University of South Florida Oracle: Painting away persecution

October 31, 2002

A painter's gentle brush strokes will deliver a message today against [spiritual] persecution to USF.

The artwork of Zhang Cuiying, a traditional Chinese painter, will be exhibited in the Marshall Center Ballroom. Cuiying has held exhibitions in 20 countries around the world. Traditional Chinese painting focuses on inner beauty and slow meditative brush strokes. It also combines painting with calligraphy and poetry.

The event is hosted by practitioners of Falun Gong, a form of self-improvement involving five gentle exercises and meditation. It is known by its practitioners for its ability to heal.

Cuiying is a practitioner of Falun Gong. The practice saved her art career after arthritis almost paralyzed her, said Franklin Cui, the organizer of the event. She was jailed in China for eight months after showing her support for the practice.

The purpose of the event is to stop persecution and spread awareness, according to Cui, who is studying civil engineering as a graduate student at USF.

He said thousands of Chinese are imprisoned and tortured because they practice Falun Gong.

[...]

"The key issue of Falun Gong is that you have to change your heart to be a better person," said Cui. "Then you can be free of illness."

Cui is president of a student organization called Falun Dafa that has three active members. The organization educates people of Falun Gong's practice. He said that Falun Gong can be summed up in three words: truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.

The exhibition begins at 10 a.m. with an opening ceremony and two guest speakers. Janet Blair, a resource specialist for the Florida Center for Survivors of Torture, and Lisa Raphael, an author and Holocaust survivor, will speak.

[...]

Raphael, who was originally from Vienna, said she plans to talk about the history of "persecuting anyone who represents truth and compassion."

Raphael practices Falun Gong. She compares the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners to the persecution of the Jews in Nazi Germany, partly because of countries' refusal to act on the matter.

"If the world had not been blind to the abuse, it would not have been so severe," Cuiying said.

Cui said that the Chinese government is concerned because the number of practitioners of Falun Gong is greater than the number of members in the Communist Party.

"I think the Communist Party cannot tolerate a group they cannot control." Cui said.

[...]

http://www.usforacle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/10/31/3dc1342b7d321