(Clearwisdom.net) The Lantern Show at the 2004 Taiwan Lantern Festival began on February 5, 2004 in Banqiao City, Taipei County. As the Taipei County government estimated, nearly four million people from across Taiwan visited the lantern festival during the eleven days. Falun Gong practitioners once again held activities during the lantern show to introduce Falun Dafa to let more people learn about Falun Dafa.
It had been raining for days, but the rain quietly stopped at noon of February 5, the very day of the Lantern Festival. The lantern show officially began. A large number of people poured into the site. At every entrance, people could see banners imprinted with words,"Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance," and Falun Gong practitioners who were introducing Falun Gong to people passing by and demonstrating the Falun Gong exercises. Those who wanted to learn about Falun Gong would walk up to practitioners to ask for details and requested an introductory leaflet for reference. There were also many visitors from the Mainland; Falun Gong's Fa-promoting activity allowed them to experience that Falun Gong is well received overseas.
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| Balloons with words "Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" can be seen everywhere | Performing the exercises at the entrance to the lantern show |
Among products being selected from the Lantern Making Contest, there was a blue scarf embroidered with words "Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." It was displayed at a conspicuous place at the first row of the exhibition section. Everybody passing by was attracted and spontaneously read the words, "Falun Dafa, Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance."
Balloons imprinted with words "Falun Dafa is good, the world needs 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance'" were well received and could be seen everywhere at the site. Many people came to request them, and practitioners would always say, "Please remember Falun Dafa is good!" Some people would respond "Falun Dafa is good," "Falun Dafa is really good." One practitioner's colleague said, "Falun Dafa is so good, we have two balloons with words 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance' at home!"
Four to five students listened to our explanation about the persecution imposed upon Falun Gong practitioners in the Mainland, and then one of them said, "I know, I have watched a Falun Gong documentary on TV." When the practitioner gave him a truth-clarifying VCD, the student said, "Please give me some more, I want to share with other classmates." Another time, a van loaded with nine people stopped in front of our practice site. Practitioners walked up to give them some leaflets and explain to them the persecution of Falun Gong. After they understood what we were trying to explain to them, they also wanted us to give them more truth-clarifying VCDs, so they could help distribute to other people.
One person expressed that he had watched a Dafa program on TV, but he still couldn't understand why Jiang's group persecutes Falun Gong so severely. Practitioners explained to him, "Because there were many people practicing Falun Gong, in a few years, more than 100 million people in the Mainland practiced Falun Gong. Jiang's group was afraid to lose power and out of their jealousy, they launched the persecution. Falun Gong books explicitly tell Falun Dafa practitioners to take the xinxing [mind or heart nature, moral character] cultivation as fundamental, take lightly fame and profit, absolutely do not get involved in politics, let alone participate in any political dispute and activities." After the practitioners' explanation, he understood, and asked earnestly, "Can you help me find a practice site near my home? I want to learn to practice it!"
The lantern show concluded in a lively atmosphere. Falun Gong practitioners' activities received warm response from the public, at least one hundred thousand people accepted Falun Gong leaflets and truth-clarifying materials.
