Dixon

This is the only forum where Chi Kung/meditation would be discussed. So i'll take a chance and ask the question here. In 96(?) 97(?) there was a big news story about a "cult" in China. These people were hardcore Chi Kung practicioners that found a new technique. It was so powerful and addictive that people were leaving their jobs and their families to practice it. Not knowing what to do the chinese goverment labeled it "demonic" because of the impact it was having on its practicioners lives and made it illegal. Thats about all i remember. It had a name but it was 9 years ago and in chinese so i have no idea what it was called. I've looked for it online and found nothing. I was hoping someone here might have a clue, any info on it. I'm not looking to join the darkside. This story has crossed mind about once a month for the last few years. Anyway if you have any info on it please post it or send me a PM.
Thanks, D

joedoe

Falun gong/dafa. Their qigong practices don't appear to be anything special, it is just some of the beliefs held by some of its followers that are a bit suspect. The Chinese govt. banned it basically because they saw it as a threat to its authority.

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Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes. Then when you criticise him, you are a mile away and you have his shoes.

Innocence

Joedoe is 100% right, but I'd like to add that out of curiosity, I read their "little blue book", which is written by their leader, and acts as a "bible" (if you would) of thier religion - and it is clear from the book that it is a religion.

It contains quite a lot of interesting material (lots of theories on chi), but some parts are quite disturbing (self-proclamation of being a God)

Dixon

<--- so so happy! Thanks for knowing and posting. Where can i find more info on them? do you know if they have a website or something? I'm really interested in their little bible.

Dixon

nevermind, I found their main site. I really appreciate the info.

Innocence

I hope you take what they say with an open mind, dont slander them, but dont take it as all truth.

joedoe

Good advice. I would be cautious with their ideas. There seems to be a large movement in the West that accepts their ideas and teachings, and who believe that their fellow practitioners are being badly treated in China. Then the Chinese govt. believe that they are a cult and are dangerous (accounts cited of people foregoing treatment for terminal diseases based on the belief that falun gong will save them, then dying). I am sure the truth is somewhere in the middle.

__________________
Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes. Then when you criticise him, you are a mile away and you have his shoes.

Innocence

I can actually say a bit regarding that, about not going for treatment when sick, and dying...

They somewhat warp buddhism...
Where buddhism has the idea of Karma...
But...they say that...you're sick due to your karma, and curing the sickness doesnt abolish the negative karma, thereby extending your ultimate suffering. So, in other words, they say it's good to endure your suffering now, and to never cure anyone with your chi gong (I don't remember the book saying dont go to doctors - but yeah...)

Hmm...
Please, again, treat it cautiously, because it is a religion.

[Edited]

chicken legs

hmmmmm... They protest outside a building near my work all the time, so I approached them a few weeks ago to see what they were all about.

My first question was 'what is the difference between falun gong/dafa and tai chi', the lady couldn't answer that question, but could provide a whole bunch of statistics describing the imprisonment and torture of millions of chinese people. My next question was 'so how come tai chi is considered a national treasure in China while falun gong practitioners are persecuted and imprisoned' - her reasoning was that the chinese govt was scared of losing control of the population because so many people believed and practiced falun gong - I replied with 'well millions of chinese practice tai chi everyday in China yet they aren't persecuted.' I think it was about now that she realised that she didn't really know anything about falun gong (not the information I was seeking anyway) so she began ranting and raving about the millions of people in prison and started showing me a heap of gross torture photographs.

so I still don't have a clue what falun gong is all about, but I probably know about as much as their practitioners.

joedoe

The difference is that tai chi is a form of exercise and martial art, while falun gong is a cult

__________________
Before you criticise a man, walk a mile in his shoes. Then when you criticise him, you are a mile away and you have his shoes.

chicken legs

I study Tai chi so I was interested in falun gong practitioners and the concepts behind falun gong. If you read about falun gong the practitioners claim that its a form of exercise and meditation but as I stated in my other reply they weren't able to provide me with much information, so I don't know who to believe - the propaganda generated by the Chinese Govt. or the propaganda created by the practitioners.

edited spelling.

Innocence

The Chinese Govt are worried because there are a lot of religious implications and "follow me because I'm supreme" type thing in their "bible" (<-- that isnt a good word...but I cant think of a substitute), and that so many people were converted to their beliefs.

ZillaBilla

I'd be very careful with this Falung Gong, they are most definitely a cult. Their little bible book is an amalgamation of Taoist, Buddhist and Christian texts, but the interpretation is skewed towards leader worship and far from the truths contained in the originals. I have on several occasions spoken to Falung Gong practitioners, they are deluded and completely closed minded. Furthermore Qi Gong can be hazardous if practiced incorrectly, particularly when the teacher has a very superficial understanding and the techniques, which Falung Gong claim to be original are once again just an amalgamation from several Taoist and Buddhist systems, which in turn are quite likely to be imbalanced, and therefore hazardous. Also, there are quite a few cases of these supposedly benevolent Falun Gong practitioners committing murder and various other erroneous acts in the name of their Falun Dafa (Law), which just underlines their false interpretation of classic religious and philosophical texts. For example the leader of Falung Gong Li Hongzhi claims he has on several occasions saved all humanity from destruction, also he claims to have learned the Falun Dafa from immortals, which is typical of ancient Taoist texts, however in the classics they are meant to be interpreted metaphorically, whereas Li Hongzhi. Passes them on as literal truth.

Another interesting point is the Chinese government is not against Qi Gong, they are against Falun Gong specifically because they are a cult, the Tai Chi Gong school I used to study with has a village in China, which was bought a long time ago with the help of the Chinese government at the time when land ownership was not legal due to Communist legislation.

Be weary.

Innocence

the first half of your post, is EXACTLY what I thought after reading their blue book....a combination of those 3 religions, but + worship of their leader....

But I didn't want to seem like I was attacking them. ^^ (haha~)
Good to talk straight to the point!

Killuminati

So you say that these technicues are imbalanced and dangereous ? :/ Well, I personally don't trust things that promise you to be a godlike or doing supernatural stuff.

So I think that all this Falun Gong is bullshit, in their book they promise to give people abilities to change shape of things and other spells ?? To make a man special ? Those are things that some use to lure people on their side, promising immortal life and such.

Also, aren't those cultists turning all Qi Gong upside down ?