Falun Gong: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia
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Line 51: Falun Gong's rapid growth in China garnered widespread attention from the media, academics, and China's religious community. In 1996, concerned with Falun Gong's popularity, several Buddhist journals had labelled Falun Gong a "heretical sect" that was turning Buddhists away from the "orthodox religion."<ref name="Penny2005">Penny, Benjamin, “The Falun Gong, Buddhism and ‘Buddhist qigong’”, ''Asian Studies Review'' March 2005, Vol 29, pp.35-46.</ref><ref name=palmer.fever262>Palmer (2007), p. 262</ref>
Until this juncture, Falun Gong had successfully negotiated the space between science and native tradition in the public representation of its teachings, avoiding any suggestion of superstition.<ref name=jensen>Edward L. Davis, Encyclopedia of contemporary Chinese culture, Falun Gong (by Lionel M. Jensen), pp. 251-263</ref> Thousands of Falun Gong followers wrote to ''Guangming Daily'' and to the CQRS to complain against the measures, claiming that they violated [[Hu Yaobang]]'s 1982 'Triple No' directive.<ref name=palmer.fever249>Palmer (2007), p. 249</ref> Li emphasised that activism to defend Falun Gong was an essential aspect of Dafa cultivation, and, according to David Palmer, adjunct professor of anthropology and religious studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, "would separate the false disciples from the true ones."<ref name=palmer.fever249>Palmer (2007), pg249f</ref> Falun Gong practitioners were not the only victims of the state media's symbolic violence, nor the only group to protest, but theirs was the most mobilised and steadfast response.<ref name="zhao"/> Many of the attempts for positive, or non-negative portrayal, were successful, resulting in the retraction of several newspaper stories critical of Falun Gong. Falun Gong books remained officially proscribed, however. In June 1998, Tianjin professor [[He Zuoxiu]] appeared on a [[Beijing Television]] talk show, and openly disparaged ''qigong'' groups, making particular mention of Falun Gong.<ref name=smith2>{{cite web |first=Craig S. |last=Smith |title=Revered by Millions, a Potent Mystic Rattles China's Communist Leaders |page=1 |work=Wall Street Journal |date=26 April 1999 |url=http://www.tibet.ca/en/newsroom/wtn/archive/old?y=1999&m=5&p=5_3 }}c/o third party link</ref> The lobbying from practitioners generated significant results - the reporter responsible for the show was fired, and a program broadcasting content favourable to Falun Gong was aired a few days later.<ref name="Jude Howell" />{{rp|215}}<ref name="spie">{{cite book|last=Human Right Watch|coauthors=M Spiegel|title=Dangerous meditation: China's campaign against Falungong|location=New York|year=2001|page=9|accessdate=2009-12-15}}</ref> According to Ownby, the protest at the TV station was "an act of considerable audacity."<ref name=Ownby2008 /> The demonstrations happened 14 other media outlets.<ref name="Jude Howell" />{{rp|215}} The Beijing Television incident resulted in directives from authorities to cease publishing any content critical of Falun Gong to "ensure stability" in the lead-up to the ten-year anniversary of the [[Tiananmen Square protests of 1989]].<ref name=smith2/>▼ ▲In June 1998, Tianjin professor [[He Zuoxiu]] appeared on a [[Beijing Television]] talk show, and openly disparaged ''qigong'' groups, making particular mention of Falun Gong.<ref name=smith2>{{cite web |first=Craig S. |last=Smith |title=Revered by Millions, a Potent Mystic Rattles China's Communist Leaders |page=1 |work=Wall Street Journal |date=26 April 1999 |url=http://www.tibet.ca/en/newsroom/wtn/archive/old?y=1999&m=5&p=5_3 }}c/o third party link</ref> The lobbying from practitioners ===Tianjin and Zhongnanhai protests=== | |||