News and Events from Around the World -- August 5, 2005

Issued by Clearwisdom Net

On July 2-3, 2005, the first "Falun Dafa Teachers' Study Camp" was held at the Yilan Public Welfare Center in Taiwan. Six Falun Gong practitioners shared their experiences in Falun Dafa practice. They received a warm reception from the participants. It was the first of ten similar events planned for this summer.

Ms. Chen Yiwen is a teacher from Gao Shang, Yilan. In her lecture entitled, "A Practice of Life Education," using picture recognition as an example, she pointed out that the commonly-held belief of "seeing is believing" may not be true. Then she clarified the relationship between one's growing up period and one's personality using socio-physiologist Erik Erikson's theory of developmental stages. Ms. Chen pointed out that the education at Minghui Schools offer students the best education needed for a healthy personality. She gave examples showing how to tutor students under the guidance of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance."

Doctor Chen Guofeng, who practices medicine in Yilan, lectured about mental and physical health from the medical point of view. Based on the fact that many people in modern society suffer from mental and physical disorders, he pointed out that it's hard for current medicine, philosophy or religions to solve many such problems. The book, Zhuan Falun states that "matter and mind are one thing," and that the source of illness is karma. Zhuan Falun has been translated into 25 languages and published around the world. Falun Dafa improves one's health through upgrading one's moral quality.

"The Economics of Leaving Bitterness Behind"

Professor Liu Yunxun gave a lecture entitled, "The Economics of Leaving Bitterness Behind." She said that economics asks people to make choices. The book "An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776)" by Adam Smith, who was thought to be the father of economics, is actually a discussion of moral and spiritual qualities. For a scholar of economics, Professor Liu believes that "truthfulness and honesty" is an important topic.

Professor Liu introduced what she has learned through her practice of Falun Dafa over the past eight years, and presented it to the students in a concise way. She said that the major reason she felt drawn to practice Falun Dafa was Master Li Hongzhi's teaching, "From now on, whatever you do, you should consider others first, so as to attain the righteous enlightenment of selflessness and altruism" from the book Essentials for Further Advancement (No Omission in Buddha Nature). Professor Liu said it's important to respect others. The righteous energy and peaceful appearance of practitioners radiated a positive message to students.

Answering Questions

Warm Responses

In China, former president Jiang Zemin's regime has been persecuting Falun Gong using all means. Even children and teens are suffering in the persecution. Chen Zhili, the Minister of Education, has being making use of the Chinese educational system to brainwash teachers and students, coercing them to join in the persecution. Through textbooks, composition assignments, examinations and other means, the Education Departments spreads lies and instigates hatred toward Falun Gong.

In 2004, when Chen Zhili visited Tanzania, she was sued for abusing the education system to persecute Falun Gong. She was ordered to answer the court's inquiries on July 19, 2004.

In the Chinese educational system, some officials constantly spread lies to defame and slander Falun Gong. Many Falun Gong practitioners who are teachers and students have lost their jobs or were deprived of their right to attend school. Over 360 million school children are suffering in the persecution. Their mental health and spiritual growth are seriously threatened and distorted by the persecution.

In Taiwan, all students, teachers and their families have the freedom to practice Falun Gong. Practitioners have gained great benefits through the practice. About 50 universities have Falun Gong groups in their institution. Many teachers and other employees in the educational system have started practicing Falun Gong. In Taiwan University alone, there are scores of faculty members and students practicing Falun Gong; The "Clearwisdom Children's Garden (Doudou Garden)," and various Minghui classes and Falun Gong summer camps are widely praised by students and their families alike.

Police beat and arrest practitioners in China

10,000 people gathering in front of the Taiwan Presidential Hall to support suing Jiang Zemin for crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity

Education is the foundation of a country. From the contrast between China and Taiwan, we see that children in Taiwan are blessed because they can enjoy a healthy environment under the guidance of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." Many children have benefited through practicing Falun Gong. Falun Dafa has injected a righteous purity into the Taiwanese educational system. From this, we see the future hope of Taiwanese education.

On the 24th of July 2005, Italian Falun Gong practitioners organised an anti-torture exhibition in Milan's Dante Street to expose to the general public the crimes of genocide committed by the Chinese Communist regime against Falun Gong. Some people commented that the Chinese Communist Party, in persecuting Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, is more wicked than terrorists.

The activity attracted many passersby

The banners reading "Falun Gong Teaches Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance", "Falun Gong is Good", "Bring Jiang Zemin to Justice" and many posters exposing torture were very eye-catching. These were accompanied by anti-torture exhibition with real-life models. Leaflets about Falun Gong in various languages and petition forms were neatly arranged on the display table. Beside the table was a wreath made of a thousand flowers in memory of over 2,600 Falun Gong practitioners who had been persecuted to death in China.

Although the summer holiday break had already started, there were still many people in Dante Street, including lots of tourists. People stopped to watch the anti-torture exhibition and read the posters. They carefully listened to the explanations from Falun Gong practitioners and asked for more information. Many people signed the petition to support Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners in China and to condemn the atrocities of the Chinese Communist regime.

A middle-aged lady watched the exhibition for a long while and said that she could not believe that such brutal torture is still happening in today's world. She asked practitioners why ordinary people are so brutally persecuted for believing in Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. When hearing about the Chinese Communist's philosophy of lies, evil and violence, people immediately understood the reason. After learning the truth, one gentleman said that he wanted to join our activity because the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance is a persecution of humanity's common values and it is more wicked than those terrorists.

Lots of tourists from China watched our activity. Many of them recorded the activity with their camcorders and cameras. A lot of them specially wanted to take a photo of the banner "Falun Gong is Good." However, a few Chinese didn't dare to take practitioners truth-clarifying materials. Seeing the reactions from Chinese tourists, practitioners felt much urgency to continue and improve their truth clarification in order to help more people walk out of the shadow of CCP's terror.

On July 2^nd, 2005, practitioners gathered in Gamla Stan in Stockholm to prepare for the second Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance International Art Exhibition this summer. The gallery is located in the oldest part of Stockholm, a part that many tourists visit.

The preparation day was sunny and everyone was in a happy and harmonious mood. When the paintings arrived, we started to plan how to set them out. Since we already had one exhibition this summer, we were well prepared and the hanging went smoothly.

During the hanging and preparing, we had the doors open and people came in one after another. They expressed positive responses and even though things were not yet finished, they wanted to go through the gallery. One girl said she recognised one painting from the preview we had some weeks ago in a small city in central Sweden.

Many people said the paintings were beautiful. I spoke with a man about "A Tragedy in China" and after awhile he said jokingly, "Now I have to leave, otherwise I will buy this painting!" Another said, "Where is the pricelist?" and, "These are really good works. I think many people will like this...I wish the exhibition good luck."

The next day we officially opened and people continued to come. Some people came back again from the day before. We started to explain the paintings to the visitors. After the tour, a young couple asked how to start practising Falun Gong. An older man took the tour and said loudly, "All these paintings are magnificent, noble and expressive. I've been to the most renowned museums in the world. However, this is one of the most impressive collections I've ever seen. This is the best kind of art one can see. I will recommend this to my friends, and I'll be back as well."

People also left some encouraging messages in the guest book:

"Thank you for a wonderful guided tour."

"Captivating show, if everyone lived by these principles, the world would be more beautiful."

To find out more about the Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance International Art Exhibition, please visit Falunart.org

Originally published in Swedish at http://se.clearharmony.net/articles/200507/15028.html