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A spectacle not seen in Mainland China since before 1999 is flourishing in Taiwan.
[Zhang Qingxi, Chairman, Taiwan Falun Dafa Association]:
"Today we have over seven thousand Falun Gong practitioners here, plus over one hundred overseas practitioners."
Large scale assemblies of Falun Gong practitioners used to be common in China, until the practice became a target for suppression by authorities.
[Mr. Chen, Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"In Mainland China the communist party persecutes people of faith and those who support civil liberties.
In 1999 the Chinese regime banned Falun Gong. Since then, practitioners of the spiritual discipline have been subjected to brutal persecution and haven't been able to gather in large numbers.
But adherents of the practice in Taiwan carry on the tradition, creating an image of Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong.
[Mrs. Huang, Taiwan Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"Creating this image of our teacher is an expression of thanks from students to teacher, we are thanking our teacher."
To understand why they are so thankful, you just have to ask. Many Falun Gong practitioners tell stories of a complete turn around in their lives after starting the practice.
[Mrs. Chi, Japanese Falun Gong Practitioner]:
"My most significant experience in my 9 years of practicing Falun Gong is recovering from a state of illness, now my body is healthy. My thinking also isn't like before, always just thinking of myself, feeling like dying when things didn't go my way; now I am really interested in life."
May 13th will mark the 20th anniversary of Falun Gong's introduction to the public.
