Paintings on the Theme of “Torture” by Falun Gong Practitioners: “Impaling the Hands and Fingers”

Watercolour: “Impaling Hands and Fingers” by Wang Zhiping (39in X 27.5in), 2004

[Editors’ Note: After the Chinese dictator Jiang Zemin and his regime started persecuting Falun Gong practitioners in the 20th of July, 1999, Falun Gong practitioners who are artists by profession hope to express the joy of Falun Gong practitioners have experienced since they started their Falun Gong cultivation practise, their invincible righteousness that helps them brave the cruel tortures and bloody persecution, their continuous pursuit of Falun Gong’s cultivation principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance, and their faith that righteousness shall ultimately prevail over evil.]

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This painting realistically portrays a form of torture that the Chinese police subject Falun Gong practitioners to known as, "Impaling the Hands and Fingers". The Chinese police often impale practitioner’s hands with drill bits to force them to give up their Falun Gong practise. The victims often pass out during the torture due to the excruciating pain and loss of blood.

There are many variations of this savage torture. The police hammer sharp bamboo sticks into the fingers of the practitioners through the tip of the fingernails. In the process of the hammering, the fingernail will become completely pried off. The police first hammer the bamboo stick into one finger. If the practitioner still refuses to yield, the police will hammer bamboo sticks into successive fingers until they mutilate all ten. In another variation of the torture, the police pinch practitioners’ fingertips hard with a pair of pliers or with a finger torture device. They also smash the backs of practitioners’ hands with the side of sneakers with hard rubber edges, with hammers and even with electric drills.