“The paintings look so real, especially the facial expressions of the characters. I felt that I was in the scene myself and that the characters were right in front of me. I could feel their sadness and pain from the persecution.
Several paintings allowed me to feel serene and peaceful. I enjoy them so much. The paintings are top quality,” said Lin.
May 06, 2013 | By Sun Bo and Su Rong
(Minghui.org) As the National University of Kaohsiung (NUK) celebrated its 13th anniversary in the last week of April 2013, the Falun Dafa Club held a six-day exhibition featuring the Art of Zhen-Shan-Ren (Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance) to introduce Falun Dafa to the faculty, students, parents, and local groups and residents. The university president also visited the exhibition with his wife.
Twenty people from a local English study club come to see the exhibition
Visitors view the paintings
Professor: Attendees Empathize with the Paintings
Professor Liu Shao-dong, also an advisor of the NUK Falun Dafa Club, said, “It’s a great opportunity to allow everyone from the school and the guests who attend the anniversary celebration to learn more about Falun Dafa. The persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China is severe and there is a moving story behind every painting. If a person can quiet himself and really observe them, one can easily empathize with the paintings.”
The Characters Seem Real
Lin Hsin-Bei is a foreign language major who realized that the persecution is real from the paintings.
Foreign language major Lin Hsin-Bei thought the paintings looked very real. “The paintings look so real, especially the facial expressions of the characters. I felt that I was in the scene myself and that the characters were right in front of me. I could feel their sadness and pain from the persecution. Several paintings allowed me to feel serene and peaceful. I enjoy them so much. The paintings are top quality,” said Lin.
A classmate of Lin’s once clarified the facts of the persecution in front of the class. “It feels like the persecution is much more brutal than I thought. I hope the practitioners never give up their belief.”
“What Can I Do for Falun Gong?”
Chung worked at the Information Center and attended the exhibition many times. He said, “After I understood the facts of the persecution, I felt very emotional. I can understand how magnificent Falun Gong practitioners are.” He then asked a volunteer at the exhibition, “What can I do for Falun Gong?”
Freedom of Belief and Speech Should be Respected
Architecture student Chung Cheng-Hsien.
An architecture major, Chung Cheng-Hsien, visited the exhibition several times. He believes the paintings were inspiring. “The composition of each painting is rigorous. The artists seem to have paid a lot of attention to detail and to contrast. Some of them are peaceful and happy, some have stories behind them. I mostly hope that the Chinese regime can respect everyone’s freedom of belief and speech.”
Hearing a Different Story in China
An exchange student from China came to visit the exhibition. She was very excited and said, “I will read these materials carefully and think about it. The auspiciousness and beauty I see today is completely different from what I hear in China.”
Art is a Tool to Convey a Message
Retired engineer, Ms. Li.
Retired engineer Ms. Li likes to visit painting exhibitions. After she saw the exhibition she said, “The paintings are of very high quality. The artists are very skillful. The stories behind the paintings make them different from all paintings that I’ve seen before.”
Ms. Li had previously heard about Falun Gong, “I also know that it is suppressed in China. The Chinese regime should not have done that. Falun Gong’s teachings are good.”
An English teacher from Australia, Patrick, observes a painting
Patrick is an English teacher from Australia who saw the paintings and listened to the volunteer explaining the stories behind them. He objected to the persecution of spiritual belief and said that he would ask his friends to come see the paintings. He left a message in the guest book, “Very impressed by the quality and symbolism of the oil paintings. Very evocative.”
The Persecution Should be Stopped
Ms. Chou works nearby said that she was stunned after seeing the paintings. “I can’t believe that the persecution is so relentless and savage. I thought the Chinese regime merely prohibited the practice. I am very sad and angry.”
Ms. Chen came to NUK for some business and saw the exhibit. She admired the exquisite skill of the artists. When she saw a painting with a practitioner at the brink of death due to torture and had to be released for medical treatment, she said that she almost cried. She could not believe that such a vicious persecution was really happening.