Evan Mantyk
The Epoch Times

Aug 09, 2004

Ms. Yao Chongqi talked about her painting, "The Immortals," which depicts 280 faces of Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of the suppression. Ms. Yao said she would have painted more of the more than 1,000 practitioners reported to have died, but she only had pictures for 280. Epoch Times photo

On July 15 and 16, an art exhibition called "Uncompromising Courage" was held at the exhibition hall of the Rayburn House Office Building, the seat of Congress and House Representatives, in Washington, DC. The main focus of the exhibition was the Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin's suppression of the meditation practice, Falun Gong, since 1999.

The artists themselves were all practitioners of Falun Gong, and according to the exhibition coordinator, Ms. Fan, some personally experienced the persecution of Jiang Zemin's regime.

Some of the artists were present to talk about their paintings. Ms. Yao Chongqi talked about her painting, "The Immortals," which portrays the faces of 280 Falun Gong practitioners who have died as a result of the suppression. Yao said that she would have painted more of the 1,000 practitioners who are reported to have died, but she only had pictures for 280 practitioners.

Ms. Xiao Ping's painting "Cruel Tortures" (The Epoch Times)

Ms. Xiao Ping talked about her painting "Cruel Tortures," which depicts a pregnant Falun Gong practitioner being tied to a wall as Chinese police officers dunk a Falun Gong practitioner's face in a bucket of excrement and urine. Xiao said that the two forms of torture were based on true stories, and were combined into one picture.

According to Ms. Fan, "The exhibition illustrates a clear contrast between compassion and evil that emerged after Jiang Zemin launched the persecution. In order to safeguard truthfulness, compassion and tolerance and uphold justice, freedom, dignity and mankind's benevolent nature, these Falun Gong practitioners have shown unwavering perseverance. With great compassion and forbearance, they are facing hatred, torture, and even death with courage."

Truthfulness, compassion and tolerance are taken by Falun Gong practitioners to be the three main guiding principles of their practice.

Rep. Tom Tancredo at the "Uncompromising Courage" exhibit. (The Epoch Times

Ms. Wang, a New York resident, said, "This exhibition is especially important nowadays. After all, the persecution of Falun Gong is another form of terrorism; it is state-sponsored terrorism. The refusal of Falun Gong practitioners in China to give into the terror that they face is something we can look to for courage in our own lives as we face threats from terrorists. "

Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo also stopped by the exhibition. Tancredo said he was very moved and also had his staff come down to have a look.

One Texan looked at every piece of art and said that the pictures were very powerful, and he could feel a peaceful energy coming from them.

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