(Clearwisdom.net) Editor's Note: To commemorate the ninth anniversary of the April 25 Appeal, Clearwisdom presents this as one of a series of republished articles from years past. The April 25th Appeal was notable not only for its size, but also because it was remarkably peaceful and orderly. Some 10,000 practitioners gathered in central Beijing that day, peacefully protesting for their civil rights. The CCP propaganda machine, however, in its quest to crush Falun Gong at the bidding of then Party Chairman Jiang Zemin, twisted the facts to serve its own motives. To this day, CCP propaganda accuses Falun Gong of "laying seige to the Zhongnanhai Central Government Compound" on April 25, 1999, falsely alleging that the 10,000 gathered posed a violent threat to the nation and its leaders. Nothing could be further from the truth, of course, as this series of articles documents from various angles.
Nine years ago today, the world was shocked by an earth-shattering event. People still cannot comprehend its broad and profound historical impact. After this, everyone familiar with the incident was forced to make a conscious choice between "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" and "lies-evil-violence."
Looking back on human history, from Gandhi to Dr. Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela, all the initiators of non-violent civil movements demonstrated peaceful resistance while leading a level of society. On April 25, 1999, Falun Gong practitioners in over 30 countries from every level of society were forced onto the world stage. In Mainland China, 100 million practitioners became the target of an evil persecution that continues, even today, to kill people without regard. Facing the cruelest suppression and slanderous propaganda, Falun Gong practitioners have continued to persistently, non-violently, and calmly clarify the truth about the persecution to the general public. This great peaceful movement is unprecedented in scale. The number of countries involved, the levels of society reached, and the sheer numbers are extraordinary.
Condemning "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is telling people that they are not allowed to be good, blatantly opposing common moral standards. Arresting and beating people who cultivate "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" is declaring the good as bad and the bad as good. Under such circumstances, what should Falun Gong do? Should they accept it passively? Oppose it with violence? They did neither. Their choice was surprising. There was no shouting, no blocking traffic, and no violence. They quietly went to the State Council Appeals Office adjacent to Zhongnanhai (the CCP central government compound) to seek justice in the face of their difficult situation. Forty-five or so practitioners had earlier been arrested in Tianjin, and practitioners went to Beijing to appeal. The 45 were released the evening of April 25, so the practitioners who had gathered to appeal left quietly and went home.
But soon after, the persecution began. The peaceful appeal of April 25 had been filmed from all angles, and the CCP propaganda machine falsely labeled the event a "seige of the Zhongnanhai Central Government Compound." Ridiculous lies, fabricated "evidence," mass arrests, torture, brainwashing, implication of family members, abuse at mental hospitals, even rape and murder followed. All are used in misguided attempts to crush Falun Gong. Thousands of people have been beaten to death, hundreds of thousands tortured in jails, and countless families torn apart by CCP authorities. Death camps disguised as hospitals are used to harvest body organs from living practitioners. Their murdered corpses are immediately cremated to destroy the evidence while the organs are sold at huge, illicit profits to unwitting patients from abroad in expensive organ transplants.
Facing such persecution, Falun Gong practitioners have never fought violence with violence. With their immense compassion and forbearance, practitioners steadfastly endure all forms of hardship, while spreading the truth throughout China and the world. People have never seen Falun Gong practitioners act violently, nor have they heard words of grievance or discontent.
How many people have considered what this peaceful Falun Gong means to them?
Just as people take for granted the sun and rain, even the fresh air that they breathe every minute, people hardly notice the security and happiness of everything they have and hardly consider where it comes from. Even looking from the surface at the present time, we can be sure the peaceful spirit embraced by Falun Gong is one reason for our happy existence. The cost is what Falun Gong cultivators have endured out of immense benevolence and selfless forbearance.
Maybe some would say, "If all Falun Gong cultivators endured the persecution passively, the world could still be stable." But, in fact, the world would be unstable, as tyranny would rule over reason, evil would triumph over good. Should the evil persecution against "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" prevail, China will fall to "lies-evil-violence," and we would be forced to raise our children in a cruel, deceitful world that was devoid of peace.
Dr. Martin Luther King said that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. From its first day, the persecution of "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance" was destined to awaken world concern.
Mengzi [a famous ancient Chinese philosopher] once said that if he looked at himself and verified that he was on a righteous path, even with thousands or hundreds of thousands of people against him, he would strive forward, ignoring all obstacles. [Based on Mengzi and Gongshunchou, Volume 1 -- a historical book on the deeds of Mengzi] Facing jail and cruel torture, facing state-sanctioned violence perpetrated by Jiang Zemin, Falun Dafa disciples step out of their homes with determination. This is the heart of a sage, this is the nobility of a saint, and this is the Compassion of an enlightened being. The hardships they are enduring are beyond comprehension. It would be torture for ordinary people to even hear of their hardship. But they endure calmly, without any regret. What they think and do is a monument to the highest virtues in human history.
"Lies written in ink can never cover the truth recorded with blood." [In Memory of Lady Liu Hezhen -- a book written by Luxun, a famous contemporary Chinese writer] No matter how the Chinese Communist Party slanders Falun Gong and Falun Gong practitioners, the whole world has witnessed the cruel, cold-blooded nature of Jiang Zemin, and validated the peaceful spirit of Falun Gong. After the storm, sunlight will come. When history turns this page, people will come to realize that April 25, 1999, signified the beginning of the biggest contest between righteousness and evil. It was the turning point to restoring human virtue.
