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are prominently displayed visually on the Falun Gong Web site and widely used in Falun
Gong information packets. The awards include titles such as:
 Proclamation of Li Hongzhi Day in Baltimore City by Mayor Kurt L. Schmocke
 Washington D.C.'s Falun Dafa Week proclaimed by Mayor Anthony A. William
 Chicago Master Li Hongzhi Day
 Houston Texas Named Master Li: Honorary Citizen and Goodwill Ambassador
The Falun Gong Web site states, “the meaning of the award is profound. It represents the
understanding and recognition of the Falun Dafa by human beings and society.” (italics
added)
However, these ―Awards‖ are documents routinely obtained by groups from public officials
in the US for public relations purposes. They are easy to obtain and routinely given out.
There is a daily high volume of requests for these awards. All you have to do, for instance
with the California Governor's office, is to call and leave a message as to whether you want
a ―proclamation‖ or a ―commendation‖ and what day you need it by. You can also fax in
your request, sending them a sample proclamation which they will then use. So it is
probably the Falun Gong that is requesting these documents, and it may well be the Falun
Gong that is writing these documents. They are ―rubber-stamp‖ documents meant for
public relations purposes only. Yet the Falun Gong states that the meaning of these awards
is ―profound‖ and ―represents the understanding and recognition of the Falun Dafa by
human beings and society.‖
I believe it is possible that these ―Awards‖ are misleading the Falun Gong practitioners in
China to believe that the American government supports Master Li and his Falun Gong
teachings. Barend ter Haar, professor of Chinese history at Leiden University, commented
on this:
The public endorsement by figures with official status is a fundamental
aspect of socio-political organization in modern China, as it was in the past…
Thus I can easily imagine that Chinese of all backgrounds, including Falun
Gong members ...would interpret such statements of support as much
more than what they have been intended to.24
And it may not be only the practitioners in China who misunderstand these ―Awards.‖ In
November of 1999 Falun Gong practitioner Matthew Kutolowski of Pennsylvania wrote a
letter to the editor of The Wall Street Journal in response to an article they printed titled,
―American Dream Finds Chinese Spiritual Leader‖.25 Mr. Kutolowski complains that after
reading the article in The Wall Street Journal, readers will ―still remain unaware that ten
major US cities and four states have honored Li with various awards and proclamations.‖
He then lists several of these awards, ending by stating that ―the city of Houston even went
so far as to name Li an `Honorary Citizen' and `Goodwill Ambassador.'― Mr. Kutolowski
concludes that ―These accolades tell readers much more about Li than some irrelevant New
Jersey estate‖ story.
Several of these ―Awards‖ to the Falun Gong and Li Hongzhi have since been rescinded
including the ―Certificate of Honorary Citizenship‖ given to Li by the governor's office in
Maryland, and the ―Li Hong Zhi and Falun Dafa Days‖ award ironically requested from the
City of Seattle for the dates November 29 -December 5, 1999, the week of the tumultuous
World Trade Organization meeting. The Falun Gong organization blames the Chinese
government for pressuring these U.S. officials into rescinding these ―Awards‖. However, I
was assured by the Mayor's office in Seattle that it was an internal decision,26 and the
governor's office in Maryland explained that ―the governor personally is not aware of the
issuance of these certificates for honorary citizenship, which is routinely issued to a foreign
visitor to the state upon the request of a Maryland constituent while the visitor's background

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is ‗not usually investigated‘.‖ It also stated that ―the issuance of this honorary citizenship ..
.conveys no legal or official status in any way‖.27 It is likely that Mr. Kutolowski was not
aware of this.
I suggest that these awards are misleading as they are currently represented on the Falun
Gong Web site. I suggest that they have given Falun Gong practitioners, particularly Falun
Gong practitioners in China, a misconception about Li's status in the United States and the
false impression that Li's teaching is being supported by U.S. elected officials. As a
commonly engaged in public relations act, these awards are not ―profound‖ and they do not
represent the ―understanding and recognition of Falun Dafa by human beings and society.‖
Here is an example of a proclamation from the Township of Edison, Office of the Mayor:
Whereas, Falun Dafa's positive impact on individuals and society, as well as
the remarkable contribution to humanity by Mr. Li Hong Zhi have been widely
recognized and honored in the United States, and
Whereas, Falun Dafa has helped over 100 million people worldwide to
improve their health, elevate their mind, uplift their spirit, and deepen their
understanding of life, humanity and the universe, and
Whereas, Falun Dafa has also helped numerous young people and adults turn
away from alcohol, drugs, violence, and other bad habits to pursue a more
meaningful life and
Whereas Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) is a pure cultivation and
practice system of mind and body at high level with ancient historical roots
and
Whereas, Mr. Li's teachings emphasize high moral values and contribute
significantly to the improvement of our society.
Now, therefore, I George A. Spadoro, Mayor of Edison, Middlesex County,
New Jersey, do hereby proclaim and declare Saturday, October 9, 1999 as
Master Li Hong Zhi Day
And encourage all Edison Residents to recognize and honor Mr. Li for
improving the quality of life of people around the world.
In Witness whereof have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of
Edison to be affixed, on this the Ninth Day of October, in the Year One
Thousand Nine-hundred and Ninety-nine.
The Chinese Government’s Concerns
The Chinese government criticizes the teachings of Li Hongzhi as being harmful to
practitioners, anti-scientific, full of feudal superstition, and a cult that is duping China‘s
people.28 In the West, many people have concluded that the Chinese government banned
the Falun Gong because they fear its political ramifications and not because they believe Li's
teachings are harmful. I suggest that the ban is due to a combination of these reasons.
Everyone in China knows the stories about various popular uprisings in China led by
charismatic rebel leaders who proclaimed various religiously backed supernatural powers. It
is part of the lore, part of the cultural fabric of Chinese life. Everyone in China also knows
about the Mandate of Heaven and how, when the current ruler of China no longer deserves
to rule, the mandate is broken, and such things occur as popular uprisings and natural
disasters, along with decadence and corruption in a weakened government. A loss of the
Mandate of Heaven means that the current ruler is no longer fit to rule.