Falun Gong and the Future of China - Hardcover

Ownby, David

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195329058 ISBN 13: 9780195329056

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2008

Synopsis

Based on fieldwork among Chinese Falun Gong practitioners and on extensive readings of founder Li Hongzhi's writings, this volume offers a depiction of Falun Gong from the inside, at the same time offering a narrative depiction of Falun Gong and its origins in the history of Chinese popular religion. Such an account sets aside accusations that Falun Gong is a "dangerous cult" and allows for a clearer understanding of the conflict between the group and the Chinese state.

About this title

About the Author

David Ownby is Professor of History and Director of the Center for East Asian Studies at the Université de Montréal, in Montreal, Canada. He is the author of Brotherhoods and Secret Societies in Early and Mid-Qing China: The Formation of a Tradition, and the co-author, with Qin Baoqi and Susan J. Palmer, of The Millennium and the Turning of the Kalpa: The Historical Evolution of Apocalyptic Discourse in China and in the West.

Reviews

Historian Ownby examines the controversial Falun Gong movement in this detailed study of its origins in China and its status among the Chinese diaspora, particularly in North America. Addressing Falun Gong within the context of Chinese popular religions and the post-Mao state's ongoing search for political and cultural identity rather than human rights discourse, Ownby (Université de Montreal) sifts through conflicting evidence to explain why neither Falun Gong's development nor the Chinese government's strong reaction were historical anomalies. He describes how Falun Gong, a spiritual cultivation system rooted in China's redemptive societies and the recent enthusiasm for qigong, began in 1992. He also chronicles the events that led the Chinese government to crack down on this popular movement in 1999, including the aftermath in China and abroad. The book includes extensive quotes from founder Li Hongzhi's writings as well as witness statements from practitioners. Despite the book's title, China's future given the persistence of Falun Gong's adherents is not extensively addressed. Ownby's account, while strongly written, is perhaps most suited for academic collections. (May)
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Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0195329058
• ISBN 13: 9780195329056
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 291