What is Falun Gong and why does the Chinese Communist Party want to suppress it?

An anthropologist who conducted fieldwork among Falun Gong practitioners explains the movement’s beliefs and why its followers continue to resist the Chinese government.

By: Gareth Fisher, Syracuse University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: July 27, 2026

Words: 1,680

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

Body Text Preview

By Gareth Fisher, Syracuse University

I joined members of the Falun Gong spiritual movement at Chatter Park in Hong Kong on May 13, 2000, as they celebrated World Falun Dafa Day. The annual event commemorates the anniversary of the day the group claims its leader, Li Hongzhi, first made Falun Gong practices public.

Under the hot midday sun, surrounded by police and camera-clicking journalists, we performed the five main Falun Gong body exercises.

…

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us