China and Restrictions on the Falun Gong
Quigong Nature and the Debate Over Religious Policies in China
Apr 27, 2009
In China, Buddhism and Islam, two major religious groups, are not alone when it comes to persecution; the Falun Gong is also facing persecution in China.
Where Did the Falun Gong Come From?
The Falun Gong movement is among the newest of the Chinese religions in the public eye, but in its short lifespan it has produced a great deal of controversy. David Ownby writes that the religion emerged in 1992 as part of a larger movement known as the qigong movement, which attempted to take a modern “scientific” approach to traditional eastern medicine.
For a long time, sections of the qigong movement had support from the Chinese, because at the time they were not considered by the government to be religions, owing to their “scientific” nature. The Falun Gong distinguished itself among other qigong groups by taking a more spiritual lens to the ideas presented in the movement, but for some time it was not thought to be a religious group.
What is the Stated Purpose of Falun Gong?
At its heart, Falun Gong centers on a series of physical actions taken to improve one’s inner well-being. Beliefnet, a website devoted to providing an unbiased background of religious beliefs, goes into detail, saying, "Falun Gong motions are done to rotate the falun, a spinning body of energy said to be located at the lower abdomen. Followers believe that performing the exercises stimulates energy within the body and absorbs energy from the universe, which releases negative elements from the body and remedies abnormal conditions within the body."
Why is Falun Gong So Controversial?
Although Falun Gong’s beliefs are spiritual, the organization behind the beliefs has been seen as highly political.
On April 25, 1999, a large group of Falun Gong practitioners engaged in a mass protest in opposition to both a scientific report critical of the religion and the subsequent arrest of practitioners who had opposed the paper.
This protest, having been the largest since the Tiananmen Square demonstration before it, showed the government the political bargaining power of the group. Furthermore, the demonstration set the tone that if the Falun Gong were to be political, it would not necessarily favor the stability of China.
When did China Outlaw the Falun Gong?
Falun Gong’s problems were made official on July 21, 1999 when China’s government outlawed Falun Gong and issued an arrest warrant for the religion’s founder, Li Hongzhi.
These alone would have been sufficient to reduce the group’s size, but an anti-cult law, passed on October 30 of the same year, ensured that Falun Gong would find trouble with the government.
Penalties for practicing Falun Gong in large groups would include time spent in jail, where Falun Gong practitioners would not find comfort from the government.
What are the Most Controversial Measures Taken Against Falun Gong?
Chinese restrictions on Falun Gong have been less subtle than those of other religions. The Chinese government has literally labeled the group as an “evil cult” and banned the sale of items connected to the belief. Some scholars have extended criticism of government policy toward the Falun Gong, going so far as to argue that the government forcefully harvests organs from jailed members of the cult.
Information can be an uncertain matter when dealing with sensitive issues in China, and the PRC has denied any claim that members of the Falun Gong are targeted for an illegal harvesting operation. Nevertheless, the petitions made by a large number of people are important enough to be heard, and if they have any merit, it would certainly reflect persecution on the part of the Chinese.
The guilt-by-association pattern that the government has applied to the Falun Gong is very important. Although some members of the Falun Gong likely are political, and others even take advantage of the religion, to assume that all people are like this minority is irresponsible and has little merit.
