Houston, Texas: Candlelight Vigil Commemorates Victims of CCP’s 22-Year-Long Persecution

(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners held a series of activities in Hermann Park on July 10, 2021, to tell people about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) 22-year-long persecution of their faith. They demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises and collected signatures on a petition to end the persecution. When evening came, they held a candlelight vigil to commemorate their fellow practitioners who have died in the persecution in China.

Group Exercises Attract Attention

The group exercises started at 5 p.m. beside the lake. Many passersby paused to watch. Three or four police officers stopped and smiled as they watched. A steady stream of people asked for information about Falun Dafa.

Falun Dafa practitioners demonstrate the exercises at Hermann Park in Houston, Texas on July 10, 2021.

Attracted by the serene music, Jean and his wife stopped and watched practitioners as they demonstrated the Falun Dafa exercises. After they read some information practitioners had put out, they asked about the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.

Specifically, Jean wanted to know more about forbearance. Practitioner Ms. Zhou said, “Falun Dafa has been persecuted for 22 years. Practitioners practice forbearance by peacefully raising awareness and calling on the public to help stop the persecution. They take personal interest gain in their daily lives.”

Jean said, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is great. The exercises are graceful.” The couple wanted to learn the exercises right away. Practitioner Wang taught them the standing exercises. After he did the exercises, Jean said, “I feel relaxed, comfortable, and energetic. This is very good.”

Jean’s wife said, “I feel like my body is cleansed and full of energy.” She also asked, “How much time does it take to practice every day?”

Mr. Wang told her that she could do the exercises according to her own situation and that he meditates for an hour. The couple browsed the falundafa.org website on their phones.

Practitioner Wang (first from left) teaches Jean and his wife the exercises.

Signing to Support Falun Gong

Some practitioners handed out information and collected signatures on a petition calling for an end to the persecution. After receiving the leaflets, many people condemned the persecution. One middle-aged man said, “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is very good and should not be persecuted.”

Candlelight Vigil

Practitioners held a solemn candlelight vigil to commemorate fellow practitioners who were persecuted to death in China.

Between 8 and 10 p.m., the practitioners held a candlelight vigil. The Chinese character for “mourning,” made up of lit candles, was displayed in front. Each practitioner held a wreath with the portrait of a Falun Gong practitioner who was persecuted to death by the CCP.

Practitioner Ms. Jiang saw the portrait of Ms. Bi Daihong. She said she and her husband knew her. Ms. Jiang’s husband, Mr. Liu, said, “Ms. Bi Daihong was arrested while talking to people about Falun Gong. Two young children were left without their mother. Ms. Bi passed away on September 1, 2005, when she was only 37 years old.”

Since the CCP launched the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, hundreds of thousands of practitioners have been detained, sentenced, and even persecuted to death.

Background: What is Falun Dafa?

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in Changchun, China in 1992. The spiritual discipline is now practiced in over 100 countries and regions worldwide. Millions of people have embraced the teachings—which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance as well as five gentle exercises—and experienced uplifted health and well-being.

Jiang Zemin, former head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), perceived the spiritual discipline's growing popularity as a threat to the CCP's atheistic ideology and on July 20, 1999, issued an order to ban the practice.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 22 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. More have been imprisoned and tortured for their faith.

There is concrete evidence that the CCP sanctions the harvesting of organs from detained practitioners, who are murdered to supply the organ transplant industry.

Under Jiang's personal direction, the CCP established the 610 Office, an extralegal security organization with the power to override the police and judicial systems and whose sole function is to carry out the persecution of Falun Dafa.