WASHINGTON, D.C. - Over 150 Falun Gong practitioners from the Washington metropolitan area gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial today to express their gratitude to Falun Gong (A.K.A. "Falun Dafa") and celebrate the Eighth World Falun Dafa Day. China's persecution of Falun Gong became official in July 1999, and the first Falun Dafa Day followed in 2000.
Zhaoqian Chen started practicing Falun Gong a year and half ago.
"World Falun Dafa Day is very precious-it was not easy to establish," said Mr. Chen. "Falun Gong practitioners were able to withstand such a brutal persecution and persevere in following the truth. This reveals the significance of Falun Dafa to me."
"I'm much honored to be able to practice Falun Dafa," said Mr. Chen. "I'm very grateful to Teacher Li who imparts the Fa."
Li Hongzhi began teaching Falun Dafa in China in 1992. The "Fa" that Mr. Chen is referring to is roughly equivalent to the Western meaning of "The Law."
When asked what Falun Dafa Day meant for him, Jimmy Zhou said, "The first thing that comes into my mind is appreciation."
Dr. Zhou lives in Northern Virginia and is now working as an actuary for the federal government. Prior to practicing Falun Gong in 1996, he had suffered from migraine headaches for six years. His situation qualified him for a short-term disability. He had to quit his job. He searched for relief-western medicine, Chinese medicine and surgery-but nothing worked. After practicing Falun Gong for six months, his headaches were gone for good.
"Falun Gong is not only a type of exercises, but is also a belief," Zhou said. "Falun Gong principles are very profound. I felt that my health, wisdom and view of the world had improved to another level. All of these would not have been possible for me without Falun Gong."
The one-day program began with Falun Gong exercise demonstration in the morning. The afternoon programs included traditional Chinese performances. Many visitors of the Lincoln Memorial watched the programs and browsed the "Journey of Falun Dafa" photo exhibition in between the Memorial and the Reflecting Pool.
A Chinese man traveling with a Mainland Chinese tourist group walked by. He was able to read overseas news with the FreeGate software for breaking through China's Internet firewall.
As a lawyer, he was very interested in reading accounts about his fellow attorney, Gao Zhisheng, whose harassment, arrest, and imprisonment in Mainland China is not covered by China's state-controlled media.
During his trip this time, he had seen Falun Gong practitioners in many locations around the world. "I'm with you," he said and that he would continue to follow the news about Falun Gong in the future.
Originally from New York, Janis McEvoy was visiting Washington, D.C. during the weekend. She said she read about the persecution of Falun Gong and that practitioners were harassed by Chinese spies here in the U.S.
"You should care about anybody being persecuted on the face of the earth. You should find out who's behind and why. Why do Communist Chinese persecute the system? What are they afraid of?" she asked.
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