(Minghui.org) Below are reference answers compiled by the Minghui Periodicals Group in response to questions that are frequently asked by readers.
Part 1. Introduction
1. What is Falun Gong?
Answer: Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) is a spiritual discipline rooted in Buddhist tradition. Guided by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the practice includes five sets of gentle exercises that improve mind and body, guides people to a higher spiritual realm, and helps them return to their true selves.
2. Who founded Falun Gong?
A: Falun Gong was introduced by Mr. Li Hongzhi in 1992 in Changchun, China. Falun Gong was officially introduced to the public during the first Falun Gong class held in Changchun in May 1992. Between May 1992 and the end of 1994, Mr. Li was invited to hold over 50 in-person lectures in Beijing, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and other cities. Qigong was becoming popular, but Falun Gong stood out and rapidly gained public recognition.
3. What is the specific meaning of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance?
A: Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are the core guiding principles of Falun Gong, and practitioners come to gradually understand them through actual practice. Master Li wrote, “Forbearance is the key to improving one’s xinxing. To endure with anger, grievance, or tears is the forbearance of an everyday person who is attached to his concerns. To endure completely without anger or grievance is the forbearance of a cultivator.” (“What is Forbearance (Ren)?”, Essentials for Further Advancement)
4. What is the difference between Falun Gong and ordinary qigong?
A: While conventional qigong practices often focus on improving health or curing illnesses, Falun Gong emphasizes moral integrity and cultivating the mind. Practitioners are guided by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to elevate their moral standards, a requirement not found in other qigong practices. Many practitioners say their family, work, and interpersonal relationships improved after they began practicing.
5. What is the relationship between Falun Gong and religion? Can one practice other religions?
A: Falun Gong is not a religion and does not have temples or initiation ceremonies. People who practice religious beliefs can learn Falun Gong and may adjust their beliefs as their understanding deepens.
6. What are the similarities and differences between Falun Gong and Buddhism?
A: Simply put, both include teachings on compassion and transcendence of birth, old age, sickness, and death. Differences: Buddhism has precepts, while Falun Gong is guided by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. While modern Buddhism emphasizes religious forms, Falun Gong is loosely organized and directs its practice toward the heart (character). Falun Gong cultivates both the mind and the body, offering guiding principles as well as five sets of exercises. Practicing Falun Gong can reveal further universal truths not expressed in Buddhism and can elevate people to a higher level.
7. What is the relationship between Falun Gong and Taoism?
A: Ancient schools of Taoism mostly conducted their practice in solitude, while Falun Gong is practiced in society. Taoism focuses on alchemy and longevity, but Falun Gong does not pursue these goals. Taoism has a system of ancestral temples, but Falun Gong does not. Falun Gong encompasses Buddhist and Taoist ideas in a concise and direct manner, yet it is more profound and extensive.
8. Is Falun Gong related to Chinese folk beliefs?
A: Falun Gong has cultural roots, but it is not equivalent to folk beliefs. It shares similarities with Chinese Buddhism and Taoism but is more profound. Practitioners do not worship idols or conduct folk rituals. Falun Gong emphasizes inner cultivation of the mind and improving personal morality.
9. Is Falun Gong a secret organization?
A: The practice of Falun Gong does not have an organization. Some practitioners have registered organizations for the purposes of countering the persecution and raising awareness of the practice. Activities organized by practitioners are open and transparent. Practice sites are typically located in parks and community spaces. All books and lecture recordings are available for download online. Parades and performances held outside China are open to the public.
10. Does Falun Gong have a leadership structure?
A: Falun Gong practitioners are guided by Mr. Li Hongzhi’s teachings. They do not have a formal organization, membership registration, or hierarchical management. Activities are primarily organized by and participated in by volunteers. However, when Falun Gong practitioners expose the persecution, they organize themselves in loose, spontaneous groups united by faith, as well as in government-registered corporate structures, striving to conform to social norms.
11. Is Falun Gong called a “worldwide faith”?
A: Due to its universal values and global reach, Falun Gong has practitioners all over the world, and its teachings have been translated into over 50 languages. There are no restrictions on nationality, race, age, or occupation.
Part 2. Cultivation Practice and Methods
12. What are the characteristics of Falun Gong exercises?
A: Falun Gong consists of five sets of exercises that are simple and easy to learn. It emphasizes the cultivation of the mind and character, and has the characteristic of “the Fa refines the person.” In addition, the exercises are not restricted by location, time, or direction.
13. How does one practice Falun Gong?
A: Practicing Falun Gong mainly includes reading Zhuan Falun, improving one’s xinxing (mind nature or character), practicing the exercises in groups, and exchanging cultivation experiences. Reading the Fa, cultivating one’s xinxing, and practicing the exercises are all integral to one’s improvement.
14. What does Falun Gong practice involve?
A: Falun Gong is a high-level practice of the Buddha school and cannot be simplified or summarized in a few words. Studying the Fa, practicing the exercises, and improving one’s xinxing during challenges and conflicts are fundamental.
Studying the Fa involves reading Falun Gong’s teachings, such as Zhuan Falun, to understand the principles of practice; practicing the exercises involves doing the five Falun Gong exercises (see The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection) with their slow, gentle, and smooth movements. Cultivating one’s mind involves holding oneself to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, improving one’s xinxing, and elevating one’s moral character.
15. What are the five exercises of Falun Gong?
A: The five sets of Falun Gong exercises are: (1) Buddha Stretching a Thousand Arms; (2) Falun Standing Stance; (3) Penetrating the Cosmic Extremes; (4) Falun Cosmic Orbit; and (5) Reinforcing Supernatural Powers.
16. How can I learn Falun Gong?
A: To learn Falun Gong, one can start by reading Zhuan Falun, attending a free nine-day instruction and exercise class, or attending a local practice site. Falun Gong practitioners worldwide teach the exercises on a voluntary basis and do not charge any fees or accept gifts.
17. Does Falun Gong have any precepts or requirements for worshiping idols?
A: Falun Gong has no precepts, worship, master-apprenticeship ceremonies, or rosters, and people can come and go as they wish.
18. Is it necessary to practice every day?
A: Cultivation depends on one’s own initiative and should be arranged according to one’s schedule. However, practitioners are encouraged to read the teachings and practice the exercises every day. Many practitioners have achieved faster advancement through diligent cultivation.
19. Is there an age limit for cultivation?
A: Falun Gong has no age limit. The exercises are simple and do not require physical strength. Children as young as three years old as well as those in their 90s can learn to practice. People of all ages practice Falun Gong.
20. Can I study alone?
A: You can definitely learn on your own. All teaching materials are publicly available. Online learning resources are available worldwide. Many practitioners initially start by reading on their own. But if possible, participating in group Fa study and group exercises can be very helpful in improving your cultivation.
21. Can I smoke or drink alcohol while practicing Falun Gong?
A: Smoking and drinking are harmful to one’s health and can put the body in an unhealthy state. After people begin practicing Falun Gong, they usually lose the urge to smoke or drink.
22. Does Falun Gong require long-term practice to be effective?
A: Cultivation comes before practice. Practice the exercises more when you have time and less when you don’t. The effects of practicing vary from person to person, but sincere practice usually brings rapid improvement in both body and mind. Long-term persistence helps improve one’s morality and spiritual realm.
23. Does Falun Gong advocate abstinence or extreme lifestyles?
A: It is recommended that you maintain a normal life, including work and study. Cultivating the mind and practicing the exercises can be integrated into any healthy and moral lifestyle.
24. Does Falun Gong affect daily life?
A: Cultivation can improve one’s learning and work efficiency, enhance one’s physical fitness, and improve family and community relationships.
25. Is Falun Gong suitable for children?
A: It is very beneficial for children’s physical and mental health. The exercises are gentle and not strenuous. The teachings and poems encourage good moral qualities. They can help children regulate their emotions and develop good behavior and habits.
Part 3. Books and Resources
26. What are the main books of Falun Gong?
A: Zhuan Falun is Falun Gong’s main text. The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection explains the five sets of exercises and their principles. Other supplementary books, such as Falun Gong, Essentials for Further Advancement, the Hong Yin series, and Collected Teachings Given Around the World are also widely circulated.
27. What are Falun Gong’s main teachings?
A: Zhuan Falun is the core text of Falun Gong. It comprehensively explains the principles and methods of practicing Falun Gong, and serves as a fundamental guide for practitioners. It is a must-read for students. It has been translated into over 50 languages and is available worldwide.
28. How are Falun Gong’s teachings spread?
A: They are primarily distributed through books and the internet. Zhuan Falun has been translated into over 50 languages. It is available in bookstores and can be downloaded for free online. Practitioners in mainland China voluntarily print and distribute these texts.
29. Why do Falun Gong practitioners pay attention to reading the teachings?
A: Zhuan Falun is the fundamental guide for cultivation. Other lectures provide specific guidance tailored to practitioners’ cultivation needs, helping them better understand Zhuan Falun. Therefore, these Dafa books (also known as “scriptures”) should be read regularly to continuously deepen one’s understanding of the Fa, improve xinxing, and reach higher levels of cultivation.
30. What is Minghui.org?
A: Minghui.org is considered the official website of Falun Gong. Founded in 1999 to expose the persecution, it is Falun Gong’s most important online portal. Its core mission is to “use firsthand information from mainland China to expose the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), clarify the facts about Falun Gong, and address the damage the persecution has caused to the cultivation environment of Falun Gong practitioners in mainland China.”
31. What are the functions of Minghui Radio?
A: Minghui Radio disseminates information about cultivation practice and reports related to Falun Gong. It broadcasts the latest news from China and the world about Falun Gong every day. It also provides audio content of practitioners’ cultivation experiences and discussions on improving one’s xinxing. This allows practitioners to listen at any time and break through the CCP’s information blockade.
32. What is special about the Minghui book series?
A: This series systematically compiles Falun Gong practitioners’ cultivation experiences and stories. It includes insights, understandings, and case reports. The books also cover the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong and historic events. It is suitable for in-depth study or research on Falun Gong-related developments and the human rights violations suffered by Falun Gong practitioners.
33. What is the role of Minghui periodicals and newspapers?
A: Minghui regularly publishes materials to provide the latest information on cases of persecution in China while sharing cultivation stories, traditional culture, and art. This strengthens the cohesion of the practitioner community and helps to inform the public.
34. What is the difference between Minghui.org and other media outlets?
A: Minghui focuses on reporting the facts about Falun Gong and its cultivation culture. It is a non-commercial media outlet. It is not subject to commercial advertising or political interference. Information is primarily compiled and published by practitioners on a voluntary basis. Our core goals are to expose the CCP’s persecution, maintain the environment and direction of cultivation practice, and educate the public, not to entertain.
Part 4. Health and Benefits
35. What are the benefits of practicing Falun Gong?
A: Falun Gong teaches the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Practitioners enjoy improved health and moral integrity, and Falun Gong benefits society in many ways. A 1998 survey of 10,000 practitioners by China’s General Administration of Sport showed that 97.9% of practitioners experienced relief from or recovered from their illnesses through the practice.
36. Is Falun Gong used to treat illnesses?
A: Falun Gong is a practice of the Buddha school. Its purpose is not to cure illness, but the process of cultivating one’s mind nature and practicing the exercises can naturally achieve the effects of curing illness and improving health. Furthermore, Falun Gong focuses on cultivating one’s mind nature rather than simply practicing the exercise movements.
37. Are Falun Gong’s effects of curing illnesses and improving health a result of psychological suggestion?
A: Surveys show that Falun Gong practitioners experience significant improvements in their health after their xinxing improves, a feat not achieved through mere psychological suggestion. For example, a 1998 survey of 12,731 practitioners in five districts of Beijing conducted by five major hospitals in Beijing revealed a 99.1% success rate in curing illness through cultivation. The same survey also found that the respondents saved approximately 41.7 million yuan in medical expenses annually, or an average of 3,270 yuan per person.
38. How does Falun Gong view illness and karma?
A: Falun Gong believes that karma is the root cause of illness. By improving one’s xinxing and practicing the exercises, practitioners can reduce karma, thereby achieving physical purification (i.e., restoring health). On a superficial level, this is similar to the traditional Chinese medicine concept that “when righteous energy remains within, evil cannot prevail.”
39. Does Falun Gong prohibit practitioners from taking medicine?
A: Falun Gong books do not disallow practitioners from taking medicine. Many practitioners have regained their health through cultivation and no longer need to take medicine. However, Falun Gong does not prohibit one from seeking medical treatment or taking medicine.
40. Why do some Falun Gong practitioners not take medicine?
A: After practicing, one’s health improves and one no longer needs to take medication. However, whether or not to take medicine is a personal choice; there are no mandatory requirements. It is also worth considering that almost all medicines have side effects and should not be taken casually.
41. Is Falun Gong against modern medicine?
A: Falun Gong does not oppose modern medicine. Practitioners are free to choose whether to seek medical treatment. Many people have experienced improved health due to cultivation and have reduced or even eliminated the need for medical treatment.
42. What are the benefits of practicing Falun Gong regarding physical and mental health?
A: Improved physical function, mental well-being, and interpersonal relationships. Many people report that their illnesses have been alleviated or disappeared. Cultivating the mind reduces anxiety and stress, while upholding a higher standard of morality improves interpersonal interactions.
43. How do Falun Gong practitioners view illness?
A: Practitioners understand that the fundamental cause of illness is karma. Many practitioners have experienced a profound transformation through practicing the exercises and improving their xinxing, and are no longer troubled by illness. The teachings ask practitioners to be open-minded and let go of attachments and desires while maintaining a peaceful state of mind. If practitioners persist in studying the Fa and practicing the exercises, and truly practice, many abnormal states in their minds and bodies, including illnesses, will be corrected.
44. Why do people say that Falun Gong can improve family and interpersonal relationships?
A: Positive interactions arise when practitioners live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Practitioners experience harmonious marital relationships and fewer conflicts between parents and children after practicing. They also experience greater honesty and cooperation in the workplace, strengthening trust among colleagues. Many individuals have resolved issues like drug abuse, alcoholism, and domestic violence entirely by practicing Falun Gong.
45. How is Falun Gong different from other health and wellness exercises?
A: The core of Falun Gong is to cultivate one’s mind nature and elevate one’s spiritual realm, not just to improve one’s health. It emphasizes moral self-discipline. The exercises are supplementary. The benefits of Falun Gong include both physical and spiritual development. It is fundamentally different from wellness exercises.
46. What can Falun Gong teach us about society’s moral decline?
A: The principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance provide a higher moral standard to strive for. In a society that lacks integrity, practitioners set an example by treating others with kindness and being honest, thus improving the social environment. It also provides guidance for cultivating one’s mind nature and teaches people to be compassionate.
47. How does Falun Gong help practitioners confront challenges in life?
A: Cultivating the mind based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance helps one gain insight into the true nature of inner conflict and suffering. It helps one learn to let go of attachments, jealousy, and other desires. It helps to achieve inner peace while improving both mental and physical health. The teachings provide a positive attitude and wisdom that can be applied when facing life’s challenges.
48. What are the eight features of Falun Gong?
A: These features are:
“1. A Law Wheel is Cultivated, Not an Energy Elixir.2. The Law Wheel Refines the Person Even When He or She is Not Doing the Exercises.3. Cultivating the Main Consciousness so that You Get Gong.4. Cultivation of Both Mind and Body.5. Five Exercises that are Simple and Easy to Learn.6. No Directing with Thought, No Going Awry, and a Rapid Increase of Gong.7. No Concern for Location, Time, or Direction When Doing the Exercises, and No Concern About Ending the Practice.8. Having the Protection of My Law Bodies, There is No Need to Fear Meddling by Malevolent External Entities.”(The Great Way of Spiritual Perfection)
Part 5. History and Introduction
49. How was Falun Gong introduced?
A: In May 1992, Mr. Li Hongzhi began teaching Falun Gong in Changchun, Jilin Province. He later held in-person training sessions at the invitation of qigong associations across China. Mr. Li first taught Falun Gong overseas in France and Sweden in 1995. By 2025, Falun Gong was practiced in over 100 countries, and its main texts have been translated into more than 50 languages.
50. Why did Falun Gong spread so quickly?
A: Because Falun Gong is easy to learn, taught for free, and beneficial to practitioners both physically and mentally, it spread rapidly through word of mouth to more than 100 countries, attracting a hundred million practitioners.
51. Why did Falun Gong gain support in China in its early days?
A: In the early 1990s, Falun Gong was recognized by the Chinese government for improving health and saving medical expenses, and because it promoted traditional culture. At the 1992 Oriental Health Expo, Falun Gong earned the Star Qigong award. At the 1993 Oriental Health Expo, Mr. Li Hongzhi won the conference’s highest award, the Frontier Science Progress Award, and the title of Most Popular Qigong Master.
52. Does Falun Gong have an organizational structure?
A: Falun Gong is loosely organized with no formal membership system, no full-time clergy, and no tithing. It mainly operates through practice sites organized by volunteers.
53. Who practices Falun Gong?
A: Practitioners come from all ages, social classes, races, occupations, and cultural backgrounds, including but not limited to farmers, workers, teachers, students, scholars, engineers, soldiers, business people, and artists. A survey in the United States showed that Falun Gong practitioners have a high proportion of doctoral and master’s degree holders and professionals.
54. Where was Falun Gong first introduced?
A: Falun Gong was first introduced publicly in Changchun, Jilin Province, China, in 1992. In May 1992, Mr. Li Hongzhi gave the first lecture in Changchun. Initially presented as a school of qigong, participation continued to grow, and it quickly attracted people in major cities like Beijing, Tianjin, and Dalian.
55. Why did Falun Gong spread rapidly in China in the 1990s?
A: It gained widespread recognition for its significant health benefits and unique spiritual cultivation philosophy. Many people experienced improvement in their long-term health. The values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance benefit practitioners in their interpersonal relationships and provide them with guidance for their lives. Early positive coverage by official media fueled its spread.
56. What was the Chinese government’s early attitude towards Falun Gong?
A: The Chinese government initially supported Falun Gong. Many Chinese Communist Party members and government officials were practicing Falun Gong and saw their health improve as a result. Before the persecution began, it was estimated that one in ten people in China practiced Falun Gong.
In August 1993, the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Public Security jointly held the Third National Conference to Commend Outstanding Individuals for Acts of Courage. The conference specifically invited Mr. Li Hongzhi to provide free rehabilitation treatment to the individuals in attendance, with remarkable results. In response, the China Outstanding Individuals for Courage Foundation issued a “Letter of Appreciation from the Ministry of Public Security of the People’s Republic of China to the China Qigong Science Research Association,” highly commending Mr. Li Hongzhi and Falun Gong’s health benefits.
At the 1993 Oriental Health Expo in Beijing, Master Li won the Expo’s highest award, the Frontier Science Progress Award, the conference’s Special Gold Award, and the title of Most Popular Qigong Master.
In May 1998, the director of China’s State Sports General Administration visited Changchun, the birthplace of Falun Gong. That evening, CCTV’s Evening News and CCTV Channel 5 broadcast approximately ten minutes of footage of people practicing Falun Gong.
In September 1998, the National Sports General Administration conducted a sample survey of 12,553 Falun Gong practitioners. The cure or near-recovery rate was 77.5%. Among the 20.4% whose health improved, the total effectiveness rate for healing and improving health reached 97.9%. On average, each practitioner saved over 1,700 yuan in medical expenses annually, for a total of over 21 million yuan.
On July 10, 1998, China Economic Times published a lengthy article titled “I Stood Up!” about Xie Xiufen, a homemaker from Handan City in Hebei Province, who was paralyzed for 16 years and regained the ability to walk after she started practicing Falun Gong.
On August 28, 1998, China Youth Daily published an article titled “Festival of Life” to introduce the excellent performance of the 1,500-member Falun Gong team at the 1998 Asian Sports Festival in Shenyang, China, and the health-promoting effects of Falun Gong.
On November 10, 1998, China’s Yangcheng Evening News, under the headline “Young and Old Practice Falun Gong,” reported on a large-scale morning exercise session involving 5,000 people at Falun Gong practice sites, including the Guangzhou Martyrs’ Cemetery. The report also reported on Lin Chanying, a statistician at Guangzhou’s Diwei Leather Co., who previously suffered from paralysis, numbness and loss of function in 70% of her body, as well as incontinence. She completely recovered after practicing Falun Gong and was “radiant with a rosy complexion, and her exercise movements were fluent and effortless.”
The report also included photos of a 93-year-old woman and a two-year-old child practicing Falun Gong. The report also stated that nearly 250,000 people in Guangdong Province practiced Falun Gong and that Falun Gong is always taught for free.
On March 17, 1997, China’s Dalian Daily published an article titled “An Unknown Elder’s Silent Dedication.” It reported on a man in his 70s named Sheng Lijian who quietly built four village roads within a year, totaling approximately 1,100 meters. When asked who he worked for and how much he was paid, he replied, “I’m a Falun Gong practitioner. I do this good deed for free.”
On February 16, 1998, the “Readers’ Letters” section of the Beijing Daily praised an anonymous Beijing resident for donating 80,000 yuan to the Lanzhou Chemical Company’s Chemical Research Institute for scientific research and development in Northwest China, and 100,000 yuan to the Langfang Branch of the China Petroleum Exploration and Development Research Institute. This Beijing resident said that practicing Falun Gong gave him a new understanding of the meaning of life, human pursuit, and the cultivation of one’s xinxing, leading him to make these donations. The Beijing People’s Broadcasting Station’s “Life Hotline” program also ran a detailed report, lasting over an hour, on this matter and Falun Gong.
On February 21, 1998, China’s Dalian Evening News reported that Yuan Hongcun, a student at the Dalian Naval Academy, rescued a child who had fallen into an ice hole three meters below the surface of the Freedom River on the afternoon of February 14. Yuan was praised and awarded a second-class merit by the academy. Yuan had practiced Falun Gong for two years at the time.
In the second half of 1998, a group of retired National People’s Congress (NPC) officials, led by former NPC Chairman Qiao Shi, conducted a detailed investigation of Falun Gong over a period of several months and concluded that Falun Gong was beneficial to China and its people and did not pose any harm.
57. Why was Falun Gong later suppressed in China?
A: Falun Gong’s effectiveness in resolving illnesses, improving health, and elevating morality rapidly expanded its base. By 1999, estimates put the number of practitioners between 70 and 100 million. Falun Gong’s independence from the CCP’s ideological and political system fueled then CCP leader Jiang Zemin’s jealousy and irritation.
58. Why does Falun Gong attract practitioners from all over the world?
A: Falun Gong is easy to learn and focuses on physical and mental well-being. The exercises are gentle and suitable for all ages. The teachings explain the principles of cultivating one’s mind. Practitioners generally report improvement in their physical, mental, and moral health.
59. Does Falun Gong require any fees?
A: No. Falun Gong practitioners teach the exercises free of charge worldwide. The teaching materials, lecture recordings, and exercise videos are all available online for free. The nine-day introductory classes for beginners are typically organized by volunteers and are also free of charge. Practice sites are voluntary and free to attend, and participants are free to come and go.
60. Does Falun Gong ask for donations?
A: Falun Gong does not solicit donations and has no fundraising mechanism. Activities are organized by volunteers. All teaching materials are available for free download on the official website. There are no membership fees.
61. What is Falun Gong’s attitude towards money?
A: We oppose using spiritual cultivation as a means to make money. All teaching materials are free and available to the public, and there is no fee to learn the exercises. Practitioners are taught to let go of attachments to fame and fortune.
62. Does Falun Gong raise funds externally?
A: All activities organized by Falun Gong practitioners rely on voluntary support. Practice sites and information booths are maintained by practitioners of their own initiative.
Part 6. Repression and Controversy
63. Why is Falun Gong persecuted in China?
A: By July 1999, the number of Falun Gong practitioners reached between 70 and 100 million, exceeding the number of Chinese Communist Party members. Out of jealousy and paranoia, Jiang Zemin called to “eradicate Falun Gong in three months.” He issued directives to “defame their reputation, bankrupt them financially, and destroy them physically” and “beat them to death without consequence; beating them to death is considered suicide; cremation is performed without investigation.”
The persecution quickly fueled a nationwide boom in forced organ harvesting for transplantation, with Falun Gong practitioners as the primary victims. The CCP’s military, public security, procuratorate, courts, and hospitals across the country all profited tremendously, and a vast number of individuals became accomplices.
64. What prompted the April 25 Appeal in 1999?
A: He Zuoxiu, a pro-CCP scholar silenced in Beijing, repeated his old tactics by publishing an article defaming Falun Gong in a magazine published by the Tianjin Education College. Some Tianjin Falun Gong practitioners went to the publisher’s office to share their own experiences with Falun Gong and seek corrections to the article. Luo Gan, then Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee (PLAC), ordered over 300 riot police officers to Tianjin, who arrested 45 Falun Gong practitioners. The Tianjin municipal government told the practitioners that the only way to resolve the issue was to go to Beijing.
On April 25, upon learning of the mass arrest in Tianjin, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners went to the National Appeals Office to peacefully petition the government to release the practitioners. They did not “besiege Zhongnanhai” (the central government compound) as CCP media outlets later claimed. The petitioners’ representatives met with the leadership of the National Appeals Office and put forward three demands: (1) release the illegally arrested Falun Gong practitioners in Tianjin; (2) allow the legal publication of Falun Gong books; and (3) allow a legal environment for practicing Falun Gong. The issues were resolved that evening, and the petitioners dispersed peacefully.
65. Why did the CCP ban Falun Gong in July 1999?
A: This was primarily due to Jiang Zemin’s jealousy of Falun Gong’s independence and moral influence. He repeatedly emphasized the need to “eradicate Falun Gong” and established the 610 Office, an extrajudicial agency similar to the Central Cultural Revolution Group or the Gestapo, to specifically plan and promote the suppression and conduct large-scale smear campaigns, brainwashing, and “transformation” efforts.
66. What is the “610 Office”?
A: The “610 Office” is an illegal CCP agency created specifically to suppress Falun Gong. It was allegedly established on June 10, 1999, and named after the date of its founding. With authority transcending public security, procuratorial, and judicial agencies and spanning state-owned, private, and foreign-related organizations, the 610 Office reports directly to the CCP Central Committee. It is involved in nationwide surveillance, arrests, brainwashing, sentencing, and forced transformation of Falun Gong practitioners.
67. What forms of persecution does Falun Gong suffer in China?
A: The persecution encompasses legal, financial, psychological, and physical aspects. Millions of practitioners have been illegally detained in labor camps and prisons. Torture and forced labor are common. It also includes social discrimination, loss of education, unemployment, and broken families.
68. What evidence shows that the persecution is happening in China?
A: Minghui.org has reported on a large number of persecution cases based on firsthand material, including testimonies of practitioners themselves, as well as evidence submitted by their families. Human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have also documented numerous cases. Propaganda campaigns conducted by CCP-affiliated media also show that the repression is happening.
69. The CCP claims that Falun Gong caused the deaths of 1,400 people. Is this true?
A: This claim was fabricated by the CCP. The cases reported by Party-affiliated media included mentally ill patients, those struggling to afford medical care, and so on; they do not include any actual Falun Gong practitioners. On the contrary, the mortality rate among Falun Gong practitioners at the time was far lower than the national average. Many who previously suffered from illnesses, including terminal cases, have explicitly stated that their lives were extended by practicing Falun Gong.
70. What is the “self-immolation incident”?
A: The Tiananmen self-immolation incident was staged by the CCP to incite hatred against Falun Gong practitioners, as reported to the United Nations by the International Education Development (IED) organization. Video footage from The Xinhua News Agency had numerous inconsistencies compared to claims reported by the CCP media. For example, a plastic bottle supposedly containing gasoline remained intact between a victim’s legs, and a police officer delayed lowering a fire blanket on him until he had finished shouting slogans purportedly inspired by Falun Gong (they were not). Furthermore, the victims’ behavior completely contradicted the principles and teachings of Falun Gong.
71. Why did the CCP stage the self-immolation incident?
A: The event was used to incite hatred and make an excuse for the CCP’s genocidal persecution. After this incident, China’s domestic propaganda campaign escalated, resulting in intense fear, hatred, and rejection of Falun Gong among the public, including children and young people.
72. Does Falun Gong participate in politics?
A: Falun Gong books instruct practitioners not to participate in politics. When practitioners protest the CCP’s persecution at tourist attractions worldwide, they are raising awareness and working to counter the persecution, not fighting for political power.
73. Do Falun Gong practitioners disregard family ties in continuing to practice their faith amid the persecution?
A: Practitioners in China are persecuted by the CCP for upholding their beliefs, which sometimes causes pressure from their families to renounce their faith. Any tension and misunderstandings that result from the persecution should be attributed to the perpetrators, not selfishness on the part of practitioners.
74. How do Falun Gong practitioners respond to torture and threats?
A: They respond with perseverance and peace. They uphold their faith and do not answer violence with violence. Many choose to expose the persecution to international organizations and seek international support. Some have paid the ultimate price, leaving behind a testimony to their courage.
75. Why do some people say Falun Gong is the world’s largest non-violent protest movement?
A: This is because practitioners peacefully expose the persecution and have done so consistently for more than two decades. Millions of people have persisted in their faith without resorting to violence, and their peacefulness has been recognized by international media outlets and scholars.
76. Does Falun Gong accept foreign funding?
A: Falun Gong does not accept any government funding. The funds for its activities are voluntarily donated by practitioners and come from the personal income of practitioners from all walks of life.
77. Why do Falun Gong practitioners urge the Chinese people to quit the CCP organizations?
A: When Chinese people join the CCP organizations (including the Communist Youth League and the Young Pioneers), they vow to devote their lives to the CCP. Severing ties with the CCP organizations allows people to break away from the regime’s ideological control, annul their Party oaths, and avoid being affected when the CCP is ultimately held accountable for its crimes. This is also consistent with the Chinese saying that “good is rewarded while evil is punished.”
78. How do Western governments view Falun Gong?
A: Falun Gong is welcomed in more than 100 countries outside of China and has received at least 4,000 awards as of August 2025. Only the CCP hates and fears Falun Gong and has refused to stop suppressing it after 26 years.
79. How do people outside China view the Peaceful Appeal of April 25, 1999?
A: The appeal was not a “siege of Zhongnanhai” as labeled by CCP media. Over 10,000 practitioners went to the State Council’s National Appeals Office in Beijing to report the interference they encountered in their legal right to practice Falun Gong. The entire process was peaceful and orderly, with no banners, slogans, or clashes. Practitioners left quietly that evening, earning international praise.
International observers have commented that the calm rationality displayed by both sides of the appeal was unprecedented in Chinese history. The event has been called “the biggest, most peaceful, and most successful appeal in Chinese history.” Then CCP leader Jiang Zemin reportedly flew into a jealous rage after seeing the praise from abroad and the restraint shown by Falun Gong practitioners at the appeal.
80. How has the international community reacted to the persecution of Falun Gong?
A: The international community generally condemns the CCP’s persecution. The U.S. Congress and the European Parliament have passed numerous resolutions to this effect, and the United Nations Human Rights Council has repeatedly raised concerns. Various countries have accepted Falun Gong refugees, and many governments and organizations have condemned the CCP’s persecution.
Meanwhile, some national governments have been hesitant to speak out against the CCP owing to the CCP’s influence and economic coercion. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International continue to report on the persecution. Some countries have allow practitioners to sue the perpetrators of the persecution.
81. Why does the CCP try to suppress Falun Gong overseas?
A: The CCP fears international exposure of its human rights violations against those who believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It demands that other countries restrict Falun Gong activities in diplomatic settings and avoid publicly speaking out about the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong. The CCP also organizes propaganda campaigns and instigates agents to disrupt overseas Falun Gong activities through Chinese embassies and consulates. It also uses financial interests, honeypots, and cyber armies to infiltrate overseas communities and defame Falun Gong practitioners.
82. How accepting are people outside China of Falun Gong?
A: Most people support or sympathize with Falun Gong and support practitioners’ right to practice their faith. Many have learned the exercises and experienced their positive effects. Governments and non-governmental organizations have publicly expressed their support.
83. Why do Falun Gong practitioners persist in telling people about the persecution?
A: Telling people about the persecution is the core method of exposing the persecution. This includes refuting the lies spread by the CCP’s propaganda and prevents them from misleading the public. Practitioners also strive to gain greater social understanding and support. This is also a manifestation of a practitioner’s compassion.
84. How do Falun Gong practitioners respond to the CCP’s propaganda attacks?
A: Practitioners refute the lies with firsthand information and their own experiences, including by word of mouth and through websites and media platforms. Practitioners also hold exhibitions and forums to allow the public to make their own judgments.
85. Why do Falun Gong practitioners often hold parades and marches?
A: Marches are a peaceful way to expose the persecution and gain public understanding. They demonstrate the spirit of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and have become a common human rights event in cities around the world.
86. How do Falun Gong organizations outside China operate?
A: The practice of Falun Gong has no formal organization. Practitioners have founded projects and companies for the purposes of countering the persecution and the CCP’s propaganda campaigns, and they mainly operate as volunteer efforts. Funding comes from voluntary support from practitioners. Activities are transparent and open to the public.
87. Is Falun Gong involved in overseas political lobbying?
A: Practitioners only conduct activities related to human rights and religious freedom. Our focus is advocating for parliamentary resolutions that condemn the persecution and drawing attention to human rights issues such as organ transplant abuse. We do not engage in power grabbing or interfere in any country’s political structure.
88. Is the existence of forced live organ harvesting in China related to Falun Gong practitioners?
A: Multiple reports indicate that Falun Gong practitioners are the primary victims. A 2006 report by Canadian investigators first exposed this state-sponsored crime, and the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament have held hearings on the subject. In 2019, the independent China Tribunal in London ruled that forced organ harvesting does occur on a large scale in China and that the victims are mainly Falun Gong practitioners.
89. How do Falun Gong practitioners view the persecution?
A: Practitioners believe the persecution is temporary and that the truth will ultimately prevail. They believe in the universal law that good is rewarded while evil is punished. For many years, they have persisted in exposing the persecution, and they continue to raise awareness and plea for justice.
90. Why do Falun Gong practitioners set up information booths all over the world?
A: Practitioners established these information sites to bring attention to the human rights atrocities committed by the CCP in its persecution of Falun Gong. In addition, almost all overseas Chinese communities were misled by the CCP’s hate propaganda. These information booths help to supplement the limited media coverage on the persecution and practitioners’ true experiences.
Across mainland China, practitioners have set up material production sites to print flyers and booklets. The content is mainly sourced from Minghui.org and are distributed to the public through grassroots networks.
Some material production sites in mainland China also have the ability to produce books such as Zhuan Falun, the Minghui book series, Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, How the Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World, and others, so that Chinese people have access to these books.
91. Why do Falun Gong practitioners often distribute flyers on the streets?
A: Practitioners use flyers, display boards, and oral presentations to counteract the CCP’s lies that have long misled the public. Their efforts have helped clear up many people’s misunderstandings about Falun Gong.
92. Does Falun Gong have the political intention to overthrow the Chinese government?
A: Falun Gong does not seek political power, only freedom of belief and freedom to practice. Falun Gong’s teachings do not contain any political demands. The goal of cultivation is moral, physical, and mental improvement. International appeals focus on ending the persecution, not seizing power.
93. Why do Falun Gong practitioners expose the persecution?
A: Because victims cannot voice their opinions within China, they need international attention. Many practitioners have been illegally arrested, detained, tortured, and killed. Numerous cases of illegal forced labor and prison sentences have been reported. Showing the world what is really happening in China is a fundamental action in the fight for human rights.
94. What is the current situation of Falun Gong in mainland China?
A: The persecution continues, but practitioners persist in their cultivation practice and privately share materials. They anonymously expose cases of persecution on Minghui.org. Many people support Falun Gong in private but dare not speak out.
95. Why has Falun Gong gained widespread support internationally?
A: Because Falun Gong practitioners around the world persistently clarify the truth, and websites and media outlets founded by Falun Gong practitioners (including Minghui.org) report on and provide examples of Falun Gong practitioners’ cultivation and the persecution. Over the years, Falun Gong practitioners’ peaceful demeanor and adherence to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance even in countering the persecution has gained recognition and support from international human rights organizations and governments.
96. Why do Falun Gong practitioners persist in resisting the persecution through peaceful means?
A: This is because the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance require a non-violent response. Violence runs counter to the core values of spiritual cultivation. Peaceful means can better arouse international attention, uphold one’s morality, and influence social perception.
Part 7. Cultural and Social Influence
97. What positive impact does Falun Gong have on society?
A: Practitioners’ aspiration to meet a higher moral standard foster social trust, and their improved health reduces the burden on the medical system. Practitioners also benefit their communities by teaching the exercises and bringing awareness to human rights issues.
98. What is the impact of Falun Gong on culture and art?
A: Falun Gong has inspired a new wave of creative works centered on traditional values. Shen Yun Performing Arts promotes traditional dance and music. Falun Gong artists create paintings and sculptures that embody the spirit of cultivation. Their works, which reflect themes of good and evil in human nature and faith, have won numerous awards.
99. How are Shen Yun performances related to Falun Gong?
A: Shen Yun Performing Arts is composed of Falun Gong practitioners and uses art to advocate for human rights and promote the spirit of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Performances incorporate traditional Chinese culture and the realities of the persecution in modern China.
100. Does Falun Gong reject modern technology?
A: Falun Gong practitioners use modern technology to make information and materials available online. Practitioners have also developed software to circumvent the CCP’s internet censorship. Many Falun Gong practitioners are scientists, engineers, and scientific researchers.
101. Why are young people in China increasingly interested in Falun Gong?
A: Some want to pursue faith and moral strength after being disappointed by the corruption of government officials in China. Some noticed positive changes in their peers after they began practicing, while others found information about Falun Gong online.
102. How do Falun Gong practitioners deal with the CCP’s internet blockade?
A: They use various peaceful means to spread truthful information, including overseas websites and social media. Some create videos and e-books for easy sharing. Volunteers translate the materials and teachings into multiple languages to overcome geographical limitations.
103. Does Falun Gong cooperate with other religions?
A: Falun Gong practitioners treat all orthodox religions with kindness and strive to cultivate good relations. Many Christians and Buddhists have learned the Falun Gong exercises from practitioners. Practitioners also participate in international human rights forums alongside other religious groups. There are numerous cases of interfaith solidarity. Falun Gong does not participate in politics.
104. Does Falun Gong advocate resistance to social injustice?
A: Practitioners are encouraged to expose the injustice they suffer in peaceful and rational ways, but we should not be emotionally attached. Protesting religious persecution is a legitimate way to defend one’s rights. Practitioners’ actions must always be non-violent and ethical.
105. How do Falun Gong practitioners handle misunderstandings from relatives and friends about their choice to pursue spiritual cultivation?
A: Practitioners strive to identify their own shortcomings and improve themselves, so when they encounter any misunderstandings about their faith, they explain themselves patiently and kindly. Practitioners use their own experiences and those of other practitioners to convey the benefits of cultivation. We respect perspectives that differ from ours and do not force change. Most practitioners’ friends and families respect and support Falun Gong once they come to understand it more.
Appendix: “The Possible Impact of Falun Gong on Humanity’s Future and the Possible Changes in People’s Views of Falun Gong in the Next Five Years”
Part 1. The possible impact of Falun Gong on the future of humanity
1. Character and moral education
Falun Gong emphasizes the core values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, which can help enhance personal morality and social ethics. Within families, communities, and societies, practitioners’ exemplary behavior can foster honesty, tolerance, and peace. For younger generations or those seeking spiritual guidance, it can offer a balanced perspective on life that goes beyond material pursuits.
2. Health and lifestyle impacts
The exercises are simple and easy to learn, and are suitable for people of all ages. Long-term practice can improve physical and mental health. They can also help manage stress, improve chronic diseases, and develop good lifestyle habits.
3. Social and cultural influence
Falun Gong’s model of peaceful protest, international arts and cultural events (such as Shen Yun performances), and media publications may influence global understanding of Chinese culture and human rights. In an era of globalized information, the cultural values disseminated by Falun Gong may promote cross-cultural exchange.
Part 2. Possible Changes in People’s Views of Falun Gong in the Next Five Years
1. Enhanced international recognition
As more countries and media outlets report on the persecution, the international community may view Falun Gong as a representative of nonviolent resistance. Positive perceptions of Falun Gong may also expand, especially in societies that value human rights and moral education.
2. Social recognition and increased interest
As mental health and moral education gain increasing attention, more people may be drawn to Falun Gong for health or spiritual growth. Young people, in particular, may be more interested in spiritual cultivation, quality of life improvement, and the philosophy of non-violence.
3. Increasing attention to the history of the persecution
Attention to the persecution in mainland China may encourage more people to understand Falun Gong’s philosophy and practices, leading to more rational and objective judgments. Falun Gong’s proactive efforts in social education, cultural activities, and media exposure may allow its influence to gradually expand over the next five years.
Overall, Falun Gong’s core impact lies in its cultivation of mind and character, moral improvement, physical and mental health, and cultural dissemination. Over the next five years, people are likely to shift from stereotypes of Falun Gong as a mere religion or qigong practice to an understanding of its spiritual principles, peaceful struggle, and health benefits.
(This is a draft for comments from the Minghui Periodicals Group as of August 18, 2025. Please contact the Minghui article submission platform for feedback and suggestions. Last updated on August 22, 2025.)
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