Falun Gong in the United States: An Ethnographic StudyUniversal-Publishers, 2003 - 300 頁 Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, has been described in many ways. It has been called qigong, one of many schools of physical exercises that aim at improving health and developing supernatural abilities. Scholars and mainstream media have referred it to as a spiritual movement or religion, although practitioners claim it is not a religion. It has been called a cult, in the pejorative sense rather than in a sociological context, by the Chinese government and by some Western critics. In the writings of Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, it is referred to in different ways, though primarily as a cultivation practice. The question of how to define Falun Gong is not just an academic issue; the use of the cult label has been used to justify the persecution of practitioners in China. To a limited degree, the Chinese Government is able to extend the persecution overseas. How society defines Falun Gong has implications for action on the level of policy, as well as the shaping of social, cultural, and personal attitudes. This research project addresses what Falun Gong is through ethnography. Research methods included participant-observation, semi-structured ethnographic interviews (both in-person and on-line), and content analysis of text and visual data from Falun Gong books, pamphlets, and websites. Research sites included Tampa, Washington D.C., and cyberspace. In order to keep my research relevant to the issues and concerns of the Falun Gong community, I was in regular contact with the Tampa practitioners, keeping them abreast of my progress and asking for their input. My findings are contrary to the allegations made by the Chinese Government and Western anti-cultists in many ways. Practitioners are not encouraged to rely on Western medicine, but are not prohibited from using it. Child practitioners are not put at risk. Their organizational structure is very loose. Finally, the Internet has played a vital role in Falun Gong's growth and continuation after the crackdown. |
內容
6 | |
17 | |
19 | |
Practitioners in D C Sending Forth Righteous Thoughts | 27 |
Part of the first exercise | 34 |
Political Cartoon by Tony Auth | 45 |
Our country is in its best human rights period in history | 67 |
Practitioners in Sheng Yang | 72 |
Teaching a new person the fifth exercise | 134 |
Practitioners setting up for Falun Dafa day | 135 |
A picture of Li Hongzhi on Richards wall | 138 |
Richards wall | 139 |
Nappis wall and VCR | 140 |
Falun Gong Demographics for American Practitioners on the Internet | 142 |
Medical care allegation in Chinese comic | 154 |
Clearwisdom net refutes medical care allegation | 155 |
A Practitioners Home After Being Ransacked by Chinese Police | 99 |
A 5000 Yuan Fine For Having a Wife Who Appealed for Falun Gong | 100 |
Liu Yufeng a Practitioner Who Was Beaten to Death | 101 |
Practitioners in D C | 107 |
Suspiciouslooking Chinese Man with a Camera Hangs Around the D C Practice Site | 112 |
RESULTS | 113 |
Falun Gong Practitioners Educations and Careers | 115 |
Anecdotal Demographic Information North American Practitioners | 121 |
Falun Gong Demographics for Tampa FL | 128 |
Falun Gong Demographics for Washington D C | 129 |
Chinese tourists walking away after taking pictures of practitioners up close | 130 |
Joggers glance at dancers on Falun Dafa day | 131 |
Passersby read Falun Gong posters | 133 |
The Six Periods of Falun Gong | 177 |
Conference at USF | 196 |
Children presenting at an Orlando experience sharing conference | 197 |
Professional Practitioners by the Washington Monument | 205 |
A New Website is Advertised at the D C Conference | 209 |
Most Frequently Checked Falun Gong Websites in the United States | 212 |
How Practitioners are Raising Awareness | 222 |
The poster used for the Practice Site in Tampa | 229 |
A Poster Used on the Mall in D C | 230 |
CONCLUSION | 246 |
REFERENCES CITED | 260 |
Tampa SemiStructured Interview Protocol | 284 |
常見字詞
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