Taiwan: 5000 Practitioners Form a Giant Falun to Mark 30 Years Since Dafa Introduced in China

(Minghui.org) Approximately 5000 Falun Dafa practitioners from all parts of Taiwan gathered at Liberty Square in Taipei on November 12, 2022, for a character formation activity. The 5000 came together in their color-coordinated garb to form huge Chinese characters stating: “Falun Dafa Has Been Taught Publicly for 30 Years”, together with a gigantic Falun (“Law Wheel”) .

It was a bright sunny day. Practitioners quietly went to their assigned spots in the formation. The peaceful scene drew the attention of many residents and tourists. The assembled then practiced the Dafa exercises together after the character formation. 

The day’s activities finished with everyone shouting in chorus: “Thank you, Master, Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”

Matthew Pennington a senior news journalist, took many photos. He said, “I planned to visit the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall today and happened to see this incredible character formation. Everyone was calm and orderly. It was an amazing sight.”

Around 5000 practitioners formed a bright Falun emblem and the message: “Falun Dafa Has Been Taught Publicly for 30 years” at Taipei’s Liberty Square on November 11, 2022.

Around 5000 practitioners did the exercises after the character formation.

Practitioners shouted in chorus: “Thank you Master, Falun Dafa is great, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is great.”

Falun Dafa is Practiced All Over the World, Debunking the CCP’s Claims

According to Professor Hsiao Sung-shan, president of the Falun Dafa Association in Taiwan, 23 years of brutal suppression have not made practitioners in China give up their beliefs. Instead, Falun Dafa has spread to over 100 countries and regions in the world including Taiwan.

He said, “Around 5000 practitioners attended today’s character formation. They each have different cultivation stories. They came here today to show people the beauty of Dafa because they have benefited from the practice.”

Professor Hsiao said Taiwan has the largest number of Falun Dafa practitioners outside China. “Compared to the CCP’s persecution of kindhearted Dafa practitioners, even resorting to organ harvesting, Taiwan is a free land which respects one’s beliefs. Such a grand scene is without doubt a stark contrast to the attitudes towards Falun Dafa on both sides of the strait and debunks the CCP’s lies.” (Note: The Chinese Communist Party [CCP] claims that few people practice Falun Dafa, and that it is not practiced outside China).

Hopes Character Formation Can Encourage Practitioners in China

Wu Ching-hsiang who was responsible for designing the images said, “The Falun emblem represents Falun Dafa. It has the Srivatsa from the Buddha school and Taiji from the Tao school. It has deep meanings.” Wu hopes people can learn about Falun Dafa through the formation. He said, “There are practitioners all over the world. If you want to learn, it is very easy to find a practice site. You can also learn the exercises free online.”

He said, “I hope to let people know Falun Dafa has been taught publicly for 30 years through today’s event. On the other hand, I hope this will encourage practitioners in China who are still being persecuted.”

Tourists and local residents stop to read the information displayed and learn about Falun Dafa.

Couple from China: Organ Harvesting is True, Self Immolation Must Be False

Zhang Cheng (alias) and his family of four took photos of the information displayed. They are from mainland China and came to Taiwan from Hong Kong. The couple recalled that many people practiced Falun Dafa in their hometown when they were secondary school students. In 1999, the CCP banned the practice. They said that if they did not have the opportunity to go overseas and study they would be just like the people in China who only hear one voice and are thoroughly brainwashed. They felt fortunate to be able to obtain truthful information outside China.

Zhang Cheng said they had misgivings about Falun Dafa when they first moved overseas. After living outside China for years they had a chance to learn about Falun Dafa and eventually understood the true situation. He said, “What practitioners say about the CCP’s organ harvesting is true....” His wife added, “One can tell from figures on the supply of organs.”

Zhang Cheng said, “The CCP is violent. It is a dictatorship.”

When they spoke of the staged self immolation incident, his wife said, “I studied in Beijing. What the Party claims happened could never have happened because Tiananmen Square is under strict surveillance. How can practitioners be allowed to set themselves on fire? The CCP’s claim is false for sure.”

I Felt Very Peaceful

Laura Ianalieva from Russia is pursuing post graduate studies in Taiwan and her friend Vladlen Klochkov sat quietly and observed practitioners as they formed the characters and image. They approached, and Laura, who was hearing of Falun Dafa for the first time, said, “This scene makes a deep impression. The weather today is wonderful. So many people are gathered here to celebrate, everything is perfect.”

Laura Ianalieva from Russia and her friend Vladlen Klochkov loved the character formation.

Laura said, “Falun Dafa practitioners improve their moral values and physical health through the practice. They remind themselves constantly to be considerate of others around them, they guide themselves with such high standards. People see that they are patient, polite and friendly.”

She said, “I enjoyed watching the character formation. I felt relaxed and at peace spiritually.”

I Support Falun Dafa in Their Peaceful Protest

George Albig from Germany writes novels. He noticed practitioners preparing for the character formation at Liberty Square a few days ago and returned to see the actual event. He said, “Because I’m from Germany, the Srivatsa symbol from Buddha school has a different meaning for me. I thought it was special to see so many people enter the character formation area. They are so orderly and disciplined.”

George Albig from Germany writes novels. He learned about the persecution of Falun Dafa in China.

George said he does not doubt the CCP is persecuting religious groups after practitioners told him of the suppression. He expressed his support and said, “Using peaceful means to spread the message is always the best way.”

Such Strong Conviction Is Admirable

Ms. Ren Jinyu who lives in Taipei accompanied a relative from Vietnam who visited Taiwan for the first time and they witnessed the grand character formation scene. She said, “I saw practitioners in Ali mountain tourist spots in the past. They told me about the persecution and the CCP’s organ harvesting. I did not expect to see so many practitioners in Taiwan, yet this is just a portion. Such a large group of people with so much passion, strong conviction, it is admirable!”

Ms. Ren Jinyu (first on left) from Taipei accompanied relatives from Vietnam on their first visit to Taiwan. They witnessed the grand character formation.

Ms. Ren explained that she is a Christian. She did not know much about Falun Dafa before. She said today she experienced a compassionate, calm atmosphere and realized that Falun Dafa is not a religion. It is a form of cultivation based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. She agrees with these principles as she works in natural healing. She thinks following these principles will indeed benefit people physically and mentally.

Learning to Let Go of Fame and Gain

Chen Zi-hong, an architect from Taoyuan practices Falun Dafa. He and his wife participated in the character formation. Before he began practicing Falun Dafa, he delved into Western and Asian religions looking for answers in life. He only understood what it meant to cultivate oneself after he began practicing Falun Dafa. He learned about Falun Dafa online by chance. Out of curiosity he bought the main text Zhuan Falun and a DVD on the exercise instructions. He found a local practice site and went to learn the exercises. He used to catch colds easily but after taking up the practice he observed a significant improvement in his health. His character also improved a lot.

After Chen Zi-hong and his wife began practicing Falun Dafa their relationship became harmonious.

Chen used to hold his coworkers to high standards. He was competitive and always wanted to be better than others. He was bothered when others were assigned design tasks. After he began practicing Falun Dafa, he learned to take a step back and no longer minds who does the work. He thought more of how to balance the needs of various parties such as government, public, companies and so on. “What is most important is that the buildings I design will help its occupants live comfortably,” he said.

Background: What Is Falun Dafa and Why Is the CCP Persecuting It?

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 who have embraced the teachings, which are based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and have learned the five exercises, have experienced improved 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, he issued an order to eradicate the practice.

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.

Minghui.org has confirmed the deaths of thousands of practitioners as a result of the persecution over the past 23 years. The actual number is believed to be much higher. Countless practitioners 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 China’s organ transplant industry.