Latvia: Zhang Cuiying's Painting Exhibiton Popular with Media, Public and Government

A two-day exhibition of Zhang Cuiying’s paintings successfully ended today (26 June) in the Museum of Riga, the capital of Latvia. Objective Reports that reveal the evil persecution in China and portrayed Chinese traditional art entered the homes of tens thousands of families in Riga one after another through the local newspapers. The powerful and intensive reports made by TV and radio stations that Falun Gong practitioners were being persecuted in China attracted an audience of hundreds of thousands.

An old man of more than seventy went to the painting exhibition after reading the reports. He said that he had seen these kinds of paintings in China thirty years ago. Today, thirty years later, was the first time he had ever seen such beautiful Chinese paintings again. He was reluctant to leave and waited there for more than an hour until a reporter of a radio station finished an interview with the painter. Then, he held the painting album in his hands and requested the painter’s inscription and autograph as a souvenir. Many visitors wrote down their heartfelt words on the guest book and sent flowers to Zhang Cuiying one after another to express their gratitude. When a reporter of the Chinese News Agency came to the exhibition, practitioners clarified the truth of Falun Gong to him on their own initiative.

After the painting exhibition ended at 5PM, we rushed to the office of the Chief of police. As soon as he saw us, he asked Zhang Cuiying when she would come back Riga to hold the exhibition again. He said he had been to the exhibition on the previous day. He liked Zhang Cuiying’s Chinese traditional paintings a lot. The exhibition had not been well prepared because there was only one day to do the preparation. Next time, the government would specially invite it. We thanked him for his kind invitation and expressed that we would consider holding it again. We again clarified to him the truth of Dafa and further described the real sufferings of Zhang Cuiying being persecuted in China.

On the day we left Riga, Zhang Cuiying and four Falun Gong practitioners paid a visit to the chairman of parliament who is in charge of the relationship between Latvia and China. He liked the Chinese culture and Chinese people a lot and believed that the suppression and persecution of Falun Gong was intolerable. He hoped Zhang Cuiying would stay in Riga at least one week if she ever came again. Two days was not long enough.

The president of Latvia talked to us through his assistant: he had read the media reports on the painting exhibition. He was very pleased that Zhang Cuiying came to Latvia and showed her arts. He regretted that the time was too short and he was too busy with state affairs to come and visit the painting exhibition in person. He said that he would certainly meet with us next time, no matter how busy he is.

To see more of Zhang Cuiying’s paintings, visit www.zhangcuiying.org

Zhang Cui Ying's exhibition will be held in Central Hall, Oldham Street, Manchester from 22-26 July, 2002, in conjunction with The Spirit of Friendship Festival 2002 Commonwealth Games.