Connie Wu is a videographer and documentarian who has worked at Shen Yun’s headquarters since 2006.
For many years, Mr. Hongzhi Li, the founder of Falun Gong, has remained very low-key in the public eye. However, recently, The New York Times published biased and misleading reports about a series of companies founded by Falun Gong practitioners, such as Shen Yun Performing Arts and The Epoch Times, once again placing Mr. Li in the spotlight.
Yet, the picture they paint of Mr. Li is very fragmented and what specific glimpses they do offer bear no resemblance to the spiritual leader I know and have worked with for almost 20 years. And I’m not alone, so I embarked on an effort to talk to others who, like me, have spent years working alongside Mr. Li so that we may offer some of our observations.
A Grand Vision Takes Shape in New York
In 1999, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched a nationwide campaign of mass detention, violence, and vilification of Falun Gong—a persecution that has now lasted more than a quarter of a century. Countless Falun Gong practitioners in China have lost their jobs, property, freedom, or even their lives, with some subjected to forced organ harvesting. Many children, whose parents practiced Falun Gong, have been left orphaned. In 2001, to provide a safe place for Falun Gong practitioners who fled China, especially orphans, Falun Gong practitioners in North America built Dragon Springs in a remote mountain area over 80 miles northwest of Manhattan. The grounds were developed largely by volunteers.
Since its establishment, Dragon Springs has been registered as a religious temple. In the subsequent years, Fei Tian Academy of the Arts, Fei Tian College, and Shen Yun Performing Arts were established at Dragon Springs to revive China’s authentic culture that was almost destroyed by the CCP, to teach this culture to the next generation, and share its treasures with the world. These institutions are all religious in nature and provide Falun Gong practitioners with a means to live by and express their faith. Furthermore, Shen Yun plays a key role in exposing the persecution of Falun Gong in China and pays tribute to the resilience of people there who peacefully stand up to tyranny. As a result, Dragon Springs became a place where Falun Gong practitioners lived, worked, studied, and practiced their faith.
A Simple Life of Spiritual Guidance
As the founder of Falun Gong and the artistic director of Shen Yun Performing Arts, Mr. Li guides the spiritual practice of Falun Gong practitioners worldwide (mostly through written teachings, published online) and provides the artistic vision for Shen Yun. However, Mr. Li holds no administrative position in any of the organizations or projects established by Falun Gong practitioners, nor does he run their daily operations. And here is what’s most notable: Mr. Li has never received any compensation from these organizations. Even with Shen Yun, to which he has provided significant artistic guidance, Mr. Li has contributed entirely on a voluntary basis.
When I first read the allegations in the New York Times about Mr. Li’s alleged life-style, I sought out George Xu, the president of Dragon Springs, who has worked alongside Mr. Li for many years. Mr. Xu says that one needs only look at how Mr. Li lives to know the truth. “Mr. Li lives in … basically a dormitory. He has no property or car, and his daily life is very simple,” explains Mr. Xu. “Aside from a bookshelf, his living space is completely bare. It’s pretty basic.”
When I asked Mr. Xu about Mr. Li’s source of income, he smiled and shook his head: “He has never received a single penny from any Falun Gong project or organization. In fact, his only source of income is royalties from Falun Gong books or related intellectual property,” explains Mr. Xu. “And keep in mind, all these books, videos, and things are also available for free on the internet, so … Mr. Li is clearly not concerned with maximizing his income.”
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When I asked Mr. Xu about some of his daily habits, he started talking about the dining area on campus. “He has very simple food preferences, and originally, he would eat in the dining hall with everyone else,” explains Mr. Xu. “However, as more and more people arrived, he began to just eat in his room to avoid disturbing others.”
“And honestly,” Mr. Xu added, “it’s not uncommon for him to skip some meals altogether because he’s just so busy.”
Always Working
Mr. Kaijin Liang, who has been working at Dragon Springs for almost 20 years and serves as one of its engineers, says it’s common to see Mr. Li doing manual labor around campus.
“The construction of Dragon Springs has been extremely difficult. On many days, Mr. Li worked alongside us from morning till night,” says Mr. Liang. “For over 20 years, even when Shen Yun was just getting started and needed Mr. Li’s guidance in artistic areas, whenever he had a little time, he would come to the construction site to help. Even now, at over 70 years old, he still helps with manual labor whenever he has time. Sometimes when I walk through the construction area at night, I see him picking up screws, cleaning work areas, etc.”
Mr. Liang smiled and added, “Frequently, Falun Gong practitioners will come to the construction area to ask him questions seeking spiritual guidance, and he’s like all covered in sawdust, his shirt sleeves rolled up, and sweating from the work. Yet, he patiently stops and takes these questions.”
Xu chuckled, “I’ve never seen him care about brand names. As long as the clothes fit, that’s all that matters to him. Initially, he wore khaki pants. Later, he created his own pants, with some practitioners helping to tailor them for a better fit. He often wears the same uniforms and jackets as all Shen Yun performers, making it hard to spot him in a crowd on campus.”
Ms. Ying Li, who manages logistics at Dragon Springs and has volunteered there for many years, emphasized the respect practitioners have for Mr. Li. She clarified that while they deeply respect him for introducing Falun Gong and making it free to learn worldwide, it is not blind reverence as some media reports suggest.
Ms. Li acknowledged that some practitioners express their gratitude to Mr. Li through gifts, but he never accepts anything expensive. He usually gives away non-valuable items like tea or food to other practitioners or students.
Despite Mr. Li’s austere lifestyle, Dragon Springs provides a balanced environment for students, staff, and volunteers. The management team has made efforts to accommodate Western visitors by hiring a baker for Western-style food and providing recreational facilities like a gym and game rooms.
Mr. William Shi, who leads the campus security team, emphasized that Mr. Li focuses on the spiritual development of Falun Gong practitioners and does not involve himself in daily operations. He clarified that the success or failure of projects like The Epoch Times is left to the practitioners to manage.
Mr. Yu Zhou from Shen Yun’s management team reflected on the false narratives surrounding Mr. Li’s lifestyle, emphasizing the hardships he has endured and his selfless sacrifices for Falun Gong practitioners. He dispelled the notion that Mr. Li lives a lavish life, stating that he remains indifferent to material desires.
In conclusion, the individuals at Dragon Springs expressed their admiration for Mr. Li’s dedication to Falun Gong and his modest way of life, debunking misconceptions perpetuated by some media outlets. Please rewrite this sentence for me.
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