Behind the Scenes at a Falun Gong Information Display in the U.S. Capital

(Minghui.org) A Falun Gong information site has been in operation in front of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., since 1999, when the Chinese communist regime first launched the persecution of Falun Gong. The site's mission is to introduce Falun Gong to the public and raise awareness about the persecution of this peaceful practice in China.

Since July 2005, the site, located on the National Mall, has also incorporated a service center to help Chinese tourists quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations.

For many tourists, especially the ever-increasing number of those from China, the site has become a part of sightseeing in the U.S. capital. It has recently welcomed a whole new set of display boards and improved standards.

Chinese tourists read the display boards.

Redesigned Display Boards

The new display boards contain information in both Chinese and English languages.

There are a total of 10 English boards: 8 about Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) in general, and 2 about the signature drive to support House Resolution No. 281, which was introduced in U.S. Congress this summer and condemns the systematic, state-sanctioned, forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in China, most of whom are Falun Gong practitioners.

There are 10 Chinese-language display boards as well. All display boards are 3 by 4 feet in size.

“We are mindful of the image of Falun Dafa. We would like to showcase the beauty of Dafa, in addition to exposing the persecution in China. … We have made the presentation of the exhibit boards beautiful. We have changed the old ‘street vendor’ style,” said the site coordinator.

The coordinator said he was impressed by the new edition of Minghui International , which was published on the Chinese Minghui website on July 24. He plans to print the entire publication on 17 display boards, which will offer Chinese tourists a systematic introduction to Falun Gong.

Having no access to objective information, people in China have been heavily brainwashed by the regime's propaganda that slanders Falun Gong. As a result, many still don't know the basics facts about the spiritual practice, including its widely reported health benefits, or that it is practiced freely in over 100 countries worldwide.

“We see a characteristic of Chinese tourists at our site. If you approach them, they tend to run away,” shared the coordinator. “They are curious, however, and want to read the information. Therefore, we put the boards here so they can read them on their own. Many take photos of the boards and take the photos back to China. Some even read the information out loud, ‘Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good. There is only hope for China if there is no Chinese Communist Party.'”

The site team has also created a new design to fulfill the requirement of the National Park Service (NPS), which includes not driving stakes into the ground. In the past, the site used ground stakes to hold the boards steady in the wind. When the NPS explained that it no longer allowed the use of ground stakes on the National Mall lawn, because the U.S. government spends a lot of money to maintain it, the coordinator and his team became determined to find a way to follow the requirement.

New design of display boards to meet the requirements of the National Park Service.

The solution was to use an iron bar to add weight to the boards, and a nail on a wooden pole with threads to hold the sides of the boards in place. This is more work for team members who transport the boards, mostly on public transport, but Falun Gong practitioners felt it was important to adhere to the NPS requirements.

Increased Sense of Urgency

Ms. Lirong Zhao has been frequently volunteering at the site since June 2002. She said that practitioners at the site have adopted higher requirements for themselves, as well as a renewed sense of purpose.

The coordinator agreed: “All practitioners working at this site know that it is a very important window to clarify the facts about Falun Gong to tourists from all countries, especially China. … We have really tried our best to operate this site.”

He continued: “Even if someone sends out a notice saying that they cannot come the next day, once I send out an email, we usually quickly find a backup. In the past, there might have been some complaints, such as, ‘Why can't others cover this site more?’ Recently, such complaints have mostly disappeared.”

Ms. Wang Chunying came to Washington over a year ago. She personally experienced the persecution, having been detained for five years in forced labor camps in China.

Ms. Wang said: “If on some days I cannot come to the site, I often think about it—I really think it’s a big loss. I think of the Chinese tourists who walk by our site, and I’m not there to help them learn the truth about Falun Dafa!”

Ms. Wang Chunying explains the facts about Falun Dafa to Chinese tourists.

It is with this sense of urgency that core team members travel at least 1.5 hours each way to the site daily. They carry the large display boards on a rolling luggage cart on their public transport commute, usually a mix of bus and metro train.

Ms. Wang shared that most of her monthly income is spent on the commute to the site. Sometimes bus drivers don’t allow practitioners to board the bus with the display boards because the boards are so large. Then, they have to wait for another bus that may have more space.

“The team members have really endured a lot of hardship,” said the coordinator. “The summer in D.C. is quite hot. Sometimes we sweat so much that we don’t need to use the bathroom the entire day.”

He said that the team members don’t just volunteer at the site. They are also active in many other efforts to raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Tour Guides Offer Assistance

Many tour guides have shown support for the practitioners' ongoing efforts and have even volunteered to help get the information to Chinese tourists.

Ms. Wang recently met one such tour guide. She recalled: “A young man took pictures of the exhibit boards. He said that he knew about Falun Gong. He is from New York City. I asked him, ‘Do you practice Falun Gong, too?’

“He said: ‘No. I’m just a tour guide. But I am very sympathetic to Falun Gong. I know you are telling the truth. What I cannot tolerate is the staged self-immolation on Tiananmen Square [used by the Chinese communist regime to frame Falun Gong]. I will take some of your materials with me to show my customers. It’s easy for me to give the materials to them. I can also tell them about the persecution on our trips.’

“I told him: ‘When Falun Dafa is being persecuted, you help Chinese people learn the truth. You have gained a lot of virtue! Your business will be better and better.’ He took a large stack of materials with him and wished us good luck.”

Chinese Tourists Show Respect for Falun Gong

The coordinator said that each day the site services between 30 (in low tourist season) and 200 (during peak season) Chinese people who want to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations.

The site has seen more and more students from China during the summer. According to Ms. Wang, such students typically come from very wealthy families in China. Their parents are usually beneficiaries of the CCP system. Therefore, many of them have been heavily brainwashed and influenced by the regime's propaganda. However, many of these students are still quite pure at heart.

“Several days ago, I met a Chinese college student,” shared Ms. Wang. “I told him the facts about Falun Gong. He said he knew. I gave him an alias to use to quit the CCP, ‘Zhen Bang.’ It means 'very good' in Chinese. He then left. After taking a few steps, he turned around, gave me a thumbs up, and said with deep respect, ‘Falun Dafa is good!’ My heart trembled.”

Ms. Wang described another encounter with a Chinese student: “Once a Chinese middle school student passed by and took some Falun Dafa materials from me. His classmates tried to pull him away.

“I told him: ‘Why do I ask you to quit the CCP-affiliated organizations? You joined the Youth League and Young Pioneers. You made a vow and promised to fight for the CCP for the rest of your life. Even if you have already passed the age of the Young Pioneers membership, you ought to do something to erase your vow. The CCP is covered in blood. It has killed more than 80 million Chinese in its many campaigns. Now, its forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners is widely known in the world. Both mankind and the heavens are outraged! You should disassociate from the CCP, so that when it’s time for the heavens to punish it, you will be safe. Don’t leave any regret!'

“He gave me an alias to use to quit the Young Pioneers and Youth League. His classmates continued to drag him away. After he took several steps, he put his palms together and said to me very politely, 'Thank you very much, granny.'”