Germany: Helping People Get to Know Falun Gong at Frankfurt Book Exhibition

October 18, 2009 was the last day of the Frankfurt Book Exhibition. It was still crowded and lively, inside as well as outside the exhibition hall. Falun Gong practitioners held an information booth in the open-air exhibition area. They introduced the visitors to Zhuan Falun and the main teachings of Falun Gong, and demonstrated the five sets of Falun Gong exercises.

The peaceful, melodious exercise music and gentle exercise demonstration provided a strong contrast to the noisy surroundings. Its unique presence in the open-air exhibition area attracted the attention of many visitors. Many took photos.

Demonstrating the exercises	People came to learn about Falun Gong

A German gentleman bought a copy of Zhuan Falun

Practitioners informed people that in 1996, Zhuan Falun was the most popular book in China. Since 1999, the book has been banned in that country by the Chinese Communist regime. Many visitors to the exhibition visited the Falun Gong booth to learn the facts, and some bought the book. "I support you. You are doing well. Good luck," were typical of well-wishes practitioners heard during the day.

When they saw the Falun Gong information display, several visitors from Mainland China were surprised. Falun Gong has been brutally persecuted in Mainland China for ten years. The Chinese Communist regime has used its influence to slander, discredit, and smear Falun Gong. Many Chinese people have been deceived by the Chinese Communist regime's lies. They couldn't have imagined that Falun Gong could be so popular outside of China or that Falun Gong could have an information booth at such a large scale book exhibition, where practitioners could freely distribute leaflets and tell people about Falun Gong.

When practitioners approached these Chinese people and clarified the truth to them, some of them understood and announced then and there that they wanted to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party, its Youth League and the Young Pioneers. Some of them even took photos as a memento.

A suspicious-looking Chinese man takes photos of Falun Gong practitioners

The man in the above photo threatened Falun Gong practitioners, telling them not to distribute leaflets. The practitioners reminded him that this was Germany, which has freedom of expression and where it is entirely legal to distribute such materials. This man also threatened to take photos of them. They stayed calm and told him not to use this tactic to get rewards from the Chinese regime, that it would be dirty money. This man slunk away and took photos of practitioners from a distance. When he saw practitioners taking photos of him, he quickly left and never appeared again.

Practitioners hope that those Chinese people who have been deceived by the Chinese Communist regime's lies can soon learn the truth. They also hope that people who work for the Chinese Communist regime and betray their consciences will stop doing bad things and choose a good future for themselves.

According to the Falun Dafa Information Centre, Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) is guided by the universal principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It is a high level cultivation practice that can help cultivators return to their original, true selves. Since its public introduction by Mr Li Hongzhi in 1992, hundreds of millions people have benefited from practising Falun Gong. Falun Dafa has spread to over 110 nations and regions. Falun Gong has also received over a thousand awards from various countries.

According to the practitioners who applied for the information booth at the book exhibition, the organiser initially didn't approve their application. When practitioners provided the organiser with relevant materials, he quickly agreed and provided the admission tickets.