(Minghui.org) To celebrate 30 years of the public introduction of Falun Dafa, Dafa practitioners held a large scale group exercise and character formation activity at Liberty Square in Taipei on November 12, 2022. Five thousand practitioners from all parts of Taiwan participated in the event. They wished to express their gratitude to Master Li (Falun Dafa’s founder) for introducing the practice and also to share the beauty of the practice.

The sun shone as practitioners quietly stepped into their assigned spots within the character formation. It took a little over an hour to form a giant, colorful Falun (Law Wheel) and huge Chinese characters with the message: “Falun Dafa Has Been Taught Publicly for 30 Years.” The bright sunshine highlighted the noble, peaceful scene.

Five thousand practitioners formed a giant Falun (Law Wheel) and huge Chinese characters with the message “Falun Dafa Has Been Taught Publicly for 30 Years” at Liberty Square, Taipei on November 12, 2022. (Photo credit: Falun Dafa Association of Taiwan)

A Huge Project Completed Without Prior Practice

The character formation drew the attention of many passersby. Someone asked, “This is such a huge project. It’s not an easy feat to accomplish. So many people are involved in this, how long have you been practicing?” According to Huang Chunmei, vice president of the Falun Dafa Association of Taiwan, there was no practice beforehand. The formation was completed in one go that day.

Ms. Huang said this was possible because practitioners are guided by the principles of Falun Dafa’s teachings – Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. She further explained, “They put others before self and cooperate with one another. Therefore it was not difficult to form the characters without prior practice. This is the great thing about Falun Dafa, taught by Master Li who teaches practitioners to selflessly do their part well. All it requires is detailed planning beforehand. Every practitioner went to their assigned spot at the time stipulated.”

New Practitioner Feels a Strong Energy Field

Ms. Chen, who recently began practicing Falun Dafa, said she felt a strong energy field while participating in the character formation.

Ms. Chen said that she has practiced Falun Dafa for over three months. Her leg muscles were injured when she practiced another form of qigong. She also frequently had backaches from sitting for long hours at work. She was unable to sit in the full lotus position when she meditated. Today she was able to sit in the full lotus position when she went to her assigned position in the character formation. She was also able to sit like that for half an hour. When she closed her eyes, she saw a golden light.

Ms. Chen said she knew that the energy emitted by Falun Dafa practitioners is powerful and this energy can clean up a huge area in an instant. This is what she experienced that day. She said it was difficult to describe the feeling in words. She was elated by how extraordinary Dafa is. She said she felt very light when she headed home.

Finding Answers to Life

Chen Ziming stopped feeling lost after she began practicing Falun Dafa.

Chen Ziming started to practice Dafa in early 2021. She was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the character formation and happily talked about her cultivation experiences.

Ms. Chen said she’d done another practice for two years prior to taking up Falun Dafa. However she did not find the answers to life that she was seeking. Around 2020, she learned about Falun Dafa through social media and searched online for more information. She learned that Falun Dafa is persecuted in China.

Out of curiosity, Ms. Chen visited the Minghui and Falun Dafa websites where she learned more about the practice. She discovered this is the true cultivation way she had been searching for. After reading the main text Zhuan Falun, she finally understood what cultivation is. She then went on to read the other 40 Falun Dafa books. She understood the purpose of one’s life and stopped feeling lost.

Ms. Chen said that the greatest change she had since practicing Dafa is her relationships with coworkers and family. She is more patient now and does not complain so much about work. She now realizes that problems in life are opportunities to improve in cultivation. She reminded herself to be diligent in cultivation.

Experiencing How Amazing and Extraordinary Dafa Is

Several practitioners could not join in the character formation, either because there were no spots left or they accompanied their friends and family to the activity. Yet they were delighted to witness the process of the character formation and were happy to share their cultivation stories.

Mr. Cheng from Malaysia brought his friend to Liberty Square to watch the event. He said he practices Falun Dafa and knew the significance of the activity. He'd previously taken part in two similar activities in Malaysia. He understood what a grand affair it was for 5,000 Dafa practitioners to do the character formation and decided to bring his friend to see it. His friend nodded in agreement and said, “It is indeed beautiful, like a spectacular painting.”

Mr. Chen, 83, has practiced Falun Dafa for 23 years.

Mr. Chen, 83, has practiced Falun Dafa for 23 years. He began to practice Falun Dafa after attending a nine-day introductory class. He decided to practice cultivation the first day he watched Master Li’s taped lectures. That day his addictions to smoking, drinking, and gambling were gone. Other people have taken decades to get rid of these bad habits. Mr. Chen said, “Falun Dafa is extraordinary. I hope everyone can learn it.”

Positive Changes after Practicing Falun Dafa

Liang Xinzu from Vietnam said practicing Dafa made him calmer and changed his impetuous nature.

Liang Xinzu is currently studying English and French in university. He missed the deadline for registering for the character formation as he was caught up in his studies. Although he could not participate this year, his heart is with the practitioners. He came to Taipei from Taichung to support the character formation. He said watching the event was a unique and moving experience.

“In 2017, my aunt suggested that my mother practice Falun Dafa. My mother thought it was great and urged me to practice with her.” He subsequently came to Taiwan to study in Yunlin.

Xinzu thinks the greatest change that happened to him after practicing Dafa is in his character. “I no longer care too much about what others think of me. I choose to be calm and endure it when I run into problems. I used to act rashly and make things worse.”

Biggest Improvement After Practicing Dafa Is in My Character

Li Jiaheng, a university student, said the biggest improvement after practicing Dafa is the positive change in his character.

Li Jiaheng began practicing Falun Dafa with his mother when he was young and currently studies in university. “Today, the weather is quite warm but my heart felt steady and I did not mind the hardship at all,” he said. Although he has practiced Dafa for over 10 years, he truly took cultivation seriously when he was a high school student.

Jiaheng said that as he matured in cultivation, the greatest change was in his character. “I am now more gentle, and my tolerance has increased. I am more patient and know how to handle conflicts with classmates. I’m aware of my goals in life and no longer simply go with the flow.”

Ruan Wen, a Vietnamese practitioner, said practicing Dafa not only made him healthier it also made things smoother at work.

Ruan Wen is from Vietnam and lives in Taitung. He accompanied the parents of another Vietnamese practitioner to see the character formation that day. He was introduced to Falun Dafa in Taiwan and has practiced for five years. He said he is a happier person since he began practicing. His health improved and things are smoother at work. He does the exercises and reads the Fa with several Vietnamese practitioners in a park in Taitung. 

The day’s activity concluded with the practitioners doing the Falun Dafa exercises together. Everyone went home with joy in their hearts.

Background: What Is Falun Dafa?

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.