Bulgaria: Falun Gong Practitioner's Painting Exhibition is a Big Success

With the heartfelt support of the Bulgarian government, the art exhibition by Zhang Cuiying, a Falun Gong practitioner and well-known Chinese painter from Australia, officially opened in the capital city of Sofia on April 7th. On the opening day of the art exhibition, there was some snow, but the sky was bright and clear. Although it was cold, the sparkling snowflakes and fresh air made everyone feel that spring is truly approaching.

Last week in Romania there was a cancellation of Zhang Cuiying’s exhibition due to pressure from the Chinese Embassy in Bucharest, who used violence to force closure of the event. To prevent the same thing from happening in Sofia, the Bulgarian government expressed generous support for the art exhibition and held it in very high regard. At the opening ceremony, there were police on guard at the entrance to the exhibition hall to guarantee people’s safety. This was something unusual for the Bulgarian people and as a result, everyone was eager to see what kind of art exhibition the police were guarding! How could an art exhibition make a superpower such as China feel threatened enough to send its Ambassador out to act so improperly? When the Bulgarian people saw the purity and beauty of the paintings, they were impressed by the artist’s unique style. The elegance and modesty of the artist made them wonder why her exhibition in Romania was cancelled and why so many Falun Gong practitioners in China are being brutally persecuted.

Zhang Cuiying told the audience about the inhuman torture methods used by the Jiang regime on thousands of Falun Gong practitioners in China, which have resulted in the death of over 650. The artist also described her personal experiences of being brutally persecuted in a Chinese labour camp. The audience was told that a lawsuit has been submitted to the International Criminal Court against Chinese dictator and instigator of the persecution against falun Gong Jiang Zemin, for committing crimes of torture and genocide. Finally, the audience was told that the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong has been set up to conduct a comprehensive investigation into this persecution.

Because the Chinese Embassy forced the cancellation of Zhang Cuiying’s exhibition in Romania, the Bulgarian media took a close interest in this exhibition. After interviewing the artist, one TV reporter said, with passion in his voice, “The world needs ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,’ and so does everyone else.” The TV station also invited Zhang Cuiying to participate in a special feature programme on Falun Gong.

The opening of the art exhibition was quite unique and refreshing. Those who attended were not only attracted by the elegant Chinese paintings, but also moved by the noble personality of the artist whose firm belief in “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” will never be shattered.

Translated from Chinese at http://www.yuanming.net/articles/200304/19142.html