Taiwan: Falun Dafa Study Camp for Teachers Held in Fengtian Primary School

From August the 2nd to the 10th, 2004, a nine-day "Falun Dafa Study Camp for Teachers" was held in Fengtian Primary School in Taichung County. Director of the Education Bureau of Taichung County, Wang Mingyu, and Legislator Guo Junming came in person to make speeches. Between 70 and 100 teachers, students, and people from different walks of life including lawyers, bank clerks, personnel from police departments, company managers and civil servants, attended the study session.

Presentations from Supporters and People who Practise Falun Gong

Director Wang expressed that current society has become more and more complicated amidst the so-called "Electronic Age." People are facing unprecedented pressures, and their health is deteriorating daily. So a variety of practises have emerged to help improve people's health. Falun Gong is also a form of qigong¹, but Falun Gong includes cultivation of both body and mind in order to achieve both physical and mental health. It has quite a different effect from other practises that only emphasise physical exercise but don't concern themselves with cultivation of ones character. Therefore it is worthwhile to learn Falun Gong.

Director of the Education Bureau, Wang Mingyu, came in person to make a speech	Legislator Guo Junming giving a speech	Associate Professor Ay Chang Ruey from the Department of Business Administration of Chung Cheng University makes a speech

Legislator Guo has been very supportive towards Falun Gong activities, explaining that it promotes education in life and morality, helps release the pressures of the teaching profession and helps achieve physical and mental health. Falun Gong has made extraordinary contributions to people's physical and mental health. He has witnessed many Falun Gong practitioners' unselfish efforts, and he has admired and has also begun to pay attention to Falun Gong. He explained that Falun Gong was first introduced to the public by Mr. Li Hongzhi in 1992 and has been spread to over 60 countries in over ten years. More than a hundred million people are practising it. If it were not a practice that is conducive to people's physical and mental health, how could it achieve recognition from so many people?

As there were more than a hundred million people practising Falun Gong in China, Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin and his followers, out of Jiang's envy and resentment, initiated a large-scale suppression and persecution of innocent Falun Gong practitioners. Several Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners were illegally arrested and detained in Mainland China. This year, the Taiwan Legislative Yuan (the legislative body), first proposed to the government to request the authorities in Mainland China, through appropriate channels, to immediately release Taiwanese Falun Gong practitioners unconditionally, and to stop this persecution of peoples' basic beliefs. The resolution was supported by 126 members from different parties, with 39 members co-sponsoring the resolution and 97 members jointly signing. Legislator Guo was one of them. This resolution was passed on the 8th of June by all legislators in the Legislative Yuan without objection and has been submitted to the Executive Yuan.

Fengtian Primary School Principal Chen Kunshui, who voluntarily offered a place to practice the Falun Gong exercises on a regular basis and equipment and all other coordination work, mentioned that he travelled to China several years ago and saw countless people practising Falun Gong. This year he also saw many Falun Gong activities in Singapore. It shows that Falun Gong has become a popular practice around the world. He was also moved by the efforts of Ms. Tang and Ms. Jiang who sponsored the activity.

Associate professor and Falun Gong practitioner Ay Chang Ruey from the Department of Business Administration of Chung Cheng University, talked about the issue of life. He said that there were a lot of areas in our lives that are not as good as one might wish, and a lot of questions left unanswered. But he found that all the answers could be found in the book, Zhuan Falun². He reminded everyone that one should not view things from old notions that are present in society, as otherwise there would be no room for change and improvement.

Doctor Hu Naiwen from Shanghai Tongdetang (a renowned herbal pharmacy) gives a speech	Professor Liu Chengyi from the Office of Student Affairs of National Chung Hsing University gives a speech
Associate professor Zhong Gulan from the Department of Economics of Dong Hai University gives a speech	Zhang Fuzhang from the Institute for Chemical Research of National Taiwan University gives a speech

Professor Liu Chengyi from the Office of Student Affairs in Chung Hsing University said that good physical and mental health is achievable. Practising Falun Dafa to become a good person following the principle of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance," to be considerate of others and pay attention to the improvement of one's moral character, will ultimately lead to good physical and mental health. Professor Liu had once considered an operation to address his heart disease. After practising Falun Gong, his heart disease was cured without taking any medicine.

Associate Professor Zhong Gulan from the Department of Economics of Dong Hai University began her speech with the sentence, "What do people live for?" leading the audience to think. What is the meaning of life? How can one have a clear knowledge of life? Her father died in a traffic accident, bringing her family a heavy blow. No matter how splendid a life is, something unexpected may happen any time. Now, her mother, brothers and sisters' families all practice Falun Gong and have experienced tremendous positive changes in their body and mind. Professor Zhong said she was very susceptible to cold before practising Falun Gong, and she would wrap herself with layer upon layer of clothes to fight against the winter cold. She never imagined that she would be able to take a cold shower after practising Falun Gong.

Zhang Fuzhang from the Institute of Chemical Research in National Taiwan University, currently working at China's Petroleum Company, stated that being a good person is a true science, because morality and kind thoughts are a kind of energy, and a science. So even the smartest person in China should develop a high level of morality.

Physician Ao Man-guan from the Department of Orthopedics of Cheng Hsing Hospital gave a speech on how to maintain health. He said falling ill is a warning. Modern people's morality is sliding down, scientific technology develops rapidly, and the environment is deteriorating and as a result people have moved farther and farther away from their true nature. On top of that, people's greediness and the pressures they create cause a variety of diseases, and both natural and man-made disasters. Actually, all these phenomena are a warning to human beings.

Dean of the Department of Orthopaedics of Cheng Hsing Hospital, Ao Man-guan gives a speech	Lawyer Chu Wan-chi from New York State, US gives a speech
Engineer Shi Xue-jing from the Institute of Industrial Research gives a speech	Director Chang Jing-hua from the Graduate Institute of Journalism at National Taiwan University gives a speech

One of the members of the Global Coalition to Bring Jiang to Justice, lawyer Chu Wan-chi, described that she used to have a tumour, and within a few months after practising Falun Dafa, she miraculously regained her health. Someone asked her how one acts according to "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." Ms. Chu said, with a kind thought in mind, she was always considering her clients and her opponents. When she appears at court, she would always be tolerant, calm and peaceful, presenting facts and speaking the truth; this has turned out to be very effective. Her opponents find that they want to reconcile. It is really rare in a court situation, where the struggles are usually really intense.

Shi Xue-jing from the Institute of Industrial Research was very shy before practising Falun Gong, but he can now speak with assurance on a topic that many people are interested in: the mysteries of prehistoric civilisation. With the help of compelling films, he introduced historic sites and relics from past civilisations. Some of them showing signs that they even exceeded today's general scientific knowledge.

Director of the Graduate Institute of Journalism at National Taiwan University, Chang Jing-hua, looked very similar to a graduate student herself, though she is in her 40s. Her youthful appearance enhanced attendees' confidence in practising Falun Gong. She explained how her health was very poor before practising Falun Gong; she was showing signs of ageing, and she had tried a variety of ways to preserve her health but none had much effect. Now, when she has conflicts with family members or colleagues, she always conducts herself according to "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." On the surface, her tolerance made her lose many things in ordinary human society, but after passing the "tests," she felt what she gained was much more than what she lost. No loss, no gain!

Every day, attendees listened to the founder of Falun Gong, Master Li's lectures and professors' sharing of their cultivation experiences, and then practised the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. The five sets of exercises were so easy to learn. They felt the gentle stretching and felt very comfortable all over their body. But the "Holding the Wheel" movements were also a challenge to the new practitioners. If they stayed in one position for a long period of time, their arms would feel painful and ache, but after finishing the practice, they felt so comfortable, without any tiredness. Sitting in the full lotus position to many new practitioners was also not easy, but everyone put in a great deal of effort and was able to accomplish it.

Everyone is attentively learning the exercises	Falun Gong practitioners Lin Xingjun and her son

Attendees Shared Their Experiences and Understanding Towards Falun Gong

Lin Hsing-jun from Dahua Middle School said, "I began practicing Falun Gong after attending a Falun Dafa Study Camp for Teachers two years ago, but in the past two years, I was not diligent enough. I could not get up early in the morning to do the exercises, and I could not often read Zhuan Falun, either. This time, attending this nine-day study camp, I feel I am a fortunate person to be able to hear the cultivation experiences from professors, doctors, lawyers and scientific researchers. They have higher education but they are not conceited, instead, they are more modest and diligent because of practising the exercises and studying the teachings of Falun Gong. In their professions, they follow the principle of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance.' I will learn from them and I will be more steadfast in practising Falun Dafa."

Retired teacher Chen Hsiu-ling expressed that the exercises were so good, that she would encourage her friends to also come and learn them.

Lin Tingting who was the first person registered for the study camp, was from Kunshan Primary School. She said that she has now discovered the place for her soul to stay, and she now knows how to live.

Lu Hsu-ben from Dahua Middle School used to practice other forms of qigong. He said he didn't feel anything when practising other qigongs, but when he practised Falun Gong, he could feel a current of heat and energy passing through his body.

After the nine-day study camp, attendees were grateful to Falun Gong for purifying their bodies. Some felt very good and invited their family members and friends to come and learn. The nine days passed quickly, and the attendees felt reluctant to leave. They warmly discussed their experiences with each other and they thanked the sponsor for providing such an opportunity where they could learn about such a great way to improve their physical and mental health. They have turned a new page in their lives.

Terms:

1. Qigong is the name given to traditional Chinese exercises for cultivating "qi" or vital energy.
2. The book, Zhuan Falun, comprises the principal teachings of Falun Dafa.