The Fallin' of Zhuan Falun

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The Fallin’ of Zhuan Falun

In all periods of China’s history, groups upholding ideologies even remotely different from those of the Chinese government are oppressed. Since China has always been under a single party leadership, a faction can flourish one day then fall to shambles the next. Before China’s banning of Zhuan Falun by Li Hongzhi, the book enjoyed over seven years of warm welcome and support. Upon its publishment in 1992, his book became an instant bestseller and Li began teaching Falun Gong, the practice outlined in Zhuan Falun, that same year. Falun Gong was one of the many qigong practices created right after the lifting of the Cultural Revolution-era restrictions in the 1980s. The practice integrates breathing techniques, physical gestures, mental focus, and high moral standards intended to improve both physical and emotional health. The appeal of Falun Gong caught on followers numbering in over 100 million in China and over forty other countries. However, all this was simply the calm before the storm. Soon enough, the self-interests of Chinese politicians and fear ...

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