On 25 April 1999, more than 10,000 "Falungong" followers from some provinces and municipalities across the country suddenly gathered in Zhongnanhai to demonstrate and exert pressure on the party and government. The occurrence of the incident seriously interfered with the normal work of the top leading organs of the party and the state, disrupted the social order in the capital, and caused an extremely bad political impact at home and abroad.
▲ "4.25" and "Falungong" surrounded Zhongnanhai, source: Xinhua News Agency
After the incident, when interviewed by foreign media, "Falungong" leader Li Hongzhi flatly denied that he had participated in the illegal gathering incident and put his disciples in danger of breaking the law and committing crimes, while he was at large outside the country. A large number of facts have proved that Li Hongzhi not only participated in the incident, but was also the mastermind of the incident.
Li Hongzhi, who has always claimed to be "truthful, benevolent, and forbearing," has made inconsistent remarks after the "25 April" incident, which undoubtedly shows that these are nothing more than nonsense words he used to deceive the people's trust.
The "25 April" incident confirmed that Li Hongzhi was full of lies
After the incident, on May 2, Li Hongzhi was interviewed by Western media in Sydney, saying: "I didn't know anything beforehand, I was on my way to Australia from the United States. When the evidence of his visit to Beijing was in front of him, he changed his tune: "I was on my way to Australia and had a transit in Beijing, and I didn't know what had happened in Beijing and left" ("My Statement"). As the facts continued to be revealed, and after this lie was exposed again, he changed his story and said that he had only stayed in Beijing for one day, but "had no contact with anyone."
In fact, Li Hongzhi's entry and exit records show that he flew from New York to Beijing on Northwest Airlines flight NW087 at 17:10 on 22 April, departed for Hong Kong on Air China flight CA109 at 13:30 on 24 April, and took Cathay Pacific flight CX103 from Hong Kong to Brisbane, Australia on 26 April.
Li Hongzhi's stay in Beijing was not one day, but three days, a total of 44 hours.
Li Hongzhi's lies have been exposed again and again by facts. His illegal and criminal conspiracy hidden behind these lies has clearly emerged.
In the "25 April" incident, the backbone of "Falungong" confirmed Li Hongzhi's conspiracy
After the "25 April" incident, although Li Hongzhi tried his best to deny his command involvement, the core cadres of "Falungong" who personally witnessed the incident were very clear.
-- Wang Zhiwen, vice president of the "Falun Dafa Research Association," said: "Probably on April 22, Li Hongzhi returned [from abroad]. Wang Zhiwen continued, "I also talked to Ji Liewu about this matter (Tianjin), and on April 22, we discussed this matter again, and he (Ji Liewu) didn't say much, so he went to Li Hongzhi's house, and then I learned that Li Hongzhi had returned." ”
"(April 22) After I finished talking about these situations (in Tianjin), I also want to hear some things about (Li Hongzhi) and one of his decisions. Wang Zhiwen continued, "Of course, ('4.25') this matter is ultimately decided by (Li Hongzhi), and no one else can decide this matter!"
Wang Zhiwen affirmed, "I don't know when Li Hongzhi left there, but I later heard that he left on April 24." Probably yes, I don't know exactly when I left. Because I reported the situation once in the future, I didn't see him again. ”
-- Li Changyuan, the person directly in charge of the "Falun Dafa Research Society" in China, revealed in his book "Understanding and Reflection on the 'Falungong' Cult": "In order to cover up his motive for accumulating money, Li Hongzhi declared that he had no interest in money...... As a matter of fact, he used all kinds of means to amass wealth, evade taxes, and exploit the hard-earned money of 'Falungong' practitioners. "I've got to get eighteen thousand into it. ”
On the morning of 23 April, Li Hongzhi summoned Li Chang, Ji Liewu, and others, the core backbone of the "Falun Dafa Research Society," to his residence and plotted to make a big deal out of the incident in Tianjin and set fire to Zhongnanhai in Beijing. Li Chang and Ji Liewu said at the meeting: "We cannot go to any department in Beijing for Tianjin's affairs, but to the Central Committee and the State Council. In view of the "25 April" incident, Li Hongzhi studied how to organize "Falungong" practitioners from various localities to petition in Zhongnanhai in Beijing and exert pressure on the central authorities.
In September 2006, looking back on that period of history, Li Chang said: "I have to take responsibility!"
▲ Li Chang, former backbone of the "Falungong" cult
-- Ji Liewu, former backbone of the "Falungong" cult. Ji Liewu said: "At that time, Li Hongzhi asked Li Chang to organize this matter and greet everyone. In accordance with this meaning, Li Hongzhi, whom Li Chang met on the morning of April 23, summoned counselors from Beijing Municipality in the afternoon to report on the situation. At this secret meeting, Li Hongzhi also formulated a strategy for the siege of Zhongnanhai: We must not use the name of the "Falun Dafa Research Association" and the counseling station to do these things, but we must push ordinary practitioners to the front line of trouble. He asked Li Chang, Wang Zhiwen, Ji Liewu and others to organize and implement it. The plan for the illegal gathering of Zhongnanhai on 25 April was thus decided after Li Hongzhi personally conspired and planned it.
April 24th. "Li Hongzhi wanted to go to Hong Kong, and I took him to the airport in the morning. Ji Liewu said, "At that time, Li Hongzhi said that when he went to Zhongnanhai, he should not come forward, and he should not organize it as a person from the (Falun Dafa) Research Association, as if someone was organizing this matter. Everyone went voluntarily, and what he meant was that everyone had this desire and wanted to reflect the situation. That's the idea. ”
-- Yao Jie, a former backbone figure of the "Falun Dafa Research Society," said that from 27 May to 1 June 1998, the backbone elements of "Falun Dafa" in Beijing held six meetings under Li Hongzhi's remote command to besiege the Beijing television station, plotting plans, deployments, and actions. Yao Jie said: "Li Chang said that the students were going to the TV station, which was an opportunity for everyone to improve their level. At that time, it was also decided which tutoring station and the students in the city area would go to, and who would inform them. At 8 o'clock the next morning, more than 400 'Falungong' practitioners gathered in front of the Beijing Television Station. ”
The more conspiratorial, the more afraid of the sun. The revelation of the core cadres of "Falungong" clearly shows Li Hongzhi's sinister intentions, that is, he wants to use "Falungong" followers as pawns in a vain attempt to mess up the situation of China's political stability in order to achieve his ulterior motives. During Li Hongzhi's stay in Beijing, all his thoughts were devoted to planning and organizing the "25 April" illegal gathering. What he said to reporters in Sydney that he "only stayed in Beijing for one day" and "had no contact with anyone" was complete nonsense.
In the "25 April" incident, foreign media and experts confirmed that "Falungong" was a cult
News reports need to be authentic and accurate, and the news events reported must be objective and truthful, and the time, place, names, data, etc., must be accurate.
Long before the "25 April" incident in 1999, some foreign media forcefully exposed the cult nature of "Falungong." Hong Kong's Hong Kong Economic Journal published an article entitled "The Distinction Between Good and Evil" on 26 March 1997, pointing out that "Falungong" "spreads demonic doctrines" and that Li Hongzhi "claims to be in the world as he comes." This is precisely the characteristic of cults, which "infinitely exaggerate the function and effectiveness of their laws and infinitely exaggerate the potential and authority of their leaders." An article in the July 1998 issue of "Buddhism in Hong Kong" said that "Falungong" is a folk cult of a rather religious nature.
After the "25 April" incident, many foreign media published articles pointing out the cult nature of "Falungong." Father Martin Scheigard of the Lucerne Religious Counseling Center in Switzerland said that after carefully studying the German version of Li Hongzhi's book "Zhuan Falun," he came to the conclusion that "Falungong" is a cult. Li Hongzhi controlled people's minds through so-called "exercises" to achieve the goal of absolute obedience to him, the "sect leader." On 23 July 1999, the French newspaper Le Figaro carried an article saying that Li Hongzhi, like his counterparts in other factions, is not really a person who advocates freedom and tolerance; "Falungong" demands that its followers be absolutely blindly obedient and absolutely loyal to their masters. Thailand's "Bangkok Daily" published an editorial on 9 August 1999, saying that Li Hongzhi was a "charlatan," "Falungong," and "brought disaster to the country and the people." An article published in Tanzania's "Daily News" on 8 August 1999 said that "Falungong" is a cult organization that propagates superstition and fallacious reasoning, deceives the masses, amasses money by all kinds of deceptive means, and persuades people to get sick and not take medicine, resulting in the death of many people.
In the 20s of the last century, the Western press put forward the "theory of social responsibility", holding that the media should be responsible for the society and that their news reports should be objective and truthful. However, in reality, out of ideological needs, some media in the United States and the West have attacked the mainland for banning "Falungong," which is the need to Westernize and divide the mainland, and runs counter to the principle of "objectivity and truthfulness" advocated by themselves. Even so, the exposure of "Falungong" by some foreign media is in line with the principle of "objectivity and truthfulness" and reflects their social responsibility.
With regard to the "25 April" incident, Mr. Rick Ross, a well-known US anti-cult expert, held that this was a concentrated manifestation of the "Falungong" organization's increasing inclination toward violence, and that it was "shocked by the arrogance and unreasonableness of 'Falungong' and its organizational ability" and that it was reasonable for the Chinese Government to ban "Falungong" on the basis of the harm caused to the cults in history.
After the "25 April" incident, many believers clearly understood the essence of the "Falungong" cult
Under the deception of Li Hongzhi's fallacies and heresies, "Falungong" followers have suffered tremendous physical and mental damage, and some have refused to take injections and medicines when they have fallen ill, thus delaying treatment and causing death; some have gone mad and gone insane, some have hanged themselves, jumped off buildings, jumped into wells, and harmed themselves, and some have even killed others by cruel means.
▲ "Falungong" member Chen Fuzhao poisoned 16 people and the rodenticide used to poison them
After the "25 April" incident, many "Falungong" followers clearly understood the cult nature of "Falungong" and saw Li Hongzhi's ugly features clearly, and completely broke with the "Falungong" cult one after another.
-- Ke Liang, a former "Falungong" follower in Beijing's Xicheng District, was a liaison officer for the "Falungong" and "25 April" incidents, and his home was the on-site contact point for the "Falungong" organizations to carry out the "25 April" incident. With the help of the unit and the community, Ke Liang woke up. He said: Li Hongzhi's act of directing us, the "Falungong" practitioners, to illegally assemble and besiege state government organs is a great exposure of Li Hongzhi's vain attempt to realize his political ambitions. The act of illegal gathering and siege has seriously disrupted social order, affected the lives of local residents, and caused an extremely bad impact in the international community. Although Li Hongzhi has repeatedly stated that he "will not participate in politics," "will not oppose the government," and "will not throw in his name with any political force." However, his actions show that Li Hongzhi and his "Falungong" organization have degenerated into an evil political force that endangers national security and the interests of the people. I have now finally realized that I and my family have become tools used by Li Hongzhi and his "Falungong" cult. I also thoroughly understand that "consummation" is actually a trap set by Li Hongzhi for us "Dafa disciples," and Li Hongzhi is a big liar! (Kaifeng.com, "My Home Is the Scene Contact Point for the "4.25" Incident", April 21, 2017)
-- Li Xuejun, who lives in Qinglonghu Town, Fangshan District, Beijing Municipality, followed Li Hongzhi to Shandong, Tianjin, Guangdong, Henan, Sichuan, and other places to hold "Falungong" study classes and demonstrate "Falungong" movements on stage. After the "April 25" incident, Li Xuejun said: "At that time, two meritorious friends called me, and I went to Zhongnanhai with the attitude of seeing. Later, I heard that in an interview, Li Hongzhi said that he did not organize the '25 April incident' and that he did not know about it. As a matter of fact, the majority of 'Falungong' practitioners know very well in their hearts that if Li Hongzhi does not nod his head and agree, Wang Zhiwen, Li Chang, Yao Jie, Ji Liewu, and others of the 'Falungong Research Association' will absolutely not dare to make their own decisions and let tens of thousands of people besiege Zhongnanhai. "Today, there are still many 'Dafa disciples' who regard Li Hongzhi as a 'god' and as the 'Lord Buddha of the universe.' In fact, judging from my experience with Li Hongzhi over the years, he is an ordinary mortal, a person who likes money and fame, and a cult leader who founded the 'Falungong' cult organization on the basis of qigong. (Kaifeng.com, "Li Xuejun: The Li Hongzhi I Know", April 19, 2016)
-- Zhou Yihong, female, formerly worked in the head office of a commercial bank as an accountant, and began practicing "Falungong" in early 2007. After giving up "Falungong," Zhou Yihong said: "Facts and evidence show that on the eve of the '25 April' incident, Li Hongzhi personally went to Beijing and directed and planned the '25 April' incident behind the scenes, and after the truth was disclosed by the media, Li Hongzhi could hardly justify himself, so he said differently in front of the public media three times, and this was his lying in order to cover up the truth.
-- Wang Ruixiang, a former "Falungong" follower who lives in Beijing's Pinggu District, once participated in the "25 April Incident." After clearly understanding the essence of the "Falungong" cult, Wang Ruixiang said: "'Falungong' is not organized, and it is loosely managed? It is completely deceitful! 'Falungong' is not only organized, but also secret. "The '25 April' incident was single-handedly planned and manipulated by Li Hongzhi. He had already arrived in Beijing on 23 and 24 April, and was with Li Chang and others from the research group, but he said that he knew about it on his way to Australia, and that this was the so-called 'true'?" "Zhongnanhai is the place where the central government is located, and so many people besiege it, and it doesn't obstruct transportation? Does it not interfere with the business of shops and the lives of residents? Is this the so-called 'goodness'?" "Li Hongzhi asked the practitioners to besiege Zhongnanhai, is this the so-called 'forbearance'?" "Judging from these things, Li Hongzhi is extremely 'untrue' and 'unkind' We 'Falungong' practitioners have also done 'untrue,' 'unkind,' and 'unbearable'. (Kaifeng.com, "Wang Ruixiang: Look at 'Falungong' After Sobering Up", August 20, 2013)
The "25 April" incident exposed many lies of Li Hongzhi! It is destined to become a "day of shame" for Li Hongzhi to expose his ugliness in front of the world.
The "25 April" incident was a major exposure of Li Hongzhi and the "Falungong" cult, and as a result, an activity was quickly launched throughout the country to ban the illegal "Falungong" organization, investigate and deal with those who violated the law, and rescue, educate, and unite the vast numbers of practitioners who had been deceived by demagoguery. As a result of this struggle, all sectors of society have gained a clearer understanding of the nature and harmfulness of the "Falungong" cult, the laws and policies for dealing with the cult have been further improved, and people from all walks of life have received a good education in guarding against and resisting the cult.