Taiwan: "Peaceful Journey of Falun Dafa" Photo Exhibition and Renowned Artists' Exhibition Open in Tainan County

On the morning of February 18, the opening ceremony for the "Journey of Falun Dafa" photo exhibition and "Modern Chinese artists' authentic works exhibition" was held in the Lihua Cultural Centre, Tainan County. Governor of Tainan County Mr. Su Huan-chi gave the opening remarks. Director of the Culture Bureau, Mr. Yeh Tse-shan and Deputy director of Australia's Chinese Art and Culture Association, Ms. Dai Mei-ling cut the ribbon at the ceremony. Honoured guests included Mayor of the city of Hsin-ying, Supervisor of Hsue-jia Town and several principals of local schools.

Visitors enjoying the paintings.	Governor of Tainan County, Mr. Su Huan-chi, wishes the exhibition a great success

This exhibition combined cultivation and art. Ms. Dai Mei-ling, deputy director of the Australia's Chinese Art and Culture Association, transported by air from Australia to Taiwan the more than 60 renowned artists' authentic art works that her family has collected. At the opening tea party, Ms. Dai also mentioned that Mr. Qi Baishi's granddaughter, Ms. Qi Bingshu, a nearly-70-year-old famous artist, was forcibly locked in a psychiatric hospital in 1999 simply because she practices Falun Gong and firmly believes in Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance. Afterwards, Ms. Qi was imprisoned in Beijing Xinanhe Labour and subjected to persecution. After that, her whereabouts remains unclear. Ms. Dai called upon people throughout the world to pay attention to the plight of Ms. Qi Bingshu, granddaughter of Qi Baishi, the most famous artist in modern Chinese history. She appealed to stop this inhuman persecution.

Governor of Tainan County Mr. Su Huan-chi said, "It is a grand occasion in Tainan County to exhibit authentic art works of these great artists." "We especially thank Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners for making it possible to exhibit the art works of internationally renowned artists. Many practitioners in Mainland are imprisoned and persecuted. Even a Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioner was detained for a number of days when he visited Mainland. It really worries us for a regime to suppress a fundamental belief and a health-beneficial practice, which is also part of the essence of the Chinese culture. Falun Gong is now a focus in the world. While the world has become so developed, in Mainland, practicing and believing in Falun Gong are not allowed. People are put in jail for practicing it. In addition to thanking these practitioners, I would like to use this opportunity to appeal for the universal human rights and freedoms of belief, expression and culture. I hope developed countries all over the world would not trade basic human rights for the exchange of economic interests. Please do not tolerate the fact that the 100 million people in China are unable to openly practice Falun Gong and even overseas people who care about them encountered imprisonment, which should never have happened."