UK Report: Some Thoughts from the Chinese Embassy Vigil

September/ October 2000

According to my understanding, the letter to Jiang Semen regarding the October 1^st National Day changed everything for all practitioners; any passivity on the part of anyone of us toward the persecution of practitioners in China, was no longer acceptable. Though, to be strictly accurate, my initial response was more a gasp of admiration for this courageous strategy, which we in the West had to some how support. Initially, there seemed to be no practical steps Western practitioners could take to compare with the all out effort by practitioners in China going to appeal for their rights in Tiananmen Square. I was dissuaded from the idea of practitioners conducting a hunger strike outside every Chinese Embassy, as it was counter productive. At the very least, we needed to let the Chinese authorities know, before the October 1^st National Day, that we in the West would give our best effort to show our support for our fellow Chinese practitioners resolve.

I settled upon the idea of beginning a round-the-clock vigil until October 1st, outside the UK Chinese embassy as a practical but inadequate response, while thinking it might inspire more activities. The London police were very helpful and quickly made the initial arrangements. One policeman remarked later, that we should let them know immediately if we had any trouble with embassy staff and the police would be happy to explain to [the embassy officials] that we did things differently in the UK. We were positioned across the street from the Chinese embassy with our backs to the Institute of British Architects, who, in spite of the inconvenience we continue to cause them, have been very supportive and kind to us. We have decided to continue our vigil partly because we have found being close to the traffic lights to be a good location for giving out leaflets to the many car owners, who have also shown us their good will. We have now discovered that Thursday evening is 'guest night' at the Chinese Embassy, so we chose that to be the one evening we would practise there every week.

Others began to join in within the first twenty-four hours; some from afar, others joining in after work, some of us snatching a few hours sleep here and there. At 3 a.m. you could find a group reading or practicing the exercises and someone giving out leaflets to the endless passing traffic I have already remarked that I was struck by the joyful lightness with which practitioners interacted with the passing public, contrasting with the hidden forbearance of their feelings for the horrible events happening in China. For myself, it has been a rewarding experience in many ways (and no doubt for others). Having recognised my reluctance to engage with the public as 'a fear of rejection,' it was great to let go of that attachment. It was also a great pleasure to share this adventure with my Chinese friends.

Our effort seems so miniscule in comparison with what is happening in Tiananmen Square and put in perspective by the Tibetans who have demonstrated outside this same Embassy, every Wednesday without fail, for ten years. Nevertheless, when we heard that on October 10^th, Jiang Zemin had ordered a crackdown on overseas Falun Gong activities we were heartened to know that all the diligent work done abroad is beginning to be felt where it should, back in China.