Early life Li Hongzhi

1 life

1.1 hagiography
1.2 details published chinese government
1.3 birth date controversy

early life

there competing accounts of li s life surfaced before , after suppression of falun gong began in july 1999, , there little authoritative information on life. accounts between li’s supporters , detractors diverge significantly, , result, can understood within context of political , spiritual purposes different narratives developed.

hagiography

an unofficial biography appeared in first of li’s major publications, zhongguo falun gong, , authored journalist zhu huiguang. second, official spiritual biography appeared in editions of falun gong’s primary text, zhuan falun, , authored falun dafa research society. these biographies placed emphasis on li’s spiritual development, minimal details on li’s ordinary work or family life. style , content of these biographies consistent centuries-old tradition of religious biography in china . benjamin penny writes, precursors [in chinese history], biography seeks establish genealogy of figure life recorded , buttress orthodoxy of doctrine. both biographies omitted later printings of falun gong books, li explained did not want people focus attention on own history or circumstances.

these biographies state li born on 13 may 1951, in town of gongzhuling, jilin province. first account, zhu huiguang, stated li’s family lived amidst poverty, mother earning wage of 30 yuan. in edition, li described developing spirit of bearing hardships , tolerating hard work helped care younger siblings. second, official version of biography emphasized li’s average social background, stating belonged ordinary intellectual’s family .

both biographies ascribe li innate virtues of compassion , discipline. official biography focuses on lineage of daoist , buddhist masters says provided li instruction age. @ four, trained quan jue, tenth heir great law of buddha school. age eight, had acquired superb great law supernatural powers , supposed include invisibility, levitation, etc. master quan left him @ age twelve, replaced taoist master baji zhenren, provided instruction in martial arts , physical skills.

a third master arrived in 1972 great way school. zhendaozi (literally, true taoist ), came changbai mountains near north korean border. unlike li’s other spiritual tutors, true taoist wore ordinary attire, , taught li way of inner cultivation through qigong, stressing xinxing (i.e. mind or heart nature, moral character ). li’s training in period took place under cover of night, possibly due political environment of cultural revolution.

zhu haiguang’s version of biography notes li consistently refused partake in campaigns of cultural revolution, never joining red guards or communist organizations.

a fourth master — woman buddha school—began instructing li in 1974. after training these 4 masters, li s energy potency had reached high level . personal development plateaued around time, biography stating li able see truth of universe, many more beautiful things have existed there long time, origin, development , future of mankind .

in 1982, li moved city of changchun civilian employment , implication being previous work military. @ point in 1980s, li married , had daughter.

in 1984, li began synthesizing teachings received become falun dafa. practice not same had been transmitted him, systems not suitable popularised on large scale . li began observing teaching methods of other qigong masters, , 1989 had finalised qigong system. next 3 years until 1992, li said have begun testing system small group of students.

falun gong books published after 1999 no longer contain biographies of li. these changes reflected larger trend of li retreating public eye. since 2000 has appeared in public, presence entirely being electronic or re-routed through quotations on falun gong s websites. li hongzhi s biography removed falun gong websites time after 2001.

details published chinese government

the chinese government began publishing biographies of li after suppression of falun gong began in july 1999. such, details on li s life published in prc can understood part of government s publicity campaign against falun gong. objective demonstrate li hongzhi thoroughly ordinary , claims exceptional abilities , experiences fraudulent .

according chinese government accounts, li hongzhi born li lai, on either 7 or 27 july 1952. evidence of claim, authorities quoted pan yufang, midwife stated vividly recalled delivering li in july 1952. pan’s account included assertion used oxytocin assist in birth (an impossibility, falun gong sources point out, because oxytocin not synthesized until following year). li s parents divorced whilst toddler, , li , siblings remained mother. in 1955 relocated changchun.

li said have attended primary , middle school in changchun between 1960 , 1970. school-aged children in china, li’s formal education interrupted cultural revolution. did not attend high school, completed high school through correspondence courses in 1980s. chinese government accounts emphasize repeatedly li lacks higher education, , undistinguished student, notable playing trumpet.

after attaining middle school diploma in 1970, li said have held series of unremarkable jobs : between 1970 , 1972, li worked @ army horse farm; 1972 1978, trumpet player in forest police unit in jilin province, , subsequently worked clerk in grain , oil procurement company in changchun. unnamed former classmates , co-workers cited in government accounts stress repeatedly li unremarkable, never saw him practising qigong, , had no knowledge of buddhist , daoist masters li claimed have studied under.

a group of adopters in changchun became disenchanted after li forbade followers charging fees practice @ end of 1994, amongst other things. group left falun gong movement, , proceeded send government ministries series of accusations against li, among them had not shown supernatural powers during youth. falun gong sent detailed rebuttals ministries. following suppression of falun gong in 1999, chinese authorities republished these accusations, point point.

birth date controversy

in september 1994, li changed date of birth in government records 13 may 1951. according li, date of birth had been misprinted 1 of pervasive bureaucratic errors of cultural revolution, , merely correcting it. government records said born on 7 july 1952, although chinese government has given 27 july.

a group of disenchanted followers alleged @ end of 1994 birth date had been correct along, , li had wanted align birth date of historical buddha sakyamuni (13 may 1951 fell on 8th day of fourth lunar moon, celebration of sakyamuni s birthday ). accusation repeated later chinese authorities. li rejected allegation smear , , said have never said sakyamuni. ordinary man. . said m not jesus, , m not sakyamuni, fa has created millions , millions of jesuses , sakyamunis have courage walk path of truth, have courage risk lives sake of truth, , have courage devote lives saving sentient beings” (teaching fa @ washington, d.c. fa conference, 22 july 2002 li hongzhi)

two points supporting li s version bureaucratic errors of nature not uncommon during cultural revolution, , new date never used make promotional claim or bolster li s spiritual authority. moreover, falun gong sources have noted, li have had produce corroborating evidence of 13 may birth date in order change government records.