The Shorthorn, TX : Rallying Point

July 15

By Rajal Vashisht

Contributor to The Shorthorn

DALLAS -- The Chinese government has its eyes on Xueyuan Wu. But she says she doesn't mind.

"I am not afraid," she said. "I don't think I am doing anything wrong."

Dr. Wu, 35, has completed a 2,000-mile trek across the country to bring attention to the imprisonment of practitioners of Falun Dafa, a yoga-like exercise also know as Falun Gong, in China. Among the many imprisoned is Wu's mother, Lingwen Zeng.

Wu's tour by car ended in a public demonstration Friday afternoon at the JFK memorial in downtown Dallas, where Wu and her husband spoke. Wu's husband is Bei Gou, 35, who will be an electrical engineering assistant professor here in the fall. The couple hopes to raise awareness for their cause and to bring about the release of Wu's mother from a forced labor camp.

"We want to see her released within this year," said Wu, a 2001 alumna.

Wu said her mother, a 68-year-old retired physics professor in her native China, was imprisoned for her belief in Falun Dafa, an ancient practice based on truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.

"We not only do the exercises, we follow the principles in our daily life," Dr. Gou said.

Falun Dafa distinguishes itself from similar practices by emphasizing both the physical and moral characters using the teachings of founder Li Hongzhi. It entails a series of exercises and [meditation] designed to improve health and relax the mind, Wu said.

"Anybody can practice it. It's flexible." said James Lee, coordinator of Falun Dafa practices in the Metroplex.

Wu and Gou will conduct a Falun Dafa workshop from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday in the Architecture Building courtyard.

Falun Dafa was introduced in China in 1992, and its popularity has grown steadily, the couple said. It is practiced worldwide by more than 100 million people in at least 60 countries. To date, there are more than 750 documented cases of Falun Dafa followers being beaten and tortured to death while in detention.

But Wu said that could be changing.

"I think more and more voices are being heard," she said.

The public demonstration in Dallas was one of three events on the tour. While the rally here attracted only a handful of participants and media, previous demonstrations drew the interest of several congressmen. Wu and Gou said they hope that will create awareness on a national level.

"We will pursue work at the federal level, with the officials and their support," Gou said.

Wu said she remains uncertain about her mother's condition and is unable to contact her, despite numerous attempts by phone and mail. Wu still communicates with her father, but she said correspondence is strained due to government surveillance.

"I can talk with him, but the phone is tapped," Wu said. "My sister warned me that the government knows I am an activist."

Still, Wu and Gou said they feel that the Chinese government will have no choice but to stop their persecution of Falun Dafa followers once public attention is raised worldwide.

"We're not against the government," Wu said. "We're for the truth."

http://www.theshorthorn.com/archive/2003/summer/03-jul-15/n071503-02.html