Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren Brings “A World of Purity and Light” to Bulgaria

(Minghui.org) The Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forearance) was held in Ihtiman and Belovo, near the capital city of Sofia, for one month and opened on February 20, 2026. The exhibition was held at the St. Cyril and St. Methodius Community Center in Belovo and the Historic Museum in Ihtiman.

Twenty paintings were displayed in Ihtiman, and 15 were displayed in Belovo. Both exhibitions were arranged to highlight seven different themes: The Arrival of Lord Buddha—Buddha’s Light Illuminates Everywhere, The Joy of Cultivation, Persecution in China, Peaceful Resistance, Karmic Retribution, Buddha’s Boundless Compassion, and The Point of No Return.

The Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren exhibition in BelovoThe Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren exhibition in Ihtiman

The exhibition in both cities was free and open to the public from February 20 to March 20, and attracted many visitors—including Bulgaria’s artistic elite—to view the paintings and learn the stories behind them. The artworks show the different aspects of the spiritual path that the artists experienced, including the persecution of their faith, Falun Dafa, by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Belovo Exhibition Receives Support from Government Officials Despite CCP Interference

The small town of Belovo has a rich revolutionary and historic past in its short history. From 1873 to 1875, Todor Kableshkov, the apostle of Bulgarian freedom, was a telegraph operator and stationmaster in Belovo. The local population participated in the April Uprising of 1876, where Bulgarians fought for independence from the Ottoman Empire. The protest was violently suppressed, and the Ottomans killed an estimated 15,000 Bulgarians.

Today, this revolutionary spirit stands strong again in the face of repression.

On March 12, St. Cyril and St. Methodius Community received an email allegedly from the Chinese Embassy slandering the artists’ faith, and it called on the staff to end the exhibition. They also received a phone call demanding that the exhibition be canceled.

Maria Penina, the local organizer of the exhibitions, told the caller that her exhibition broke no laws in Bulgaria, and she would not close the exhibition as they demanded.

After the incident, Vasil Savov, the current chairman of the Belovo Municipal Council, came to the exhibition to view the paintings for himself and to reassure the organizers. He told them that their activities had his full support and that he also stood by the Falun Dafa practitioners in Bulgaria in practicing their faith.

Vasil Savov, Chairman of the Belovo Municipal Council

Kuzman Marinkov—former chairman of the Belovo Municipal Council, former mayor of Belovo, now a businessman, and currently vice president of the Italian foundation Onlus Pet Vetren—had high praise for the artists and the mission to raise awareness of human rights abuses through their art.

Kuzman Marinkov, former chairman of the Belovo Municipal Council, former mayor of Belovo

“I am impressed by this wonderful initiative and by the exhibition, which is truly beneficial to people,” Marinkov wrote in the guestbook. He also purchased a copy of Zhuan Falun to learn more about the artists’ faith.

Teodora Damyanova and Sevdelina Popova view the exhibition.

Teodora Damyanova, Cultural Activities and Public Relations Specialist at the Municipality of Belovo, said she was impressed by the paintings and would recommend her friends visit the exhibition.

Sevdelina Popova, Director of the Historical Museum in Belovo, also viewed the exhibition and regretted that she was unable to attend the opening in Ihtiman. She said she would bring her husband to see the paintings.

Painter: In the Most Difficult Moments, People Rely On Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance

Several attendees at the exhibition in Belovo had the highest praise for the artists’ skills and the positive message of their work. Dessislava Maraganova, who is a painter, said she was greatly moved by the artworks.

Dessislava Maraganova

“The exhibition 'The Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren' is a true journey into the human spirit. From the very first painting, you are immersed in a world of purity and light,” she said.

“What moved me most was the contrast between the inner peace of the people in the paintings and the difficult trials they endured. These canvases are proof that even in the most difficult moments, the human spirit relies on Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. I am certain that every visitor will leave feeling inspired. I highly recommend seeing it!” said Maraganova.

The Sestrimski family in front of the painting Setting the Cosmos in Motion

The Sestrimski family visited the exhibition and was interested in learning about Falun Dafa. Maria Sestrimska shared her understanding of the painting Setting the Cosmos in Motion—one of her favorites: “I think it depicts the purification of the soul through all levels while cultivating.”

Screenshot of Ms. Karaivanova’s comment.

Maria Karaivanova, an educator who owns a private school in Sofia, was impressed by the positive moral values espoused by the artists. “Truthfulness, Kindness, and Forbearance are needed in this world right now!” she wrote in the guestbook. “May more people discover and come to understand the message of the exhibition!”

She was delighted to hear that the exhibition would also be coming to Sofia, and said she would take her parents to see it and tell her friends about it. She asked the organizers for additional flyers so she could distribute them in Sofia.

World-Renowned Confectioner Praises the Exhibition in Ihtiman

Ihtiman has borne this name since 1515. It originated as a settlement in the 1st century as a roadside station called Helice on the main Roman road, Via Diagonalis. In late antiquity, it was fortified and served as an auxiliary to the large-scale fortifications built in nearby Trajan’s Gate pass.

The exhibition in Ihtiman.

While Kalina was handing out flyers for the exhibition on opening day, she happened to meet Elza Baldzhiyska, who was visiting her hometown. “The moment Ms. Baldzhiyska took the flyer and started to enter the museum, she exclaimed, ‘But this is Falun Dafa!’” said Kalina.

It turns out that Baldzhiyska is a world-renowned confectioner and master pastry chef, who is currently based in London. She has served many British elites, including the royal family, and has been a judge at many international sugar art and pastry competitions. She was in Sofia for work when she injured her leg and had to stay in her hometown, Ihtiman. The word Falun Dafa on the flyer caught her eye.

Baldzhiyska in front of Determination Under PersecutionElza and her friend Mimi are in front of paintings from the theme The Joy of Cultivation.

Baldzhiyska said that she visited China twice and heard about Falun Dafa, but did not believe practitioners were being persecuted. After she looked at the paintings, she exclaimed she had no idea of “The true extent and monstrosity of the persecution.”

She also added that she is “In love with China and ancient Chinese culture,” which she could see in the artists’ work. Before she left, Baldzhiyska purchased a copy of Zhuan Falun, and said she believed it was no coincidence that she was able to see Falun Dafa in Bulgaria. She wanted to understand the practice in greater depth.

Artist: We Can’t Begin to Imagine the Horrors of the Persecution

Desislava has a connection to the visual arts because she worked in an art gallery in England. She was sent by the mayor of the neighboring municipality of Kostenets, where she currently works as a consultant, to see the exhibition in Ihtiman.

As a connoisseur, Desislava praised the artworks and said they were, “An exceptional level of painting.” She looked at the paintings for a long time, together with Ivan, a future landscape architect who accompanied her. She was interested in where the originals were exhibited because, according to her, they are “worthy of the most prestigious world galleries.”

She was impressed by the diversity of the artists’ styles and the high artistic level of the works.

Regarding the persecution of Falun Dafa by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Desislava said, “We cannot even imagine what that means, limited as we are by our complacency and human comfort, which we find difficult to escape.”

Dessislava in front of the painting Lotus Candle.

Young viewers also came to visit the exhibit. A sixth-grade student studied each painting in detail and carefully read the descriptions. She said she was most touched by the painting My Son, because the painting was “so realistic” that she could “feel the mother’s pain” of having lost her son to persecution.

She also said that she attends an evangelical church and knows that “Even if we hide our actions from other people, we cannot hide them from Heaven.”