Taiwan: Clarifying the Truth of Falun Gong at “The Exhibition of Renowned Contemporary Chinese Painters and Calligraphers' Works”

In March, celebrities and the general public in Taipei enjoyed a feast of the essence of Chinese traditional culture and at the same time learned the truth about Falun Gong.

Teachers and students from Jianguo Middle School come to the exhibition	Law-officer of the Procurator's Office of the Supreme Court Lu Renfa and his wife and Director of former Custom Bureau Zhan Dehe and his wife come to appreciate the paintings
Children also come to appreciate paintings	Famous author Bai Yang appreciates a painting

Provided by Australian Falun Gong practitioners Dai Meiling and her son Dai Dongni, "The Collection of Renowned Contemporary Chinese Painters and Calligraphers' Works Exhibition" was held in Taipei. The exhibition displayed about a hundred paintings and calligraphies from more than 60 famous painters and calligraphers including Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, Wu Changshuo, Xu Beihong and Fu Baoshi. The exhibition has been held in Australia, Pingdong, Nantou and Tainan in South Taiwan, and has made a great impression.

Visitors were amazed by the excellent works of the most renowned painters and calligraphers living at the end of Qing Dynasty and in early years of the Republic of China. They appreciated the selflessness of collectors who exhibited free of charge their treasures that have been passed down five generations.

Interviewing Ms. Dai Meiling, we learned that she was paralyzed in 1997 by a disease of her immunity system, and no doctors could cure her. However, she fortunately regained her life from cultivating "Falun Gong." After the persecution of Falun Gong began in 1999, she has returned to China four times and was detained four times in prison. She was not released until she staged hunger strikes. We also learned that renowned painter, Qi Baishi's grand-daughter Qi Bingshu, who is in her 70s and also a famous painter, was forcibly sent to a mental hospital for practicing Falun Gong and her whereabouts are still unknown. Ms. Dai hoped that through exhibiting these paintings, she could meet more people and let them learn the truth about Falun Gong so as to bring an end to Jiang Zemin’s persecution of Falun Gong as soon as possible.

During the 19-day exhibition, nearly 3,000 people came from all walks of life. Led by Mr. Yu Zhaonian, former head of Taipei's Supreme Court, about a hundred people including judges, presiding judges and staff came to visit the exhibition. After listening to Ms. Dai's personal experience, they gained a deeper understanding of Falun Gong, and hoped that Falun Gong practitioners could come to their court to teach them to practice Falun Gong.

In a VIP room, some entrepreneurs, after viewing the paintings and listening to Ms. Dai's story, immediately followed the practitioners to do the five sets of exercises. Some of them wanted to read Zhuan Falun, and said they would buy the book and send it to their friends in Mainland China. Some also said that they should carefully watch their investments in the Mainland China.

Li Qimao, in his 60s from the circle of arts, famous author Bai Yang, director of National History Museum Huang Guangnan, National Arts University professor Liu Siliang and several disciples of Zhang Daqian also came to the exhibition. They were moved by Fu Baoshi's landscape paintings, and also showed sympathy for artist Qi Bingshu, who is suffering persecution for believing in "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" in China.

Several government high-level officials and several retired generals also came to the exhibition to appreciate the paintings, and also learned the truth about Falun Gong.

About 1,000 students from 20 classes of Taipei's famous Jianguo Middle School were led by their arts teacher to come to visit. These young students listened to the experiences of Ms. Dai and Qi Baishi's granddaughter, Qi Bingshu who suffered the persecution for practicing Falun Gong, they expressed that they wanted to learn more about the truth. Falun Gong practitioners showed these students the award-winning film "False Fire" that analyzes the truth of the self-immolation incident at Tiananmen Square at the corner outside the exhibition room. The students showed their understanding by saying that Jiang's group not only deceives the world but also sows the seeds of hatred. The students wanted to have truth-clarifying VCDs and said they would explain the facts to their friends in Mainland China.

A primary school teacher came along with a group of students. In the end, they shouted aloud, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, Falun Dafa is good." Some people said that they had heard about Falun Gong before, but never imagined that the persecution is so brutal. They asked how to help Falun Gong. One elderly person in his 80s came alone to the exhibition. When the practitioners asked him to leave some words, he thought for a while, and wrote, "Falun Dafa is really good."

Some people from the Mainland also came to the exhibition. An artist from Northwest of the Mainland came three times. At first he dare not accept the truth-clarifying VCD from Falun Gong practitioners, he said, "While I look at these paintings, you can tell me about Falun Gong." The practitioners clarified the truth to him about the Falun Gong and persecution in China and he came to understand. Later, he brought his daughter to the exhibition.

This exhibition successfully combined appreciation of famous paintings and truth clarification, and attracted many people who are influential in society but seldom have the opportunity to learn the truth about Falun Gong. After they appreciated these traditional, pure, righteous and beautiful arts, they would accept the facts Falun Gong practitioners explained to them with a peaceful mind. Many people changed their negative impression of Falun Gong, or their indifferent attitude, and on their own initiative asked for the truth-clarifying materials and VCDs with the award-winning film "False Fire." They also expressed their support for Falun Gong.

After the exhibition in Taipei, the exhibition will go to Yunlin and other places in Taiwan, continuing letting more people learn the truth about Falun Gong, and bringing an end to the brutal persecution as soon as possible.