevent infringement of individual rights. He insisted and explained that he enjoyed it. ..
“China’s ethical education emphasized the sympathetic attitude that instead of claiming rights, all fellow men are considered to have the same desires and therefore the same rights that they want to enjoy. . “
Lo also referred to Chinese classic history books in explaining the moral norms between individuals and nations in traditional Chinese culture.
“Heaven sees what our people see. Heaven hears, as we hear. Heaven is compassionate to people. Heaven knows what people want, heaven brings. Heaven loves people, and sovereigns must obey heaven. “
The welfare of the people depended on the goodwill of the ruler, so if the emperor no longer governs the welfare of the people, the people have the right to revolt, as seen in the thousands of years of dynasty change in China. I did.
Human rights of China and Falun Gong
Named the People’s Republic of China, the “people” exist to serve the nation. Communist ideology denies the existence of gods and supernatural beings, stipulating that religion is a human creation and individual human rights are a constituent of the West.
Since 1949, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has campaigned to destroy the traditional foundations of Chinese culture and social relations and instill a communist ideology. Following the devastating effects of the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, there was a short period of time when China appeared to have opened in the 1980s. Traditional aspects of Chinese culture, such as Qigong (energy exercises), have been accepted and promoted by the Chinese Communist Party.
It was in this window that Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) was first publicly taught in China by Li Hongzhi in 1992 and registered with the government’s China Qigong Research Association.
Falun Gong is a spiritual practice in the Buddhist tradition, consisting of gentle and meditative movements and moral teachings centered on the beliefs of honesty, compassion and tolerance. In line with traditional Chinese culture, it teaches personal responsibility for one’s actions and ethical choices in life.
In 1998, according to a survey by the Chinese Communist Party itself, Falun Gong was practiced by more than 70 million people in China, improving their health and saving millions of yuan each year by the government.
However, the Communist hardliners could not tolerate the growing support for Falun Gong by the Chinese, as they taught a form of ethical thought that challenged the Communist Party’s ability to continue to dominate the Chinese population through communist ideas. In July 1999, the Chinese Communist Party launched a violent campaign to eradicate Falun Gong. This continues today.
In essence, the Chinese Communist Party is afraid that the Chinese people will wake up and drive them out, like the fate of China’s past corrupt rulers. The process of awakening began in late 2004, known in Chinese as the “grassroots social movement.”Twidan(Exit CCP).
Today, more than 387 million Chinese in China and around the world have abandoned their ties with CCP and its affiliates and have filed a statement on the Tuidang website.
Human rights in the West and Asia?
The idea of unique or “Asian” human rights is being driven by CCPs and other states that seek to prioritize state control over individual human rights.
The traditional Chinese understanding of people’s rights is related to the heavenly relationship that oversees human life on earth. The Western concept of human rights is also associated with heaven under various teachings of Judaism and Christianity.
In essence, Western and traditional Chinese human rights have the same foundation-respect and guidance in the spiritual realm. Similarly, the principles of honesty, compassion, and patience in Falun Dafa (Jenshanren in Chinese) are at the heart of all Orthodox religions.
People of all cultures, whether in the West or not, experience injustices that demand awareness and salvation.
That’s what we all have in common. It doesn’t matter if the person came from a Western country or an Asian country. They will all experience a longing for freedom if trapped, pain when tortured, and die when shot in the head.
Human Rights — Was it proclaimed by man or infiltrated by God?
The doctrine of human rights, which lacks the sacred foundation of human life, is at risk of manipulation by human immersion in secular self-interest.
When human rights are declared by humans, we enter the realm of disputing which rights are most important and can be negotiated for other interests such as development and trade. Some say this already exists when, like the Chinese government, countries make economic or national interest decisions to prevent a series of human rights abuses.
It is not surprising that it challenges God-given human rights, as the CCP expresses open hostility to the notion of God. It is imperative that all people and nations who understand the foundations of world human rights stand up.
Falun Dafa practitioners raise themselves according to the traditional principles given by heaven. From this perspective, we approach the atrocities committed by the CCP to many fellow practitioners as an exhibit that can show people around the world what is good and what is bad.
I also believe that talking about this gives people the opportunity to decide if they think they are right or wrong and to choose which side to stand on.
December 10th is a day to look back on what happened to the world and what it will be like. Humans do not need to have a particular religious or cultural belief in order to recognize that they have a sacred right to life.
Treating others as you wish captures the principles of universality of human rights and the universal response needed to support them.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
John A. Deller is a member of the Commission of the Australian Falun Dafa Association.