Tao Hualian's Solemn Declaration

June 13, 2001

My name is Tao Hualian (Helen Tao). I was one of the individuals "whose attachments have driven them to follow those people" as pointed out by Teacher Li in "Deter Interference." Not taking Fa-study seriously, I allowed vicious demons to take advantage of the loopholes created by my strong attachments and embarked on a demonic path in cultivation practice. I mistakenly walked further and further down that path. In the "Hong Kong episode," I collaborated with the vile person who claimed to be the Teacher and played an important role in organizing activities on her behalf. I committed an unforgivable crime, misleading practitioners and damaging Falun Dafa.

First, I hereby honestly and respectfully admit my guilt to our compassionate and great Teacher, to Falun Dafa, to genuine practitioners worldwide and to those practitioners who went astray under my influence and later completely broke free from the influence of that vile person in Hong Kong who claimed to be the Teacher.

I participated in a series of improper activities in the "Hong Kong episode," [Editor's Note: a series of events wherein someone falsely claimed to be the Teacher; Mr. Li Hongzhi mentioned this in his article "Deter Interference"] including the press conference, the gathering on May 7, 2000, and the march that took place May 11, 2000. I wrote a series of dishonest articles. I took part in various incidents including jumping off a building in Hong Kong to turn the press against Falun Dafa and the incident where the imposter forced her way through Hong Kong Customs. I distributed many false, misleading and harmful statements to Voice of America, the United Morning Post, Weekly Magazine and other Hong Kong newspapers. I was involved in all aspects of the "book fair" incident. I hurt many others and myself by traveling to Japan and Taiwan, persuading practitioners to join in the "Hong Kong episode" and by harassing people in temples in Taiwan and Hong Kong. I followed my own understanding, mistakenly believing that Teacher's Fashen (law body) had been split and accepted an evil impersonator as my Teacher. I also chastised other practitioners to accept my erroneous understanding as their own. I took down Teacher's picture and replaced it with other things. I even suggested that Teacher's name at the end of "Lun Yu" be replaced with the impersonator's name. I turned a blind eye to her collusion with the spy from Tianjin who was sent to Hong Kong by the Chinese Ministry of National Security. I accepted the impersonator's false reasoning and vicious thoughts and spread them to other practitioners. I told many people that Teacher's articles, "The Knowing Heart" and "Toward Consummation," were false. Moreover, I was an accomplice of the evil impersonator as she extorted money and property from Falun Dafa practitioners.

It was Teacher Li who, with his great compassion, saved me from falling into the abyss that my crimes had opened up before me. I finally sobered up after truly studying Teacher's new articles. I realized that I had gone too far -- that I had been following a demonic path. After looking deep into my heart and examining my situation, I realized that the reason I went astray was because I did not study the Fa carefully. I failed to take Dafa (the great law) as my Teacher. I pursued consummation while harboring many attachments. As a result, I suffered demonic interference from my own mind. I believed that my understanding was superior to others, and that I practiced cultivation better than they. I did not search inside nor did I truly cultivate my own mind in many circumstances. This resulted in my not letting go of various strong attachments such as complacency, showing off, competition for personal interest, jealousy and pursuit. I was unable to accept differing opinions or advice from fellow practitioners. In my later journey to India, I again didn't study the Fa seriously, thereby allowing demons to find loopholes -- ways to manipulate me through using my many attachments. By refusing to listen to the advice of the local Falun Dafa Association and taking actions while having no knowledge of the local situation, I almost made another big mistake causing severe damage to Dafa. It was our compassionate and great Teacher who saved me again.

Teacher has endured so much for me. I had not treasured all that I had obtained from Dafa. I hadn't cherished the precious opportunity to practice cultivation. It was Teacher Li who granted me, with enormous compassion, many new lives so that I can continue my cultivation practice today in the last stage of Fa-rectification process.

Teacher Li said that "The Fa can reveal all attachments, the Fa can eradicate all evils, the Fa can expose and dispel all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts." ("Deter Interference") I am determined to double my efforts to make up for my mistakes, strictly follow Li Hongzhi's teaching, and take the Fa as my guide. As I practice cultivation practice I shall expose the evil, clarify the truth and eradicate evil, assisting Teacher in rectifying the Fa and closely following him. I will search for the truth deep inside myself and eliminate my attachments by "cultivating the heart, severing desires, and discarding attachments," ("Who Dares to Give up the Heart of an Everyday Person," Hong Yin, unofficial translation) so that I may qualify as a genuine disciple of Falun Dafa.

I hereby solemnly declare that the things I wrote, said and did to cause harm to Falun Dafa in the "Hong Kong episode" were completely unacceptable. I also solemnly declare that I have completely broken free from the evil impersonator in Hong Kong and the vicious old forces of the universe. I sincerely apologize to the people of Hong Kong! My words and deeds in the "Hong Kong episode" have nothing to do with Falun Dafa.