(Minghui.org) London's Chinatown is a popular tourist destination for visitors from around the world. Falun Gong practitioners often go there to raise awareness about the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong in China. Among the practitioners who reach out to visitors in Chinatown is a native English speaker named Tilly.
Tilly loves China and Chinese culture. She hopes that through practitioners' efforts, more Chinese people will become aware of the CCP's persecution and see through the Party's propaganda and lies.
Tilly (on the right) talks to tourists about the persecution in China during the 2017 Chinese New Year.
Speaking Chinese Draws the Attention of Chinese Tourists
To better communicate with Chinese tourists, Tilly started learning Chinese three years ago. She has learned key sentences and talking points from her fellow Falun Gong practitioners who are native Chinese speakers.
She tells them in Chinese, “These are the facts,” when handing out informational materials to Chinese tourists. Hearing a Westerner speak Chinese often surprises people and catches their attention.
Tilly shared, “I often say 'Falun Dafa is good' in Chinese. This has a powerful effect. You can see their expression change upon hearing my words.” She added that many are very willing to accept the practitioners' materials after hearing her speak.
Urging Chinese Students to Think
Tilly often talks with Chinese students in English. She raises questions while chatting with them, inspiring them to think and encouraging them to learn what Falun Gong is all about and to become aware of the CCP's brutal human rights violations.
She gave a recent example, “I just asked a young student, 'Have you ever considered the fact that there are no negative reports about Falun Gong in any country other than China?”
Tilly added, “I often say, 'I really love China. If you really love China, you love its people – not the government or a political party. These [Falun Gong practitioners] are Chinese people who are persecuted for their belief by the CCP government.”
Encouraging Chinese People to Read the Nine Commentaries
Tilly believes that it's important to recommend the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party because the commentaries elaborate on the history and the nature of the CCP. Reading the commentaries helps Chinese people become aware of the CCP's brainwashing and misleading propaganda, and of the Party's brutal persecution of Falun Gong.
She gave an example, “Once, a student asked me many questions. I answered all of them for him. He then challenged me. Basically, he had begun internalizing the [CCP's] propaganda since he was five years old.”
She indicated that China's young people have grown up immersed in the propaganda and it is hard for them to understand how much they've been misled just from getting a few of their questions answered. She encourages them to watch the Nine Commentaries on YouTube, which has a powerful effect in helping people learn about the CCP's history and why the Party persecutes Falun Gong.
Tilly said that she and other practitioners plan to add the URL link to the Nine Commentaries video on their banners. As many Chinese people take photos of the banners, displaying the link will help them find the video online.
Eliminating Misunderstanding via Clarifying the Truth
Tilly has been participating in clarifying the truth in Chinatown for several years now. She knows that the CCP's propaganda has misled a vast number of Chinese people, causing them to misunderstand or even to develop hatred towards Falun Gong. She has found that practitioners need to be compassionate yet confident when talking to such people, in order to eliminate their misunderstandings.
She gave an example, “A Chinese man was kicking our banner. I went straight over to him and just said firmly, 'How dare you kick our banner?' I clarified the truth and handed our informational materials to him. He was startled and respectfully took the newspaper with both hands. He said, 'Sorry. I am very sorry.' His wife was there and apologized too, 'I am sorry. I don't know why he did that.'
“It was amazing. I just stopped his unreasonable behavior and explained the facts,” said Tilly. She believes that the man had that initial reaction because he had been misled by the CCP's lies.
Tilly has seen first-hand the importance of clarifying the truth to the Chinese people.
