Everlasting "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" - A Look Back at the April 25th Appeal Eight Years Ago

The "April 25th", 1999 Appeal was a magnificent feat by Falun Dafa practitioners, as they exposed the barbaric nature of the persecution to the government peacefully and rationally. It was a magnificent manifestation of Falun Dafa practitioners' broadmindedness, and of Truthfulness, Benevolence and Forbearance. It recorded a historic moment in the battle between good and evil in heaven and on earth, and it will be a glorious manifestation of the everlasting truth of the universe - "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance".

The Start of a Return to a Righteous Path

In 1992, Master Li Hongzhi started to teach Falun Dafa. "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance," the teaching of Falun Dafa, is like a stream of clear spring water to purify people's hearts and to illuminate the original compassion inside people's hearts. Being unselfish and considering others first, being a good person, then a much better person...by following these rules, people can find a way to return to their true selves.

Completely disregarding the fact that millions of people had benefited mentally and physically from Falun Dafa and upgraded their moral standard, the evil Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was determined to eliminate Falun Dafa, and it conspired and lied to suppress Falun Gong over a period of several years. He Zuoxiu, a meddler in science circles, made up articles to slander Falun Dafa, which led to the Tianjin event, where police officers illegally arrested dozens of Falun Gong practitioners. From these events, we could see that the evil CCP held a vicious hatred toward Falun Dafa.

April 25yh, 1999 was the day when Falun Gong practitioners peacefully appealed to the State Council Appeals Office. The requests were simple:

1) Release the Falun Gong practitioners who were arrested in Tianjin
2) Give Falun Gong practitioners a free and relaxed cultivation environment
3) Allow Falun Gong books to be published. These are a citizen's basic human rights.

Since the State Council Appeals Office was very close to Zhongnanhai (the central government compound), and so many Falun Gong practitioners participated in the appeal, the police directed practitioners to stand along the sidewalk outside Zhongnanhai. Men and women, old and young, all of the Falun Gong practitioners who came to appeal cooperated with the police, keeping their lines neat and orderly. They were peaceful, and did not shout or hold posters. They were kind and compassionate to the police. Prime Minister Zhu Rongji met with the practitioners and agreed to the three points of the Falun Gong practitioners' request. After the meeting, at 9:00 p.m. that evening, the Falun Gong practitioners quickly and peacefully left. After they left, there was no paper or trash left on the ground - the area was clean. One police officer was moved by the sincere hearts and kindness of Falun Gong practitioners, and he said emotionally, "This is true virtue."

The April 25th Appeal by Falun Gong practitioners was resolved with benevolence. Their behaviour was praised by the international media. Falun Gong practitioners demonstrated the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance," the central teachings of Falun Dafa. It seemed that there was hope for the Chinese nation.

"Truthfulness, Compassion, and Tolerance" Is the Everlasting Principle of the Universe

The peaceful resolution of the April 25th Appeal and the behaviour of Falun Gong practitioners made the evil head of the regime, the Party's then leader Jiang Zemin jealous, fearful and angry. Jiang Zemin slandered the peaceful appeal of Falun Gong practitioners, calling it the "Siege of Zhongnanhai." Soon after, Jiang Zemin and his accomplices launched an unprecedented persecution against Falun Gong.

During the eight years of countering the persecution, faced with the lies of the CCP, and the most malicious methods in human history--ancient or modern, Chinese or foreign--(tortures, electric shocks, organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners), Falun Gong practitioners have never given up their grand wish to save sentient beings. They still follow the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance," and clarify the truth to sentient beings with compassion and tolerance. They have calmly walked to Tiananmen Square to unfold banners. They have courageously broadcast truth-clarification videos through local TV networks. They have established truth-clarification materials production sites everywhere, participated in parades overseas, and peacefully protested in front of Chinese consulates throughout the world. They have clarified the truth to governments, schools and communities. They have widely spread the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and promoted the wave of quitting the CCP. The behaviour of Falun Gong practitioners demonstrates compassion, kindness, peace and rationality, which manifests the beauty and graceful elegance of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Tolerance."

The truthfulness of Falun Gong practitioners dispelled confusion in those who were deceived. The compassion of Falun Gong practitioners awakened their conscience and the tolerance of Falun Gong practitioners ensures that they have no regrets or complaints in their efforts to give people a chance to learn the truth. Falun Gong practitioners have walked through untold suffering during the eight years of countering the persecution.

The aim of commemorating the April 25th Appeal is to disclose the evil nature of the CCP and help more people distinguish what is truly going on, be clear minded, and have a bright future.