(Clearwisdom.net) On April 16, 2005, the annual Tung Flower Season Opening Ceremony was held at the Huayugu Farm, Yuzaoqiao Township, Miaoli County, Taiwan. Falun Gong practitioners in Miaoli were invited to participate with a waist drum performance.

Practitioners in Miaoli formed the waist drum team in February of this year. The team has been invited to participate in large celebration activities around the county, including the Lantern Festival parade. On the day of the Lantern Festival, there was heavy rain and low temperatures, with a cold wind. Other processions cancelled due to the weather, one after another. Only the Falun Gong procession performed until the end, demonstrating the practitioners' unyielding courage. People who watched the parade talked about the practitioners' perseverance and consistent performance. The practitioners were recognized and praised for teaching people the Falun Gong exercises as well as spreading the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance.

Residents watched the waist drum performance, and many became interested in learning about Falun Gong and the persecution in China. Many asked for truth-clarifying materials, and were told by practitioners that Falun Dafa has spread in more than 60 countries and regions, and has benefited over one hundred million people. Facts about the Chinese communist regime's persecuting Falun Gong practitioners and misleading the world's people with lies and slander were also explained to the interested residents. Practitioners in Miaoli performed on the waist drums to help the local people see through the lies of the Chinese Communist Party. People who know the truth believe that "Falun Dafa is great."

Note: The tung flower has been one of the important economic crops of the Kejia people for many years. Tung flower seed can be used to extract oil, and the wood is used to make match sticks and wooden shoes. Around May of every year, white tung flowers are seen everywhere in the Kejia areas. When the flowers fall due to the blowing wind, it looks like snow falling, and it is called "May Snow." The Kejia Committee holds a series of activities to celebrate the season as part of the tung flower celebration.