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Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular
Facts of the Persecution
Voices of Justice
Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences
Clearwisdom Material
The three things are what Dafa disciples currently need to do well. Human rights are something that human beings pursue and value, whereas cultivators make a goal of transcending this world. Dafa disciples' working against the persecution is what takes place on the surface, but the reality is that these are acts of saving people, saving sentient beings. The Human Rights Torch Relay does involve working against persecution and helping people to see the evil party for what it is, but it cannot take the place of clarifying the truth to save people. The Human Rights Torch Relay has everyday people as its driving force and was initiated for the purpose of exposing and resisting the evil party's persecution of the Chinese people, so it is not Dafa disciples that this event is for. Dafa disciples in Mainland China should not set aside their truth-clarification work and participate on a large scale.
Li Hongzhi
April 14, 2008
(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts company, presently touring Australia, arrived at its fourth stop, Canberra, on April 9, 2008, following shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. On April 11, all tickets for the first show of the Chinese Spectacular in Canberra were sold out. Audience members waited in line to enter the theater early, and people were still checking the box office for available tickets a half hour before the show.
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Nearly one hundred invited guests, including Mr. Bill Stefaniak MLA, Iraqi Ambassador Ghanim Al-Shibli, Representative for the Spanish Ambassador Arely Cordova, Dr. Lin Song-huan of the Taiwan Liaison Office in Australia, Southern Cross Ten TV station, 2CA Radio Broadcasting Station, and the Canberra Times, attended a reception before the performance. Afterwards, they watched the performance along with more than one thousand other audience members.
Australian Liberal Party politician: This year "Is a little better than last year"
Mr. Bill Stefaniak MLA, an Australian Liberal Party politician, attended the Chinese Spectacular with his daughter in Canberra on April 11. Mr. Stefaniak was impressed by the backdrop. He said, "I really liked the use of the visuals and also the way the screen was used, technically, behind the actual dancers. I think that was quite spectacular. For example, the birds that go up to become the sun, and then got shot down by the hero with his arrows, ["Lady of the Moon"] -- very, very spectacular.
"I think the main highlight is that China has 5,000 years of culture that can never be crushed, no matter how misguided people in the past might have tried. And a culture like China is a culture which should be universal and shared with the world. And there are universal values such as truth, which should be shared with the world, which we all share, and we all should abide by, no matter what our race, color or creed."
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Iraqi Ambassador in Australia: Fantastic, seems as if we were in another world
Iraqi Ambassador Ghanim Al-Shibli and his daughter attended the show together. Mr. Al-Shibli said that the performance was a fantastic display of culture and color. He said, "Different cultures and backgrounds have a different message. Looking at the Chinese culture, it is graceful and good, because it is the longest one of our four ancient civilizations."
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Mr. Al-Shibli commended the performers for their exceptional skills and ability to convey deeper, inner meaning. "I liked the colors, dancing and the choreography. And the backdrops were excellent. I'd like to say it seemed as if we were in another world. I enjoyed it very much. I wish more people could see this great Chinese traditional culture."
His daughter said, "I really enjoyed watching the show. We would like to come again next year... It is important to know another culture. This is the best show I have ever seen in Canberra."
Representative of Taiwan Liaison Office in Australia: This is the best among Chinese artistic performance companies I have ever seen
Dr. Lin Song-huan of the Taiwan Liaison Office in Australia said with delight after seeing the show, "The whole performance was a real success, including the costumes, backdrops, and stage arrangement. It demonstrated the profoundness of Chinese culture." He also appreciated the fact that the Spectacular paid attention to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.
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Dr. Lin said, "I congratulate Divine Performing Arts for its highly successful performance in Canberra. It was warmly welcomed by Canberra audiences. There were no vacant seats. It is the best Chinese performance company I have ever seen. The backdrop is really admirable. I think I represent the whole audience in offering appreciation to Divine Performing Arts."
Dr. Lin continued, "I really enjoyed the legends and historical stories shown on stage. The Divine Performing Arts performance is splendid. The dances 'Lady of the Moon' and 'The Loyalty of Yue Fei' were my favorite pieces. The performance also prompted positive comments from other audience members around me."
Drummer: A world-class show
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Graduate student Geir from Australia National University is an amateur drummer. He commended the performance as world class.
Italian immigrant: I wish I could come to see the performance again tomorrow
Canberra resident Maria brought her children, mother and other relatives, a total of six people, to see the show. She said, "It is fantastic! It is the best show we have ever seen. We were touched by every aspect of the show, including the music, costumes, and dancing. It is truly spectacular. I'll tell all my friends to come see it. I really wish I could see it again tomorrow."
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On April 11 and 12, three shows of the Chinese Spectacular were performed in Canberra. Divine Performing Arts will next travel to South Australia for the last stop of its Australian tour.
(Clearwisdom.net) Canberra newspapers and magazines, including Capital Magazine, City News, and several others published articles to introduce the upcoming Chinese Spectacular presented by Divine Performing Arts. The show was staged in Canberra, the capital of Australia, on April 11 and 12, 2008.
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The article in the City News stated, "The 'Spectacular' features traditional Chinese classical dance performed in front of high-tech backdrops. The costumes are inspired by ancient Chinese scrolls, while its music blends techniques from the West with melodies from the East. These pieces of artistry are said to catch the eye, delight the senses, touch the heart, and move the soul.
"With the skillful aide of 21st century special effects, the 'Spectacular' blends modern theatricality with the traditions of the ancient Chinese landscape to create a show unlike any traditional Chinese performance. With magnificent costumes and choreography it's billed as a 'world-class show, an unforgettable experience.'"
The newspaper The Word stated that Divine Performing Arts will transport the audience to "an incredible, ancient land. This is a journey to the land of the true China."
"China was once called the land of the divine. Ancient Chinese philosophy, painting, music and dance exemplify the harmony of man and heaven. Sadly, decades of cultural repression have seen these traditions nearly destroyed.
"Today, a renewal has begun, and the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular is leading the renaissance of true Chinese culture."
Ms. Helen Musa, Arts editor of the Canberra Times, was fascinated by the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular. She said that she felt that there is something in the performance for everyone. She also thought that the beautiful costumes and dances in the show should not be missed, and the culture and philosophy presented are also very interesting. Ms. Musa felt that the performance gave her a different kind of enjoyment, not only in the visual and auditory sense, but even more so in the spiritual sense.
"Through the language of dance and song, ancient stories are brought to life; the traditional Chinese values of loyalty, filial piety and admiration for divine beings are all vividly depicted and faithfully restored," stated the Word article.
(Clearwisdom.net) All eyes were on the stage at the Teatrul National Bucuresti, Romania's national theatre, which lit up like a medieval palace during a grand festival. The Divine Performing Arts was presenting the Chinese Spectacular, a show that has conquered hearts and garnered rave reviews wherever it has appeared. In "The Power of Awareness," the audience broke into a hearty applause when three Communist agents were driven off stage, and the two main performers bowed several times at the end of the program before the applause slowly quieted down.
 Romanians express their appreciation with smiles, cheers and applause |
 And more applause... |
 Captivated audience, young and old alike |
Similar heartwarming scenes occurred many times throughout the two-hour performance, beginning with the opening number, "Descent of the Celestial Kings." When the dancers gracefully twirled handkerchiefs on their fingertips during "Forsythia in Spring," the audience again responded enthusiastically and their fervor was partially subdued only when the two hosts re-emerged to introduce the next program. In fact, it was not uncommon to hear thunderous applause sweeping from orchestra to stage, to the very roof. In the end, the cast answered three curtain calls. After the show, political dignitaries, physicians, artists and entrepreneurs shared their newfound insight drawn from the Spectacular.
Petrus Andea, a Member of the Romanian Parliament, and president of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara, who also teaches at the school's Electronics Department said, "I have just witnessed the soul of Chinese culture unveiled in front of me."
 Petrus Andea, Member of the Romanian Parliament, and president of the Polytechnic University of Timisoara |
Mr. Andea has visited China several times in the past and holds tremendous respect for the Chinese culture. He said, "This show presents Chinese culture and values through songs and dances adapted from historic tales. These artists conveyed to us the essence of Chinese culture, which I've discovered to be highly tolerant and inclusive of diverse belief systems. I can say with confidence that the entire human civilization originated from Chinese culture."
When discussing the Chinese Embassy's attempt to stop the Spectacular, Mr. Andea said, "China's 5,000-year history cannot be suppressed. I believe Chinese values will always remain embedded in Chinese souls. I'm very happy that I was able to appreciate this performance, and I will tell others to come see it as well."
Corneliu Caras is a doctor who works for Romania's Department of Health, and his wife Mihaela Caras is a doctor who works for the Department of Transportation.
 Dr. Corneliu Caras and his wife Mihaela Caras were excited after watching the Spectacular. They called it, "A brand new art" |
The couple was excited and elated, and they called the Spectacular, "A brand new art! This show was stunningly exquisite! The Divine Performing Arts brought us traditional Chinese culture, which we've always longed for. The costumes, the dances, the music and the colors were all outstanding! We hope DPA will come back next year."
Renowned dancer and actress Carmen Ungureanu is the winner of multiple awards. She is an acclaimed artist and has performed in Vienna, Paris, Spain, London, Canada, New York City and many other places in the world. One of the roles for which she earned wide praise and popular adoration was Ophelia in Hamlet.
 Carmen Ungureanu, renowned dancer and actress, said she enjoyed every program and learned through the Spectacular of the magnificence of classical Chinese dance |
Ms. Ungureanu especially liked "Descent of the Celestial Kings." She said, "The first program where the dancers came from above the clouds with mist floating around in heavenly kingdoms down to the stage, and then revealed themselves in front of the audience--it instantly seized my attention. In fact, I liked every program. Today, I finally experienced how wonderful classical Chinese dance is."
Andreea Ranja is the marketing director at BPG Specialist Magazines, and she commented that watching the Spectacular was a unique experience, "Everything was absolutely fantastic! The martial arts, dances and songs were all very interesting. Especially the lyrics, which were quite poignant."
 Andreea Ranja, marketing director at BPG Specialist Magazines (left) and Magda Nemiteanu, administrative director at Brand Academy |
Andreea Ranja said, "This is a famous theatre and only world-class shows can perform here. I've seen many shows here but today's performance totally stands out--it's the best show I've ever seen!"
Ranja's friend Magda Nemiteanu is the administrative director at Brand Academy. She told the reporter, "Today was the first time I've seen a show like this. It has far exceeded my expectations! I loved all the programs in this evening's performance, and in particular, I was greatly impressed by the 'Mongolian Bowl Dance'."
(Clearwisdom.net) The final show of the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular at the Cirkus Theater in the Swedish capital of Stockholm ended at 10:30 p.m. on April 3, 2008. The usually reserved Swedes gave the performers a standing ovation and waved to those on stage. The performers bowed in reply nine times as the curtain opened and closed three times. The audience was simply reluctant to leave until the house lights came on. This exchange of wonderful feelings lasted for more than 10 minutes.
Since the global tour began, the Divine Performing Arts company has displayed the deep inner meaning of Chinese divine culture through its pure beauty and pure compassion. They have been highly praised by audiences the world over. Nevertheless, they have had to cope with constant harassment by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which boasts of its "patriotism" and "nationalism." Audiences in Northern Europe expressed their love for Divine Performing Arts with their applause. They also expressed their indignation at the CCP's harassment. Facts proved once again that the harassment not only failed to cast any shadow over the Chinese Spectacular, but instead created an opportunity for more people to learn about the beauty of Divine Performing Arts and see through the evil nature of the CCP, which opposes traditional culture and morality.
  Cirkus Theater in Stockholm: Performers responded to curtain calls several times to an enthusiastic audience |
  The Spectacular by the Divine Performing Arts at the Cirkus Theater was a grand occasion |
  The Spectacular at the Cirkus Theater |
  People in the audience have been deeply moved by the show |
 Ms. Lillmor in Gothenburg |
 Actor and filmmaker Mr. P. Y. Karchner (right): "An unforgettable evening, a masterpiece." |
CCP Attempt to Prevent Divine Performing Arts from Staging the Show: "A Tossed Stone Causes a Thousand Ripples"
The Divine Performing Arts show scheduled for March 2008 at the Royal Danish Theater was canceled due to pressure from the CCP. Danish National Television, DR, which is the largest station, with the highest ratings, in Denmark, broadcast an in-depth report during prime time - 9:00 p.m. - on March 18. The report, entitled "The Theater Meets with CCP Pressure," exposed the CCP's nefarious activities in undermining the Chinese Spectacular and provided an opportunity for more people learn the truth. It took the television station one month to produce the report in which more than 80 people were interviewed.
When the news that the Chinese Spectacular would be shown in Stockholm and Linköping was made public, the Chinese Embassy in Sweden harassed the Swedish departments concerned in an attempt to keep the Spectacular from being staged. Dnr, SVT, SR, Expressen, Corren and several other mainstream media publicized and denounced the CCP actions in their reports.
In a show of solidarity, twenty-five Members of Parliament co-signed a letter of congratulations to Divine Performing Arts: "We warmly welcome the Divine Performing Arts to perform in Sweden! The Divine Performing Arts is a very important part of Chinese cultural heritage and Chinese traditional values. We live in a country in which people enjoy freedom of speech and respect human rights, therefore we hope we can maintain human values. The MPs of all political parties in the Swedish Parliament denounce the CCP embassy for trampling our freedom of speech."
Seven MPs of the coalition government issued a joint statement saying that they would go see the Chinese Spectacular. Member of Parliament and doctor of law Mr. Andreas Norlen said, "When the Swedes were still wearing animal skins and hunting with axes, China had already developed a splendid civilization, wonderful inventions, and a high level of spiritual pursuit. However, the CCP, which was foreign to China and was totally incompatible with the 5,000-year Chinese civilization, attempted to conquer the Chinese nation with something worse than weapons and to ruin traditional Chinese culture. I hope the Chinese people can stand up to the persecution with pride again among the nations around the world!"
  The seven MPs who signed the statement were present at the Spectacular: "We must clearly state our viewpoint here." |
Vice-President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and Rapporteur of the Political Affairs Committee and Member of the Swedish Parliament Mr. Goran Lindblad said in his letter of congratulations to Divine Performing Arts, "I am delighted to welcome the Divine Performing Arts to Sweden! The Chinese Communist regime ordered its embassy in Sweden to prevent the Divine Performing Arts from performing here. The acts of these communists aroused public indignation, however; people were not surprised."
  Mr. Lindblad who went to see the Spectacular said, "It's wonderful. I have never enjoyed such pure compassion and pure beauty." |
Noted Swedish politician and former Member of Parliament Harald Nordlund pointed out that the best weapon to eliminate darkness is light. He hoped that the Chinese people can use light and justice to usher in freedom and human rights.
Divine Performing Arts Mesmerized Their Northern European Audiences
Because the CCP harassment generated news that spread by word of mouth, the Chinese Spectacular attracted a great deal of attention in Northern Europe. Many people booked their tickets one month ahead. In Linköping the tickets were sold out two weeks before the show. Divine Performing Arts toured 12 cities in western and central Europe and gave 29 shows before its Northern European tour, which took it to Stockholm and Linköping in Sweden and Tampere in Finland. The run, which began on March 20, provided the audience with an outstanding artistic presentation. It also touched their hearts and stirred their souls.
Kathleen Quinlan Zetterberg has 30 years of experience in Western classical dance and choreography. She is now the principal of the Stockholm School of Dance. She is from a noted dancing family--there are dance schools named after her mother Isadora Duncan all over the world. She was impressed with the show: "From the entire show I felt the 'truthfulness.' It was very pure and beautiful." Ms. Zetterberg, who has been involved in many shows, noticed the wonder of Divine Performing Arts: "The Spectacular made the audience feel very special. They all loved the show and were very enthusiastic. They seemed to have really gotten into the show. It also seemed that they had anticipated the show for a long time and finally had the opportunity to see it. They treasured their time there, and that moved me very much."
  Kathleen Zetterberg (right); her daughter, Lilly (center), who studies at the Royal Swedish Ballet School; and her schoolmates |
Taiwan representative to Sweden Dr. Jong-jen Chiu said after the show, "I haven't had such feelings for a long time. My deepest impression is that the show used a gentle and soft way to express the love among the people. At all times and in all lands, only love can reach the bottom of people's hearts and only love can dissolve the conflicts and the wars of mankind."
 Dr. Jong-jen Chiu and his wife |
Swedish Environment Minister Mr. Andreas Carlgren commented that the theme of the Divine Performing Arts displayed a kind of beauty that can remains deep in our hearts. "I will tell my relatives and friends that the entire show was exquisite beyond compare."
President of the Kurds Organization of Sweden Nalin Surek saw the show with his family. He said, "It's not only colorful but the dancing was graceful and the music was beautiful. The harmony and the spirituality from the origin of life that the Divine Performing Arts displayed can be felt by everyone on Earth and can link us together. The show brought us to a very comfortable and joyful place and helped us to find the meaning of life.
"It was so wonderful that I cannot find any words to describe it. I cannot remember how many of the numbers brought me to tears. I really did not want it to ever end! If the Spectacular continues its performance here, I would come five times or ten times!" Guitarist in a Finland heavy metal band Mr. Aleksej Pakkanen said after he saw the show twice, "The Divine Performing Arts depicts the beauty of compassion. The three Chinese characters--"Zhen, Shan, Ren" (Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance)--touched the very depths of my life and unfolded the truth for me. The Chinese Spectacular is like good medicine for the soul and made it possible for me to find the real me. I found the blessings of Heaven, and my soul became ever so peaceful! I want to thank Divine Performing Arts from the bottom of my heart!"
  Mr. Aleksej: "The music is extremely good. When I saw the dance, 'Forsythia in Spring,' my exhausted soul felt as if it had been released." |
Deputy President of a Swedish non-governmental organization "Support Human Rights in China," Ms. Petre Lindberg said that at the end of the show the audience applauded for a long time to express their appreciation and were unwilling to leave. She also felt the Chinese Spectacular had awakened the spirit and soul of forgotten Swedish history.
  Ms. Petre Lindberg and her husband: The Spectacular awakened the spirit of Sweden. |
Finnish Member of Parliament Mr. Pertti Virtanen is a composer, poet, and psychologist. He was a rock star and an artist when he was young. He said, "The Chinese Spectacular is a living thing. It's living today, waking up, and yet it's very old. That's why there is such power and originality to it." He then added that he enjoyed the soprano solo by Min Jiang. He said that her singing was very powerful and commented that such a powerful art can eliminate all evil and rotten things.
 Finnish MP Virtanen: "Every artist should have the courage to reveal the truth and has a responsibility to stop the persecution." |
Finnish psychiatrist Jussi Nikkila said he tried to feel the powerful and compassionate energy during the show. "These performances are like passages leading to a very powerful spiritual energy! It revealed the existence of high level beings. I felt the show has given us so much!" He and his five friends were drawn to the show by the powerful energy from the posters of the Divine Performing Arts. Christine Ojanen said, "Before I came here I was in very poor health but now everything is fine! This is the process of uplifting. I felt it was so wonderful and so beautiful!"
  Jussi Nikkila (right) and Christine Ojanen |
Swedish business advisor Mr. Allan Waller said, "A ticket to the Chinese Spectacular was not cheap. Yet, having seen the entire performance, it was not expensive at all! The Swedish people all enjoyed the show very much. You see, it's a full house. The situation was the same in Linköping. They've already sold out all their tickets. I would say interference from the CCP is the best promotion for the show. They [the CCP] are indeed very stupid!"
  Business advisor Alan Waller: "I will tell my friends the news that an extra show has been added." |
"Judged from every angle, the Chinese Spectacular is perfect and beautiful! It is full of spiritual energy, a sacred energy. I can feel the energy with my body and soul." Swedish visual artist Kerstin Rikardsson said, "The Globen, which is the largest stadium in Sweden with a capacity of 20,000 people, should be filled! All Swedish people should have the opportunity to sit in that beautiful place to enjoy the Chinese Spectacular!"
 Artist Kerstin Rikardsson: "All Swedish people should come and enjoy the Spectacular." |
Divine Performing Arts will come back to Stockholm in a week, having added a final show to its Northern European tour.
(Clearwisdom.net) Divine Performing Arts successfully concluded the show at the Teatrul National Bucuresti on the night of April 8, 2008. During the shows, audience members often called out praises and broke into warm applause. After the curtain call, many attendees were still not wanting to leave.
Lawyer: Show Displays Peace and Beauty
Luana Carmen is a professional lawyer. She liked the performance by the Divine Performing Arts very much, and thanked all of the performers for bringing such high quality programs to the city.
Lawyer Luana Carmen
Ms. Carmen said she liked the dancing, and she thought the pictures of the backdrop were quite unique and full of imagination. Besides appreciating the professional choreography and dance movements, she also liked the drumming and said that it she was very moved by it.
Moreover, she also liked the Erhu performance. Ms. Carmen said she had seen this instrument before, but this was her first time to hear its sound.
In regards to the entire show of the Divine Performing Arts, Ms. Carmen said she thought it was very Chinese. "It lets you feel the peace and beauty of a brand-new life," she said. The "Risen Lotus Flower" describes a Falun Gong practitioner killed in prison because she perseveres in her belief, and then rises to heaven. She mentioned that it made her feel that on this earth good and evil can't be distinguished, and that is truly like living in jail.
Ms. Carmen said she watched some eastern cultural programs before, but that this was the first time she saw such a wonderful program like the one of the Divine Performing Arts. The programs touched her a lot. Lastly, she again congratulated the Divine Performing Arts for this successful show.
Psychotherapist: Will Certainly Come Again Next Year
Psychologist and psychotherapist Mr. Nuschabuja watched the Chinese Spectacular in Brisbane. Nuschabuja said he learned many things from the show. As he and his son love Chinese martial arts, he really liked the dancing parts, especially the highly technical movements similar to martial arts in the dance.
Nuschabuja said he had a Chinese colleague, so he had an opportunity to know a little about Chinese culture, and he was glad to see an authentic Chinese artistic performance. He said he would certainly come next year.
Combining Eastern and Western Music Is Special
Marina Elena (left) and Enisa
Marina Elena and Enisa said they liked the show very much, they said that every program had its special place, and that all of it was very impressive. The most impressive and interesting to them was the music. They thought the music that combined eastern and western instruments was unique and very special.
(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts (DPA) premiere show at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre was held on April 7, 2008. Many distinguished guests, including politicians and well-known figures from various sectors, attended. The Spectacular guided the audience through time and space to re-experience the essence of traditional Chinese culture, which is based on pure kindness and beauty. After the final curtain call, many people in the audience lingered on, sharing their feelings about this inspiring experience.
State MP: The entire show is excellent
Queensland state MP Ian Rickuss and his wife Ann attended the cocktail reception prior to the show and saw the Chinese Spectacular afterwards. Mr. Rickuss commented, "It is excellent and the visual effects are amazing. It's very artistic and with such depth to combine the ancient dances and the ceremonies with backdrops designed with modern technology."
When asked which performance he enjoyed most, Mr. Rickuss said, "The dances are very good.The entire show is outstanding, as they depicted some true stories in Chinese history, kind and peaceful stories."
 State MP Mr. Ian Rickuss and his wife Ann |
Mr. Rickuss also commented, "I liked the baritone. His voice is very nice." He also said the narrators' introduction in fluent English was very helpful for Australians like him to understand the meaning of each piece. He said the dancers were very skilful and they must have spent many years in training to have such superb skills.
Liberal Party Senator: It is a magnificent, spectacular performance, absolutely unique
Federal Liberal Party Senator Mark l Party r ely unique.s a magnificent spectacular perfd peaceful stories.
 Liberal Party Federal Senator Mr. Mark Furner and his wife |
Senator Furner said that he was most impressed with the dances and the costumes. "They were dazzling! Perfect! This is really magnificent. I have enjoyed it very much."
He said he was very interested in Chinese culture, and through the Spectacular, "I have learned more about the profound Chinese culture. It is very easy to understand the stories in the performances. The atmosphere was very lively. I saw people around me all enjoying the show very much and saying how much they enjoyed it in their own way."
He said that he liked the dance "Nymphs of the Sea" and the drum dance most. He used two words, "splendid" and "outstanding," to describe the entire performance and said he felt very good and peaceful. "I think I have spent a lovely evening here."
Federal MP: I shall recommend the Chinese Spectacular to my constituents
Federal Senator Bruce Scott attended the cocktail reception and saw the performance. He said, "The Chinese Spectacular has shown us colors, humanity, and techniques that we have not seen before. It shows us, who live in the 21st century, a vivid, 5000-year-old culture."
 Federal MP Mr. Bruce Scott |
Mr. Scott said that he really enjoyed the show and was deeply impressed with the Chinese culture, its traditional dances and music. He said, "Today we have seen dancing arts that can be tracked back 5000 years. Maybe modern ballet also originated from the Chinese culture. The 'Drummers of the Tang Court' and the 'Mongolian Bowl Dance' were very nice. It's amazing that the soprano hit such high notes. It was really beautiful."
Mr. Scott's constituency is Maranoa, in west Queensland, about 600 kilometers away. There are quite a number of Chinese people in Maranoa. "We are living in a wonderful world, but we must not forget the 5000 years of Chinese culture." He continued, "I think the Spectacular represents the traditional Chinese culture, and people should learn more about the Chinese culture." He also said with a smile on his face that he would recommend the show to his constituents, even though it means they have to drive 600 kilometers to see the show.
Consul General of Italy: The choreography is amazing, absolutely outstanding
Mr. Francesco Capecchi, Consul General of Italy, said, "The show was absolutely beautiful, very inspiring. The colors are very bright and exquisite. I was looking forward to it. I did not know much about the Chinese Spectacular, but I was very curious. The performance was very enjoyable. The choreography is amazing, absolutely outstanding."
 Mr. Francesco Capecchi, Consul of the General-Consulate of Italy |
Mr. Capecchi said he liked every performance and thought the themes were very uplifting, but if he had to choose, it had to be the "Drummers of the Tang Court." "The drummers were all very lively and it was just so inspiring."
Judge and Chairman of the Friendship Association of Taiwan: The dances are very nice, very beautiful
Mr. Steve Quadrio is a judge and Chairman of the Friendship Association of Taiwan. He spoke highly of the Chinese Spectacular, "I like it very much, and it's just so beautiful. You don't see this kind of culture in the performances in Australia. The dances are very beautiful, so beautiful, very exquisite. I think my little daughter would love them."
Judge Quadrio said the Spectacular is promoting traditional Chinese culture, "Chinese traditional culture has been destroyed under the Chinese Communist regime. I know the situation of Falun Gong in China. I have been to China and know Falun Gong is being persecuted and have read about people like Lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who has been defending Falun Gong for years. I think the performance is not only about Falun Gong, but to pass on and promote the five thousand years of China's traditional culture heritage."
 Judge Steve Quadrio, also Chairman of the Friendship Association of Taiwan |
Head of Taiwan Office of Economics and Cultural Affairs in Brisbane: Culture does not know any boundaries
Mr. Tian Zhongguang, Head of the Taiwan Office of Economics and Cultural Affairs said, "I feel it has shown the essentials of the Chinese traditional culture, such as loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and brotherhood, such as the story about Yue Fei. The historical stories show strength and beauty, truth and goodness. It is very inspiring."
 Mr. Tian Zhongguang, Head of the Taiwan Office of Economics and Cultural Affairs |
Deputy Consul of the Philippine Consulate in Brisbane: This is the best show I have ever seen
Reena Johnson, Deputy Consul of the Philippine Consulate in Brisbane, said after the show that this was the best show she had ever seen and that the performance was as spectacular as its name. "My feeling is that it was just so magnificent, just like its name 'Chinese Spectacular.' I really liked their costumes and the rich colors. I liked all of it. The forms and compositions were amazing, very beautiful, and very colorful. They have shown the original China, different from today's China. It was truly beautiful."
 Reena Johnson, Deputy Consul of the Philippine Consulate in Brisbane |
Reena Johnson was deeply touched by the message in "The Risen Lotus Flower." She said, "'The Risen Lotus' shows the suppression of people under Communist rule in China. It shows it through the dance movements. There is no need for language. It has, in fact, had a big impact, and it shows that they [Falun Gong practitioners] are a group of very peaceful people."
Former national rugby hero: It shows China and her long history
Well-known former rugby star Mal Meninga also came to see the Spectacular. In the 1990s he led the Australian rugby team to sweep Europe and won the title of "Best International Rugby Player" and the Gold Root award.
Former rugby heavyweight champion Mr. Mal Meninga
Mr. Meninga said he liked the Chinese Spectacular very much, "The performance depicts China and her long traditional culture. The dances and music are very nice, very enjoyable. The performance was very unique. I liked it very much. Australia only has 200 years of history, but China has a history of five thousand years, which deserves to be appreciated."
In the end, he said, "In fact, I don't know much about Chinese history. Tonight's performances, the dances and music, are rather thought-provoking, and the stories in the performances have profound significance. The performances enable us Australians to have a different understanding about Chinese culture. In the past, we only knew about things like the lion dance and acrobatics. This show looks at things in a unique way and I enjoyed this experience. What I find hard to understand is that the traditional culture is being suppressed in China."
(Clearwisdom.net) On the night of April 5, 2008, Divine Performing Arts of New York completed its fifth show at the Sydney Entertainment Center after a long ovation. The Chinese Spectacular presented the long and rich tradition of Chinese culture. A lot of Chinese came to the show and indulged themselves in the splendid Chinese culture.
A Resurrection of History
Ms. Liu Yukun is a Chinese language teacher. "I am astonished," she said, "They are great! Very good and very professional. The stage performance and background are of a high level. [The show] is genuine Chinese traditional culture without political propaganda. I am very satisfied."
She mentioned a few elements that impressed her most. "The music is very pleasant. The 'Nymphs of the Sea' was extremely beautiful. And the background is rich and accompanies the dancing. It's perfect." She continued, "You can't see such a show in China. It's a dream show. The show opened up my mind. You not only see the culture of the Tang Dynasty, but also Mongolian dances, and [dances of] other nationalities. The performers are very talented." She said, "I am familiar with these historical stories in the show. To me, the show is a resurrection of history."
Chinese Student: I Wish Divine Performing Arts could perform in China
A student from Shanghai University of Foreign Languages said she has liked dance since she was very young. She bought the ticket as soon as she saw the poster for the show. She liked every program in the show and said, "I have never seen such a classic performance before."
 A student from Shanghai University of Foreign Languages (left) |
She believed that dance, music and songs are elements to enrich one's heart and self-confidence, and a large group dance requires every performer to have deep self-cultivation to present the dance with harmony and gentleness. She said, "It's a precious opportunity, you can't see such a good performance in China. Every program is original, truly good, very good."
In "The Fruits of Goodness," two modern day young men put their coats on a Buddha statue to shield it from the rain and their goodness moves the Buddhas and Goddesses. In return, they are given a Buddhist scripture so that they may obtain great wisdom and return to the righteous path. The university student was touched and said, "Nowadays, society needs more of this kind of goodness. Material life is not the most important, spiritual life is more important. A person must first have a noble spirit to be respected. This is what I learned from the show. I think it is what Chinese people need. I wish Divine Performing Arts could perform in China and become more popular."
"Never seen such a good show"
Ms. Feng is an Australian Chinese, a lover of dance, and an active figure in the local community. She enjoyed the show very much and said, "The show is very attractive, splendid, and truly good. The dances are beautiful, and the costumes are colorful and pretty. The whole performance is very professional, and the background is also good. It's worth it to watch it. "
 Ms Feng has loved dance since she was very young. |
Ms. Feng was happy to see the show and said she had never seen such a good show before. Even the Chinese have rare chances to see such good arts. "[The Chinese Spectacular] displayed many spiritual things. It is spiritual guidance, letting people look forward to God."
(Clearwisdom.net) The touring company of Divine Performing Arts completed its fifth performance of the Chinese Spectacular in Sydney, Australia on the evening of April 5, 2008. Many local Chinese people attended the show and were pleased to talk about their impressions afterwards.
"Displays the tolerance of Chinese Culture"
Elisabeth is originally from Inner Mongolia. She came to Australia ten years ago and works as a translator. She said the Mongolian Bowl Dance displayed the tolerance of Chinese culture and reminded her of her hometown. "It was inspiring and gave people a sense of how the different nationalities were tolerant with each other."
Elisabeth believes the dances "The Loyalty of Yue Fei" and "Lady of the Moon" are masterpieces of Chinese classical dance. "The choreography depicted these two classic stories so well" She added, "And the drum performances expressed courage and strength."
She sighed when discussing how traditional arts were destroyed during the "Cultural Revolution" in China. "During and after the cultural revolution, there was no real art. Just a few dances, or something called 'dances of loyalty' (to Chairman Mao)."
Wonderful Spectacular
After watching the show with her friends, a woman whose father is Chinese commented, "Everything was so beautiful, especially the costumes." She continued, "The show contains a variety of performances; I liked this sense of variety the most. I also enjoyed the drum performances. It was a wonderful Spectacular. We really enjoyed it."
Ms. Xie is visiting her children in Australia. She was very happy to get to see the Spectacular and said, "The drummers are powerful and very moving - very good."
Ms. Xie thought a while and continued, "I felt it was a culture of divine beings, very moving and in harmony. The dances and music are orderly, like one person performing. They must have practiced for a long time. The dances, colors, and tones are all perfect."
She commented on the dance, "Awakening," saying, "The message is very good. It tells the principle of how to live. I am very proud of the show."
"Traditional Chinese Culture"
A couple originally from Dalian, China watched the show. The wife, a kindergarten teacher, enjoyed the dances very much.
"I felt the audience tonight has had a good taste of real Chinese art." She said, "They (the performers) displayed a high level of understanding of the arts through their dances. They showed real meaning. I thought it was very good. In comparison, from the perspective of real art, this is better than the dances in Mainland China. This performance displays the traditional Chinese culture."
(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhao Qingguo lived in Tieling County, Liaoning Province. After the persecution began in 1999, he was illegally arrested and detained twice by officers from the Political Security Office of the County Police Department.
On August 1, 2008, Mr. Zhao went to visit practitioners who were doing forced labor in front of the Tieling County Power Building, and he was arrested. Inside the District Police Department, officer Yang Dongsheng handcuffed Mr. Zhao and shackled one of his feet to rings on a wall, then brutally beat him. Later, officer Zhang Lei of the Tieling County Political Security Office took him back to the County Police Department and detained him in the County Detention Center (at the same address as the County Police Department). The officers from the Political Security Office took turns brutally beating Mr. Zhao. Several days later, they locked him in a room that was designated for torturing people. His hands were again cuffed and his feet were shackled to rings mounted on the wall. He was beaten for two days and then taken back to the detention center. The detention center director, Jin Yongge, and deputy director, Zhao Dong, handcuffed and shackled Mr. Zhao Qingguo. He spent more than ten days confined to the floor with his four limbs spread apart. He was also shocked with an electric baton multiple times, and force-fed with concentrated salt water or chili power water. Mr. Zhao sustained muscle injuries to his arms and hands due to the torture.
Zhao Qingguo was sentenced to forced labor twice, spending a total of fours years in a labor camp. During the second forced labor term, he had severe diarrhea as a result of the brutal treatment he received and became so weak that he could not walk steadily. The Tieling City Forced Labor Camp administration did not want to take responsibility for his weakened condition and released him.
After returning home, officers from the County Political Security Office and Zhenxibao Police Station often went to Mr. Zhao's home to harass him. He could not live a normal life, and often moved to avoid being arrested. He never recovered from his weakened condition. He appeared to have contracted tuberculosis and died at around 9:00 p.m. on April 6, 2008, at the young age of 35.
(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Li Xiaojiang lived in Puchihe Village, Xilou Township, Zunhua City, Hebei Province. Early in March 2004, villagers Zhang Zhen (male) and Huang Yuzhen (female) went to harass Ms. Li at her home and saw a "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" banner hanging on her wall. They forced Ms. Li to take the banner down and spoke to her in a vicious manner. Ms. Li became very frightened. The next day she passed out on her porch. Her husband carried her inside and then took her to the hospital. The doctor found that she had suffered an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and that there was nothing that could be done to help her. Ms. Li could not take care of herself but had to check out of the hospital.
Seven months later, none of the treatments she had tried worked so she started to practice Falun Gong. She regained her health and was even well enough to help in the field during the fall of 2007.
Still, the Township official, Liu Yongquan (male), constantly harassed and threatened her. This harassment caused Ms. Li to have high blood pressure. At the beginning of February 2008, Liu Yongquan and three police officers from the Township Station harassed Ms. Li Xiaojiang three times. They confiscated her MP3 player and flyers, and burnt her family couplets posted by the door. Ms Li became very frightened and often suffered from headaches or dizziness. The stress and fear caused Ms. Li to have an intracerebral hemorrhage and she died on the afternoon of March 25, 2008.
Liu Yongquan (male): 86-13832892185
Xilou Township office: 86-315-6665028
CCP Secretary's office: 86-315-6665088
Police Station: 86-315-6664032
(Clearwisdom.net) Around February 25, 2008, police officers from all the district departments under the jurisdiction of the Jinzhou Municipal Police Department in Liaoning Province and the 610 Office illegally arrested many Falun Gong practitioners from Jinzhou City, ransacked their homes, and confiscated their property. Practitioners Ms. Liu Fengmei, Mr. Huang Cheng, Ms. Li Xiuyun, Ms. Pei Yufeng, and Ms. Guo Liguang were arrested once again and illegally imprisoned.
After Ms. Liu Fengmei started practicing Falun Gong, she changed for the better and became a good person, living according to the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Before, she never cleaned her apartment. However, after she started practicing, until July 20, 1999 when the persecution began, she swept the stairs of her building from the first floor to the sixth floor every day. When it snowed, she shoveled the snow in front of the building of her own initiative for everyone's convenience.
At her workplace, when someone did not do the cleaning, her trainer would always ask her to do it, and she didn't pay any mind to whether she would be paid or not. Sometimes, when all the workers had left for the day, she earnestly worked overtime, and people would say to her, "Everybody has gotten off work--the section chief and the trainer have even left. This is not your work to do, so why do you still do it?" She would just smile in response.
Ms. Liu Fengmei's mother had a tumor in her central nervous system and could not move. Ms. Liu took her mother to Shenyang City and Beijing City to treat her disease. The doctors told her that surgery was not possible, so she had to give up her job and take care of her mother. She had to do all the work without rest on her own until her mother passed away. All the neighbors said that the girl was not raised in vain, the way she served her mother so purely was uncommon.
Ms. Liu Fengmei was illegally sentenced to forced labor for three years after she appealed for the right to practice Falun Gong on July 20, 1999. She suffered inhuman torture at Masanjia Forced Labor Camp, which is known as a "living hell." She was locked up in a small cell, where she could neither squat nor stand, with her hands cuffed. She was not let out even when she needed to relieve herself, and she was locked up for two weeks each time. Once, five or six guards held her down on a bed, handcuffed her hands and feet to the bed, and shocked her neck, the soles of her feet, and other parts of her body with four or five electric batons at the same time. The places where she was shocked turned black and swollen, but the guards did not stop until they got tired. Another time in the winter, she was forced outside without warm clothing and was handcuffed to the basketball hoop. Her hands were bruised, her nose was bleeding, and her body was frozen numb. When the guards came to work, they found Ms. Liu half frozen and bleeding. Ms. Liu Fengmei is presently illegally imprisoned in Dalian City, and it is unknown whether she is still alive or not.
Mr. Huang Cheng has also been arrested by Chinese Communist Party (CCP) agents three times and detained in a forced labor camp twice. He was tortured at the Jinzhou Reformatory. He went through very vicious torture, such as having his eyes gouged, causing extreme pain and blurry vision. Other torture methods such as being forced to sit on a board for long periods of time and heavy forced labor are very common. Mr. Huang has now been taken into custody again and illegally imprisoned at the Jinzhou City Detention Center.
Ms. Li Xiuyun has also been arrested many times, once during the CCP 16th National Congress. Taking advantage of the fact that Ms. Li lived on the first floor of her building, the police pried open her window and carried her out of her room. She was taken to the local police station where she was beaten until she could not move, then thrown to the cold cement floor. Li Xiuyun is currently imprisoned in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp.
Ms. Guo Liguang was forcibly taken from her home in 2003; the police dragged her out and one of her shoes fell off. One evening in August 2007, Ms. Guo Liguang was standing in front of the local police station when she was dragged inside. Afterwards, she walked out with righteous thoughts. From then on, the local police would come to her home to arrest her every other day. At midnight on March 26, 2008, seven or eight passenger vehicles and twenty to thirty police officers completely surrounded the 14th Building of the Women's Knitting Factory and forcibly arrested Falun Dafa practitioners Ms. Pei Yufeng, Ms. Guo Liguang, Mr. Ai Guangshun, and Ms. Hu Yuyuan. During the process, the officers pried the doors open with a crowbar, and the doors were badly damaged. The common workers in the factory said of the police, "Now we know what a bandit looks like."
Ms. Pei Yufeng ran a clothing store. She always helped people who were looking for a needle or thread or who wanted to have some small work done. Some customers were very particular about the clothes she made, but she always treated them with patience. She would make alterations wherever the customers asked for them, and she would take back the clothes if the customer changed his or her mind and did not want them. She never got angry. Sometimes, if the customer was short of two or three yuan, she would just forgive the customer. This good person is now illegally imprisoned. Ms. Pei is being persecuted simply because she believes in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
(Clearwisdom.net) In July 2007, Ms. Liu Wenjuan, a Falun Gong practitioner from Jian'ou City, Fujian Province enrolled in the Jian'ou No. 3 Middle School, at which time the Jian'ou National Security Team, the Jian'ou Education Bureau, and the leaders and teachers of the Jian'ou No. 3 Middle School forced her to write a guarantee statement to give up practicing Falun Gong. Ms. Liu Wenjuan was determined to practice and refused their unreasonable request. Instead she clarified the truth to school leaders and teachers and tried to persuade them to quit the Chinese Communist Party and all its affiliated organizations. School principal Lin Jianfeng was very angry and used all kinds of excuses to stop Wenjuan from coming into the class.
On the evening of December 24, 2007, Ms. Liu Wenjuan shared her cultivation experience about how she benefited from practicing Falun Gong to the school leaders, hoping that they could understand the truth. Some teachers did come to understand it, but the principal said that Ms. Liu was promoting Falun Gong. That same evening they sent her home.
On December 28, Ms. Liu Wenjuan was detained at the Jian'ou Detention Center for eleven days by Lin Xiaoming and Zhang Banghui from the Jian'ou National Security Team. The school used this intense pressure to force Ms. Liu Wenjuan to write a statement declaring she would quit school. . As a result, Ms. Liu Wenjuan was deprived of her education.
In February 2008, the cadres of Shangfan Village and the Dongyou Town Government harassed Liu Wenjuan and her family several times.. In fact, they tried to find out Ms. Liu Wenjuan's whereabouts. Ms. Liu Wenjuan has since been forced into homelessness to avoid persecution.
The phone number of the Principal of the Jian'ou No. 3 Middle School: 86-599-61939299(Office)
The Deputy Principal, Li Bin: 86-13799139788(Cell)
The Director of the Political Section, Lin Jian:86-13055496878(Cell)
The Deputy Director of the Political Section, Wen Jianlan:86-599-3880629 (Home)
The teacher in charge of the class, Wu Xiaoping:86-13055497791(Cell)
(Clearwisdom.net)
On March 13, 2005 I was illegally arrested at my home by the local police and the thugs from the neighborhood committee. I was sent to the notorious Masanjia Forced Labor Camp in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province where I was detained for three years.
On arriving at the forced labor camp the prison guards asked me to curse at our Teacher and sign a guarantee statement promising that I would not practice the exercises anymore. Two other practitioners and I refused to curse Teacher or sign the statement. The evildoers then began to torture us. Guards Liu Jing, Xie Jiazhou and Zhang Heng locked me up in a small cell for two days.
On March 15, Liu Jing transferred me from the small cell to a room on the first floor where there were two double beds. Head of the Division Li Mingyu and a dozen or so prison guards tied another practitioner and me with ropes onto the so-called "Dead Person's Beds." On my chest there was a one and a half inch wide seatbelt which stretched from side to side and my four limbs were stretched out and tied to the four corners of an icy-cold metal bed. I could not move at all. After that they said they would feed me to the mosquitoes that night. They said that I had "ideological problems" so they would give me "treatment." They gave me intravenous injections and force-fed me with unknown drugs every day. After the drugs I felt numb in my head and legs. I was tortured on the "Dead Person's Bed" until March 19, 2005. I requested to have meals but Team Leader Xie Jiazhou said that he went to the office to ask for permission but the request was denied because I needed to have more "treatment." The evildoers tied my four limbs up and lowered the position of my head without giving me anything to use as a pillow. They force-fed me with drugs twice a day.
The other practitioner who was tied to the "Dead Person's Bed" was transferred to another room after being tortured for a day. I was tied to the "Dead Person's Bed" day and night. I even had to relieve myself on the bed. (There was a hole in the middle of the bed.) Two male team leaders (Gao Tianyun and the one with a surname of Zhang) and guard Xiang Baifeng watched me from very early on, even when I was urinating. They deprived me of my human dignity. The evildoers would not clean the feces on the "Dead Person's Bed." In addition, Team leader Gao Yuntian swore at the practitioners in the corridor with dirty words. He left after I sent forth the righteous thoughts.
My stomach swelled up due to the drugs the evildoers forced into my stomach. Finally I lost consciousness. Thinking I was dead, they stole 300 yuan from my pocket.
Every day they gave me injections and force-fed me unknown drugs. In between I was force-fed corn flour paste. When the paste had gone bad they still fed it to me. I was not only covered in the smell of excrement, but also had nasal mucus all over my face. Since my hands and feet were all tied I could not even wipe my running nose. The evildoers swore at me about the mess and the smell. Since my feet were tied up for a long time they were in extreme pain. However, they still gave me injections as usual. When I refused and called upon Teacher for help the team leader was scared away. When he returned he tried to tie me up again. They were afraid that I might be crippled so they dragged me and forced me to walk and jump. I became out of breath and my face went very pale. Only then did they leave me there and they walked away.
They gave me the drugs and injections to make me into a mentally ill person or a vegetable. Owing to the force-fed drugs, my hair could be easily pulled out by the handful. The prison guards came to see me every night to check on me and after they returned to the office they would plot how to torture me more. Head of the Division Li Mingyu often beat me but he would say that since no one was around he could torture me until I was half dead if he chose. I was tied to the "Dead Person's Bed" for 26 consecutive days. Some practitioners have died this way.
At Masanjia Forced Labor Camp it is very common for the practitioners to be beaten. Once during a meeting everyone was standing and I closed my eyes once briefly. Guard Liu Yong hit me in the eyes twice and as a result they were swollen and could not see anything. I was almost knocked down. Afterwards they told me I had to see a doctor and that I would have to pay for it myself.
Since my legs were numb as a result of being tied to the "Dead Person's Bed" they offered me "sitting therapy" and charged me double. Liu Hui and another guard surnamed Liu told said I should to go to see a doctor. Since I had no money, I did not go.
Three years have passed and I still have trouble seeing things and my eyes still hurt when I try to focus.
Every practitioner who has been held in the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp has had a horrifying experience of their own.
(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Li Jianqiang from Jinan City, Shandong Province has been taken into custody by police officers from the Licheng 610 Office and the Hongjialou Police Station in cooperation with his superior at the Shandong Pharmaceutical Industry Institute. Mr. Li Jianqiang is imprisoned at the Liuchangshan Brainwashing Center.
On April 2, 2008, Mr. Li's older brother and wife hurried over to Jinan City when they heard the news of his imprisonment. The head of the Shandong Pharmaceutical Industry Institute put them in a small hotel, and had the police from Hongjialou Police Station send them to the brainwashing center. The police also coerced Mr. Li's family members to exert pressure on him in an attempt to force him to renounce Falun Gong.
The Liuchangshan Brainwashing Center is called the Jinan City Legal System Training Center to outsiders. However, its inner departments include the Jinan City 610 Office and its personnel training center, the Quanxin Training Center of Jinan City. The two training centers mainly train personnel to prevent people from appealing the persecution.
Currently, Jinan City Falun Gong practitioners Zhang Wei (from Jinan Iron & Steel Group Corporation) and Chen Ying (from Luneng Daycare Center) are also detained in the Liuchangshan Brainwashing Center.
Key members of the Jinan City 610 Office include:
 Li Mei |
 Liu Guorong |
 Zhang Aijun |
Yan Xigong, former director from 2001 to June 2004.
Liu Guorong, deputy director since the Jinan City 610 Office was constructed.
Zhang Aijun, deputy director, transferred from the deputy party secretary position of the Standing Committee of Jinan City government.
Li Mei, head of the Tianqiao District 610 Office. Since July 20, 1999, she has spent the majority of her efforts on persecuting Falun Gong practitioners, leading to the brutal persecution of many practitioners from Tianqiao District.
Yu Jilu used to work in the Propaganda Department of the Jinan government. Now he is the deputy director of the Jinan City 610 Office.
 Jinan City Legal System Training Center |
 Jinan City Legal System Training Center |
(Clearwisdom.net) A "solemn declaration" is a person's public statement declaring to the world that whatever he or she has done or said under duress or deception that was against Falun Dafa is null and void. Most of these statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wished to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they had signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Also, as more and more people in China learn the truth about how they have been deceived and lied to by the Jiang regime, many non-practitioners are also submitting "solemn declarations."
Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations
(Clearwisdom.net) On the occasion of the Human Rights Touch Relay arriving in the State of Colorado, the State Senate and House of Representatives jointly passed the following resolution to declare their support for the Human Rights Torch Relay campaign and proclaim April 2008 to be Human Rights Torch Relay Month in Colorado. The resolution pointed out: "There are reports that the Chinese regime sells illegally harvested vital body organs from Falun Gong prisoners of conscience."
2008
State of Colorado
Senate Joint Resolution 08-018
BY SENATOR(S) Perry, Bacon, Boyd, Brophy, Harvey, Kester, McElhany, Mitchell S., Renfroe, Romer, Schultheis, Spence, Tapia, Tochtrop, Wiens, Cadman, Gibbs, Gordon, Groff, Hagedorn, Isgar, Johnson, Keller, Kopp, Morse, Sandoval, Schwartz, Shaffer, Takis, Taylor, Tupa, Veiga, Ward, Williams, and Windels; also
REPRESENTATIVE(S) Todd, Balmer, Benefield, Borodkin, Buescher, Carroll M., Carroll T., Casso, Curry, Ferrandino, Fischer, Frangas, Gagliardi, Gallegos, Gardner B., Gardner C., Garza-Hicks, Green, Hodge, Jahn, Kefalas, Kerr A., Kerr J., King, Labuda, Lambert, Levy, Liston, Looper, Lundberg, Marostica, Marshall, Massey, May M., McFadyen, McGihon, McNulty, Merrifield, Middleton, Mitchell V., Peniston, Primavera, Rice, Roberts, Romanoff, Rose, Scanlan, Solano, Sonnenberg, Soper, Stafford, Stephens, Summers, Swalm, Vaad, White, Witwe, Butcher, McKinley, and Pommer.
CONCERNING SUPPORT FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS TORCH RELAY TO PROTEST HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN CHINA
Whereas, The Chinese communist regime has been granted the honor of hosting the 2008 Olympics in Beijing with the provision that the nation improve its treatment of Chinese citizens; and
Whereas, Human rights violations have reportedly increased in China since this honor was granted; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime imprisons millions of Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims, practitioners of Falun Gong, democracy advocates, labor organizers, lawyers, journalists, environmental activists, political dissidents, and other innocent citizens in slave labor camps without trial; and
Whereas, There are reports that the Chinese regime sells illegally harvested vital body organs from Falun Gong prisoners of conscience; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime continues to occupy Tibet and attempt to erase the cultures of Tibetans and Uighur Muslims; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime forces women to have abortions, even in the third trimester of pregnancy, to enforce the "one child per family" rule; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime supports the dictatorships in Sudan, Burma, Zimbabwe, and North Korea in perpetuating slaughter upon their citizens; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime prohibits freedom of religion, and those who practice their faith and beliefs in underground churches are arrested, imprisoned, and persecuted; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime prohibits freedom of speech, controls the population with private and public surveillance, and censors information on the Internet; and
Whereas, The Chinese regime prohibits freedom of the press and imprisons more journalists than any other country in the world; and
Whereas, The Olympic Charter calls for the Olympic games to represent "respect for universal fundamental ethical principles" and "the harmonious development of man, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity" and states that "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, gender or otherwise is inconsistent with membership in the Olympic Movement"; and
Whereas, The Human Rights Torch Relay is an international campaign that seeks to bring an end to all human rights abuses against the people of China and is dedicated to ending human rights abuses by the Chinese communist regime, to reestablishing the mandate of the Olympic Charter, and to preserving the true Olympic spirit; now, therefore
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-sixth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives concurring herein:
That we, the members of the Colorado General Assembly, declare our support for the Human Rights Torch Relay campaign and proclaim April 2008 to be Human Rights Torch Relay Month in Colorado.
Be It Further Resolved, That a copy of this Joint Resolution be sent to the Honorable Condoleezza Rice, United States Secretary of State, with a request that the resolution be displayed at the office of the Secretary on behalf of the people of Colorado, and sent to His Excellency Zhou Wenzhong, the Chinese Ambassador to the United States.
Peter C. Groff
President of the Senate
Andrew Romanoff
Speaker of the House of Representatives
Karen Goldman
Secretary of the Senate
Marilyn Eddins
Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, I experienced interference while preparing materials to clarify the truth about the persecution in China. I think the gaps in my xinxing are one of the reasons, but it is also because the evil forces are struggling on their last legs as the truth of the persecution is exposed. During this period I constantly looked for ways to improve my xinxing and found a number of human notions that I didn't realize existed. They are more clear to me now, based on the Fa principles. However, I found that the inference continued. Although sending forth righteous thoughts did effectively disintegrate the evil and eliminate the interference, as soon as I stopped sending forth righteous thought and started working on truth-clarification materials, the interference would come again. For instance, the power would go out while I was making copies.
Thus, I was trapped in a state of frustration and anxiety. I was very worried and wondered why I could not get out of this state. I also frequently asked Master to give me hints.
Several days ago, words from Master's article, "Expounding on the Fa," suddenly appeared in my mind,
"If it continues endlessly and if there do not exist other problems in your xinxing or conduct, it must be that the evil demons are capitalizing on the weak spots caused by your lack of control. After all, a cultivator is not an ordinary human. So why doesn't the side of you that is your original nature rectify the Fa?"
These words really got my full attention and I began to study the article right away.
Through studying "Expounding on the Fa" again and again, I was able to gain a deeper understanding of the Fa principles. I realized that I have always been in a passive state prior to tribulations, as if I don't have any divine capabilities and could only react to the evil. This notion is exactly the state of a human being. Can a great divine being be manipulated by the evil and yet feel helpless? Would a divine being feel he is impotent? Would a divine being be afraid of the evil? Would a divine being passively bear the tribulation and passively look for or depend on others' help? I do not think so. Only humans would get confused, feel helpless, and not know what to do; this is because humans are very weak and at the same time cannot see the truth. On the other hand, a great divine being always has a strong righteous mind, and with his boundless wisdom, he will be able to see through any tricks of the evil forces and thus completely disintegrate them. Divine beings will never hesitate. Divine beings' minds are firm and steady.
As soon as I realized this, I suddenly felt that the answers to many questions became clear. Thinking back on July 20, 1999 (when the persecution officially began), wasn't it because our righteous thoughts were not strong enough, and we hesitated and did not know what to do when facing the unexpected persecution, that the persecution could occur? Today there are still many practitioners who are in prison and are not able to get out; is it partly because of the existence of these passive factors? Can these passive factors and lack of confidence be considered a state of "righteousness?"
If these conditions are not right, but we are still quietly bearing them, aren't we acknowledging these wrong conditions in a different form? If we acknowledged these wrong conditions, how can we say that we are righteous?
Master said, "A Buddha is a defender of the universe." ("Teaching the Fa at the International Experience-Sharing Conference in Beijing") Looking at ourselves, aren't we trying to cultivate to Buddhahood? Then aren't we supposed to maintain and protect the truth of the universe and other positive factors? Are any of the tricks used by the evil, as well as the so-called "taking advantage of the gaps," positive things? Are so-called "tribulations or tests" by the evil acknowledged by Dafa? If not, can we tacitly approve them under any condition?
I feel that now I have a new understanding on "what is righteousness" as well as how to walk a righteous path. At the same time, I also have deeper thoughts and a better understanding of my mission.
I have written this article with the hope that it will encourage fellow practitioners who have been under tribulation for a long period of time. I hope that we can all share with each other, improve together, eliminate the interference by the evil, and hurry in saving sentient beings. These are just my personal understandings, and if there is anything not in accordance with the Fa, please kindly point them out.
Master also said in " Expounding on the Fa",
"As a matter of fact, this results from an inadequate understanding of the Fa by your human side. You have humanly restrained your divine side; in other words, you have restrained the parts that have been successfully cultivated and have prevented them from doing Fa-rectification."
I understood that all these are due to the lack of Fa-study and the lack of improvement in xinxing and understanding of Fa-principles. Thus, I am determined to study the Fa more. I would also like to remind fellow practitioners to place more importance on Fa-study.
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, I saw through my celestial eyes that, in another dimension, some fellow practitioners are confined in a yard, which is controlled by the old forces. These practitioners are not allowed to go out of the yard. Some fellow practitioners have accepted this regulation, and they do not dare to resist, but agree to be ruled. They do not even have any thought of resistance. They have followed a path arranged by the old forces, and sometimes, they are even used to watch other practitioners.
What is displayed correspondingly in this dimension is that our fellow practitioners are busy in their personal lives and are not pay attention to studying the Fa and sending righteous thoughts. They do not mention saving all beings at all. They are just busy earning money, making a fortune, and they are attached to personal interests, profit, fame and sentiments. They have the attachment of fear. When encountering a conflict, they calculate gains and losses, totally forgetting that they are practitioners. As practitioners, we should search internally, not externally. In this aspect, some fellow practitioners are not doing well. In a conflict, some practitioners always blame others and push away the opportunity to search inwards. They are not cultivating themselves.
The evil forces are watching every Dafa practitioner, constantly making interference and persecution. They want to drag practitioners down to the level of ordinary people, so as to destroy these practitioners and all beings. The evil entices practitioners with fame, profit, affection, lust and the attachment of fear. Practitioners who do not let go of these attachments can be controlled by the evil and not escape the arrangements made by evils. Finally they could assist the evil to do bad things, and destroy themselves. If a practitioner can let go of all attachments in the human world, put the Fa first, measure every thing with the Fa, and listen to Master's words, he can deny the arrangement made by the evil old forces. We cannot just speak with our mouths, but should really make an effort to fulfill our grand vows. I hope fellow practitioners will cherish and grasp this once in a thousand millennia opportunity, do well the three things and walk on the path arranged by Master.
(Clearwisdom.net) Practitioner A is a judge. After April 25, 1999, practitioners in many regions went to different levels of governments to clarify the truth about Falun Gong in their own ways. Practitioner A and three other practitioners went to Beijing with the appeal letter from all the practitioners in her county. When they arrived at the appeal office and told the officials that they were Falun Gong practitioners, the officials immediately refused to accept their appeal letter. She told the head of the appeal office, "Not only am I a Falun Gong practitioner, but I am also a judge. Please fulfill your responsibility and pass this letter from all the practitioners in my county to the central leaders!" The leader was surprised and said, "You are a judge, then why are you still leading others to appeal and disturb social stability?" She showed no fear and firmly said, "Since I am a law enforcement officer, I understand and respect every citizen's rights that our country's constitution has given them." Her righteous thoughts suppressed the evil and the letter was successfully delivered.
During the period right after July 20, 1999, when she heard that a local coordinator had been arrested, she took out 10,000 yuan from the money that her husband had saved for purchasing a house, and went to Beijing, taking her two-year-old son along. She went back and forth between Beijing and her hometown four times, and helped to pass the information to other practitioners. She used her own money to buy tickets for other practitioners. She was arrested once, and was detained in a hotel for two days. In October of 2000, she was arrested again, and was detained in a detention center in another city. She told the police in the detention center, "I believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance; there is nothing wrong with it. I will not eat the meals for inmates, and I will eat the same meals as you. I must practice the exercises every day." She was very firm with her righteous thoughts, and again suppressed the evil. The police were afraid that others would practice with her, so they pulled her out every day into a separate room for her to do the exercise. During her four months of detention, she practiced the exercises, recited the Fa, and clarified the truth every day. At last, she was released after the police extorted 5,000 yuan from her family. With the progress of Fa rectification, at the end of 2003, she went to talk to the director of the local police department and the head of the 610 Office, and was able to get the 5,000 yuan back.
In her work, she always reminds herself that she is a practitioner. She settles her cases fairly according to the law, and is not afraid of very powerful officials. If she could solve the problem in an hour, she would not delay it for two hours; if she could settle the case in one day, she would not delay it until the next day. People call her "Liao Tie" or "Qing Tian". She was rewarded with the title of a model employee in her work place. During her cases, and her lunch time, she clarified the truth to people, and persuaded them to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Most of her colleagues did.
She has encountered evil people during her truth-clarification. In one of her cases, the litigant bribed the chief judge thinking he would win the case for sure. However, since she settled the case fairly, that litigant instead lost. The litigant was really angry and shouted in the courtroom, "I will report you to the county that you spread Falun Gong." She was not afraid and said firmly, "Telling you that Falun Dafa is good and Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance is good is my right of freedom of speech. There is nothing wrong with it. How you walk down your path is your choice and I have never forced you to do anything. I settled the case based on the law. If you are not satisfied with the result, you can appeal. However, you are not allowed to use dirty means during this lawsuit in my court. You can decide what you want to do. I am living openly with dignity and I am not afraid." All the people there were shocked by her words, and the litigant left without saying a word.
She often says, "The most fortunate thing in my life is practicing Dafa. I feel very fortunate and proud. I have never lived my life so naturally before. My cultivation experiences is my reason for believing in Dafa so firmly. When you are able to let go of life or death, and yourself, and firmly safeguard the Fa at critical moments, the evil will die out themselves."
(Clearwisdom.net) I have practiced Falun Gong for four years and I still consider myself a new practitioner. I have experienced a great deal since the beginning of my cultivation. Although I have not remained diligent, I consider myself one of the most fortunate people--because I was chosen by Teacher as a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple. There is no way to return Teacher's compassion, and I can only do the three things well so as to not disappoint Teacher's expectation.
1. Starting to practice
I started to practice Falun Gong in 2003. My mother-in-law is a practitioner and she often reads Teacher's articles. Occasionally I also read some of them. One day, I was moved when I read, "Whoever misses out on this historic opportunity, whoever misses out on this chance, when you realize what you've missed out on you won't even want to live even if you are allowed to!" (Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference) I realized that the opportunity to cultivate is very precious. I thought: I will start to cultivate and will continue cultivating no matter how hard it might be.
Because I started to practice late, I had to cultivate myself at the same time as helping with Fa-rectification. Soon after I started practicing, I began to clarify the truth and offer salvation to sentient beings. I clarified the truth to colleagues and friends, asking them to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. Later, I set up a materials production site at home, and would distribute the materials right after they were printed. I even required myself to distribute a certain number of truth-clarification materials every day. At that time, I did not understand the process of cultivation, thinking that truth-clarification and distributing materials would suffice. I did not pay attention to Fa-study, considering it merely one of the tasks to complete. I also did not understand the process of self cultivation and letting go of attachments. With so many attachments and a strong desire to complete more tasks, I was taken advantage of by the old forces and sent to a labor camp. One year later, I returned from the labor camp. With help from fellow practitioners and continual study of Teacher's new articles, I once again joined the efforts to validate the Fa.
2. Fa-study
After returning from the labor camp, I felt sleepy whenever I studied the Fa. Also, because of the brainwashing in the labor camp, I no longer had righteous thoughts. Other practitioners told me to send forth righteous thoughts and eliminate the interfering elements, and they also helped me send forth righteous thoughts. After some time, however, I was still sleepy and I lost confidence in cultivation. I felt it was hard to act like a practitioner and even wanted to give up. After so many thoughts back and forth, I still decided to firmly cultivate. Gradually, I read more sharing articles on the Minghui/Clearwisdom website and learned that many practitioners were memorizing and reciting the Fa. Some practitioners have recited Zhuan Falun 10 times, and Teacher also mentioned previously that practitioners in Changchun City were memorizing the Fa. I thought, why not memorize the Fa? This way I would know what to do when things come up. When reciting the Fa, I found myself no longer sleepy and I could remain more focused. I had spent lots of time on Fa-study in the past, but the effect was not very good, probably because I was absent-minded and did not really pay attention to what I was reading. After beginning to memorize and recite the Fa, I understood many Fa principles. I realized that many attachments could be eliminated when one studies or recites the Fa. As long as you calm down and can be determined, Teacher will eliminate the bad elements for you. I also better understood the process of cultivation, of enduring in everyday society, remaining undisturbed in the face of conflicts, and many other things. It is Teacher who enlightened me with so many Fa-principles, in order for me to do better. I finished reciting Zhuan Falun the first time in about three months. Now I am reciting it for the second time.
3. Letting go of fundamental attachments
In Essentials for Further Advancement II, Teacher said,
"After cultivating for a period of time, are your thoughts still the same? Are you continuing on the path because of those human attachments? If so, you cannot be counted as my disciple. It means that you haven't gotten rid of your fundamental attachments and that you are unable to understand the Fa from the Fa."
If one realizes one's fundamental attachment but does not want to get rid of it, this person is not a genuine practitioner. Also, the evil can easily take advantage of it. So I decided to improve.
After searching for my fundamental attachments for one month, I still did not find it. During this process, I came across many attachments, thinking they were my fundamental attachments. However, it turned out that none of them were my fundamental attachment. Later, with Teacher's enlightenment, I realized that fear of loneliness was my fundamental attachment. Many attachments were derived from it. Since childhood, I always want to have a companion to accompany me--a best friend in school or a best friend at work. Later, I had a boyfriend and got married. So there was always someone with me. Even after I got married, I would feel very upset when my husband left me alone for a while. Because of this attachment, many other attachments arose. After realizing this, I remembered Teacher's words, that one would not feel lonely if one is thinking about saving others. Gradually I was able to study the Fa for several hours, or prepare truth-clarification materials by myself. Teacher helped me eliminate all the bad elements.
4. Saving sentient beings
During the truth-clarification process, I found I had many attachments. For example, I only clarified the truth to friends and relatives, but not to everyone I met. I also had selfness and a strong attachment of fear, thinking that strangers might report me to the police. When preparing truth-clarification materials, I tended to finish the job quickly rather than paying attention to quality. I later realized that, when clarifying the truth, we need to remain patient and calm, not fearful of people's unwillingness to listen. Little by little, we need to clarify the truth specifically on topics that people are confused or concerned about, rather than just hurrying to talk with more people. We need to have compassion and patience, as well as be considerate of other people. Truth clarification will be much more effective this way.
Once when clarifying the truth to someone, I felt nervous and did not know where to get started. In fact, the attachment of hurriedness blocked my wisdom. I learned for this lesson and became calmer. Later on, as I became calmer in my truth-clarification, people became more willing to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I also learned a lot when sharing understandings with other practitioners.
Ever since the Minghui/Clearwisdom website posted the announcement of morning group exercise, I felt it was a very good thing since I had not been able to do the exercises regularly in the past. Now, I am able to join the group exercise as well as send forth righteous thoughts four times a day. In the past, I sometimes missed sending forth righteous thoughts because of laziness, attachment to comfort, human notions, pursuit for material interest, etc. I will do better in studying the Fa and memorizing the Fa, so as to let go of attachments. I will do the "three things" well and return to the origin.
Above is my sharing about the past several years of my cultivation. Please point out anything that is inappropriate.
Mr. Xie Yunhuan, went back to China from Japan in 2000 to appeal for Falun Gong. He was secretly arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison. It was not until July 2001 that Mr. Xie managed to pass along information about himself to his family. On March 17, 2008, he was beaten again for protesting the slanderous propaganda in the prison.
A number of Falun Gong practitioners have recently been arrested in Jiaohe City, Jilin Province. Here are several cases of illegal arrest and persecution.
Ms. Li Shujie, a practitioner from Hailun City, Heilongjiang Province, was arrested at work by the police in Hailun City. She was tortured and force-fed alcohol and mustard oil.
On March 17, 2008, Mr. Li Guochen from Changchun City, Jilin Province was arrested and tortured by the local police because he distributed truth-clarifying materials about Falun Gong.
Mr. Guo Hanpo, a Falun Gong practitioner in his 50's, died April 5, 2008 in Baoding City Prison while serving a long sentence. His family reports he was tortured and forced to do hard labor with little food.
Ms. Zhao Yingjie from Jilin City, Jilin Province, has been tortured so severely that both her hands, which are raw from the friction of the handcuffs, are horribly disfigured. She is being held in the Jilin Province Women's Prison and is suffering from a serious lung infection that is life threatening.
A summary of recent deaths of imprisoned Falun Gong practitioners. Many were recently arrested in the 'pre-Olympics' preparations. Among them, five were women, and four were over 50 years old.
Ms. Wang Yuqing went on a hunger strike after being sentenced to forced labor. She became weak and was refused by the labor camp. When she was hospitalized, her family members applied for a medical parole, but it was rejected by the officers from the detention center. They did not release Ms. Wang and did not allow her family to visit her. Her present condition is not known
After the death of a Falun Gong practitioner, Tianshui adopts more subtle methods of persecution including sleep deprivation.
In February, 2008, a dozen people, including two lawyers, went to Shenyang City in order to visit imprisoned Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Feng Guofu to investigate stories of beatings at his labor camp. They were arrested before they could reach him at the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. There were several illegal home searches at the same time. It is obviously difficult to investigate reports of abuse in the labor camp/prison system.
Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Zhao Yancheng and his family have been persecuted repeatedly by CCP. He had been tortured to the brink of death in a forced labor camp. Recently, he was forced into becoming homeless and destitute. His daughter was arrested and his son suffered a mental breakdown due to the persecution.
One of cases about the recent arrest of Falun Gong practitioners by CCP authorities for "running the Olyimpic Games" in Beijing.
Clearwisdom.net and its Chinese-language sister-website (minghui.ca) provide first-hand reports about the horrors of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Dozens of reports are received every day from the victims of torture, the wrongfully imprisoned, and families crippled by the senseless hardship and grief for their loved ones imposed by the persecution. In contrast, the websites also report positive news and events from the more than 80 countries around the world where Falun Gong is practiced, and serve as an online forum for practitioners to share stories of the good things Falun Gong has brought to their lives. For more information, please contact editor@clearwisdom.net.
