(Clearwisdom.net) Taipei is Taiwan's economic window to the world. It is Taiwan's most populated city and the heart of Taiwan's political, cultural, commercial, entertainment, and communications industries.
There are many tourist attractions in Taipei, such as the Taipei 101 Observatory, Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the National Palace Museum, the Shilin Official Residence, night markets, and so on. There is a constant flow of tourists. The only thing that remains unchanged is the calming music of Falun Gong and the peaceful scenes of practitioners demonstrating the exercise movements and telling tourists from Mainland China about the benefits of the practice and the facts of the brutal persecution being carried out by the communist regime in China.
“I Have Seen Many Things, But Never Before Have I Seen Something Like That.”
Taiwan's famous landmark, the Taipei 101 Observatory, is an attraction that many tourists visit. From the indoor observatory on the 89th floor and the outdoor observatory on the 91st floor, tourists can see the whole City of Taipei, Hsin Yi Square, and its surroundings. From the two observatories, Falun Gong practitioners can be seen every day doing the exercises. A huge banner clarifying the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong in China can also be seen.
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At 2 p.m. on May 9, 2010, over 1,000 practitioners gathered in Hsin Yi Square to celebrate the 11th World Falun Dafa Day. While waiting for their tour bus, four tourists from Shanghai crossed the road just to take photos of practitioners doing the exercises. A practitioner remarked, “So you are from Shanghai. That is a big city, so you have seen many things.” Mr Wang replied, “Yes, indeed, I have seen many things, but never have I seen something like this before.” Pointing at all the practitioners doing the exercises in unison, he continued, “This is so moving!”
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Mainland Chinese Tourists Touched by the Truth
Along the walkway opposite the building, there is a striking banner that reads: “Argentine Judge Issues Arrest Order for Perpetrators of the Persecution of Falun Gong – Jiang Zemin and Luo Gan. Spanish Court Files Lawsuit Against Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Bo Xilai, Zeng Qinghong, and Wu Guanzheng for Genocide.” Many tourists from mainland China have taken special note of the banner.
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Some of them come forward to ask practitioners for more details about the incident. Others stand there attentively, listening to practitioners clarify the truth.
The Brightest Point Focused on by Tourists' Cameras
Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is situated in the heart of Taipei. It is also one of the main tourist destination for tourists from mainland China.
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Every day, a group of practitioners wearing yellow vests with the words “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” inscribed on them do the Falun Gong exercises on both sides of the gallery on the right hand side of the main entrance to Memorial Hall. Tourists often take their photos. Some are even anxious to have their photos taken with the practitioners doing exercises in the background. The reactions of mainland Chinese tourists range from shock to nonchalance: “Oh, Falun Gong! They are doing the exercises.” “I have heard that they can be seen everywhere in Taiwan.” “These people can practice freely in Taiwan.”
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A row of around 30 display boards are positioned along the only path to the parking lot. Groups of tourists often stop to read the information on the boards. There is also a small television playing the movie “False Fire” and an audio recording of a witness who exposed the harvesting of organs from living Falun Gong practitioners that was produced by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong.
A Sacred and Peaceful Sight on Taipei's Liberty Square
Taipei's Liberty Square is a frequent destination for local residents during the holidays. It is also an ideal place for gatherings and photos as well as a major tourist attraction.
On November 27, 2010, one day before the Taiwan Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference, more than 5,000 practitioners gathered at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall to form giant Chinese characters and a golden lotus flower. Practitioners formed the three Chinese characters for Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, the guiding principles of the practice. It was a picture of sacredness, serenity, and beauty.
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Steadfast Despite Rain and Hail
On April 25, 2009, around 1,000 practitioners from Taipei and neighboring cities gathered at Taipei City's Liberty Square to commemorate April 25. There was a press conference and group practice. Many media, including AFP, Reuters, Central News Agency, Liberty Times and Japan's NHK, attended and conducted interviews. Many mainland Chinese tourists took photos of the peaceful group exercise. Some gathered at Liberty Square to read the truth clarifying information on display. One tourist said excitedly, “This is the first time I have ever seen such a grand display. It is a pity that I don't have a better camera to capture the whole thing.” Another tourist from Guizhou Province said, “This is absolutely wonderful. A truly memorable sight.”
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Police officer Mr. Hong, who was maintaining order, commented, “Falun Gong practitioners have held activities at Liberty Square on many occasions. During these activities, although there were many participants, they were very orderly and peaceful. We are very impressed. Today is just like previous activities, we only need to supply five or six officers to maintain order.” Mr. Lai, a plainclothes policeman, said that every practitioner he came into contact with was very amicable. He said that every time he was on duty at a Falun Gong gathering, it was very easy because Falun Gong is such a peaceful group. Mr. Chen, who often does his exercises in Liberty Square, remarked emotionally that he simply could not understand why such a harmonious exercise activity would be unreasonably suppressed by the Communist regime. However, he thought that anything the regime suppressed must be good, so he supports Falun Gong and is keen to know more about it.
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As former Beijing University law professor Yuan Hongbing said at the press conference, “I just happened to be in Beijing ten years ago on April 25. I saw so many practitioners expressing their wishes so peacefully and quietly, and I was very touched. I believe that in the near future, history will reveal the Communist regime's crimes against humanity committed during its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.”
