(Minghui.org) Falun Dafa practitioners took part in a celebration at the Central Park of Vidnoye near Moscow on May 27, 2023, on invitation from the park’s administration committee. The event was part of the Festival Atypical Parks program, which included over 50 events simultaneously held by various organizations at parks throughout Moscow.

The day was warm and sunny. Through a variety of performances, local residents learned about Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice rooted in ancient Chinese culture. “We will get acquainted with the practice of Falun Dafa. Also known as Falun Gong, it is a self-improvement system of mind and body,” announced Yulia Karpova, emcee of the event, when she introduced the practice to the audience. “The core principles of Falun Dafa are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The practice of Falun Dafa was first introduced to the public in China in 1992.”

The event began with a costumed procession of all the performers along paths in Central Park. Led by girls dressed as celestial maidens holding a Falun Dafa banner, the group also included a dragon dance, lion dance, and waist drum performance. Practitioners in Vietnamese costumes also participated in the activities.

Practitioners parade in the Central Park of Vidnoye near Moscow on May 27, 2023.

The practitioners’ parade and performances were well received by spectators.

After the march, practitioners held a dance of celestial maidens, a drummer dance, a children’s musical and dance, an educational quiz with questions about Chinese culture, singing, and a Falun Dafa exercise demonstration.

Falun Dafa exercise demonstration and music and dance performances

The practitioners’ performances were applauded by spectators.

An additional exercise demonstration after the music and dancing performance

Practitioners gave classes in Chinese calligraphy and taught people how to make lotus flowers.

Spectators said they liked the activities very much.

A practitioner from St. Petersburg had taught herself Chinese in order to read the writings of Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, in their original language. During the event, she taught people how to write Chinese characters.

Practitioners also held classes to teach Chinese calligraphy and how to fold paper lotus flowers. The lotus flower class was part of the larger event, Petals of Peace, which raises awareness of the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners in China. For practitioners, the lotus flower is a symbol of the self-cultivation process to become better people. The lotus flower rises from the mud and is very beautiful when it blooms. It symbolizes how practitioners strive to maintain the purity and beauty of their souls and remain unpolluted despite the chaos of everyday life.

Many people learned how to make lotus flowers during the event. Participants were also given a beautiful calendar containing information about Falun Dafa and an invitation to attend free online webinars to learn the Falun Dafa exercises.

“This Practice Is Close to My Heart”

Irina (left) and her friend Elena (right) came with their daughters.

Two women and their daughters stopped to watch the celebration. Irina said she was impressed by the performances. “Everything is very beautiful. You find yourself in the world of ancient China,” she said. “I have never heard of Falun Dafa before. But what I saw today made me feel this practice is close to my heart.”

Her friend, Elena, was also fascinated by Falun Dafa practice as well as traditional Chinese culture. “I have never been to China, but today I saw the traditional culture of China,” she explained. “My daughter was delighted and took pictures with everyone! I really enjoyed the concert, the dancing, and the song in Chinese.”

Touched By Falun Dafa’s Principles

Victoria and her daughter Katya

Victoria said she was touched by the beauty and values Falun Dafa practitioners presented. “The lotuses are very beautiful, everything is unusually colorful! We also learned that the lotus in Chinese culture symbolizes kindness and purity. This is very important in life,” she said.

A young couple came with their five-year-old child. Because the husband came late, the wife told him about the Petals of Peace event and the story of Fadu, who was only nine months old when her father lost his life as a result of the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. Upon hearing the story, the husband said he wanted to learn how to write the characters for Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, the guiding principles of Falun Dafa, and asked a practitioner to explain the meaning of each character.

Community Appreciates Learning about Chinese Culture

One of the event organizers in the Central Park of the city of Vidnoye highly appreciated the program presented by Falun Dafa practitioners. She said the procession attracted many visitors to the park, who filmed videos of their performances. She also participated in the class on Chinese calligraphy and liked it very much.

Many participants in the event left their feedback in the practitioners’ guestbook. One family said that practitioners are very kind, and they thanked them for the opportunity to get to know Falun Dafa and Chinese culture.

Another visitor wrote in the guestbook, “Today we happened to be here for this amazing and magical festival of Chinese culture. The lotus costumes are bright and beautiful. The workshop on how to make lotus flowers is also magnificent! We really want to thank the organizers of this wonderful event!”