Cultic Studies Journal, Volume 17, 2000, Page 118
1999 on Oct. 25, 26, 27. Renee School, ―China Police Seek End to Protest‖ Daily News 27 Oct.
1999, described it as ―three days of low-key protests‖ where ―dozens‖ had been arrested. In this
article she quotes Gail Rachlin as saying that more than 1,000 had been arrested. And on the FLG
Web site called Minghui the numbers arrested ranged from 500 to 1,000 to 5,000 arrested on Oct.
25th alone, with ―about 10,000‖ arrested on Oct. 26th alone. Another example: On 13 April 2000
Falun Gong practitioners protested in Tiananmen Square. Two reports that quoted the
Information Center as their source said that ―as many as 200‖ and ―at least 200‖ practitioners
were ―arrested‖, while a BBC news report, using eyewitnesses, said that ―at least 100‖ were
―detained.‖ I believe a full analysis of the media reporting on this issue and its influence on the
American reaction and policy would be a study worth doing.
5. For another analysis of Western media coverage of the Falun Gong see Danny Schechter, ―Falun
Gong: Demonized in China, Downplayed in America.‖ 7 Apr. 2000
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2000 /4/7/8513.html. Schechter agrees that the
western media has primarily used a ―repression‖ frame to cover the story, but argues that they
have not done enough to cover the ―resistance‖ story. He also feels that the Western media has
not done enough to explore the Falun Gong belief system. I differ in that Schechter feels the
Western press has tended to ―echo‖ the Chinese government's use of pejorative words to describe
the Falun Gong, whereas I have found that the Western press has generally described the Falun
Gong along the lines of: ―a spiritual movement that combines traditional meditation and slow-
motion exercise with ideas drawn from Buddhism and Taoism.‖
6. Li Hongzhi .Zhuan Falun. Lecture 6 Chapter ―Mind Must Be Upright‖ 6 of 6. (English version 1998)
www.falundafa.org/book/eng/zfl.html accessed 2 Aug. 1999. In one anecdote in Zhuan Falun Li
tells of a ―true‖ practitioner who, in a dream, was told by Li that his place was ―full of various evil
qi gong books‖ and so the practitioner ―cleaned up his room by either burning or selling‖ all his
other qi gong books. Thereupon, ―Li's Law Body returned‖ to the practitioner because he had
passed the test. In another story, Li tells the story that ―As one of our practitioners was turning
the pages of a qigong book, a giant snake jumped out of it.‖ He then adds: ―Of course, I'm not
willing to go into details.‖
Note on citing Li Hongzhi's works: The copies of Li's works I quote were obtained via
downloading from the Falun Gong Web site. These versions of the books do not have consecutive
page numbers. Zhuan Falun is organized into Lectures which have a number. Within each lecture
there are Chapters with a title. Each chapter is numbered staring at page one. Therefore, I give
the Lecture number, Chapter title, and page x of y. Zhuan Falun II is a bit different: it has no
lecture number but only chapter titles, with each chapter numbered starting at one. China Falun
Gong is organized in the same manner chapter titles, each chapter starting with number one. As
of around December 1999 Zhuan Falun II was removed from the list of books available in English
on the Falun Gong Web site, but the Chinese edition remains available.
7. Charlotte Mangin ―Keeping Li's Wheel Spinning: An Audio Documentary on the Boston Practitioners
of Falun Gong.‖ This work is part of her Masters program at Harvard University. Received via
email (24 Jan. 2000).
8. Mangin 10-11
9. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun II ―Preaching the Law at Lantau Island.‖ 8 of 8 (English version 1996)
www.falundafa.org/book/eng/zfl2.html accessed 31 Aug. 1999.
10. For example, you can fail the test of being a true practitioner if you: take medicine, question Li's
teachings, have doubts, or do any action that would bring bad publicity on the groupsuch as
commit a crime, suicide, harming oneself or others.
11. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun Lecture 8 Chapter ―He Attains Cultivation Energy Who Does the
Cultivation.‖ 6 of 7
12. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun Lecture 6 Chapter ―Mind Must Be Upright‖ 4 of 6
13. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun II ―Mankind in the Ending Period of Catastrophe.‖ 1- 4
14. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun II ―Degeneration of Mankind and Appearance of Enlightened Beings.‖ 2
of 4
15. One of the Chinese government's main arguments against the Falun Gong is that it has caused the
death of over 1,500 people, mainly due to their refusal to take medication or receive medical
treatment.
16. Li Hongzhi. China Falun Gong Chapter V ―Questions and Answers‖ 10 of 34. rev. ed. (English
version 1999) http://www.falundafa.org/book/eng/flg.htm accessed 28 Dec. 1999. He tells his
practitioners that ―after you finish with this class, you will never get sick.‖
17. Li Hongzhi. China Falun Gong Chapter V ―Questions and Answers‖ 6 of 34
1999 on Oct. 25, 26, 27. Renee School, ―China Police Seek End to Protest‖ Daily News 27 Oct.
1999, described it as ―three days of low-key protests‖ where ―dozens‖ had been arrested. In this
article she quotes Gail Rachlin as saying that more than 1,000 had been arrested. And on the FLG
Web site called Minghui the numbers arrested ranged from 500 to 1,000 to 5,000 arrested on Oct.
25th alone, with ―about 10,000‖ arrested on Oct. 26th alone. Another example: On 13 April 2000
Falun Gong practitioners protested in Tiananmen Square. Two reports that quoted the
Information Center as their source said that ―as many as 200‖ and ―at least 200‖ practitioners
were ―arrested‖, while a BBC news report, using eyewitnesses, said that ―at least 100‖ were
―detained.‖ I believe a full analysis of the media reporting on this issue and its influence on the
American reaction and policy would be a study worth doing.
5. For another analysis of Western media coverage of the Falun Gong see Danny Schechter, ―Falun
Gong: Demonized in China, Downplayed in America.‖ 7 Apr. 2000
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2000 /4/7/8513.html. Schechter agrees that the
western media has primarily used a ―repression‖ frame to cover the story, but argues that they
have not done enough to cover the ―resistance‖ story. He also feels that the Western media has
not done enough to explore the Falun Gong belief system. I differ in that Schechter feels the
Western press has tended to ―echo‖ the Chinese government's use of pejorative words to describe
the Falun Gong, whereas I have found that the Western press has generally described the Falun
Gong along the lines of: ―a spiritual movement that combines traditional meditation and slow-
motion exercise with ideas drawn from Buddhism and Taoism.‖
6. Li Hongzhi .Zhuan Falun. Lecture 6 Chapter ―Mind Must Be Upright‖ 6 of 6. (English version 1998)
www.falundafa.org/book/eng/zfl.html accessed 2 Aug. 1999. In one anecdote in Zhuan Falun Li
tells of a ―true‖ practitioner who, in a dream, was told by Li that his place was ―full of various evil
qi gong books‖ and so the practitioner ―cleaned up his room by either burning or selling‖ all his
other qi gong books. Thereupon, ―Li's Law Body returned‖ to the practitioner because he had
passed the test. In another story, Li tells the story that ―As one of our practitioners was turning
the pages of a qigong book, a giant snake jumped out of it.‖ He then adds: ―Of course, I'm not
willing to go into details.‖
Note on citing Li Hongzhi's works: The copies of Li's works I quote were obtained via
downloading from the Falun Gong Web site. These versions of the books do not have consecutive
page numbers. Zhuan Falun is organized into Lectures which have a number. Within each lecture
there are Chapters with a title. Each chapter is numbered staring at page one. Therefore, I give
the Lecture number, Chapter title, and page x of y. Zhuan Falun II is a bit different: it has no
lecture number but only chapter titles, with each chapter numbered starting at one. China Falun
Gong is organized in the same manner chapter titles, each chapter starting with number one. As
of around December 1999 Zhuan Falun II was removed from the list of books available in English
on the Falun Gong Web site, but the Chinese edition remains available.
7. Charlotte Mangin ―Keeping Li's Wheel Spinning: An Audio Documentary on the Boston Practitioners
of Falun Gong.‖ This work is part of her Masters program at Harvard University. Received via
email (24 Jan. 2000).
8. Mangin 10-11
9. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun II ―Preaching the Law at Lantau Island.‖ 8 of 8 (English version 1996)
www.falundafa.org/book/eng/zfl2.html accessed 31 Aug. 1999.
10. For example, you can fail the test of being a true practitioner if you: take medicine, question Li's
teachings, have doubts, or do any action that would bring bad publicity on the groupsuch as
commit a crime, suicide, harming oneself or others.
11. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun Lecture 8 Chapter ―He Attains Cultivation Energy Who Does the
Cultivation.‖ 6 of 7
12. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun Lecture 6 Chapter ―Mind Must Be Upright‖ 4 of 6
13. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun II ―Mankind in the Ending Period of Catastrophe.‖ 1- 4
14. Li Hongzhi. Zhuan Falun II ―Degeneration of Mankind and Appearance of Enlightened Beings.‖ 2
of 4
15. One of the Chinese government's main arguments against the Falun Gong is that it has caused the
death of over 1,500 people, mainly due to their refusal to take medication or receive medical
treatment.
16. Li Hongzhi. China Falun Gong Chapter V ―Questions and Answers‖ 10 of 34. rev. ed. (English
version 1999) http://www.falundafa.org/book/eng/flg.htm accessed 28 Dec. 1999. He tells his
practitioners that ―after you finish with this class, you will never get sick.‖
17. Li Hongzhi. China Falun Gong Chapter V ―Questions and Answers‖ 6 of 34
