SUPPORTERS of the Falun Gong, and curious passersby, witnessed a one-day
exhibition of serene Chinese paintings at the Parramatta Town Hall last
week.
The traditional paintings by Bankstown artist Zhang Cuiying were shown in
support of the Falun Gong a practice combining Taoist, Buddhist and new age
spiritual beliefs that is outlawed in China.
Cuiying said her paintings were inspired by the Falun Gong qualities of
compassion, forbearance and truthfulness and the contrasts between
benevolence and evil, beauty and ugliness.
Cuiying became a participant in the Falun Gong in 1996.
In 1999 the Chinese Government launched a severe crackdown on Falun Gong,
imprisoning hundreds of practitioners.
Cuiying said she returned to China in 2000 in a campaign to change the
government’s mind on the Falun Gong, but was imprisoned for eight months.
Now, Cuiying has visited more than 40 cities in more that 20 countries to
speak against the treatment of Falun Gong practitioners through her painting
exhibitions.
Posting date: 19/Sep/2003
Original article date: 17/Sep/2003
Category: Media Report
