(Clearwisdom.net) On September 19-20, 2002, Australian artist and Falun
Gong cultivator, Ms. Zhang Cuiying held a painting exhibition at the Hall of the
House of Representatives on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC.
Ms. Zhang Cuiying talks about her experience of being
persecuted
Ms. Zhang Cuiying and Congressman Benjamin Gilman
Visitors enjoy Ms. Zhang Cuiying's paintings
Several high school students learn the Falun Gong exercises
The couple Ms. Chen Ningfang and Mr. Chen Rutang play
musical instruments to enhance the exhibition's atmosphere
Ms. Zhang Cuiying in front of City Hall
The more than 50 paintings attracted many people who enjoy traditional Chinese art, Congressmen and staff members in the Capitol, and tourists. Ms. Zhang also conducted a live painting demonstration for the audience. A practitioner couple especially came from New Jersey to play musical instruments at the exhibition. Ms. Liu, who has taught Chinese paintings in Washington, DC for 18 years, said with admiration, "Artists of traditional Chinese paintings are often cultivators of different schools. Ms. Zhang Cuiying is able to manifest the artistic conception of the Chinese tradition because of her internal cultivation."
Ms. Zhang Cuiying's art exhibition was especially attractive because she is a Falun Gong practitioner. In 1996, she was once afflicted with serious rheumatic arthritis. She had been confined in bed and could not paint. After cultivating Falun Gong, her arthritis completely disappeared and she could paint again. In 1999, she went back to China to appeal for Falun Gong, resulting in her eight-month illegal imprisonment and suffering kinds of inhuman torture in a Chinese jail. She was able to return to Australia with the help of the Australian government and kind-hearted people from all walks of life.
Zhang Cuiying also described to the guests and audience the persecution she suffered because of her persistence in her belief, and she called upon kind-hearted people to help end the persecution of Falun Gong. Her experience drew the visitors' attention to the Jiang regime's persecution against Falun Gong practitioners, and stimulated many visitors' interest in learning Falun Gong. Some visitors followed the movements of practitioners, who were demonstrating the exercises at the exhibition hall. A group of high school students from the state of Virginia even learned the Falun Gong exercises.
Congressman Benjamin Gilman came to the exhibition, and the wife of Congressman Tom Lantos also came to talk to the practitioners. She especially invited the assistant to Congressman Lantos to come over to meet the practitioners.
On September 22, the exhibition continued in City Hall. Though there was some interference while contacting the person in charge, with practitioners' powerful righteous thoughts and our truth clarification to the staff, the exhibition was successfully held as scheduled.
