Taiwan: Greeting the Dawn

A group of Falun Gong practitioners do the exercises, meditate, and read the Falun Dafa books in a circle on the lawn of Chung Cheng Park in Taoyuan from 4:10 to 6:40 every morning. They have been persistent in their cultivation as the seasons changed during the past three years.

Practitioners do the exercises at a corner of the lawn in Chung Cheng Park in Taoyuan	Falun Dafa introduction materials at the exercise site

A Purifying and Nurturing Stream

Chung Cheng Park is located between Chung Cheng Road and Tung An Street in a new district. Many people visit the park. Falun Gong practitioners living nearby established this group exercise site in March 2003. They have been greeting the dawn ever since.

Joggers show up as early 3 a.m. They greet each other in the park. One time a practitioner couldn't come because of a car accident. The joggers asked why he wasn't there. When some practitioners show up late, the joggers say, "You are a little late today!" They seem to be reminding the practitioners to be diligent.

When many practitioners do the exercises together in unison, their energy field often attracts many people to the introduction materials booth. They watch the exercises and even join in to learn.

The practitioners feel each one of them is like a drop of water. When they come together, it becomes a stream, which purifies their minds, bodies, and spirits. They also feel that it nurtures the sense of justice in others' hearts.

Persistence Is the Key

Early mornings in summer and fall are very cool and refreshing. The big test is insects--mosquitoes, ants, and flies. Some practitioners said their hands were bitten over all sometimes. But if they didn't scratch it, it wouldn't itch and would disappear by the next day.

Practitioners read Teacher's lectures after sending forth righteous thoughts at 6 a.m. Their feelings of happiness and peace merge in the field of the exercises. They hope more people will decide to cultivate after seeing them exercise in the park.

Falun Gong practitioners are the first group that show up in the park on winter mornings. A chilly wind blows right across the park. Sometimes it blows so hard that practitioners are pushed over several steps while doing their standing exercises. However, they are steadfast.

Whenever the practitioner who holds the banner can't make it, others will take up his position. The yellow banner "Falun Dafa. Free Exercise Teaching" is an indispensable backdrop in the park in the early mornings. It also motivates practitioners.

There were a few times the lights were broken in the park. Practitioners still did their exercises. Their persistence and strong faith hold the exercise site together.