Falun Gong

Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) is a spiritual practice that combines meditation and qigong exercises with a moral philosophy centered on the tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. It was first taught publicly in Northeast China in 1992 by Li Hongzhi.

History

Falun Gong was first introduced to the public by Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China in 1992. The practice quickly spread by word of mouth throughout China, and was promoted by the Chinese state until the mid-1990s. By 1999, government estimates placed the number of Falun Gong practitioners at 70 million.

Beliefs and Practices

Falun Gong combines the practice of meditation and slow-moving qigong exercises with a moral philosophy. The philosophy of Falun Gong is a system of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," which emphasizes morality and the cultivation of virtue, and identifies as a practice of the Buddhist school, though its teachings also incorporate elements drawn from Taoist traditions.

Persecution

In July 1999, the