Nov. 24, 2000

To the editors of The Nation:

Given The Nation's commitment to providing in depth coverage of social issues through investigative reporting, to "waging war against the vices of violence ... and misrepresentation," and to independence of any party or body, I was disappointed to read Christopher Hitchens' 11/20 piece "For Whom the Gong Tolls." The article uncritically conveys China's "party line" on the Falun Gong cultivation practice.

As an American who has practiced Falun Gong for almost three years and has heard first hand accounts of the persecution Chinese practitioners have experienced in China, I would like reply to some of his claims.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is an ancient Chinese qigong practice in which one cultivates mind, body, and spirit by living according to the principles of truthfulness, benevolence, and forbearance. There are five sets of gentle exercises, including a meditation. There are no breathing exercises as Mr. Hitchens reported. Falun Gong is practiced freely in some 40 countries.

Using pejorative words, Mr. Hitchens simply voiced the Chinese government's position on the millions of mainland Chinese who practice Falun Gong and have been experiencing one of the most brutal repressions since the Cultural Revolution. Although he mentions "the militia vans endlessly circling" (Tiananmen Square), his article did not report on the more than year long reign of terror against practitioners and their families. In a manner reminiscent of the Inquisition, thousands of people have been subjected to beatings, torture, shackling, force-feeding of hunger strikers, closed "trials," long-term imprisonment with hard labor, and detention and abuse in psychiatric hospitals.

Practitioners and their families have been deprived of employment, education, savings, household goods and even their pensions. Scores of people have died while in detention. In violation of China's own laws, practitioners are denied the right of appealing to their government. Many international human rights organizations as well as governments, including our own, and VIPs from many countries have petitioned China to stop the violent and unlawful suppression of Falun Gong. Numerous state, provincial, and local governments across the U.S. and Canada have also officially recognized and honored Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong.

Why the official paranoia about Falun Gong? China is a communist dictatorship that is infamous for its human rights abuses. It does not tolerate any views other than its communist, atheistic, ideology. According to its own survey, Falun Gong practitioners grew astronomically to tens of millions, including and outnumbering Communist Party members. Falun Gong, however, is an apolitical, spiritual, cultivation practice.

As a result of this irrational hatred of Falun Gong, China has put its propaganda machine in high gear to slander the practice and its founder Li Hongzhi. Courageous practitioners in China who respond to the assault risk their lives and livelihoods.

Mr. Hitchens reported on several hours of conversation with Sima Nan. This individual has been a featured speaker at mandatory "re-education" assemblies at workplaces in China in order to malign Falun Gong. He is a spokesperson for the Chinese government, yet Mr. Hitchens uncritically accepted his statements.

One claim is that the founder, Li Hongzhi, has "induced the credulous to part with their money." However, all Falun Gong events, including teaching the exercises, are free and open to the public. In nearly three years of practice, I have not paid a cent for my participation, not even when I heard Li Hongzhi speak at a NYC experience sharing conference. The books are reasonably priced at a little over $10, but may be downloaded for free from the web site: www.falundafa.org.

Mr. Hitchens, please do genuine investigative reporting rather than ridiculing as superstition what you do not understand. To paraphrase Shakespeare, there are more things between heaven and earth...than are dreamt of in your philosophy. Many researchers, like Bill Moyers (television piece "Healing and the Mind") and Dr. Herbert Benson (Your Maximum Mind ) have documented the phenomenon of mind over matter. Many Americans have experienced profound mental and physical changes from ancient oriental practices such as meditation, acupuncture, tai chi and qigong.

For more information, visit the web site www.falundafa.org, call 1-877-Falun99, or read the recent book by independent journalist Danny Schechter: Falun Gong's Challenge to China: Spiritual Practice or "Evil Cult"? (Akashic Books).

According to Mark Palmer, Vice Chairman of the Board of Freedom House, "This is in my judgment, the greatest single spiritual movement in Asia today. There is nothing that begins to compare with it in courage and importance." Editors of The Nation, please report objectively and in depth on this important story.

Sincerely,

An American practitioner