Holding Anti-torture Exhibitions to Expose the Persecution and Inform People of the Facts

In the process of our efforts to let more people know about the horrific persecution taking place in China against those who practise Falun Gong, we found that it is difficult for many people who live such a comfortable and free life in a Democratic country to imagine how evil the persecution against Falun Gong in China really is. When Falun Gong practitioners started to inform people about the persecution by holding real-life reconstructed anti-torture exhibitions in various places around the world, we thought that it would be a great idea. Through vivid demonstrations of the atrocities of the persecution, we can really touch people’s hearts, motivate their compassion, and help them know about the facts of Falun Gong. After knowing that Falun Dafa is good, people can take the initiative to support Falun Gong and oppose the persecution. Although what we displayed was only the tip of the iceberg in comparison with the true situation in China, the shocking scenes would definitely have a tremendous impact to the bottom of people’s hearts. Not only that but they also created a strong reaction in people who would comment: “Stop the bloody persecution of Falun Gong practitioners! Stop the cruel killing of Dafa practitioners upholding ’Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance!’“ By doing so, we are able to save people in this unprecedented battle between good and evil.

As soon as we realised the importance of holding anti-torture exhibitions, we cooperated with one another so as to hold this activity. Practitioners in German-speaking districts, in particular, held anti-torture exhibitions almost every weekend over the past year. The participants varied in age from teenagers aged 16 to the elderly aged 68. The anti-torture exhibitions have been held in many places in Switzerland, from the south to the north, from the west to the east, from big cities to remote mountainous areas and from the capital to the borders. Sometimes we held exhibitions in two cities consecutively. We enlightened that the anti-torture exhibitions have resulted in a very good effect in our exposure of the evil, truth-clarification and saving sentient beings.

1. Cooperating as a whole to expose the persecution

To make these anti-torture exhibitions more effective, so as to fully expose the evil and the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China, a Caucasian couple made wonderful preparations beforehand. The husband went to his younger brother who is familiar with carpentry. He first told his brother the beauty of Falun Dafa, the cruelty of the persecution as well as the purpose for holding the exhibition, and then he asked him to help prepare the props. After knowing about the facts, he realised that what his brother wanted to do was remarkable and very important. He thus helped buy some inexpensive wooden materials immediately, and make the foldable “Tiger Bench“ and the “Hanging Frame“ free of charge.

The wife thought that the performance could not do without make-up. Thereby, she went to a make-up artist in an opera house, asking him how to apply life like wounds to people. The make-up artist was confused because no one had ever asked him how to do this kind of make-up. The wife explained the facts about the persecution and the purpose of such a performance to him. He was so touched that he not only taught her the techniques free of charge, but also helped buy various cosmetics at a minimal charge. She also went to a second-hand shop to buy some used white clothing. When people looked at her with confusion, she of course explained the facts about the persecution to them immediately, allowing more people to know the facts. She deliberately made some police uniforms to help the audience understand that the practitioners were acting as Chinese policemen. Besides this, she also prepared all sorts of props such as batons, fake cigarettes, bamboo sticks etc. to make the demonstration more vivid.

Other practitioners also actively took part. Some made a banner with eye-catching text reading: “This is happening in China!“ for hanging above the torture exhibition, while others prepared many photos of torture methods, huge posters explaining the facts about the persecution, CDs, other factual materials in various languages and portable loud speakers, etc. They also prepared some detailed information and pictures pertaining to the anti-torture exhibition so as to further expose the evil, allowing more people to know the facts.

Some practitioners arranged an itinerary in order to make good use of their time to apply for permits from different city governments. At the beginning, some cities refused to give us the permit, but after knowing the facts about the persecution, they were pleased to issue the permits. It was especially inconceivable for the local police to learn that their counterparts in China even relentlessly tortured good people, instead of focusing their efforts on real criminals. The police department of Davos City even exceptionally permitted us to hold activities for two days in a row during the World Economic Forum. They said that because Falun Gong practitioners have been always very peaceful, they are more than willing to support the anti-torture exhibitions.

2. Holding Anti-torture Exhibitions to Clarify the Truth and Save Sentient Beings

During the period around July the 20th, 2004, for the first time we held an anti-torture exhibition in the capital, Bern. As soon as we commenced the exhibition, all the passers-by stopped to see the exhibition. They were shocked by the practitioners whose bodies were stained with blood and bruises. In the meantime, another practitioner used a microphone to explain the facts about the persecution to passers-by repeatedly. In the back of the exhibition, many practitioners demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises. The beautiful music and peaceful exercises were sharp contrasts to the horrendous anti-torture exhibits. After seeing the exhibits and knowing the facts, some passers-by were in tears, while others attentively looked at the informative photos one after another. When talking about his impression of the exhibition, a young man from Switzerland said: “Outrageous, though I have heard of the suppression in China, I was extremely shocked to learn that such a cruel atrocity should even happen in the 21st century. It is so cruel that I cant eve begin to describe my feelings with words.”

We could feel that people were really shocked by the exhibition, and they revealed their willingness to help stop this persecution from their hearts. Some took pictures; some videotaped the exhibition, and some queried how to help. One after another, people came to sign the petition to show their support for us.

The exhibition in Bern was not the only one. In another tourist attraction Luzern, a tour bus packed with tourists from China happened to stop next to our exhibition booth. After departing from the bus, they were attracted by our exhibition. The practitioners took advantage of this opportunity to inform them of the truth, letting them know that this type of persecution is happening in China every day and is far more cruel and inhumane than what they were witnessing today. Some of them quietly listened and looked at the photos of the cruel torture methods; some simply shied away and dared not to look at what was on display; some accepted our materials; some said that the Chinese Communist party did commit such things, while others bluntly said that there is no human rights in China. After the tour-leader repeatedly asked them to get on the bus, one of them exclaimed: “Falun Dafa is good!“ I believe what impressed them most on this trip is not only the beautiful scenery of Luzern, but also the appalling truth that is kept hidden from them in China.

A middle-aged woman from India talked to the practitioners at our exhibition for a long time. She raised various questions and attentively looked at the photos of Falun Gong practitioners who were persecuted in China. After learning that innocent people who were steadfast in their belief of “Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance“ were persecuted, she was outraged. She said, “It is indeed a human rights abuse. Since I have my own belief in India, I know that good begets good and evil leads to evil, and there are both heaven and hell in this world.“ Pointing at the photo of the principle culprit of this persecution, she said that wicked people who cruelly abuse kind people will definitely go to hell.“

In another touristic city called Murten, Falun Dafa practitioners held an anti-torture exhibition regardless of the bleak blizzard and strong wind, which deeply touched the audience. Before the conclusion of the exhibition, a city government official exclusively made it to the scene to support us. She said emotionally that she was moved by our deeds of explaining the facts about Falun Gong to the local people and holding the anti-torture exhibition in such chilly weather. She believed that such an event allows people to appreciate the importance of human rights as well as the meaning of the anti-torture exhibition. She highly regarded what we were doing commenting we were really remarkable. In addition, she encouraged us to persevere and wished us great success.

The annual meeting of the World Economic Forum was held in Davos. Davos was extraordinarily cold last January. It snowed heavily at a temperature of minus 20 degrees two days before we arrived their. We held the anti-torture exhibit just next to a snow drift. People were shocked after they realised that we were holding the exhibition to urge the whole world to completely stop Jiang and his regimes persecution and killing against Falun Gong practitioners in China. In particular when they knew that practitioners in China suffered such cruel persecution simply because they refused to give up this peaceful cultivation practise, and what we displayed was only one of the many torture methods. Many people remarked that they could not imagine why this inhuman torture should possibly take place in this day and age. They thus signed a petition to support the campaign calling for immediate release of the Falun Gong practitioners who have been incarcerated illegally, so that the persecution and killing can be stopped as soon as possible. Many news media interviewed us on the scene so that the people in their countries were able to understand the fact of the persecution. Many officials also left their business cards with us, saying that we may contact them if we needed any help. Some people also provided us with hot coffee and food to help practitioners expel the coldness. After looking at the exhibition for a some time, a young lady from Canada talked to the practitioners for a long period of time and repeatedly asked us how she could help us. Finally, she took away many petition signature forms to solicit supporting signatures from her friends.

During the session of the U.N. Human Rights Commission, the anti-torture exhibitions were held at various busy places in the central area of the city. In sharp contrast to the indifferent attitudes in their daily lives, those who were used to the hustle and bustle of city life flocked to the exhibition. After knowing that the mother of the practitioner who acted as the tortured practitioner in China has been illegally jailed for nearly five months simply because she refused to give up his belief in becoming a good person and living according to “Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance,“ and that the torture his mother was suffering in the detention centre would be far more serious than that, they signed the petition immediately. They also wished for his mother freedom as soon as possible. Some said that they didn’t know that the persecution was so serious, and hoped that their signatures could really work. Some others also invited their family members to come over to sign the petition. Still others silently stared at that practitioner with an encouraging look, or simply said that they wished that his Mum would soon have her freedom. No matter how small the kindness is that others express to us, it would be a significant encouragement for the practitioners enduring such horrific persecution and those holding the exhibition.

The anti-torture exhibition has helped the public to learn about the on-going persecution in China. With the real-life demonstration, people would never subconsciously shy away from the brutal persecution in China again. They thus took the initiative to understand the facts about the persecution. Their compassion has been awakened and many people have showed their support for us. Not only that but they have also chosen a bright future for themselves.

3. Let go of self and eliminate attachments

During the anti-torture exhibition, we minimised the intake of water and food so as to save the time for going to toilet. Our hands were quite painful from time to time from being tied up with rope. After being confined in a small cage with my head and back bent for a long period of time, I also felt some pains in my waist and back. In particular, it was exceptionally hard for me to stand still in the summer with the scorching sun or in the winter with the chilly wind. The physical suffering was far less significant than the conflicts in our hearts. As long as we let go of our selves and human notions, not only would our hearts be peaceful, but our physical suffering would disappear as well.

A senior practitioner aged over sixty years had a special experience. One day at an anti-torture exhibition, she was the only person there to demonstrate the hanging up-side down torture method for nearly four hours, and nobody was available to replace her. Considering the situation that there were so many people coming to see the exhibition, if she took a rest, there would be nobody there to do the demonstration. As a result, she persevered to the end, regardless of being hungry and thirsty, though her legs were numb and her hands were painful due to being tied tightly. In the meantime, a conflict gradually emerged in her mind: “Why is no one coming to replace me? When can I take a rest.“ However, after thinking it over again, she found that her notion was not right. She asked herself, “Don’t we come here to save sentient beings? Don’t other practitioners save sentient beings in other places too?“ In particular, when thinking of the practitioners in China, who are mentally and physically persecuted by the evil forces at all times in such a wicked environment and who have a genuine threat to their lives, it dawned on her that what she was suffering was actually nothing. Her mind thus gradually calmed down. When she enlightened to the fact that her demonstration could have positive effects on saving sentient beings, the discomfort in her body immediately disappeared, and she no long felt like time was passing slowly.

A young practitioner was tied tightly to the “Tiger Bench“ at the exhibition in Davos when the temperature was below minus 20 degrees. When other practitioners wanted to replace her, she always said that she was fine. Afterwards, someone asked her whether she felt cold. She replied that it was very cold no matter how much you wore, but I thought if I was tied there a little longer, others might thus suffer less. She added that the practitioners in China were forced to wear thin clothing and stayed outdoors for long hours, that they are forced to walk in heavy snow barefooted, or even had cold water poured over their bodies, therefore what we are suffering here is no big deal.

A young mother was in tears when she heard her several-month old son crying right after she was hung at an exhibition. She didn’t cry over her son’s situation, as she knew that some practitioners would take good care of him. Rather it was because her son’s crying reminded her of the brutal persecution against Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Wang Lixuan and her son. The eight-month old son, Menghao, was about the same age as hers, but he was tortured to death by the evil police in China. As a mother, she could deeply feel how cruel the atrocities that Falun Dafa practitioners in China are faced with.

For those who played the role of Chinese policemen, it was also by no means an easy job. In the beginning some practitioners were not willing to play this role. It was not because they were afraid of the discomfort resulting from wearing the black uniform in hot weather which would make them sweat, nor because of the fatigue due to standing still and waving the baton incessantly. It was because they were not willing to act as evil police, since the role might often be disdained or even seriously condemned by passers-by shouting, “Put down your baton! It is you that should be put in jail!“ Sometimes children might ask their parents to stay away from the evil police too. Practitioners clearly knew that if there was no “evil police“ at the exhibition, the environment that Falun Dafa practitioners in China would not be fully reflected. After practitioners let go of their human notions, they were able to play the role of the “evil police“ more realistically.

During the process of coordinating and demonstrating, we might have had some disagreements with one another. Through studying the Falun Gong teachings and looking inward, we gradually rectified our own human notions. After looking at things from others’ perspective, the overall coordination thus became more and more smooth. If we want to play our roles well in an anti-torture exhibition and do well in letting people know about Falun Dafa and the persecution, we really need to cooperate with one another as a whole body.

There are many other places where we have never been, and there are many more sentient beings who are waiting for us to explain the truth to them. We must do well the three things Teach Li reminded us to do. Therefore, we need to cultivate ourselves well, cooperate with one another well and hold that anti-torture exhibits to a high standard. Let’s take our own responsibilities and keep our promises.

Thank you, Teacher Li. Thank you everyone.