Taiwan: First Anti-Torture Exhibition Held at Taiwan Religious Expo

Falun Gong practitioners reenact several torture methods inflicted on practitioners in China

The Fourth National Religion Expo is an annual grand meeting for different religious and spiritual groups in Taiwan. This year, the Expo moved to Yunlin County Stadium and the square in front of the County Council building in Liudou City, Taiwan. The exhibition took place from November 21st to November 28th, 2004. This year, Falun Gong attended the expo for the first time. Even more remarkable is that Falun Gong practitioners held an anti-torture exhibition, a reenactment of the tortures experienced by Falun Gong practitioners in China.

The Falun Gong contact person for Yunlin County said that Falun Gong is not a religion, and this was the reason that the group did not accept invitations to the Expo in the past years. This year, however, in order to display the beauty of Falun Dafa and expose the truth about the persecution in China, Falun Gong practitioners participated in the Expo for the first time.

Many people come to the Falun Dafa booth at the Expo	The Falun Dafa booth

Reading the information posters	The waist drum-troupe doing the sitting meditation

At the opening ceremony on the afternoon of November 21st, a Falun Gong choir performed many songs composed by Dafa practitioners. Practitioners also demonstrated the five sets of exercises. The movements were smooth and slow, and the music was soothing, which attracted many spectators. In addition, a troupe of waist-drummers gave a performance.

At the Falun Gong booth, the Falun Dafa Association displayed pictures of the Jiang faction's torture of Falun Gong practitioners in China, as well as several torture devices. A signature drive, calling for justice for Falun Gong, was also conducted. In addition to these activities, on November 21st and 28st, the practitioners also held a live reenactment torture of torture methods. Cruel torture methods employed by Jiang's faction on Falun Gong practitioners in Mainland China were acted out. The tortures included the "Tiger Bench," being held in a small cage, hanging up, burning with a red hot iron rod, and piercing the fingernails with bamboo sticks. Many people watched the reenactment.

One couple came to the booth to ask about the persecution in China. After they heard the truth about Falun Dafa, the couple immediately wanted to learn the exercises, and took the address of the group practise site.

A young lady saw the torture pictures and torture reenactment and she cried out that it was so scary. But she did not want to listen to the truth and showed no sympathy for the practitioners in China. So a practitioner asked her, "If even the pictures of torture are so scary to you, can you imagine the feeling of those people being tortured?" Finally, a feeling of compassion began to show in the young woman's eyes.

A visitor said that practising the exercises was an individual's freedom. It was inhuman to persecute people just for doing exercises. A Falun Gong practitioner from Nantou said that there was nothing wrong with practising "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance," the principal teachings of Falun Gong. The persecution in China is trampling on civilisation and human rights. He hoped that all kind-hearted people will stand up against the persecution.

One gentleman already had a favourable impression of Falun Gong. After visiting the Expo, he had a deeper understanding of Falun Dafa. He wanted to learn Falun Gong and took the address of the group practise site.

Because of their participation in the Religion Expo, Falun Gong became known to more people. Besides, it also provided a valuable opportunity for the public to learn the truth of the persecution and see the beauty of Falun Dafa.