Taiwan: Art Exhibition in Lujhou City, Visitors Voice Their Support

December 6th-13th, 2008, the Truth-Compassion-Forbearance Art Exhibition was held at the Lin Chien-Sheng Memorial Library in Lujhou City, Taipei County, Taiwan. The opening ceremony was held at 10:00 a.m. on the 6th. The theme of this exhibition was "Uncompromising Spirit." The exhibition was sponsored by the Council for Cultural Affairs and the Lujhou City Administration, cosponsored by the Taiwan Falun Dafa Association and Xinsancai Cultural Association.

Prof. Chang Chin-Hwa, President of the Xinsancai Cultural Association, spoke for the sponsors	A picture of the VIPs
Visitors at the exhibition	Mr. Cheng Hsueh-Chung, President of the Gubao Home Economic and Commercial Vocational High School, spoke at the opening ceremony

Sponsor: The Paintings Present Sincerity and Benevolence

Chang Chin-Hwa, President of the Xinsancai Cultural Association and a professor of the National Taiwan University, spoke for the sponsors. Chang said the paintings were created out of Falun Gong practitioners' pursuit of the truth in tribulations. They were also meant as a call for justice. "The paintings give people a feeling of sincerity and benevolence and can help stabilise society." She added that she had been practising Falun Gong for ten years, has not been sick during that time, and looks younger than before.

Praise from VIPs

Cheng Chin-Lung, member of the Taipei County Council, especially liked "The Call of Pureness." The oil painting features a little girl holding a board saying "Killed for Their Belief" in the rain in Manhattan, NY. In the background, tortures were being reenacted to show people how practitioners in China are still being persecuted for their belief.

Cheng said he was in China 17 years ago on business. One day the police invaded his resident for a "special checkup." That incident made him understand that the Chinese Communist regime did not respect human rights. He paid his respects to the practitioners who insisted on their belief in the face of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) totalitarian.

Mr. Cheng Hsueh-Chung, President of the Gubao Home Economic and Commercial Vocational High School, looked at all the paintings. He was shocked at the existence of such a cruel and dark persecution. He did not understand why the CCP suppresses Falun Gong and doesn't allow freedom of religious belief.

Cheng said Falun Gong practitioners were very kind and he personally had friends who practised it. He talked about the painting "Being Destitute and Homeless." He believed that, even when one is exhausted from the persecution, as long as one maintains unyielding belief in the truth, God will take care of the person. He said the painting advocated Truth-Compassion-Forbearance and he would share his thoughts of the exhibition with other teachers and students in his school.

Cheng thought the painting "Present," with two people of difference races together, was especially beautiful. A little girl is giving an elderly person warmth and support. Cheng said people should morally support practitioners who have been persecuted and that kind people should not be bullied.

Touched Visitors

Ye Biao, a retired middle school teacher of fine arts, said it was a great experience to see the paintings. He said art exhibitions like this one were few and far between. The paintings imparted to him the spirit of tolerance, which he though was extremely important for everyone to understand. He believes that, without tolerance, beautiful paintings like this wouldn't exist.

Ye was aware of the goodness of Falun Dafa and understood that the CCP does not allow for anything spiritual. He thought it should stop persecuting Falun Gong.

Mr. Cheng worked in a financial business. After seeing the painting "Assimilation," he learned that Falun Dafa could help one improve physically and spiritually as well as benefit others. According to him, everyone, especially those in the financial industry, needs Truth-Compassion-Forbearance. He said evil like that should not be tolerated and that kind people deserve justice. He wanted to learn Falun Dafa and read the book Zhuan Falun.

Mr. Gong is a retired public servant. He felt very close to the painting "Buddha Statue." Five years ago someone gave him a copy of Zhuan Falun and he read it. He wanted to come to the exhibition to learn about Falun Dafa a second time. He was very touched by the peaceful feeling he got from the paintings. He especially liked "Being Destitute and Homeless," because the girl's bitter and miserable life is not reflected in her expression.

Mr. Chen said he was touched by every painting. For him, "The Buddha Statue" portrayed solemnity, kindness, brightness, and a felling of being uplifted. He believes God exists. He was impressed with the little girl in "The Call for Pureness" and could not believe young kids like her are forced to take the streets to explain about the persecution she has been subjected to.

Ms. Chen brought her entire family of four. The little girl in the painting "Homelessness," made her heart ache. She believes the persecution of Falun Gong should stop because the practitioners have not done anything wrong. She also said that religious belief should be free because it makes the world better.

Hsu, a sophomore in a high school, felt sorry for the little girl in "Homelessness." He saw her eyes asking why but without resentment. He thought it portrayed a magnificent spirit.

Ms. Huang was moved by every painting. She respects practitioners that hold onto their belief despite the persecution. She couldn't believe that such brutal, horrible torture of such kind people is still taking place in the world. She wanted to send practitioners her encouragement.

Ms. Wang, who works at the Lujhou City Administration, liked how delicately and authentically people's facial expressions were portrayed in these paintings. She's been to two museums in France but believed the paintings she saw in this exhibition were better. Seeing the little girl in "The Call for Pureness," helpless but still firm in her belief despite tribulations, she said there was a lot for everyone to learn.

Hsu and three of his classmates came to the exhibition. He liked "The Call for Pureness" because it presented things in layers and the facial expression of the little girl looked so real. He said he understood the little girl even she did not say anything. He had not known that the persecution of Falun Gong was so brutal. He said that the CCP should not act arbitrarily in persecuting Falun Gong.

Art teacher Ms. Li brought her two children. She said the little girl in "Orphan's Tears" looked very innocent and that it saddened her to think the CCP persecution of Falun Gong had made an innocent girl an orphan. She was happy to see the beautiful art and at the same time to enjoy a feast for spirit. She believes God and Buddhas exist and was glad to learn about Falun Gong from the exhibition.