United States: Falun Gong Procession Warmly Received at the San Jose Christmas Parade

On the morning of December 4th, 2005, Falun Gong practitioners from the San Francisco Bay area participated in the 24th Christmas Parade in downtown San Jose, and brought the local citizens the beauty of Falun Dafa. The San Jose NBC Christmas Parade is one of the ten biggest parades across the country and the entire parade was simultaneously broadcast to the whole country.

Banner reading "Falun Dafa is Great"	Practitioners demonstrating the Falun Gong exercises on the float

Coordinator of the Falun Gong practitioners' procession Wu Junxiang said that this was the third time Falun Gong practitioners had taken part in the grand event. He said, "We participate in this parade and demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises to display the beauty of Falun Gong."

Another coordinator, Ms. Zhang Hong said, "Today our procession is led by the Falun Dafa banner. Then people will see the signs that reads, "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." Following the signs are a dance team performing 'Flower fairies', a float, another dance team, 'Celestial maidens coming to the human world', a flag troupe and a dragon dance. Through this form, we'd like to exhibit the beautiful traditional Chinese culture to people and let more people learn the beauty of Falun Dafa."

Dragon dance

When the Falun Gong procession passed by the main podium, the announcer introduced them to spectators, "Falun Dafa, also known as Falun Gong, is a traditional practice of mind, body and spirit. Falun Gong teaches principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance. Today, they are dressed in festival costumes and bring us colourful dances with traditional Chinese music. Let's give them a thundering applause." Spectators warmly applauded.

Spectators along the route constantly applauded to welcome the Falun Gong practitioners' procession. Some people copied the movements of practitioners who were demonstrating the exercises on the float. A western practitioner introduced Falun Gong through a loudspeaker to spectators. He said that Falun Gong has spread to 78 countries in the world and is warmly received everywhere. Some people kept praising the Chinese dances performed by practitioners, saying, "It's so beautiful!"

Practitioners who participated in the parade took a group photo

A western practitioner told this reporter after the parade that the procession was great. He said that he felt spectators truly appreciated our procession because none of the processions exhibited the beauty of Falun Dafa and the beauty of traditional Chinese culture like the Falun Gong procession did. At present, because the Chinese Communist Party has destroyed traditional Chinese culture, people don't have the chance to see real traditional Chinese culture.

Mrs. Chen, who came from China, said that she was very pleased to attend this parade and she was deeply moved. In the U.S., people have the freedom to practise Falun Gong. Unfortunately in China, people don't have this freedom. People cannot imagine Falun Gong is so splendid and welcomed in other countries outside China. She said, "I believe that in the near future, Falun Gong practitioners will also freely practise cultivation in China. That day will come soon."