While there is no accusation by the Chinese Government more haunting than that Falun Gong leads to health problems, mental illness, suicide and death, there is also no claim more deceptive and imaginative. Falun Gong has shown itself to have great healing efficacy, earning even the praise and endorsement of many of Beijing’s elite scientists and medical professionals. (see A5) Several health surveys have found that Falun Gong practice is effective in healing disease over 90% of the time (with a “cure rate” near 60%), and greatly improves mental health and overall quality of life. (see A3-A5) Falun Gong’s enormous, quickly-developed popularity has in fact been in large part due to its unprecedented health benefits. In fact, this is what led the Chinese Government to patronize the practice for its first four years, before political winds shifted unfavorably. Despite the Chinese Government’s recent, frightening claims, however, there is simply no supporting evidence that Falun Gong can prove injurious. What “evidence” the Government has provided is highly suspect, as the several cases of so-called “Falun Gong-induced deaths” that have been independently investigated have proven fictitious. (see A1-A2)

What’s more, the alleged “causal” explanation for purported Falun Gong side-effects is grounded in either in one of two fictitious claims. First is the suggestion of some hidden causal link between Falun Gong practice and psychosis or suicidal tendencies. This is a claim for which there is no known medical or legal basis, however, and none has been offered by Chinese officials. Were such a causal connection to be established, it would quickly grace the covers of medical journals east and west. A variety of stories have been crafted to “illustrate” the deadly effects of Falun Gong. But when they are examined in the light of Mr. Li’s teachings and careful analysis, they prove highly imaginative and deceptive. A statistical comparison of mortality rates owing to suicide in the general population as compared with among Falun Gong practitioners (as claimed by the Chinese Government) reveals that Falun Gong most likely saves some 10,000 practitioners from suicide each year.

Second is the pivotal Chinese Government claim that Mr. Li Hongzhi prohibits Falun Gong practitioners from taking medicine, putting them at risk. Examining Mr. Li’s teachings reveals that this is an utter fabrication, as he never has prevented--nor could he prevent--practitioners from seeking medical treatment. In banning Falun Gong, the Chinese Government is thus “protecting” the Chinese people from something that does not exist. When the Chinese Government’s much-paraded statistic “1,400 deaths due to Falun Gong” is analyzed here on its own terms, it again unravels, proving the exact opposite of what the Government intended. Using China’s mortality rate for 1998, we could expect Falun Gong’s 70 million practitioners to lose roughly 455,000 people to death. The Chinese government states that no practitioner is allowed to take medicine. Any Falun Gong practitioner who dies is therefore included in the “1,400 deaths due to psychosis, suicide, and refused medical treatment,” as he or she would supposedly refuse medical treatment even while dying; the Government here asserts a causal link. According to the Chinese Government’s official statistics then, Falun Gong most likely saved around 454,000 lives in 1999 alone! Since some surveys have found that up to 68% of practitioners are 50 or more years old, one could expect the mortality rate among practitioners to be even higher than that of the general population, let alone if these poor “cult victims” forgo much-needed medicine.

Were the stakes of the Chinese Government’s accusations not so high, they might even prove amusing for their fanciful, illogical qualities. Since these claims, however wrong, have found their way into the Western media and been the topic of several English-language Chinese Government publications, we offer here clarification. 

1. Falun Gong’s Teachings on Medicine and Medical Treatment

Falun Gong is most accurately called a “cultivation practice” (xiu lian) (much akin to “self-cultivation” in the West), though it is more generically a form of qigong practice as it has five sets of gentle qigong exercises. As a cultivation practice, the emphasis in Falun Gong practice is on the improvement of one’s xinxing (moral character, or “heart/mind nature”). Cultivation of xinxing is mainly a matter of assimilating to the essential nature of the universe: truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. Such assimilation is the goal of cultivation practice, in turn enabling the practitioner to develop his or her wisdom and reach “enlightenment”--an aspiration basic to Eastern spiritual practices, such as Taoism, Buddhism, etc. The goal of Falun Gong is thus not health and fitness, as in conventional qigong practices. Nevertheless, healing often occurs as a product of cultivating xinxing in Falun Gong practice. Hence, many people have been attracted to Falun Gong by its healing capacities.

Mr. Li Hongzhi, the teacher in Falun Gong, has made clear on countless occasions that the goal of Falun Gong practice is not to heal one’s ailments. He has been explicit on this matter in both his writings and lectures, and refused to admit critically-ill patients to his lectures or classes. In the most widely-read Falun Gong book, Zhuan Falun, Mr. Li states, “I do not talk about healing illness here, and neither will we heal illness here”(p.3). He continues later: “Some people come here just to have illnesses healed. As to seriously ill patients, we do not let them attend the classes since they cannot give up the attachment to having illnesses cured or the idea of being ill... This person is unable to practice cultivation”(p.41).

Similarly, Mr. Li has stated that patients with severe mental illness (psychosis) are forbidden from attending his classes or practicing Falun Gong. As their minds are not correct or balanced, they are unable to control themselves. One strict requirement for practicing Falun Gong (and not dissimilar from qigong in general) is that one must have self-control, both mental and physical. There must be mental alertness, and one must be cognizant of where one is and what one is doing at all times. If one cannot meet these requirements, one obviously cannot conduct oneself according to a practitioner’s standard, following the higher principle of truthfulness, compassion, forbearance. Enlightening requires self-improvement and the development of wisdom, two things impossible without self-control. Mr. Li has been firm: people suffering from psychosis and the likes must seek help elsewhere. Nevertheless, people with minor mental illnesses consistently benefit from Falun Gong practice. (see A3-A5)

A second issue needing clarification is the relationship between Falun Gong practice and taking medicine. The Chinese Government has repeatedly claimed that Mr. Li forbids all Falun Gong practitioners from taking medicine, thereby putting them at great risk and even incurring tragic deaths. In the heat of its crackdown on Falun Gong, the Chinese Government-run English newspaper, China Daily, ran four entire articles disparaging Falun Gong and Mr. Li. It went so far as to “report” that: “By spreading these fallacious ideas Li has actually signed a life-and-death contract with his followers, who have to obey all his instructions and depend on him for everything. He forbids them to read other books or learn other theories and deprives them of the ability to choose between right and wrong... Li forces his practitioners to follow his fallacious ideas.”^[1] And for the anti-Falun Gong campaign, forcing “followers” to not take medicine is apparently the biggest crime. Such reporting completely confuses the issue, however, suggesting cult-like dependency and suspension of personal choice. Never mind that it wantonly distorts what Mr. Li has taught and how practitioners have regarded his teachings.

Consider Mr. Li’s own words on the issue of taking medicine, as stated in China Falun Gong (the introductory, first book). In response to the question, “Do we still need to take medicine while cultivating?” Mr. Li replied, “On this issue, you should think and decide for yourself”(p.138). Also, in a 1997 New York City lecture that has since been read by most every practitioner, Mr. Li stated: “An everyday person needs to take medicine when he gets ill. Now you are a cultivator, but I am not forcing you not to take medicine.” He continued in his lecture, adding: “Some people want to damage [Falun Gong], and on the issue of taking medicine they say ‘we’re not allowed to take medicine once we start practicing this system.’ I do not, as a matter of fact, forbid you to take medicine.”^[2] Unfortunately, the Chinese Government and media have somehow felt empowered to translate such teachings to mean the exact opposite.

Confusion over this matter stems from the fact that so many Falun Gong practitioners choose not to take medicine anymore after beginning cultivation practice. The key term here is “choose.” As in every other facet of Falun Gong practice, how one handles one’s health is a free choice. Since most every Falun Gong practitioner becomes or is healthy, they just choose not to take medicine. It is that simple: why would one want to take medicine if one feels healthy or doesn’t consider one’s body to have any illness? Several major health surveys done in China support such behavior, as the findings suggest that regular practice of Falun Gong is itself “good medicine.”(see A3-A5)

Suffice to say, on the issue of taking medicine a practitioner of Falun Gong is totally free to decide for himself or herself--making right decisions is at the heart of cultivation practice. Should a non-practitioner family member or young child become sick, a practitioner would not hesitate for a second to take him or her for proper medical treatment. To think that Mr. Li could possibly “control” the daily decisions of practitioner in China when, in fact, Mr. Li has not given a public lecture in China since 1994, is simply absurd. Additionally, doing so would undermine the practice he has taught students. The Chinese Government says that Mr. Li fancies himself almighty, yet, ironically, it is the Government which bestows upon him the most mighty super-human powers.

With a little background on Falun Gong and the issue of medicine, one is ready to critically engage the Chinese Government’s claim that Falun Gong causes mental illness, suicide, and death to its practitioners.

2. Examining the Alleged “1,400 Deaths” and Harm Caused by Falun Gong

According to Chinese Government sources and official, state-run media, the official number of deaths attributed to Falun Gong has been recently set at an even 1,400. Despite repeated requests for further information about this statistic, Chinese sources have not been able to offer sources or methods used in producing this number. The number has a somewhat elastic and mysterious feel to it for those who have been following the crackdown, as the first statistic given by the Chinese Government was almost half this number, 743.^[3] At the beginning of the crackdown, a Ministry of Public Security spokesperson stated that “superstition” and “witchery” spread by Li and Falun Gong were to blame for the deaths of these 743 “followers” who had refused medical treatment, committed murder, or committed suicide.^[4] Yet more strange is that in Falun Gong’s seven years prior to the persecution, never were any of these alleged 743 or 1,400 cases reported. The number just appeared, mysteriously, along with many other indictments. One should recall that Falun Gong was promoted by the government for several years on account of its profound health benefits. (link) Could it really be that Falun Gong practice suddenly went devious across the country in its latter three or four years? Going on the Chinese Government’s numbers and explanations, a number of issues beg consideration and analysis.

a. The claim that Falun Gong induces psychosis and suicide

First, we can consider the claim that Falun Gong “caused” severe mental illness, resulting even in irrational behavior, suicide and death. According to the Chinese Government, “Since beginning the practice of Falun Gong, many people have lost their appetites, some appeared to be disorganized in words and behavior, and some became paranoid. Still others found themselves suffering from hallucinations. A number of people jumped into rivers or off buildings, or killed themselves in other ways. Some even cruelly injured or killed relatives and friends.”^[5]

This dramatic claim is more frightening propaganda than reality. The first key term is “caused.” The reasons for mental illness are very complex. Modern medical science refuses, in fact, to speak in simplistic, reductionist language in handling the etiology of mental illness; the Chinese Government apparently assumes the general public is too ignorant to notice its pseudo-medical speak. To employ the wild language of mental illness to attack Falun Gong does not conform with basic medical knowledge and finds no legal basis whatsoever. The Government is offering rhetoric, not scientific knowledge. If there is any connection between qigong practice and mental illness, it exists in the pages of Chinese folklore and not medical literature. To posit, then, that Falun Gong practice works mechanistically to somehow induce psychosis is irresponsible and deceptive. Were the Chinese Government’s remarks about Falun Gong’s alleged, unpleasant mental side-effects true, one might wonder if millions of people would continue with or begin this practice--particularly when there are many alternative qigong and taiji to choose from.

There is no question that mental illness is a serious problem facing China today: over 16 million mentally-ill patients are distributed in all occupations and social groups of Chinese society.^[6] The bigger question, however, lies in attributing mental illness to Falun Gong. Can it be expected that none of these 16 million people have decided to practice Falun Gong, regardless of Mr. Li’s admonition for mentally-ill persons not to? Given that all Falun Gong materials were for years available for inexpensive purchase, that all materials are available for free viewing or download on the internet, and that nobody will stop you from practicing (as there is no organization, leadership, or membership), it is very likely that some of these persons would take up the practice of Falun Gong. These people, as Mr. Li has stated, are not suited for practicing. Unable to grasp the principles of Falun Gong and live according to them, the mentally-ill person will not receive health benefits characteristic to Falun Gong. Neither will their mental problems find relief. Sadly, they are bound to suffer the same symptoms and challenges of before, as they are certainly not genuine, self-aware, Falun Gong practitioners. When they commit bad deeds or harm themselves, can this be blamed on Falun Gong? Should they attend church, should their behaviors be blamed on Christianity? Simply, one cannot assert causality when at best there might exist affiliation.

The Chinese Government has also erred with its wild rhetoric in asserting that some of those alleged “1,400 deaths” are Falun Gong-induced suicides. First, it can be said that where there is suicide there is mental disturbance; most likely there is some form of mental illness, be it common (as in depression) or severe (as in psychosis). Now if there is no known medical basis for asserting that Falun Gong could induce mental illness, how can one go so far as to suggest that it incurs suicide? Even the Chinese Government has not tried to assert that Falun Gong is a self-destructive practice, as every page of Mr. Li Hongzhi’s teachings tell otherwise.^[7] At a very minimum one can say that suicide has a very complex variety of triggers, not easily isolated. One is thus again left to assume that there is some causal mechanism being posited by Chinese officials. Such a claim is even more imaginative and not worth pursuing any further.

But for the sake of argument we can pretend--only to illustrate the absurdity of the “1,400” number--that a good number of 100 of those alleged deaths were indeed by suicide. Leaving aside the question of causality, we can consider the matter of suicide in China from a broader perspective: that of population statistics. For the year 1999 in China, some 200,000 people committed suicide.^[8] As the population of China in 1998 was 1.25 billion,^[9] this means that the death-by-suicide mortality rate in China is 0.16 (that is, 16 people out of 100 thousand would die of suicide). This means that if one were to take a random sampling of the population, 16 of 100 thousand people could be expected to die in a given year from suicide. We can assert that Falun Gong had 70 million practitioners as of early 1999.^[10] (Note: 70 million is likely a conservative estimate, as the Chinese Government itself figured by way of an early 1999 census that the number of practitioners was between 70-100 million.) If this group of practitioners did not practice Falun Gong and were members of the general population, we could project that 11,200 would have died by suicide in 1999. According to what is supposed to be the Chinese Government’s incriminating “facts,” however, perhaps a mere 100 or so practitioners died by way of suicide in seven years (note: the 1,400 number is for alleged deaths in Falun Gong’s 7 year history from 1992-1997). Were all of these alleged deaths to have come in the year 1999 alone, we could still say that Falun Gong had saved around 11,100 lives. So to have some number of deaths out of 1,400 in 7 years be allegedly by suicide in a population of 70 million persons (practitioners) is remarkable, as one would expect over 11,000 deaths in just one year alone. Falun Gong could be said to be astoundingly effective in preventing suicide when examined in this light. Several health surveys done on Falun Gong practitioners in China confirm that Falun Gong is exceptionally beneficial to mental health. (see A3-A5)

All numbers aside, murder and suicide--or even simply harming others intentionally--are acts absolutely incongruous with the principles of Falun Gong. With truthfulness, compassion and forbearance guiding cultivation, acts that harm others are totally unacceptable. This is why there has yet to be a case of a Falun Gong practitioner fighting back when abused during the persecution; it is why the Zhongnanhai incident was perhaps the most peaceful appeal gathering of 10,000 in history; this is why practitioners do not commit acts of violence--towards oneself or others. Mr. Li has been explicit on this topic, indicating that one is better off not even swatting a mosquito; even this is an act of violence to a Falun Gong practitioner. Should a “practitioner” commit suicide or murder, there is something seriously wrong with this person and he or she is anything but a Falun Gong practitioner. Most likely, this person was one of those psychotic persons who wrongfully tried to practice Falun Gong. But this does not mean there is any connection between the two, let alone a causal connection.

If one violates the rules of an organization, religion, or club one might no longer be considered a member of that group. If one violates a serious rule of society, one is imprisoned for it and no longer considered to be a member of that society. Falun Gong, as a serious practice, has some serious principles that one pays attention to. Even these, however, are up to the individual person to decide to follow. But if a person should decide not to, how can he or she be considered a practitioner of Falun Dafa? Understanding the principles is an essential aspect of Falun Gong. People who violate its principles are not considered practitioners, and those unfortunate people with psychosis were never considered practitioners.

When people are free to make individual choices, some irresponsible people might make irresponsible choices. But when the choices are completely opposite to what cultivation practice teaches, the cultivation cannot be blamed. If a teacher teaches something and the student chooses to do the opposite, does one then point one’s finger at the teacher or the student? This should be easy to see.

This has not stopped the Chinese Government from employing twisted logic. If the Chinese government can medically demonstrate the mechanisms by which Falun Gong supposedly induces psychotic behavior in previously healthy people, they will be ushering in a new frontier in psychiatry. Such findings would undoubtedly be quickly found in prestigious medical journals. But until now, they have only been found buried amidst venomous propaganda churned out by China’s state-run media. Such claims cannot be taken seriously. Sure enough, alleged “cases” that have been subjected to independent investigation have been revealed as falsification. (see A1-A2) Until that unlikely day, people are better off going on the statistics of the several major medical studies which found Falun Gong practice very beneficial to mental well-being. (see A4-A5)

b. The claim that Falun Gong causes death through abstention from medicine

As already shown in part 1 (“Falun Gong’s teachings on medicine and medical treatment”), Mr. Li and his Falun Gong have always, unequivocally stated that people must make their own decisions on pursuing medical treatment; one can also peruse Mr. Li’s writings, lectures, and interview Falun Gong practitioners to easily confirm this for oneself. What’s more, as indicated, the validity of alleged “cases” in this regard are also questionable. In this part what we would like to do is take the argument a step further, and consider the issues of medical treatment, medical complications, and death in statistical relief by way of population data. In this light, the picture is the same: the Chinese Government is manipulating numbers to serve its political agenda.

So here we will consider the Chinese Government’s case on its own terms, examining the feasibility of its numbers. First, for the sake of argument we will imagine that 1,400 practitioners of Falun Gong died as a result of forgoing medical treatment, and that these deaths all somehow occurred in 1999 (though this is actually a seven-year total); we will generously allow that the initial 743 number was some sort of miscalculation. Along with this we will suppose that all Falun Gong practitioners cannot take medicine, as claimed by the Chinese Government; the vast majority opt not to take it anyway, so it is very fair to say that any practitioner’s death in 1999 should have been included in this “1,400” figure. The next supposition is that 70 million people practiced Falun Gong in China at the time of the ban. Notably, the vast majority of Falun Gong practitioners came to the practice with some degree of illness, often seeking relief from their symptoms through cultivation; many were affected with chronic illness that had resisted efforts by conventional medical treatment. Also significant is that the bulk of practitioners were retired, elderly persons; death and illness, of course, are much nearer for this segment of the population. Some surprising things can be determined from these suppositions.

Consider the following analysis on the issue of abstinence from medicine for the year of 1999 alone. What we ask here is: What would have happened had these practitioners sought medical treatment while practicing Falun Gong, rather than abstaining from it? Of the 70 million Falun Gong practitioners who each, allegedly, abstained from medical treatment, 1,400 passed away. This means that a miniscule 0.02 Falun Gong practitioners died for every 1000 that practice (0.02 mortality rate). Now consider that in the United States some 140,000 people die in a given year as a result of Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR), while another 98,000 die from medical error;^[11] this puts total deaths due to medical treatment at 238,000 per year. In a population of 268 million,^[12] this equates to 0.89 persons dying for every 1000 (0.89 mortality rate). To be generous, we will assume that medicine in China is as advanced as in the United States, enjoying numerous quality controls and checks, regulatory agencies, etc. Thus, we will figure that the same risks are involved in China in going to the hospital for medical treatment. So if this population of 70 million were to experience the same mortality rate by way of medical error and ADR as does the United States population (0.89), we could expect a whopping 62,300 deaths! That means that simply by virtue of abstaining from medicine and practicing their exercises, Falun Gong practitioners changed their projected annual death toll (due to medical complications) by 60,900. In other words, it would appear that Falun Gong is not so much murderous as miraculous.

Now let’s compare Falun Gong practitioners’ mortality rate for 1999 (0.02) to that of the general, overall Chinese population. Here we ask: What would have happened to these persons were they not practitioners; i.e., were they subject to the same statistical averages as the general population. The age-adjusted mortality rate for China in 1998 was 6.50 (650 deaths per 100,000 people).^[13] So if this mortality rate were to be assumed for those 70 million persons who practiced Falun Gong in 1999, one would anticipate an astounding 455,000 deaths! That is, this many people would have died according to the laws of averages if they were not practicing Falun Gong and were members of the general population. Apparently Falun Gong practice has a bigger positive impact than previously imagined. And this statistic is taking the aggregate number of 1,400 deaths and putting them into one year alone, no less. This means that Falun Gong practice--which “forced” practitioners to abstain from medicine, recall, according to the Chinese Government--saved the lives of 453,600 persons in 1999. Not bad for an practice that supposedly causes “dire consequences” to people’s health, according to Chinese Government literature. Even compared with the age-adjusted mortality rate for the US in 1999, 4.87, the number 1,400 is nothing.^[14] Had those practitioners lived in the US, one would still anticipate 340,900 deaths, and this with medicine, no less!

Even if we were to take the Chinese Government’s recent, politically-tailored figure of 2 million to represent the number of Falun Gong practitioners in 1999, then we could still expect that 13000 practitioners would die in a given year (with China’s 6.5 mortality rate) if they were members of the general population. But with only 1,400 supposed cases being scrounged up, this means that Falun Gong practice has still saved about 11600 practitioners’ lives. And again, this is supposing that all alleged deaths occurred in just one year, no less. The scaffolding behind the “1,400 cases” is all-too-easily revealed.

Finally, take into account all of the other factors involved: that the majority of practitioners are elderly; that they often come to the practice ailing; that the alleged 1,400 deaths occurred in fact over 7 years; and that China’s medical situation is not on par with that of the US. Obviously, even the most basic, conservative of statistical analysis demonstrates the absurdity of the Chinese Government’s accusation that Falun Gong practice is dangerous. With these other factors taken into consideration, the claim that Falun Gong adherents’ abstaining from medical treatment is dangerous is not only groundless, but completely out of touch with reality. The facts say just the opposite, and do so resoundingly. And all of this comes simply from engaging the Chinese Government’s claims on their own terms. One should not forget, either, the previously stated matters: that Falun Gong does not require avoidance of medicine; that the Chinese Government blatantly lied about Mr. Li’s teachings and Falun Gong’s principles; that there is no legal or medical evidence that Falun Gong could possibly induce psychosis or suicidal behavior; and that the alleged “1,400 deaths” have neither held up under investigation nor been properly documented. Ultimately, the “1,400 deaths” are in fact evidence that Falun Gong embodies remarkable healing capacities: the mortality rate is incredibly lower than that due to medical error or that of the general population--a population privileged to medical treatment, unlike the poor, “victimized” Falun Gong “followers.”

The irony in all of this, of course, is that Falun Gong’s popularity owes greatly to its profound healing effects-- effects that deeply improve both the mind and body of the practitioner. These have been repeatedly documented and investigated. An enormous number of individual cases of radical healing exist, including many persons rescued from terminal and chronic illnesses. Were Falun Gong dangerous in a manner remotely similar to that portrayed by Chinese officials, would the practice have spread to over 70 million people by word of mouth in a mere 7 years? Would these health seeking, aging persons not have opted for less high-risk systems, such as the government sanctioned taiji and qigong forms? Clearly, people found not risk but benefit in the practice of Falun Gong. And people continue to today, as Falun Gong is now practiced in over 60 countries; its health benefits appear hardly bound by culture.

We find the Chinese Government’s venomous “medical facts” to instead be fabrications and distortions both morally repugnant and indefensible. Worse yet, they have been the foundation for a brutal campaign of persecution and violence directed at Falun Gong practitioners. We would invite the World Health Organization to conduct an independent, fair investigation of this matter. We feel it would serve the world well to have the truth of this matter confirmed by an authoritative third party.