Morning Sentinel (Illinois): SIU-E Art Exhibition Begins Sunday

An art exhibit of more than 40 paintings, depicting what has been called the Chinese government's persecution and oppression of practitioners of Falun Dafa, will be presented from Sunday through Oct. 22 at the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Religious Center.

Falun Dafa is a traditional self-cultivation practice to improve mind and body, which is seen as a threat by the Chinese government. In 2004, the United Nations produced a report on what it called "the terrible torture and killing of women, men and children, including infants."

The exhibit -- The Oppression of Falun Dafa (Gong) -- will be shown from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Practitioners will be available to discuss the artwork and talk about Falun Dafa. At 11:30 a.m. Oct. 19, Huagui Li, a Chinese national, will speak about her captivity and torture in the Chinese jail and her witness of persecution of torture and killing of other Falun Dafa practitioners.