United States: "Compassion" Art Exhibition Touches People's Hearts

The "Compassion" International Art Exhibition and "Collection of Contemporary Renowned Chinese Artists' Works" exhibition were successfully held at the Hilton Garden Inn, Philadelphia from July 26th to 31st, 2005. The two exhibitions enhanced each other's beauty and touched people's hearts. People from Philadelphia and three surrounding states and several counties who love traditional Chinese culture and arts highly praised the two exhibitions. The exhibitions left deep and beautiful impressions on both Chinese and Western visitors alike.

The exhibitions received support, recommendation and commendations from state and city government officials. Chinese and Western media also extensively reported on the exhibitions. Ms. Dai Meiling regained her health from the verge of death through her practice of Falun Gong six years ago. For this reason, she does not hesitate to exhibit to the public her family's exquisite collections of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, collected over five generations - a priceless treasure. The purpose is to promote traditional Chinese culture and to call upon people to pay attention to the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. The "Compassion" art exhibition was held simultaneously next door. Sponsors said that they were moved by the Dai family's story. Through the Dai family's recommendation, they especially held the free "Compassion" art exhibition, which contained paintings and sculpture created by Falun Gong practitioners who are professional artists. The artworks exhibit the beauty of the cultivation of Falun Gong and depict the persecution suffered by Falun Gong practitioners in China.

Congresswoman Allyson Y. Schwartz from Philadelphia wrote a letter to congratulate the event. Pennsylvania's Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll sent a representative to present a proclamation in which she expressed her best wishes to the art exhibitions on behalf of 12 million Philadelphia citizens. She also expressed, "When you use these art works to continue exhibiting the Chinese culture to the world, please always remember the principles that you uphold at moments of success and difficulties."

The "Compassion" art exhibition included three parts. The first part is entitled, "The Beauty of Cultivation," the second part is "Uncompromising Courage," while the third part is entitled, "Rescue Children." The paintings depicted the beautiful realm of cultivation in Falun Dafa, the unyielding courage manifested by practitioners when confronting the violence of the persecution, and how the persecution has affected children. Prior to this event, a similar exhibition entitled, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" International Art Exhibition which contained more paintings and was on a much larger scale was held Boston, Capitol Hill in Washington DC, Seoul, Korea, Jakarta, Indonesia, Toronto, Canada, and New York.

Upon seeing one of the paintings in which a boy who was beaten was locked with his mother in a cell, people were confused and asked, "Why? Why would people be imprisoned and beaten for practising Falun Gong?" Visitors' hearts were saddened. The Philadelphia "Compassion" art exhibition presented, through painters' brushes, the beauty of Falun Dafa, its worldwide spread, and the cruel persecution by the Chinese communist regime. Fadu, the five year old girl depicted in the painting, "Come back, Daddy, came to Philadelphia with her mother from Australia. When Fadu was only eight months old, her father Mr. Chen Chengyong was tortured to death for practising Falun Gong. Their story really made people feel grieved.

A visitor from La Salle University said after viewing the paintings, "This exhibition is great! The guides' explanations are really helpful to understand the paintings. I could not believe that my guide was a 14-year-old teenager. The 'Compassion' art exhibition is really supernormal. Previously, I knew very little about Falun Gong. The painting that depicted a little boy who was locked in a cell is really impressive and sorrowful. This is a tragedy in China where there is no freedom of belief".

Many people signed the guest book and wrote down their impressions:

Unbelievable beauty! Thank you, "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance" art exhibition. The world absolutely needs Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance! - Karen

I think that the Chinese Communist Party should immediately stop torturing innocent people and allow people to have freedom to choose.

"Compassion" art exhibition is really powerful! It seems that the exhibition is an extremely good experience to me. - Jeff

Falun Dafa is truly great! I wish all people who have a predestined relationship will practise cultivation. I hope for more beauty in the human world!

This is a wonderful journey to access a different culture. All the paintings are beautiful and touching. It's really sad to see the persecution of religious culture. However, it is absolutely necessary to expose the persecution under the brutal dictatorship. It is a touching art exhibition.

This art exhibition is unforgettable and touching. It is an absolute spiritual exploration.

The exhibition is great. Both culture and art are exquisite. - Allen from New Jersey

One visitor said, "I have relatives in eastern Germany. I've been to eastern Germany three times. I can understand the suppression suffered by Chinese people, just like what happened in eastern Germany before the Berlin wall collapsed." When he travelled to China in 1998, from his hotel window on the morning he saw many people practising Falun Gong in the parking lot before they went to work. He said the scene was very peaceful and relaxed. The peaceful exercise had no factor to threaten the government and it had no negative factors at all. However, the unbelievable persecution is happening in China. Another visitor said that she was born in Shanghai. Her grandfather was imprisoned for three years without having done anything wrong during the period of the "Great Cultural Revolution."

After viewing the exhibition, a great number of people signed the petition calling for an end to the persecution.