US "Business Insider" network reveals the cult "Falungong" Longquan Temple in New York

Core Tip: On September 10, 2019, the US Business Insider website (Businessinsider.com) published an article to uncover the various illegal and grotesque aspects of the cult "Falungong" Longquan Temple in Laochao, including Li Hongzhi's tight control of Laochao. The tension between Longquan Temple and its neighbors, the destruction of Longquan Temple on the local environment, the fallacies of Li Hongzhi ’s fallacies, and even the occurrence of abnormal disciples ’fall in Longquan Temple.

　　In northern New York State, about 100 "Falungong" practitioners live in a 400-acre compound deep in the jungle.

　　The compound has been expanded repeatedly since 2001, but locals are increasingly concerned about its recent expansion that will have an impact on the environment.

　　Internet access is prohibited in the compound, interpersonal relationships are pre-arranged, and traditional medical treatment is not popular.

　　Li Hongzhi, the leader of "Falungong," lives here, even though he has stayed out for years.

　　The Longquan Temple is surrounded by dense forest and protected by armed guards. Outsiders are not allowed to enter.

　　It is said that about 100 people live in this compound of 400 acres in the northern foothills of the Shawangunk Mountains in northern New York. For "Falungong" believers, the compound is a holy place. China characterizes "Falungong" as a "cult."

　　The source told NBC that the Longquan Temple is not allowed to connect to the Internet, almost no drugs are used, and interpersonal (marriage) relationships are generally arranged in advance. David Ownby, a professor of history at the University of Montreal who is engaged in "Falungong" research, also refers to "Falungong" as a cult.

　　Over the years, several small towns around Longquan Temple, such as Luyuan Town, have always wanted to restrict the internal development of Longquan Temple, but the leaders of "Falungong" want to expand further. Longquan Temple wants to build a 920-seat auditorium, a new parking lot, and a sewage treatment station. It also wants to transform a "Zen room" into a dormitory. If Longquan Temple requests permission, the number of residents in the compound will increase from the current 100 to 500.

　　The following is what we know about Longquan Temple:

　　Hidden in the jungle at the northern foot of Shawangunk Ridge, about 100 "Falungong" practitioners live in an isolated 400-acre compound in northern New York State.

　　Mountain Wagang Mountains (Image source: Wikimedia)

　　If you take the train from Otisville to Port Jervis, you can see the buildings of Longquan Temple through the woods. According to Li Chong, the "host" of Longquan Temple, the lake and mountains (to Longquan Temple) provided "good feng shui".

　　Idlers are not allowed to visit Longquan Temple.

　　On March 8, 2019, a guard walked back and forth outside the gate of the "Falungong" Longquan Temple compound (Image: ulie Jacobson / Associated Press)

　　Surrounded by a fence outside the Longquan Temple compound, the gate is guarded by guards, and there are two guardian lions squatting at the door.

　　"Falungong" is a mixture of Buddhism, mysticism, and exercises, and its teachings also involve aliens and apartheid.

　　In 1999, China officially characterized "Falungong" as an illegal cult organization. According to the official website of Longquan Temple, many residents of Longquan Temple fled from China.

　　This massive 400-acre property was purchased in 2000.

　　Satellite map of Longquan Temple compound (Image source: Google Maps / Business Insider)

　　Since "Falungong" (in the United States) is classified as a religious organization, its real estate has been granted tax exempt status.

　　Since 2001, the buildings in the compound have been increasing.

　　"Falungong" Longquan Temple Courtyard (Photo credit: Julie Jacobson / Associated Press)

　　On the right side of the picture, there is a Tang-style temple (the Tang Dynasty ruled China from the 7th to the 10th century AD), and a 75-foot stupa.

　　When describing the temple on the official website of Longquan Temple, it was called "smart work": "In all the beam structures on the building, no screws, nails and metal joints are used."

　　The Longquan Temple compound also has more modern buildings.

　　In the compound, there are two schools: Feitian Art School and Feitian College.

　　Feitian Art School is the "preparatory school" of Shen Yun Art Troupe. Shen Yun Art Troupe is a theater-style dance performance team. According to an article by New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino, the Shen Yun performance "fundamentally belongs to sectarian and political propaganda." Shen Yun Art Troupe is a non-profit organization. In 2016, its assets were approximately US $ 75 million and revenue was US $ 22 million.

　　The Shen Yun Art Troupe rehearsed in the Longquan Temple compound when not on tour in cities such as London, Los Angeles, New York and Washington.

　　Chinese political experts believe that Shen Yun is part of the public relations plan carefully planned and launched by "Falungong." There was anti-communist information in the performance. The ruling party in China regarded Shen Yun as a tool for "Falungong" to subvert its regime.

　　Not all "Falungong" practitioners live in the Longquan Temple compound.

　　Scenery of Luyuan Town (Image source: Wikimedia)

　　Some "Falungong" practitioners live in surrounding towns like Luyuan Town. When the weather is good, you can see some "Falungong" practitioners practicing exercises locally.

　　However, Li Hongzhi, the founder of "Falungong", does indeed live in the Longquan Temple compound.

　　Li Hongzhi was in New York in 1999 (Photo credit: Henny Abrams / AFP / Getty)

　　However, Li Hongzhi did not disclose this fact. In 2016, a legal document delivery person went to Longquan Temple to find him (referring to the fact that the Global Chinese Anti-Cult Coalition sued Li Hongzhi at that time-annotated), and was blocked at the gate. Where. However, in 2019, four former Longquan Temple occupants told NBC that Li Hongzhi did indeed live in Longquan Temple, and also controlled everything in Longquan Temple.

　　In the Longquan Temple compound, there are reports that Internet connection is not allowed, drug treatment is not promoted, and various relationships are arranged in advance.

　　Longquan Temple (Source: Youtube / Dragon Springs Temple)

　　According to the NBC News Channel, Li Hongzhi has tight control over the major affairs and small affairs in the Longquan Temple compound, and even gets involved in the believers' private lives.

　　A "Falungong" believer told NBC News Channel that after learning that she was dating a non-Falungong believer, the leaders of Longquan Temple told her that her visa had expired. She later learned that her visa is still valid.

　　Li Hongzhi taught believers that practicing Falun Dafa ("Falungong") can transform the body into high-energy matter and even allow people to fly to heaven.

　　In 1999, "Qigong Master" Li Hongzhi performed a meditation moment. (Source: Ted Thai / The LIFE Picture Collection / Getty)

　　Li Hongzhi also believes in the existence of aliens. In 1999, in an interview with Time Weekly, Li Hongzhi said: "If aliens do not replace human beings, society will collapse itself."

　　In 1999, Li Hongzhi told the Washington Post that he was not an evil (behind-the-scenes) planner, but that he had become a prophet by accident.

　　One of Li Hongzhi's teachings is: "Falungong" practitioners will never participate in politics. He said: "We never interfere with the government and never do bad things. We are all law-abiding citizens."

　　Li Hongzhi (Photo source: Kyodo News / Associated Press)

　　Although "Falungong" has such rhetoric far from politics, members of "Falungong" own a multilingual newspaper group like The Epoch Times, which Li Hongzhi calls "our media." The newspaper recently spent approximately US $ 1.5 million in six months to launch an advertisement to please President Trump.

　　In September 2018, Samira Bouaou, a photojournalist for The Epoch Times, entered the White House restricted area and handed a folder to President Trump.

　　Photographer Samira Bouaou of The Epoch Times handed a folder to President Trump (Image credit: Susan Walsh / Associated Press)

　　Trump opened the folder and then quickly closed it again. Bouaou did not say what was in the folder or why she gave the president such a folder.

　　The Epoch Times has published three reports directly related to Longquan Temple.

　　Epoch Times free newspaper box (Photo credit: Mark Lennihan / Associated Press)

　　All three reports are letters from readers. The first article describes why Longquan Temple is so mysterious, the second article requires local residents to understand Longquan Temple, and the third article attempts to clarify certain misunderstandings. The letter about the mystery of Longquan Temple said that the gate of Longquan Temple is no different from the gate of the "YMCA" in New York.

　　In an interview with Time Weekly, Li Hongzhi claimed that he was worried that industry would pollute the atmosphere and water.

　　In 2004, Li Hongzhi made a rare TV announcement (Image credit: Lo Sai-hung / Associated Press)

　　Li Hongzhi said: "Drinking water is also polluted. No matter how we purify, it is impossible to restore the original purity.

　　Although Li Hongzhi is concerned about environmental issues, local residents are concerned that the Longquan Temple is destroying the land of its neighbors.

　　The Neversink River near Longquan Temple (Source: Wikimedia)

　　In 2019, when the expansion of Longquan Temple was about to happen, things were once out of control. Longquan Temple wants to build a sewage treatment station with a daily treatment capacity of 100,000 gallons, and neighbors are worried that this will destroy the surrounding water system, because the treated river water will be discharged into local rivers such as Bashar River and Nevasink River.

　　Longquan Temple wants to build a 72,800-square-foot concert hall, a parking lot that can accommodate 1,100 cars and 42 buses, and wants to convert a Zen room into a dormitory.

　　The Longquan Temple compound of "Falungong" (Photo credit: Julie Jacobson / Associated Press)

　　The above changes mean that Longquan Temple will accommodate 500 people.

　　However, many locals are not happy about the expansion of Longquan Temple.

　　Longquan Temple under construction (Image source: Youtube / Dragon Springs Temple)

　　According to reports, these locals said that the Longquan Temple's plan to "expand first and then apologize" ignored the priority enjoyed by its neighbors.

　　Grace Woodard, the neighbor of Longquan Temple, told "U.S. News" (Usnews.com): "It (Longquan Temple) is like a small city, one (construction) plan followed by one (construction) plan, slice by slice Built. "

　　Some locals believe that "Falungong" is a threat.

　　At the hearing on the expansion of Longquan Temple, local residents listened carefully to the speakers (Photo credit: Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

　　In April 2019, a cement worker told a local planning hearing that 600 participants attended. In 2012, he was surprised when he met security personnel at the gate of Longquan Temple because these security personnel carried AK47 machine guns .

　　He said: "In our community, this thing is not needed at all."

　　Neighbor Woodward said that while she and her friends were watching the big tree at the entrance of Longquan Temple, two security cars appeared in front of them and drove the jumping lights until she and her friends left.

　　Grace Woodward, a local resident who is deeply troubled by Longquan Temple (Photo credit: AP / Youtube)

　　Woodward also said that she had also encountered "Falungong" personnel to take photos on her property and wanted to buy her house.

　　Over the years, the constant expansion of the "Falungong" Longquan Temple has caused friction.

　　On March 8, 2019, the photo shows the "Falungong" Longquan Temple in Otisville

　　In the past ten years, the point of the problem has been: the driveway built around Longquan Temple is far wider than the scope permitted by the construction law. Other conflicts include: Longquan Temple wanted to build a 23-acre solar square, and ten residents of Longquan Temple sued a mayor for electoral discrimination.

　　Another fact is that Longquan Temple refused to announce the death of a construction worker in 2008.

　　Longquan Temple under construction (Image source: Youtube / Dragon Springs Temple)

　　At the time, while building a building, a 54-year-old Canadian fell to his death. In addition, no information was disclosed. A man living in Longquan Temple told the local newspaper: "We belong to a religious community and we don't need to inform the public." No autopsy has ever been done.

　　Longquan Temple has also applied for the construction of a wall up to 8 feet in height, not the height between 4 feet and 6 feet (common wall).

　　2018 aerial overhead photo of Longquan Temple (Photo credit: Luyuan Town Wildlife Conservation Union / Facebook)

　　A resident in Longquan Temple, a teacher named Thun Lin, said that people from the Chinese government may rush into Longquan Temple to eavesdrop on their phones, so it is necessary to build a high fence.

　　At the same time, Longquan Temple claimed that it expected to meet everyone at the gate. The official website of Longquan Temple said: "We hope this day will come early." It seems that most people will never know what is happening behind the big wall of Longquan Temple.

　　Gate of Longquan Temple (Source: Youtube / Dragon Springs Temple)

　　Longquan Temple blamed this on China, claiming that the demand for high-standard security measures stems from China's continued persecution of "Falungong". Unless "Falungong" is accepted and secured, it will not open the door of Longquan Temple. However, according to "Falungong" practitioners in China, although the government looks calm on the surface, its position against "Falungong" will not be eased.