Letter from an Austrian Practitioner to the Chinese People during the Chinese New Year

Honourable Ladies and Gentlemen:

On the occasion of Chinese New Year I want to wish you well, and also want to convey to you some of my thoughts.

A new year, in particular, is an occasion to learn and express hope for a better future for our fellow man.

Let me introduce myself – I am a Caucasian European woman from a country possibly not entirely unknown to you - Austria. Perhaps you have viewed some of the movies made in our country in your own land of China, such as “The Sound of Music” and “Sissy.” What I have received from your country, however, is incomparable to anything else!

I had the unprecedented good fortune to obtain Falun Gong!

I had bought the book Zhuan Falun [the Main text of Falun Gong] in 1998 and since then my life has completely changed. I finally know what it means to be a good person, have discovered the purpose of life and experienced a much richer and more beautiful existence. I don’t want you to get the impression that only poor people embrace a spiritual path – on the contrary. I have lead a life where nothing was lacking and have enjoyed good health. I come from a wealthy family.

Perhaps you might have noted that all of the incarcerated Falun Gong practitioners in China are peaceful, upright citizens. They don’t hit back when they are beaten, they do not talk back when scolded; that in itself ought to be food for thought.

You are probably aware already that the whole world is observing the horrid deeds in China, and that by now the Chinese propaganda machinery has lost its credibility. No country in the world believes that Falun Gong practitioners are bad people in need of persecution.

I want to send you this poem, written by a person who does NOT practise Falun Gong:

When you can start your day without caffeine and stimulants When you can remain content in spite of pain and suffering When you can resist bothering and bore others with your problems When you are grateful for the same nourishment, day after day When you can overlook people who vent their frustration on you over things that went wrong without them being your fault When you can bear criticism and scolding without rancor When you can look the world in the face without lies and deceit When you can overcome distress without medical help When you can relax without resorting to alcohol When you can sleep without the aid of pills When you can do all these things – Then in all probability you are a true Falun Gong practitioner.

That is how people in the West view practitioners of Falun Gong, and you can realise that no one understands why the practitioners in China are being tortured to death – here, we all know that the truth about what is happening.

Looked at from another viewpoint, please consider this – the whole world has an excellent opinion of Falun Gong and practitioners, and this wonderful system comes from your own country. How proud you must be! All kinds of different countries are attempting business relationships with China and wish to visit your country. Visualise further that peace and harmony would prevail – just think about your children, what a fantastic future they could expect!

No matter what the Chinese propaganda machine cooks up to answer the question “Who is Li Hongzhi?”, it must become clear to you that he cannot be a conventional person. He is someone who explains to others how to cultivate, how to become a good person and how to live a life of compassion, without lies and deceit; he is such a person, whose path 100 million people follow. One Hundred Million Worldwide!!! Numerous races, in 60 countries!

Prior to last summer I had only seen Mr. Li Hongzhi in photographs. I am asking you sincerely once again – can a person who teaches people to become good, and has not only Chinese people practise his system, but also Indians, Native Americans, Whites, Blacks and others, all from varying cultures and backgrounds, be a conventional person? All these different nationalities have understood the correct, upright values of his words.

There is serious reason for concern if one defames such a Teacher and persecutes his practitioners who are heeding his teachings. Good will be rewarded with good, and evil will reap its own peril.

We, overseas, will never tire to tell visiting Chinese tourists the truth about the situation in China. Foreign governments likewise continue to implore [certain members of] the Chinese government to stop the persecution.

It is known throughout history that good will prevail over evil. Where will you, yourself end up if you denounce and defame this grand cultivation way?

I hope to have given you some reasons to think as your New Year approaches and wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Ursula