The history of Falun Gong and the advanced teachings Falun Dafa, are said to be countless ages old and are referred to as a prehistoric culture that is beyond written history. The practice is said to have been passed down through several hundred thousand years. Contrary to common perception that ancient people were primitive and less advanced, ancient peoples had effective and advanced self-improvement practices. Li Hongzhi in Zhuan Falun (2003) draws on historical artifacts to make this point: "In the museum of the National University of Peru there is a rock with an engraved person, this person is holding a telescope and is wearing contemporary clothes. This statue was sculpted thirty thousand years ago. In the Gabon Republic in Africa there was found to be a large-scale effective primitive nuclear reactor that was constructed over two billion years ago that had been in operation for over five thousand years." It is evident that there has been more than one civilization that produced highly advanced tools and practices. This indicates that Qi Gong was not invented by our current cycle of civilization, which we often mistakenly assume is the most superior. Sakyamuni Buddha stated that there were six Buddhas before him hundreds of millions of years ago and that these other Buddhas also had teachers many tens of hundreds of millions of years ago. And if so are there any of their true practice methods in our society today? Most of these true practices were formerly only taught to one person per generation and followed a linage through time. The people that received these true practices were said to be bred through many generations to have virtuous qualities. The practice of Falun Dafa was also passed through the generations in this way and has only been made known to the general public since 1992.

About 2500 years ago in China, the sage Lao Tzu (also spelled Lao Zi and Lao Tsu) transcribed in his book Tao Te Ching (or Dao De Jing) his specific path to enlightenment called Tao, Dao, or Great Way, which became the philosophy of Taoism (Daoism). The story is as follows: "In ancient China, the keeper of the Imperial Library, Lao Tzu, was famous for his wisdom. Perceiving the growing corruption of the government, he left for the countryside. On his way, the guard at the city gates asked Lao Tzu to write out the essence of his understanding to benefit future generations. Lao Tzu wrote the Tao Te Ching, left, and was never heard of again" (www.thetao.info). About the same time in India, Siddartha Gautama was completing his journey to becoming Buddha Shakyamuni. He spent the next half century teaching and spreading Buddhism, which would make its way into China. These two great religions, Taoism and Buddhism, are the foundation of many spiritual practices not considered part of the Buddhist or Taoist religion (clearwisdom.net). Qi or Chi Gong means energy (Qi) practice (Gong). It is a path to enlightenment through movement and based on many of the principles of Taoism and Buddhism. The Qigong Association of America states, "Qigong is a self-healing art that combines movement and meditation. Visualizations are employed to enhance the mind/body connection and assist healing." Qi Gong is based on early publications by such philosophers as Lao Zi (Tao Te Ching) and Zhuang Zi (Nan Hua Jing), and physicians Bian Que (Nan Jing) and Wei Bo-Yang (Book Of Changes).

Falun Gong is a form of Qi Gong (energy practice). Falun means revolving law or drama wheel, Gong means cultivation energy or exercise practice. Like other practices, it was often passed on only to initiates, but in 1992, Li Hongzhi made it available to the public. Falun Gong is designed to improve the mind and body through gentle exercise, tranquil meditation, and primarily by integrating the universal principals of Truth, Compassion, and Endurance on all levels of life, under all circumstances. It is through this that one gains insight and energy. Integrating these principals into everyday life is the primary mode by which one ascends and the physical exercises may serve as a secondary reinforcement method to develop energy. Cultivation of Truth, Compassion, and Endurance encompasses many things such as giving up negative behaviors, dealing with losses and gains, letting go of unhealthy attachments, and so on. The advanced form of Falun Gong is Falun Dafa (Great Way). Dafa is based on the ancient wisdom and health sciences of China.

Falun Gong (Falun Dafa) has its roots in Buddhism and is a practice of mind and body improvement and emphasizes Compassion to all life, to be kind to others in all situations. In Zhaun Falun (2003) there is reference to the "book and movie," The Secret Life Of Plants (1973) that have sensing functions, seemingly beyond that of the average person. The point is that everything is living in a certain dimension and we must learn that real compassion is all encompassing, regardless of how insignificant it may seem.

Taoism is also part of Falun Dafa in that it emphasizes Truth, being truthful, enlightening to the truth, admitting the truth, and returning to the original true self. Exercises or body refinement are exemplary of Taoist practices. Falun Dafa requires exercises to also unblock and strengthen the energy in the body.

Falun Dafa is also of the Qimen School. The Qimen practice is also known as The Unconventional Way. It is a school of practice that was never fully made known to the general public and it requires a strict, harmonious, and virtuous unattached lifestyle. Falun Gong is however none of the above. As Li Hongzhi puts it, "Religion has religious forms, we are teaching the cultivation part, therefore this school is not a formal religion in the Drama-Ending Period, a time when monks in temples would have a difficult time saving themselves."

Related Terms

All terms will have different levels of meanings depending on one's level of comprehension:

Darma: Buddha Sakymuni's teachings.
Darma ending period: the period five hundred years after Buddha Sakymuni passed away.
Fa: Law and principles in the Buddha school.
Karma: a black substance resulting from past wrong doings.
Xinxing: mind or heart nature.
Da: a white substance or energy acquired from doing good deeds or enduring hardships.