Falun Gong

Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline and new religious movement that originated in China in the early 1990s. The practice combines gentle qigong exercises and meditation with a moral philosophy focused on self-cultivation. It operates without a formal hierarchy, clergy, or physical places of worship, focusing instead on individual daily practice and moral improvement.

Falun Gong was founded by Li Hongzhi, who introduced the practice to the public in Changchun, China, in 1992. Li published the movement's foundational texts, structured its core exercises, and lectured extensively across China before moving to the United States in the late 1990s. Followers revere him as the spiritual master of the practice.

The moral philosophy of Falun Gong centers on three foundational principles: Truthfulness (Zhen), Compassion (Shan), and Forbearance (Ren). Practitioners believe that by aligning their daily thoughts and actions with these virtues, they can improve their character, eliminate negative karma, and achieve spiritual enlightenment.

While practitioners often describe it as a spiritual cultivation practice or a discipline, sociologists and scholars generally classify Falun Gong as a new religious movement. It lacks traditional religious infrastructure like temples, priests, or formal rituals. However, it is considered a religion in a broader sense because it features a comprehensive belief system, sacred texts, moral mandates, and views on the cosmos and the afterlife.

The practice consists of five distinct sets of meditative exercises, which include four standing practices and one seated meditation. These exercises are designed to open the body's energy channels, purify the physical body, and cultivate inner peace. They are traditionally performed in groups in public parks or individually at home, and the instructional materials are provided free of charge.

The Chinese government officially banned Falun Gong in July 1999 after the movement experienced rapid growth, attracting tens of millions of practitioners. Following a massive, silent demonstration by followers outside the leadership compound in Beijing, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) declared it an illegal, heretical organization. The government viewed the movement's massive scale and independent organizational capability as a potential threat to state control, leading to a long-running crackdown that has been widely documented and condemned by international human rights organizations.

Following the 1999 ban in mainland China, the movement's center of gravity shifted globally. Today, Falun Gong is actively practiced in over 100 countries worldwide. It has a highly visible presence in Taiwan, the United States, Canada, Australia, and various European nations, where practitioners frequently host public information booths, perform exercises in public squares, and manage independent media outlets.