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this articleZhang Hongbao in Blast Furnace
A Documentary on How the Outstanding Spiritual Leader
Transformed to a Political Leader
AP: The Largest
Qigong Organization in the World Attracted the Millions of Followers
AP: Zhong Gong targeted in
widespread clampdown (Excerpt)
By JOHN LEICESTER
THE SPECIAL AGENT OF THE MOST REPUTATION of AP RESIDENT PERSONS IN BEIJING
Behind the scenes of the crackdown on the Falun Gong, the Government is waging a
campaign against Zhong Gong and other health and meditation groups. As with the
Falun Gong, the leadership views them as a threat to its monopoly on power.
Zhong Gong, founded in 1987, was the largest of the groups after the Falun Gong.
It attracted millions of followers. In an appeal to the UN Human Rights
Commission, the group said nearly 600 followers have been detained, including 25
organisers.
Zhong Gong's founder, Zhang Hongbao, His first company - Beijing Teaching Centre
and Third clinics were capital empty. The blue exterior of the building has
badly damage caused by the wind and rain.
The practitioners said: Before the Beijing Zhong Gong Company crackdown and
during the 1st October, Chinese government celebrated they“50th Anniversary
Birthday”, There are several hundred of people met in the center to take
training and meditation exercises every day.
Mr. Bai (one of Zhong Gong disciple who worked as a security guard at the group
function before his moving north to Inner Mongolia in 1997 to set up a qigong
training centre there). Said: Zhong Gong already had 38 million followers in
1990, including many local government officials.
Like Falun Gong followers, Zhong Gong members refer to their founder as "master"
and themselves as "disciples." They say they use Zhong Gong to open energy
channels in their bodies, promoting health and vitality. They also say Zhang's
teachings promote moral living.
Bai said: I could sleep only two hours every night through the practiced.
Before the crackdown, practitioners met in parks at dawn to perform breathing
and meditation exercises. A disciple said the more people who practice together,
the greater the energy they create, like putting electric batteries in a row.
"I do miss it," he said. "You can't eradicate qi gong from people's hearts."