Who are the Falun Gong and why are they being repressed?
“Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) is a popular spiritual movement in China. …It is a meditative discipline that draws on Buddhism, Taoism and the traditional Chinese doctrine of Qigong and has been valued and promoted for its mental and physical health benefits.” “Practitioners are encouraged to practice the exercises (which include slow moving, standing gestures, stretches and postures to sitting in meditation) privately or in groups and adhere to the core principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.” “Falun Gong practitioners … as a group has never made any demands for political reform or change in China.” “Initial Chinese government reaction to the increasing popularization of the Falun Gong movement in the early 1990s was positive, and potential health benefits for older practitioners were cited by officials as a useful and cost beneficial spin-off effect.” The peaceful protest in central Beijing in April 1999 was the largest held in China since the Tiananmen Sq
