(Clearwisdom.net) May 13, 2009 is World Falun Dafa Day and the seventeenth anniversary since Mr. Li Hongzhi began teaching in China. Practitioners around the world will hold a series of celebrations to display Falun Dafa's peacefulness and magnificence. Six thousand Falun Gong practitioners in Taiwan gathered at the Puding Prairie in Kenting, in southern Taiwan, on May 9. They lined up to form an image of Zhuan Falun, the book that guides cultivation practice. The activity was to celebrate and commemorate the spread of Falun Dafa as well as to show their respect and gratitude to Master Li.

On May 9, 2009, more than 6,000 practitioners in Taiwan formed a 3-D image of Zhuan Falun, the book that guides cultivation practice

According to the practitioner who designed and planned the activity, it was the first time in Taiwan to form a 3-D image of Zhuan Falun since Dafa was introduced to Taiwan. In addition, the participation of more than 6,000 practitioners broke the record with the largest number of people participating in such character-formation activities in Taiwan. The Puding Prairie has Mt. Tajian in the background and the Pacific Ocean in the front. One can see the Eluanbi Lighthouse from afar. The Lighthouse symbolizes Zhuan Falun, a guide of hope and light for saving sentient beings.

Zhuan Falun, the book written by Mr. Li Hongzhi that guides practitioners in their cultivation, has been translated into over 30 languages. The book expounds on the Fa principles in the simplest, most direct language, so that people from all walks of life and of different age groups can follow its principles to value virtues, cultivate kindness, upgrade their moral character, and become better people.

Falun Gong is thriving in Taiwan

In July 1999, Jiang's clique colluded with the Chinese Communist Party and launched a brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. As of today, at least 3263 practitioners have died as a result of the persecution, and countless practitioners have been put in forced labor camps or prisons where they have been subjected to torture. Many practitioners have been tortured to disability. The persecution has also caused many practitioners to be expelled from schools, to lose their jobs, and to live a homeless life.

However, in Taiwan, Falun Gong is thriving. Since Falun Gong was introduced to Taiwan in April 1995, people from all walks of life have been practicing it. The practitioners include university professors, doctors, lawyers, engineers, civil servants, policemen, soldiers, farmers, business people, students and homemakers. Over one thousand practice sites can be found in over three hundred townships and towns across Taiwan. There are also a dozen practice sites on offshore islands, including Penghu, Jinmen and Mazu.

Large-scale group practice and character and image formation activities

Group practice is an important form in practicing Falun Gong, and character-formation activities began in mainland China in the early years. Taiwan has the largest number of practitioners outside mainland China, and is capable of holding large-scale word or character formation activities.

In 1996 before the persecution started, Falun Gong practitioners in Wuhan City conducted a large-scale group practice and formed an image of Falun Emblem

Practitioners in Taiwan have been holding large-scale group practice and word or character formation activities on many festive occasions. Besides expressing practitioners' gratitude for revered Master's public introduction of Falun Dafa and encouraging each other to strive forward diligently, the practitioners also hope to further raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and call for their help to stop the persecution as soon as possible.

On November 15, 2003, nearly ten thousand practitioners did the exercises together in front of the Office of the President of Taiwan, calling for bringing Jiang Zemin to justice, and stopping the persecution.

On November 4, 2008, nearly 3,000 practitioners in Taiwan did the exercises together at the Liberty Square in Taipei

The following photos record large-scale group practice and word or character formation activities held across Taiwan since 2000:

Large-scale group practice

Group practice at Chung Cheng Memorial Hall

Practitioners in Kaohsiung invited to demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises in celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the founding of Neimen Primary School

Falun Gong becomes the focus of Tainan City's Sports Festival

Group practice in front of Penghu County government building

Group practice at Ilan International Children's Festival to introduce Falun Gong in 2000

On the morning of March 8, 2005, a reporter from Italy National TV station videotaped practitioners doing the exercises

Exercise demonstration at a school sports game in Chungli in 2005

On May 13, 2006, one thousand practitioners did the exercises in unison in front of Taipei City Hall in celebration of World Falun Dafa Day

Large-scale word, character or image formation activities

Practitioners did the exercises and held a word formation activity during the 2000 Taiwan Fa conference at Chung Cheng Memorial Hall

On New Year's Day in 2002, practitioners attended a flag-raising ceremony at the Office of the President and formed characters which mean "Fa Rectifies the Human World"

Word and character formation to celebrate World Falun Dafa Day in 2002

Character formation in celebration of World Falun Dafa Day in 2002

On July 18, 2004, 1,500 practitioners formed four characters which mean "Fa Rectifies Heaven and Earth"

On January 8, 2005, practitioners formed two characters in Chinese which mean "Righteous Fa" and also formed words "Falun Dafa" at the square of Chungcheng Memorial Hall

On May 15, 2005, 3,500 practitioners formed three characters "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance" and an image of the Falun Emblem in celebration of World Falun Dafa Day

On December 25, 2005, 4,000 practitioners formed an image of the Falun Emblem

On December 25, 2005, 4,000 practitioners formed the Falun Emblem to display Falun Dafa's spread in the world and respectfully wish Master Li Hongzhi a Happy New Year

On May 13, 2007, 5,000 practitioners did the exercises together at the square of Chung Cheng Memorial Hall and formed characters which mean "Respectfully Wish Revered Master a Happy Birthday" to extend their birthday greetings to Master Li Hongzhi

On May 13, 2007, 5,000 practitioners formed characters which mean "May 13 World Falun Dafa Day" in celebration of the 15^th anniversary of Falun Dafa's public introduction

On December 1, 2007, 4,000 practitioners gathered in Chunghsing New Village in Nantou County, and formed characters which mean "Falun Dafa Is Good" in Lishu

On December 13, 2008, more than 3,000 practitioners in Taiwan did the exercises together in the stadium in Chunghsing New Village, Nantou County and formed the characters "Truth-Compassion-Forbearance" and words "Falun Dafa."