PureInsight | March 21, 2002
Abstract
This paper explores how the China of today is facing an economic and social crisis. Afflicted by rampant corruption and eroding values, even government officials are beginning to question whether this socialist regime can be smoothly transformed into a market economy. Moreover, the disruptive forces of globalization and technological change have added a further element of instability. It is also in this complex environment that the Falun Gong phenomenon emerged; a highly effective Qigong exercise practice rich in ancient Chinese culture and spiritual thought. Very quickly, this practice and its teachings began to profoundly affect all areas of society and in a few years became the fastest growing Qigong meditation movement in China’s five thousand year history.
But as a consequence of this popularity it soon incurred the wrath of President Jiang Zemin’s totalitarian rule. No longer seen as just a “China issue”, the brutal persecution of millions of Falun Gong practitioners over the last three years now threatens an already fragile nation. Similar to the way Europe entered its Renaissance, the overwhelming forces of technological and spiritual change will also liberate China. Ultimately, Falun Gong’s timeless principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance will prevail and usher in the Age of Wisdom.
Introduction
After the tragic events of “September 11th”, the 2002 World Economic Forum was for the first time held in New York. The city symbolized a rallying point for the 2700 executives and leaders of the international community. This year, the theme for the Forum was “Leadership in Fragile Times: A Vision for a shared future”1 . Many questions were raised yet the concerns were similar – for the sake of long-term peace and economic prosperity, what values should be universally embraced?
Today in the East, China is facing an economic and social crisis. Afflicted by rampant corruption and eroding values, even government officials are beginning to question whether their socialist regime can smoothly transition into a market economy. Moreover, the disruptive forces of globalisation and technological change have added a further element of instability. It is also in this complex environment that the Falun Gong phenomena emerged; a highly effective Qigong practice rich in ancient Chinese culture and spiritual thought. Based on rapidly spreading principles of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, its popularity soon incurred the wrath of President Jiang Zemin’s totalitarian rule. The brutal persecution of millions of Falun Gong practitioners over the last three years is no longer seen as just a “China issue” and now threatens an already fragile nation. But similar to the way Europe experienced a Renaissance after overcoming the devastation of the Black Death in the Middle Ages, China too is on the verge of a new era.
China: The Next Economic Super Power?
China has been somewhat of an economic mystery over the last 20 years. Regardless of the validity of the official growth rates, it wasn’t long before China was proclaimed as an economic miracle2. However, the market-oriented reforms that raised 270 million people out of poverty since 1978 have mainly benefited a small elite. Even though there are now 1 million millionaires, 70% of China’s 1.3 billion people are still living in the agricultural age, surviving off the equivalent of a few dollars a day3. The disparity is enormous and potentially destabilizing. Appropriately, the Chinese term for crisis - 'wei ji' is comprised of two characters 'danger' and 'opportunity'.
One of the biggest challenges facing China is the structural change to its economy as they enter the information age and open up to world markets. After the WTO regulation takes effect, China’s 350 million farmers will stand to lose longstanding protective price controls on a whole range of produce, as global commodity markets become the determinant of crop values4. The government already estimates unemployment at 120 million and it expects that number to increase by more than 40 percent as China faces heightened competition. In the rural regions, the situation is far worse. Between 80 and 120 million surplus workers are adrift between the villages and the cities, many subsisting through part-time low-paying jobs5.
Outwardly however, the economy does appear strong. Anyone who’s been to Shanghai recently can see the skyscrapers and the amazing transformations. But under the surface, the problem of corruption is more than evident. Even the officially published figures are frightening: 50% of 4 billion contracts signed each year are fraudulent in some respect and 13-17% of the country’s annual GDP (or close to three quarters of a trillion US dollars) is lost in economic crimes. What’s more, two thirds of the biggest state-run enterprises produce false accounts6. With the State employing 70% of all urban workers, the pressure to keep these firms afloat via state ordered loans from Chinese banks has been enormous.
Consequently, China’s financial system has become its 'Achilles heel'. The country’s ill-served savers have been forced to entrust over 90% of their 1 trillion plus personal savings with many state banks that are hopelessly insolvent7. Incredibly, non-performing loans are estimated to account for half to two-thirds of all loans. But the truth is surfacing. A US investigation into corruption at the Bank of China recently toppled a leading banker and exposed the extent to which the banking system is smothered by politics8. As it turns out, executives are expected to lend money to support an array of Communist Party state objectives and for other 'private' purposes.
To date, large capital flows from foreign investment and the sustained growth of the economy have masked much of these troubles9. Even in the year 2000, according to official statistics, China's exports increased by almost 28 percent, impressive by any standard. However, the trend line is definitely pointing downwards with last year’s export growth in single digits, officially 6.8 percent10. This year could even see a decline in exports, which would be the first in about three decades. With a synchronized global recession looming, the analysts are worried. If the economy does slows dramatically for whatever reason, a financial crisis could break out at any moment.
Yin And Yang Of Cultural Change
The underlying causes of economic distress, as always, are deeply rooted at the societal level. For centuries China stood as a leading civilization. With a recorded history of 5000 years, she outpaced the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. Buddhist and Taoist beliefs as well as Confucian ethics played a vital role in shaping her unique cultural heritage. But in the first half of the 20th century, China was plagued by major famines, civil unrest and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under Mao Zedong formed a dictatorship that, while ensuring her sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life, which cost the lives of tens of millions of people.
Many blame the current degradation of the moral fabric on the scars of the Cultural Revolution. It was only 30 years ago when friends and families were insanely set against each other. The side effects of the ‘one child policy’, in effect since the late 70s, are another factor. The magnitude of this social experiment is hard to fathom; approximately 330 million births have been prevented to date11. It is little wonder extreme pragmatism has now become embedded in the national psyche. And when Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping famously proclaimed ‘To be rich is glorious!’ no sooner had greed become good. Largely devoid - ever since Communist rule - of their rich cultural and spiritual traditions , the nation today is at a crossroads, struggling to recover its lost identity.
The Falun Gong Phenomenon
It was specifically under these circumstances that Falun Gong rose to prominence in China. In 1992, Mr. Li Hongzhi reintroduced the ancient concept of cultivation practice, a system that refined the mind, body and spirit. Based on the universal principles of Truth, Compassion and Forbearance the spiritual practice also incorporated five gentle Qigong and meditation exercises.
For these practitioners of Falun Gong who came from all social classes and age groups, 'Zhen' or Truth meant assimilating to honesty and sincerity. The concept of 'Shan' or Compassion was more than just kindness and benevolence. It involved sacrifice, thinking of others first and looking within oneself for faults when conflicts arose. And with 'Ren' or Forbearance, practitioners cultivated the qualities of patience, tolerance and enduring difficulties peacefully. Through the Qigong exercises and the application of Mr. Li’s profound teachings, practitioners began to observe a radiant and energetic resurgence of their health and mental well-being.
Within the space of 7 years Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) became the fastest growing Qigong practice in the history of China. From the beginning, Mr. Li Hongzhi required that the exercises be taught only by volunteers and entirely for free. Additionally, the teachings clearly stated that there was to be no official membership list, organisational hierarchy or donation facilities. Nor was there to be any religious form or interest in obtaining political power. Never before in China had tens of millions of people experienced such an effective and holistic practice that so unconditionally brought health and meaning to their lives.
Transcending cultural and racial boundaries, Mr. Li’s teachings and exercises also became freely available through the Internet and the numerous public lectures he gave around the world12. Very quickly, Falun Gong spread to more than 50 countries and gained worldwide appreciation by promoting virtuous principles that could be universally accepted. In recognition of this, the practice has received over 700 awards internationally and for the last two years Mr. Li Hongzhi was also nominated and short-listed for the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize13.
The New Renaissance
With the rise of Falun Gong, China was experiencing an extraordinary revival akin to Europe’s rebirth after the Middle Ages. During the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries, Europe underwent a paradigm shift in artistic, spiritual and scientific thought14. At the time, society was ruled by feudalism wherein peasants worked the lands for the nobles. For this they received protection and their small parcels of land. But between 1350-1450, life changed drastically when the bubonic plague struck and wiped out half of Europe’s population. In due course, Europe rose from its depression to experience a period of economic growth. Critical to this resurgence was Gutenburg’s ground-breaking invention of the printing press in 1445 followed by the rediscovery of the ancient Greek and Roman Classics. Ideas flourished, leading to the discovery of new technologies and even the new worlds of the Americas in 1492.
While life in early Europe was altered forever by this information revolution, the principles and practice of Falun Gong in modern China also pioneered the start of a cultural and scientific Renaissance. Notably, the teachings had widespread appeal. They were able to effectively convey to all levels of society, ancient philosophical and spiritual wisdom in the context of contemporary Western science. For some, the teachings were beautifully encapsulated by three simple words: Zhen-Shan-Ren or Truth-Compassion-Forbearance. For others, these words were also the fundamental building blocks of nature, a ‘unified field theory’ that brought revolutionary insights to their own areas of expertise.
With the sharing of ideas and experiences a common trait of the practice, exchanges between practitioners quickly accelerated the deep influence the teachings had in economic, scientific and cultural circles. From this, a kind of social entrepreneurship soon developed when practitioners from a variety of backgrounds began collaborating on projects that had both an economic and social benefit. This was important for a number of reasons. For countries like America, 'compassionate capitalism' plays a critical role in education, social welfare and the fostering of the Arts and Sciences. In China however, businesses with a social conscience were still a rare concept. Whilst first and foremost a practice that focused on inner cultivation, the teachings of Falun Dafa nevertheless inspired practitioners to contribute to the longer-term betterment of the communities they lived in.
Resurgence in Health & Vitality
Initially, the most observable impact of Falun Gong was in the area of healthcare, one of China’s largest economic burdens. It reintroduced Qigong exercises, recognized as the ancient science of health, as a practice that not only harmonized the mind and body but also integrated virtue as the key to strengthening the body’s natural immune system. In the 1993 Oriental Health Expo, Mr Li. Hongzhi was honored with the award for 'Advancing Boundary Science' as well as the title 'Most Popular Qigong Master' 15. Very quickly, the awareness in the preventative and curative health aspects of Falun Gong began to spread.
In October 1998, some physicians of China Union Medical University did a large-scale survey among more than 14,900 Falun Dafa practitioners in Beijing regarding their health status16. The results showed that the vast majority of Falun Dafa practitioners (over 96%) reported a significant improvement in their health after learning the practice. Furthermore, the cure rate for diseases including those commonly thought to be incurable was approximately 58%. The implications of such findings led the director of the National Sports Commission to comment 'If 100 million people are practicing it, that's 100 billion yuan saved per year in medical fees'17.
Economics of “Abundance”
However, the savings effect on the economy was just one by-product of the practice and teachings of Falun Gong. Like much of the thinking that prevailed amongst bureaucrats, economic theory as understood by the average person in China revolved around the ‘101’ textbook definition of economics. That is, economics is typically defined as the theory of allocating scarce resources, or the economics of scarcity. This led to the general belief that there was only so much moon-cake to divide, which in turn subliminally justified the mentality of greed. With share price manipulation a pastime of investment houses, the distinction between wealth redistribution as opposed to wealth creation was often overlooked as irrelevant or inconsequential.
In contrast, the teachings of Falun Gong indirectly supported the economic theory of 'Abundance', a theory that underpinned much of the technology-driven wealth explosion during the 90s in the US and elsewhere18. To understand how the practice was a catalyst for economic prosperity, we need to take a look at the three main ideas behind this alchemic theory:
1. Technology is the major determinant of wealth because it determines the nature and supply of physical resources.
Many of the richest men in the world should thank in part the scientific and technological discovery behind converting 'dirt-cheap' sand into valuable silicon chips. More importantly however, the real force behind wealth creation today is the process of innovation or adding value. In the corporate arena, strategic insights have long been understood by management to be derived from a hybrid of analytical and intuitive thinking. Particularly, leading Western thinkers on the subject of creativity have validated the potential of the subconscious mind through techniques such as eastern meditation19.
In this regard, the remarkable nature of Falun Gong’s practice was two-fold. Firstly, while the purpose of the tranquil meditation exercises is not for generating insights or ideas (there is in fact no ‘mind intent’ or pursuit of such objectives), practitioners did however discover that their creativity was naturally enhanced as well as pure in its inspiration20. Incidentally, the skeptics have always argued creativity can’t be taught or artificially manufactured but as explained by the teachings, the truth about how inspiration comes about is somewhat paradoxical. Secondly, the practice’s ability to pass on the benefits of creativity and clarity of thought to so many millions of people in China was unparalleled. What’s more, in achieving this, it didn’t require expensive management consultants or the overhaul of the entire education system.
2. The advancement of technology is determined mainly by our ability to process and exchange information freely and effectively.
In the networked world of cyberspace, the rate at which information is exchanged in society has increased dramatically. Yet the way we interpret this information and express our opinions establishes whether relationships formed are productive or not. Here, Falun Gong’s teachings emphasize patience, sincerity and the humble communication of ideas between one another. As a result, a highly dynamic learning community was created amongst practitioners; the type which organizational theorists predicted would thrive rather than decline in the modern era21. Interestingly, over a dozen empires have disappeared already in the 20th century. Whereas multi-national companies are beginning to subcontract all but essential work, even large nation states will have to adapt and redefine themselves22. Founded on principles instead of rules, Falun Gong’s absence of bureaucracy allowed its formless organisation to grow at exponential rates.
3. The backlog of unimplemented technological advances (or the ‘technology gap’) is the real predictor of economic growth for both the individual and society.
The backlog of new technologies yet to be implemented in China is considerable. But in the knowledge economy, especially in China, the human potential is the most valuable asset or biggest ‘technology gap’. Accordingly, the main challenge confronting China is whether it can educate the hearts and minds of 1 billion people fast enough to cope with the disruptive changes of technological advancements. In China’s case nothing short of a learning revolution is required to prevent another social revolution23. Fortunately, as educationalists discovered, Falun Gong’s multi-sensory approach to mind, body, and spirit is actually a form of accelerated learning – the kind that is consistent with the last decade of brain research into how humans best learn and adapt to change. The practice therefore provided China with a solution to its enormous educational requirements. Moreover, it also did so at the important grassroots level.
Economics of “Virtue”
In theory, the economics of abundance helped rationalise the technology boom in the last decade. But in practice, as we know, the NASDAQ share market bubble burst in March 2000, having since dropped more than 65% from its peak24. This has only reinforced how in the cyber economy, trust and honesty will be the new currency. While there is more information at our disposal than ever before, collectively, our decision-making processes have not necessarily improved. Indeed, we used our creative minds and we pitched our dreams of a golden era but where did the true source of the inspiration come from? The economic theory of abundance was in reality more often than not practiced with the economics of greed.
Perhaps we have forgotten in our haste the most basic and fundamental of technologies that continues to generate all others. In many ways, language was the first technology and the most intricate of all25. Through language came stories; stories that shaped our beliefs and in turn influenced our behaviour and actions. Language therefore helped us define ourselves and one could say even caused civilization itself. Like other technologies however, language was generally misunderstood. Most people thought of it as a tool for describing the world. Some however, used language to reinvent it. The rise of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance is significant because this universal language provides the people of China the technology to create their own sustainable future. Plagued by the disease of greed and corruption, China has little choice but to apply the economic theory of ‘Abundance’ and ‘Virtue’26.
Principle Meets Persecution
Despite the benefits the practice was bringing to the nation, in July 1999 the Chinese regime completely reversed its earlier position of support and initiated a brutal crackdown designed to crush Falun Gong. President Jiang Zemin simply feared that the phenomenal rise of the movement would become a threat to his power base; something the authorities guarded ruthlessly as demonstrated during the Tiananmen Square student massacre in 1989. On another level, the principles Falun Gong represented were everything that an aging totalitarian state was not. The unprecedented paranoia from the secular government led the regime to declare war on Falun Gong27.
During the first 30 days the official newspaper ‘The People's Daily’ alone published 347 articles defaming Falun Gong28. In Maoist-like fashion, citizens throughout the country were forced by their local governments and workplaces to watch propaganda programs that framed practitioners as suicidal or crazy murderers29. And the use of force has been shockingly brutal. Taken from their homes and workplaces or because of peaceful appeals in Tiananmen Square, over 100,000 practitioners have been jailed, detained or sent to mental institutions and labour camps. As of March 2002, human rights groups have documented 371 deaths in custody due to severe torture and abuse, while inside sources from the government estimate the real death toll at over 160030.
But their attempts to incite a nation’s hatred towards innocent millions, especially their own people who embody Truth-Compassion-Forbearance, have not come without consequences. Over the last 3 years, the true cost of this senseless war in terms of lost productivity and actual funds directed to the campaign could easily be in the order of hundreds of billions of dollars31. Hundreds of thousands of police and civil servants throughout the country have been assigned to monitoring, capturing and ‘re-educating’ practitioners. With the resources of the entire state at the Party’s disposal, foreign investors have now begun to reassess their business interests as they come to terms with just how self-destructive the persecution has become.
Zhen Shan Ren Prevails
The tragedy of the relentless persecution only tells part of the story however. Never before in China’s turbulent history have we seen millions of people react to this type of injustice using completely non-violent means. Specifically, this response based on principles rather than force is what the totalitarian regime fears the most. Any other form of resistance could be easily crushed but what completely disarms propaganda and the life force of state-run terrorism is, by definition, the Truth. With their resolve strengthened, practitioners see the validation of their teachings as perhaps the last hope China has of fulfilling its promise. Somehow they know that a China without Zhen, or Truth, is a nation full of lies… a China without Shan, or Compassion, is a nation full of selfishness…and a China without Ren, or Forbearance, is a nation full of hatred and vengeance.
No longer a “China issue”
Outside of the mainland, thousands of practitioners from over 50 countries are working tirelessly to call upon the international community to help stop the escalating tragedy. From sending millions of messages through the Internet, extended vigils to SOS! walks across the country, all possible avenues have been used to clarify the Truth regarding the evil persecution. The Falun Gong issue is no longer just a China one – the practice has become a worldwide movement that can only intensify as the persecution continues.
Significantly, and also for the first time in China’s history, approximately 100 foreigners from over 14 western countries risked their lives during the last few months by taking their peaceful appeal to China itself32. Though some were heavily beaten during their deportation, it was still a moral victory as the world’s media brought attention to their cause and the principles they selflessly defended. Of note, the demonstrators who were banned from re-entry into China were only banned for 5 years. Perhaps this is a sign that even the officials know that the persecution cannot last indefinitely. Desperate for international recognition, the public relations fiasco of dealing with mass demonstrations by foreigners during the 2008 Beijing Olympics could prove too daunting even for the Chinese government33.
But the problems the authorities face may be more immediate than the Olympics. They know only too well that in Taiwan alone there are approximately 100,000 practitioners who could complicate matters unimaginably if they decided to go the mainland to appeal. This is especially so given the Taiwanese government’s very vocal support of Falun Gong. For the time being however, practitioners have decided against playing out such a scenario probably for fear of erupting the “Dangerous Straits” of Taiwan. If the persecution were to last much longer though, the situation could be very different. Still, there is little doubt that the persecution has become an important factor in the reunification process of Taiwan with China.34
So without any appreciation for the inner strength of a spiritual movement, the decision to crack down on Falun Gong is beginning to backfire on the atheist regime. For the first time since the beginning of the persecution, the information blockade within China was finally broken in a significant way. Through worldwide efforts, on the 5th March 2002, 8 channels on Changchun’s cable TV network began broadcasting Falun Gong truth-clarifying programs – the incident was broadcast to hundreds of thousands of viewers and sent shockwaves throughout the country. As the perpetrators are beginning to fear, in today’s interconnected world of instant communication, how can the lies and atrocities go unexposed?
If history is any indication, then the act of persecuting a genuine spiritual practice only serves to spread its influence, and at the same time undermines the persecutors' legitimacy. Communist regimes have come and gone over the last century but spiritual movements like Falun Gong tend to live on for Ages. At some point, the more enlightened leaders of China will realize they have everything to lose by opposing this spiritual practice and everything to gain from supporting it. When this happens, the voices of dissent from within the Party should mark the beginning of the end to the violent suppression. From there, the rise of Falun Gong will not only be inevitable but far stronger than ever before.
The Age Of Wisdom
Ever since September 11th, we have often heard that the world has changed forever. The fear now is of biological or nuclear strikes by rogue terrorists. For the first time, in this century we are reminded of the truth that while technological advances have created much wealth and prosperity, this same technology could result in disaster for humanity. Perhaps, then, the most powerful technology we should be exploring is the language and practices that instill peace in our societies.
History has shown us that when righteous principles meet persecution…Principle will prevail. For how can we destroy principles or the laws of nature? After the Truth is revealed and the persecution ceases, a whole nation of 1.3 billion people will embrace a new story - a story of Truth-Compassion-Forbearance that will guide and provide inspiration for generations to come. Similar to the way Europe entered its Renaissance; the overwhelming forces of technological and spiritual change will also eventually liberate China. Ultimately, a new way of life will be celebrated, ushering in The Age of Wisdom.
____________________________
REFERENCES
1. The World Economic Forum, based in Geneva, Switzerland, is an independent organization committed to improving the state of the world. Funded by the contributions of 1,000 of the world's foremost corporations, the Forum acts in the spirit of entrepreneurship in the global public interest to further economic growth and social progress. See: www.weforum.org
2. Overholt, W.H. (1993) CHINA: The Next Economic Superpower. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. However, in recent times, the truth behind China’s economic 'miracle' is gradually revealed -
THE STRAIGHT TIMES (March 1, 2002) GDP GROWTH China may lower 'false' estimates http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/money/story/0,1870,105467,00.html
3. China Brief Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 25, 2001) China’s Critical Moment by Gordon Chang
http://china.jamestown.org/pubs/view/cwe_001_008_003.htm Also by Chang: his book Coming Collapse of China 2001
4. Produce include rice, wheat, corn and cotton amongst others…IHT INSIGHT (December 18, 2001) As China Rises, Some Ask: Will It Stumble? by Thomas Crampton.
5. CIA 2001 World Fact book: China http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ch.html#Intro
6. Far Eastern Economic Review (June 21, 2001) CHINA People's Republic Of Cheats By Bruce Gilley
7. China Brief Volume 1, Issue 8 (October 25, 2001) What if Chang is right? by June Teufel Dreyer
http://china.jamestown.org/pubs/view/cwe_001_008_001.htm
8. Far Eastern Economic Review (January 31, 2002) China's Bankers: Rotten to the Top by Bruce Gilley
www.feer.com/articles/2002/0201_31/p030china.html
9. The Wall Street Journal (January 14, 2002) Foreign Investment Not a Panacea in China by Karby Leggett
10. China Brief Volume 2, Issue 3 (January 31, 2002) The Collapse of China Act 1 by Gordon Chang
11. Pro-Life E-News (September 3, 2001) A Fight For China's Miracle Baby By Calum Macleod http://www.lifeissues.net/life/news/010910-16.html
12. Li, H. (2000). Zhuan Falun. New York: Universe Publishing Company. Zhuan Falun is Falun Gong’s main text. This can book can be freely downloaded along with other works by Mr. Li Hongzhi at www.falundafa.org
13. For a comprehensive list of awards and recognition please see http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/scandinavia/01/30/nobel.nominations/ and
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/special_column/recognition.html
14. http://www.learner.org/exhibitis/renaissance
15. http://www.clearwisdom.net/eng/report/award_china.html
16. China Union Medical University (October 23, 1998) Falun Gong Health Effect Survey of Ten-thousand Cases in Beijing by Lin Dan et al
17. US News World Report (February 22, 1999) An opiate of the masses? Millions of Chinese embrace a mystical exercise movement by Bay Fang
18. Economic theory of 'Abundance' (wealth creation through technological advances) made famous by authors such as Paul Zane Pilzer, Adjunct Professor of New York University, author of Unlimited Wealth: The Theory and Practice of Economic Alchemy(1991 Crown Pub). Mr. Li Hongzhi also mentions specifically how while the introduction of new technologies have raised living standards, declining morals have brought about social decay – see ‘clear and clean mind’ p 358 Ch9 Zhuan Falun
19. Edward de Bono is one of the leading experts on creativity. A prolific writer (holds a number of Ph.Ds including one from Cambridge) some of his books include Six thinking hats, I am Right you are Wrong – From this to the New Renaissance: from Rock Logic to Water Logic, Serious Creativity, Lateral Thinking for Management. Brian David Josephson, a Nobel Laureates in Physics and a professor at Cambridge is also an advocate of meditation as a means of realizing the hidden potential of the mind.
20. See Mind Intent, (p345 – 354 Ch9) from Zhuan Falun by Mr. Li Hongzhi
21. Recommended reading include Leadership and the New Science: learning about organization from an orderly universe by Margaret J. Wheatley (San Francisco: Berret-Koehler 1992) and The Fifth Discipline The art & practice of the Learning Organisation by Peter M. Senge (UK: Century Business 1992)
22. Davidson, J.D., Rees-Mogg, W. (1997) The Sovereign Individual: The coming economic Revolution. How to survive and prosper in it. New York: Simon & Schuster. This book describes the far-reaching impact of technological change, predicting a new revolution which will liberate individuals at the expense of the 20th century nation state.
23 Dryden, G., Vos, J. (1999) The Learning Revolution Torrance: The Learning Web. This book sold 9 million copies in under 9 months in China. Tells the story of the learning revolution that is needed to match the revolution in communications and technology. One of the most comprehensive overviews of learning and education discoveries available. See also Rose, C., Nicholl, M.J. (1997) Accelerated Learning for the 21st Century New York: Dell
24. As the calendar years read 1998 and 1999, the Nasdaq soared to unheard of figures: 3000, 4000, and eventually, with an 88 percent expansion over just six months, 5132 on March 10, 2000. That's when the bubble burst…today, Mar 2002 it is around 1800, or a 65% drop in under 2 years.
25. www.newfieldaus.com.au ‘Language in Action’ Workshops & Observing Differently Newsletter issue no.14 The invisible and Deep Technology That Drives Organisations by Alan Sieler.
26. See Wealth with Virtue (January 27 1995) from Essentials for Further Advancement by Mr. Li Hongzhi
27. For an in depth discussion of why the Communist Party chose to persecute Falun Gong, please see http://www.faluninfo.net/devstories/why/index.asp Danny Schechter has also written a book on Falun Gong and its conflict with the government called Falun Gong’s Challenge to China (New York: Akashic Books, 2000).
28. FGM TV (September 2001) Peaceful Journey of Falun Dafa http://fgmtv.net/dafa.htm
29. The real story behind the alleged 'self immolation' incident is discussed in detail here: http://www.clearwisdom.ca/eng/weekly_category/immolation.html
30. For a comprehensive overview of the persecution of Falun Gong please see: http://www.faluninfo.net/ (Also includes a video analyzing the ‘self immolation’ incident)
31. The Persecution of Falun Gong Brings Huge Financial Loss to China by Longyan http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/2/21/19088.html Over a 3 year period, lost healthcare savings could be anywhere between $US 6-20 billion depending on assumptions. The cost of employing hundreds of thousands of people, the continued propaganda costs are also in the billions of dollars. But the lost productivity of 100+ million people directly and indirectly affected by the persecution is where the biggest losses are estimated to lie. With a GDP of 4 trillion US a year, even a small loss in productivity translates to hundreds of billions of dollars over a 3 year period.
32. The first incident occurred in November 2001 where 36 western practitioners from 14 countries took their appeal to China. They unfolded a golden banner with the words Truth Compassion Forbearance and sat in their distinctive meditation pose. Since then, another 70 or so foreigners have ventured to China to bring their peaceful appeal to the people of China. For more information: http://www.faluninfo.net/DisplayAnArticle.asp?ID=5308
33. UK Parliament held a seminar on February 27, 2002 to discuss the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Lord Moyne’s speech best summaries the predicament the government faces if the persecution is still occurring by the time the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games comes around. http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/3/4/19452.html
34. If it wasn’t for the direct intervention by Mr. Li Hongzhi himself, the Dangerous Straits of Taiwan could well have erupted. For more information http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2002/2/24/19181.html. Also, the Taiwanese president has been very supportive – saying one of the first things he would say to President Jiang is why he is in fact persecuting Falun Gong given that in Taiwan, they are model citizens. One could even say that if China embraces Falun Gong, the process of reunification would occur much quicker and without the prospect of violence.
