(Minghui.org) On special occasions each year, greetings for Mr. Li Hongzhi, founder of Falun Gong, pour in the Minghui website from Falun Gong practitioners across the world. And there's no bigger occasion for Chinese families than the annual Lunar New Year celebrations, a time to rest and reflect upon life's blessings, and to offer thanks to those who have helped along the way.

Falun Gong practitioners illegally detained at the Shandong Women's Prison wish Master a Happy Chinese New Year!

“Respect the teacher and value the Tao,” as stated in Hou Han Shu (The History of the Later Han Dynasty, written 1,500 years ago), runs deep in Chinese traditions. Chinese New Year, the most important traditional Chinese holiday, is deemed the best occasion to say “thanks” and show appreciation, especially for a teacher who has provided a mind and body self-improvement path to millions.

Master Li has led practitioners through a remarkable journey of self-improvement, peaceful resistance to the brutal persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and restoration of Chinese people's faith in good values Truth-Compassion-Tolerance.

Incarcerated Falun Gong practitioners in Yilan County, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province wish revered Master Happy New Year!

An estimated 180 people attended Mr. Li's first lecture in Changchun City, Jilin Province in 1992. Many public “group practice sites,” where Falun Gong practitioners gathered to do exercises together, soon followed.

Falun Gong's great health benefit and principles of Truth-Compassion-Tolerance quickly spread by word of mouth. Those who heard or witnessed the marvelous effect of Falun Gong eagerly sought out tickets to Mr. Li's lecture series. Without the need for advertising, his lectures attracted thousands of people and often even filled stadiums. From 1992 to 1994, Mr. Li traveled throughout China, giving 54 talks and Falun Gong lecture series.

Falun Gong practitioners from Yanqing County, Beijing wish compassionate Master a Happy New Year!

Remarkable Health Benefits

A woman in Dalian City, Liaoning Province recalls, “My husband carried me to Master's lecture. A misdiagnosis and an agonizing surgery had left me with spinal displacement and protrusion. I lay stiffly in the chair, wearing a big coat, with a blanket covering me and a scarf around my neck. Master came over to me, and asked me to sit down while patting me twice on my neck and the top of my head. He then asked me to stand up and walk. The whole process took less than two minutes. I got up and walked to and from the stage twice! The audience erupted in applause!”

Chinese New Year greetings to Mr. Li from Yushu City, Jilin Province

Many other practitioners have provided personal accounts explaining how their health problems disappeared after they began to practice Falun Gong. Their stories are remarkable and often quite touching – and such personal anecdotes of dramatic health improvements spread quickly throughout the land. Thus millions soon took up the practice based largely on word of mouth recommendations from friends and neighbors.

Falun Gong practitioners from Heihe City, Bei'an City, Wudalianchi City and Zhanhe Bureau of Forestry respectfully wish our Master a Happy Chinese New Year!

In February 1998, a health status survey was conducted involving 6,478 Falun Gong practitioners residing in the Dalian area of China.

Among the surveyed population, 6,192 (96%) of them had suffered various diseases and medical conditions. All reported significant health improvement since practicing Falun Gong. Of those with one or more medical conditions, 99.8% reported improvements. Symptoms either lessened or totally disappeared.

New Year greetings from Falun Gong practitioners in the railway systems in China

100 million practitioners benefited from this valuable practice free of charge. Mr. Li shares his teachings, translated to over 30 languages, and exercises on the Internet with the world. Since 1995, Falun Gong has also been practiced throughout Europe and North America as well as, in the years to follow, Australia, South America, India, Africa, and elsewhere, and eventually brought the benefit to the people in 80 countries.

At the time of the Chinese New Year, practitioners outside of China, inside of China including those incarcerated wish to say “thanks” to a special teacher who has enriched their lives.

Wishing a Happy Chinese New Year to Master Li, and to all of our readers around the world!