Talk:Falun Gong/temp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Falun Gong, (Traditional Chinese: 法輪功; Simplified Chinese: 法轮功; pinyin: Fǎlún Gōng; literally "Practice of the Wheel of Law") also known as Falun Dafa, (Traditional Chinese: 法輪大法; Simplified Chinese: 法轮大法; pinyin: Fǎlún dàfǎ; lit. "Great Law of the Wheel of Law") is a system of mind and body cultivation introduced by Li Hongzhi (surname is Li) to the public in 1992. According to Li when one cultivates his/her xinxing (mind nature or character), he/she can assimilate to the supreme nature of the universe--Truthfulness, Compassion, Forebearance.
Falun Gong has been the focus of international controversy since the government of the People's Republic of China began a nationwide suppression of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999. The Chinese government claims to have banned the group for its illegal activities.[1] The Falun Gong claims the ban was a result of President of the People's Republic of China Jiang Zemin’s personal jealousy of the group’s popularity.[2] The suppression of Falun Gong is considered a human rights violation mainly by western human rights groups and politicians.
The exact number of Falun Gong practitioners is not known. A figure of 70 million practitioners was quoted in a New York Times article published April 27, 1999. According to the article, this figure was the estimate of Chinese government.[3] According to a statement posted on November 1, 1999 the membership estimated by Beijing was 2.1 million.[4] A main Falun Gong website states a figure of 100 million practitioners worldwide, including 70 million in China.[2]
[edit] Alleged Health Benefits
Media articles have noted that practitioners of Falun Gong do so to receive health benefits[5] from the cultivation practice, and it is these "perceived benefits" which "partly explain the group's popular surge in the mid-90s"[6].[7][8][9][10][11]. However, little research has been undertaken into the purported health benefits of Falun Gong practice. A conference paper in 2004[12] and a study by the same team published in 2005 using six subjects indicated there may be health benefits.[13] However, the Chinese government has claimed that "the Falun Gong is a threat to public health and security, and has caused 1,600 deaths."[14]
In the west, concerns have been raised by a number of scholars and family members of Falun Gong practitioners about the possible harmful health effects of practicing Falun Gong. [15], [16],[17]. [18] Nancy Chen, a U C. Berkeley medical anthropologist who has studied mental health care in post-Mao China, has stated she does not find China’s (earlier) figure of 1,400 deaths attributable to practicing Falun Gong “baseless or necessarily inaccurate.” [19] As reported in the Western media, family members of Falun Gong practitioners have also voiced concerns about the alleged negative health effects of practicing Falun Gong. >,[20], [21]
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ "China Bans Falun Gong", (July 22, 1999) People's Daily Online, retrieved June 14, 2006
- ^ a b Falun Dafa Clearwisdom.net "Answers to Commonly Asked Questions about Falun Gong", retreived June 10, 2006
- ^ Faison, Seth (April 27, 1999) "In Beijing: A Roar of Silent Protesters" New York Times, retrieved June 10, 2006
- ^ Embassy of the People's Republic of China (November 1, 1999) "Falun Gong Is a Cult", retreived June 10, 2006
- ^ China expels protestors after sex assault claims News Letter (Belfast); Nov 22, 2001; p. 14
- ^ China steps up attack on `evil cult' after Falun Gong death The Independent (London); Jan 31, 2001; Calum MacLeod; p. 13
- ^ Comment & Analysis: Fatally wounded: Economic liberalisation destroyed China's health service - now it must rely on police, not doctors, to fight Sars The Guardian (Manchester); May 22, 2003; Isabel Hilton; p. 24
- ^ Smith, Sally (March 8, 2002) "International Women's Day", Dawn Ontario-DisAbled Women's Network Ontario, retreived June 28, 2006
- ^ Helal, Liala (May 4, 2005) "Students meditate using Falun Gong", The Minnesota Daily, retreived June 28, 2006
- ^ Jiang, Hong (May 21, 2006) "Falun Gong Qi Gong", Wellife Faire Presentations, retreived June 28, 2006
- ^ McMillan-Scott, Edward (June 13, 2006) "Secret atrocities of Chinese regime", Yorkshire Post Today: Columnists, retreived June 28, 2006
- ^ Li, Quan-Zhen; Garcia, Gabriela; Johnson, Richard et. al. (2004) "An ancient cultivation practice Falun Gong improves neutrophil functions and causes system-level gene regulation" The 12th International Conference On Second Messengers and Phospho-proteins, Meeting abstract, THP082, page 141, retrieved June 28, 2006
- ^ Li, Q.Z., Li, P., Garcia, G.E., Johnson, R.J. and Feng, L. (Feb 2005) "Genomic Profiling of Neutrophil Transcripts in Asian Qigong Practitioners: A Pilot Study in Gene Regulation by Mind–Body Interaction" Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, vol. 11(1), pp. 29–39, retrieved June 28, 2006, full text
- ^ China's vicious secret Scotsman (Edinburgh); Jun 15, 2001; Damien McElroy; p. 2
- ^ Schlevogt, Kai-Alexander quoted in “Harvard Scholar: Falun Gong Cult Should be Combated in Any Country” Xinhua News Agency (August 18, 1999) retrieved on June 30, 2006
- ^ Engardio, Joel "Spiritual Cultivation" New Times, Los Angeles (March 23-29, 2000) retrieved on June 14, 2006
- ^ “China regrets Congress’s Resolution on Falun Gong” Reuters (November 18, 1999) retrieved on June 30, 2006
- ^ Hua, Vanessa “Critics and followers of Falun Gong: Adherents find fulfillment, but detractors call movement a cult” San Francisco Chronicle (September 18,2005) retrieved June 30, 2006
- ^ Chen, Nancy as quoted by Joel Engardio in "Spiritual Cultivation" New Times, Los Angeles (March 23-29, 2000) retrieved on June 14, 2006
- ^ “China regrets Congress’s Resolution on Falun Gong” Reuters (November 18, 1999) retrieved on June 30, 2006
- ^ Hua, Vanessa “Critics and followers of Falun Gong: Adherents find fulfillment, but detractors call movement a cult” San Francisco Chronicle (September 18,2005) retrieved June 30, 2006
