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| Falun Gong is an ancient ] practice of the Buddha School designed to improve the mind, body and spirit. | '''Falun Gong''' is an ancient ] practice of the Buddha School designed to improve the mind, body and spirit. | ||
| It was introduced to the general public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi and grew very swiftly in popularity not only in ] but worlwide - to date there are an estimated 100 million practitioners in over 50 countries. | It was introduced to the general public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi and grew very swiftly in popularity not only in ] but worlwide - to date there are an estimated 100 million practitioners in over 50 countries. | ||
Revision as of 13:34, 6 June 2002
Falun Gong is an ancient Qigong practice of the Buddha School designed to improve the mind, body and spirit. It was introduced to the general public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi and grew very swiftly in popularity not only in China but worlwide - to date there are an estimated 100 million practitioners in over 50 countries.
The three basic moral principles of Falun Gong are: 'Zhen, Shan, Ren', which translate approximately as 'Truthfullness, Benevolence or Compassion and Forbearance or Tolerance'. It is through focusing on these qualities that a Falun Gong practitioner is able to develop their Xinxing (moral character) which then gives them a greater potential to develop high levels of Gong (energy) potency.
As well as a set of moral beliefs, there are five sets of exercises central to the Falun Gong system which are supposed to enhance the circulation of energy in the body. The final exercise, a sitting meditation, also helps to create a tranquil mind and, according to the teachings, strengthens 'Divine Powers' of the individual. All exercises are taught free of charge by other Falun Gong practitioners and are detailed in Mr. Li's books.
The practice has a history of persecution in China since it was outlawed in July 1999 and is generally portrayed by the Chinese government as a dangerous cult. It is believed that this is because the number of Falun Gong practitioners in China grew to a larger number than the membership of the Chinese Communist Party. This persecution is currently the subject of complaints by many worldwide human rights groups.