The Chinese Liberal Culture Movement plans to present its 2007 Special Spiritual Faith award to Falun Gong during its seminar in New Zealand on April 8. For the first time since the start of the suppression in 1999, Chinese community and intellectuals will commend Falun Gong.
The movement was initiated by Chinese liberal scholars including law professor Yuan Hongbing, who is currently exiled in Australia, and Zhong Weiguang, a freelance writer and freedom activist living in Germany.
Epoch Times reporter Tian Yu interviewed one of the sponsors, Mr. Zhong Weiguang, before the New Zealand Seminar.
Journalist (Yu) : Mr. Zhong, will you please explain the main purpose of this seminar?
Zhong: This is the third conference that we have held. The first one was held in Australia to establish the Chinese Liberal Culture Movement. The second one in New Zealand, to present a human rights heroic award. This year's activities include two tasks. The first one is in the academic and cultural realm and includes the publishing of a set of free cultural series and the Fire of Liberty website. The other task is to announce our annual awards. Generally we hold a seminar to have a discussion and exchange of ideas on the current situation regarding the creation of novels, poems, culture and history.
Yu: I have heard that this seminar will present an award to Falun Gong practitioners. Why does this movement want to present an award to Falun Gong?
Zhong: In addition to the academic and cultural realm, the movement is also involved in the spiritual sphere. The objective of the movement is to promote free thinking, freedom of speech and freedom of culture. These three objectives actually include the very basic freedom of faith. With regards to freedom of thinking and freedom of culture, many works have been created before and during our movement's existence. Everyone has seen the persistent pursuit in the spiritual domain by Falun Gong students since the early 90s. And this quest, even after encountering the autocratic ruler's suppression, has maintained its momentum of "Wild fire never destroys them, spring wind makes them live" [excerpt from a famous poem by Tang Dynasty's Bai Juyi]. During this seminar, we will salute the Falun Gong spiritual movement.
Yu: Why has the movement become so vigorous recently, and holds activities frequently?
Zhong: I think the first reason is that, over the last 30 years, the pursuit by intellectuals from various fields has steadily accrued results. The second is that I think a large environment has been created. Since the 90s, Falun Gong practitioners' quest for freedom of faith has generated a great environment for us. Especially after the publication of the "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" in 2004, the damage caused by the communist party's culture has been highlighted and this has created a premise for us. Recently the New Tang Dynasty Global Chinese New Year Spectacular has also made possible a fresh environment that enabled us to survive and move ahead again.
There are other more concrete reasons that have enabled the movement to hold three consecutive seminars within half a year. For instance, some people from mainland China came abroad two to three years ago. They include Professor Yuan Hongbing, who enabled the instigation of the movement. Also, in the business circle, some financiers with noble aspirations have supported us. The third reason, I believe, is that many intellectuals from various fields were able to put aside their personal, vested interests and join the movement.
Yu: You have mentioned that the Liberal Culture Movement, as a representative of modern intellectuals, will engage in this first dialog with Falun Gong. What will your topic be?
Zhong: We have invited Falun Gong practitioners from all parts of the world. I think we can first discuss the problems that appeared after the publication of the "Nine Commentaries"—such as the freedom of faith issue in China. We will also discuss problems in other areas in China. We are also going to discuss what we, the intellectuals, can do more proactively in the eradication of the communist party culture. In addition, this dialogue can enhance our contact with Falun Gong practitioners from now on. Most importantly, we, the group of liberal intellectuals, should first express our views about Falun Gong and our own insight regarding the communist party culture.
As for the understanding of the issue of faith, I think this is still a very major concern in the Chinese intellectual circle. This problem has manifest in the "wait and see" position taken by the majority of Chinese intellectuals regarding the suppression of Falun Gong since 1999. As far as the movement is concerned, we can now clearly establish our position on the persecution of Falun Gong—we can see if this intellectual's soul is free or not.
Some intellectuals say that they are against the Chinese Communist Party's suppression of Falun Gong, but don't agree with Falun Gong teachings, holding a "commending view" to look at Falun Gong. I think, in this instance, we, as intellectuals, must examine our own conscience and probe this kind of attitude. I think our pursuit of free culture and Falun Gong's pursuit of freedom of faith is of equal value and equal rights.
Yu: May I ask how many are going to attend this seminar?
Zhong: The seminar is not very big. We have invited the topmost people in their field. There will be 20 to 30 delegates.
Yu: Will there be an opportunity for young scholars from the mainland to follow the discussions via the internet?
Zhong: We are striving for that through our website, the Fire of Liberty. We will broadcast our thoughts to the mainland as soon as possible. The website is currently very attractive to young scholars from the mainland. I should say the website is one of the few that are able to pay the writers at the present time. Now we already have a large group of mainland contributors. We also hope that more young people from the mainland can submit their articles to our website, use the website to exchange views with us, and join us to promote the liberal culture movement, thus promoting the building of a new Chinese culture.
Yu: Thank you very much for this interview, we sincerely wish for the success of this seminar.
Zhong: Thanks.
Note: This is an abridged translation.
Feeds