United States: Bearing in Mind "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," Drums and Trumpets Shake Heaven and Earth

"Falun Dafa is Good, Falun Dafa is Good, Falun Dafa is the Righteous Fa, Buddha's Light Illuminates Everywhere." Vigorous music reverberated in the skies above Chinatown in Los Angeles.... On February 26th, 2006, a grand parade opposing the persecution of Falun Gong and supporting withdrawals from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was held in Chinatown of Los Angeles. The parade was composed of more than 2,000 Falun Gong practitioners from around the world, people from the Quitting CCP Service Centre and people showing concern over China's human rights. The Celestial Band led the parade procession. More than 200 bandsmen marched on the streets in Chinatown accompanied by vigorous and powerful drumbeats from military drums. A passerby described that each song this band played seemed to be able to thoroughly cleanse both the heaven and earth.

The "Celestial Band" is a marching band set up two months ago, composed of 200 Falun Gong practitioners. The drums and trumpets are so impressive and amazing that many people want to know more about it.

Bass drums	Tom and snare drums

Members of the Band Come from All Walks of Life

General director of the Celestial Band is Chen Rutang, who was born into an old and well-known musical family. Mr. Chen announced that the Celestial Band was first organised just over two months ago, and there are about 200 members, mainly Falun Gong practitioners from all walks of life from the New York Metropolitan Area. Among them are tenor Mr. Guan Guimin, soprano Jiang Min and some philharmonics, but most of the members do not have any basic musical knowledge training. They include company managers, doctors, painters, workers, homemakers, university students, even high school and elementary school students. The oldest is 68 years old, and the youngest is 13 years old.

Chen Rutang said that it is a miracle to set up a marching band in just over two months. When asked what empowered so many Falun Gong practitioners who do not know much about music to set up a "Celestial Band," be able to give public performances in such a short period of time, and to play such impressive music, Chen Rutang said that all members of the Celestial Band are cultivators, they have a high requirement on themselves, and through spontaneous practise their improvement has been generally faster than ordinary bands.

Certainly, the requirement of the Celestial Band on its members is also very high. The band requires that everyone practises by himself or herself every day, and join with group training on weekends for the entire day. Trombonist Li Baigen said that he liked practising with other band members because he could feel a very strong energy field. At the same time, seeing other practitioners being so diligent, he is encouraged. Everyone discussed together and worked with each other so they could make progress faster.

French horn	Brass

Promoting "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance," Suppressing the Evil and Opposing the Persecution

Drummer Yu Xin is a hostess at NTDTV. She said that one of the reasons attributed to the miracle of the Celestial Band is the power of everyone's "heart," and their spirit in opposing the persecution. Everyone wants to convey the beauty of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance through the musical notes they play.

Yu Xin introduced that the Chinese Communist regime carried out a policy described as "beating [Falun Gong practitioners] to death is nothing, and counted as committing suicide" to brutally persecute Falun Gong practitioners, and many practitioners have died as a result of persecution, with more than 2,800 verified deaths (the actual number is very likely much higher). Some members of this marching band have experienced torture inflicted upon them by the CCP, and some of their family members have suffered persecution in China. The main reason for them to come to take part in the marching band is to let more people learn about the truth of Falun Gong.

Falun Gong practitioner Li Baigen came to America over two years ago from mainland China to avoid being arrested by the CCP. When he heard that a marching band was to be set up, and that the band was to display to the general public the peacefulness and beauty of Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners' versatile capabilities, he immediately registered to join and became a trombonist.

Li Baigen said that when playing the trombone, he felt each note represent his thought, "Falun Dafa is Great, the World needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." He hopes every person who hears the music of the Celestial Band can feel Falun Dafa's peacefulness and beauty.

Trombonist Julia expressed that she felt very much honoured to be able to promote the beauty of Falun Dafa in a form of a cultivator's peacefulness. She said, "Everyone overcomes many difficulties with a strong will, and hopes to tell the world's people the beauty of Falun Dafa in such an artistic form."

Tubas	Sousaphones

Taking Suffering as Joy, Cultivating Xinxing Diligently

As with most other members of the Celestial Band, Li Baigen was basically musically illiterate three months ago. He had never touched any music instruments before.

Li Baigen said, "When I first picked a trombone, I was really at a loss. I could not recognise a music score, did not have music sense, and could not follow the rhythm. I either was unable to make a sound, or was out of tune even if I was able to make a sound. I was vexed, and the more I was vexed, the worse I blew. But, since it is for clarifying the truth to the world's people, no matter how arduous and difficult, I should practise well."

He practised several hours each day, and used great strength to blow into the mouthpiece with his lips. Several days later, his lips began chapping. Even at this time, after the practice, his lip stuck to the mouthpiece of the trombone, running fluid. Even so, he did not stop practising even for one day.

John and Xiao Ran, of the several young men who play trumpets, are both computer engineers who are very busy in their work, and both also do other voluntary work. In order to meet the requirement of being able to play trumpets in a very short period of time, they brought a trumpet mouthpiece with them every day, and once they were free, they would practise. When walking or driving cars, they also practised exhaling and changing breath. John said he was busy during the daytime, and did not have time to practise. When he returned home at midnight, in order not to disturb his neighbour, he would go to his storeroom to practise. For the first few weeks, his mouth swelled due to blowing the trumpet, especially when practising alt, all trumpet players said they felt sharp pain in their heads. But with cultivators' strong wills, they did not slack off for one day, but practised diligently every day, with the result that they could feel improvement daily. Whenever they played a note well, they felt very happy.

John expressed that he grew up in America, and has never suffered much since childhood. Doing sitting mediation for an hour is also not painful, but very relaxed. But practising playing the trumpet was really a challenge to him. The process was a good opportunity to temper his willpower and improve his xinxing.

Being Calm in Mind Brings Natural Success and Outstanding Performance

Participating in the musical performance of a marching band is also to put an end to slander and persecution inflicted upon Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party evil specter, so the participants' involvement is necessarily connected with their individual cultivation. Piccolo player Zhao Xin had some understanding of this. She said, "Holding the piccolo in hand, I was unable to produce sounds, I was very worried, the more I was worried, the less I was able to make the sounds come out, and the more I was out of tune. I thought, Master has told us that people in the past would always adjust their breath first no matter what they did, and they did not start doing things until they calmed down. Cultivators emphasise being calm in mind and being tranquil, so to calm down I sat peacefully to study the Fa, reading the book Zhuan Falun [The main text of Falun Gong]. Gradually, I felt better. I blew again, and it was really good. Without using any strength, the correct tune was produced. Playing the piccolo is a reflection of my cultivation."

The leader of the Celestial Band, Falun Gong practitioner, tenor Guan Guimin said, "Our band has participated in two community parades in New York, the audience's response was warm and enthusiastic because overseas Chinese people have never seen such a large band. Seeing Falun Gong practitioners' marching band performances, they applauded enthusiastically, and many people were amazed and dumbfounded."

Residents living nearby Chinatown who came from China described the Celestial Band's performance in the Chinatown parade in Los Angeles with terms like "Vast scene, with profound influence." One person said that he was amazed at seeing the waist drum group, along with the banners during the parade. It can be said to it shook heaven and earth. He said the communist party appears strong and fierce, but it is actually very scared.