TAIPEI—Taiwan’s iconic tourist destination, Liberty Square, burst into a sea of color on November 12 as more than 5,000 locals gathered to deliver their message to communist China.
Their message was simple and clear. While the communist regime continues to relentlessly persecute Falun Gong in China, across the strait in Taiwan, and around the world, millions of people freely practice spiritual practices and have done so for decades. rice field.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, consists of moral teachings and daily meditation practices based on the principles of honesty, compassion and tolerance. Since its introduction in China in 1992, the practice has gained popularity, with an estimated 70 to 100 million followers in China by the end of the decade.
Such popularity, however, was seen as a threat by the ruling Communist Party government, which launched a massive persecution campaign against Falun Gong practitioners in 1999. according to At the Falun Dafa Information Center, countless people have died due to torture and forced organ harvesting.
Local Falun Gong practitioners dressed in either yellow, blue, red, black or white sit in a square in the democratic island capital of Taiwan on Saturday, forming a giant version of the Falun Gong emblem. was arranged to Falun or Falun. Beneath the emblem formed a short phrase containing seven giant words in traditional Chinese characters, the activity marking his 30th anniversary of the introduction of spiritual practices in China.
In a statement, Xiao Sungxiang, an engineering professor at the National Taiwan Ocean University and president of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association, said in a statement that he chose to form the coat of arms “to convey peaceful, bright, divine, positive energy. He said that there was a specific purpose of “to convey”. society.
“The emblem is very sacred in the hearts of Falun Dafa practitioners,” said Xiao, adding that doing the exercises has brought hope to countless followers.
He said he hopes people who witness the formation will be tempted to learn more about the practice by seeing it in person at Liberty Square and in images online. According to Hsaio, more than 100 million people in 114 countries and territories have adopted the practice.
Xiao explained that it was the Chinese monks who conducted the initial training in 1996, before the regime began persecuting the practice. That tradition is still alive in Taiwan today, he added, stating that Taiwanese practitioners have been organizing word-forming activities every year since 2000.
“I hope the CCP will soon end the persecution and China will be able to practice Falun Gong freely like the rest of the world,” Xiao said.
character formation
In order to form an image, practitioners in Taipei spent three days preparing for it in Liberty Square. They manually taped thousands of colored mats to the ground. The mats acted as the contours that make up the formation and were pre-determined patterns.
On Saturdays, practitioners, grouped by the color of their costume, stepped into the square and sat on mats of the corresponding color.
5,000 #Falun Gong a group of practitioners #Taipei Form huge images such as Saturday emblems and traditional Chinese characters #Falun Dafa
They were divided into groups based on the color of their clothes. their message: #Taiwan There are freedoms not available in #China pic.twitter.com/27pMbRJxdk
— Frank Huang (@HwaiDer) November 12, 2022
Wu Qingxiang, a retired architect who created the blueprints for the formation, told The Epoch Times that there are other character-building events in the world, such as people working together to save the oceans or protect the environment. He said there was an event for
However, according to Wu, these events are smaller than the annual character building in Taiwan.
Huang Chunmei, the organizer of the activity and vice president of the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association, also told the Epoch Times. She said the annual event has been well received by many Taiwanese. As an example, she cited her daughter’s professor. She has followed the annual character building and other local Falun Gong activities for years.
For those who don’t know about Falun Gong or understand why so many Falun Gong practitioners in China persist in their practice despite the persecution, Wu recommends reading the following article: .Zhuan FalunIt is said to be the main teaching book of Falun Gong and has been translated into many languages, including English.
#Falun Gong Practitioners line up and walk to their respective spots to form a giant statue at Liberty Square in Taipei, November 12.
It was great to see so many people attending this annual event. #Taiwan pic.twitter.com/q97eDdz1JL
— Frank Huang (@HwaiDer) November 12, 2022
self improvement
Liberty Square is a popular weekend getaway spot in Taiwan. Some come just for sightseeing, while others enjoy walking and gathering with friends and family.
While the character formation was unfolding, many people gathered nearby and watched the event. Some people were taking pictures with their mobile phones. Among those watching was a local high school teacher named Chen.
“I’m pretty impressed. All these people have chosen to practice [Falun Gong]And they can all sit there for a long time, and despite the hot weather, there is no confusion,” Chen told the Epoch Times, commenting on the Falun Gong devotees who attended that day.
Mr. Chen added that he was aware of China’s persecution of Falun Gong and said he subscribed to the Taiwan version of the Chinese Epoch Times, which reports on what is happening.
She said the world would be a better place if more people were like Falun Gong practitioners. As for her, she said she was in the process of learning more about the spiritual discipline.
After completing the character formation, the practitioners practiced meditation together before leaving the square.
The two people involved in the formation of the statue spoke to The Epoch Times to explain why they have continued their efforts as Falun Gong practitioners.
Huang Jeen-dar, 56, deputy director of an IC design company, began practicing Falun Gong around late 2004 after reading Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, which revealed the nature and history of Chinese Communist Party rule. said to have started. The Chinese-language Epoch Times has published articles in a series of editorials since 2004.
Mr. Huang said he came to understand the meaning of life. It’s not about making a lot of money or being defined solely by your accomplishments. Instead, he said his life is about improving his character.
Restaurant owner Lynn Gezi, 53, has been practicing since 2008. He says that years of practicing his three principles in this field have made him a better person.
He explained that he used to suffer from allergic rhinitis and often had the seasonal flu, but since he started developing the character, these physical problems have long since disappeared.
“At the time, when I was working, money and fame were more important. I got lost in my life,” Lynn said. “It doesn’t bother me anymore…and I’m no longer snarky, I’m easy-going.”
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Frank Fang is a journalist based in Taiwan. He covers news from the US, China and Taiwan. He holds a Master’s degree in Materials Science from Tsinghua University, Taiwan.