Li Hongzhi once said, “I will not accept any material rewards nor money.” “I will not ask for a penny from my followers.” Yet in the book What I know of Li Hongzhi, Jing Zhanyi, once his follower, revealed that he accumulated more than RMB 139 million through unfair means and has become a billionaire. How id Li Hongzhi funded？
Collecting training fees
Collecting training fees is one of the ways in which Li Hongzhi accumulated wealth. He got his first pot of god from offering training courses. From May 1992 to the end of 1994, Li launched 56 training courses throughout China and collected total training fees of RMB 3 million. One example is when Li was training his followers in Guanxian County, Shandong Province. He went back on his word of taking 50% of the total income and asked for 70% at the end of the courses. When the training ended, one of his followers said, “Look at the shabby clothes of our master. We should pay him extra for new clothes.” Finally, LI took 70% of the total income and an extra RMB 180 for new clothes. He was so mean, how dare he say that he never collects money or seeks material gains from his followers? This case shows how greedy Li Hongzhi was.
Treating diseases with Falun Gong
Another way he uses of accumulating wealth is by treating diseases with Falun Gong. In June 1992, Li Hongzhi and several followers treated diseases with Falun Gong in the Beijing Construction Materials Auditorium and collected funds on the spot. Li even set up a Box of Virtues to raise donations and those who went to him for treatment of diseases were required to donate RMB 50 or 100 to the box. Later, as Li gained fame, he no longer treated people in this way, because there was the risk that the patient might die on the spot, which would embarrass him. Moreover, he no longer needed small donations. Yet sometimes he felt compelled to do so. For example, on May 13, 2015, during the New York Assembly, Li treated a leading member of the Falun Gong organization in Macao named Lin Yiming by practicing Falun Gong on him, claiming that all of his karma had been eliminated. Unfortunately, due to the spread of cancer cells, Lin Yiming died on Aug.2 that year. A Chinese American, named Mr. Chen, has provided another example: “Li Hongzhi asked for my sponsorship. He didn’t say how much he wanted, and I gave him $10,000. Then he pretended to treat me with Falun Gong”. Yet, his blood glucose went up instead of going down. After that, Mr.Chen went to Li, saying, “You are like a swindler.”
Taking photos with others
Li Hongzhi was delighted that he could charge fees for taking photos with him. When the first assembly to disseminate the Dharma was convened in Tianjin, he asked the followers to pay for taking photos with him, with one photo charged at RMB 50. In Chongqing, he peddled photo opportunities like a vendor, saying “Anyone want to take photos? It is the last one.” At that time, Li was young and short of money. Later, when he moved overseas, he no longer lacked money, but I wonde if he is still carrying out such practice.
Selling books
By the time Falun Gong was banned by the Chinese government, the Falun Research Society had published 19 books as well as a large number of audiovisual products and articles for practicing Falun Gong, such as uniforms, mats, badges, banners and portraits of Li Hongzhi, with a total value of RMB 135 million and a net profit of RMB 42.29 million. A book priced at RMB 12 could be sold at RMB 100 with the signature of Li Hongzhi. To avoid paying tax, Li asked Liu Guirong, the accountant, to burn all the accounts. After Falun Gong was banned, Li Hongzhi posted all the books, disks, and articles for practicing Falun Gong online with staggering prices. Li also opened up Tianti Bookstore in the US and Canada, which means that by buying his books and practicing Falun Gong, one can climb up the stairway to Heaven. It is hard to calculate how much he deceived from his followers.
Accept donations
Apart from donations from his followers, Li Hongzhi has a number of sponsors overseas. For example, the family of Lin Yiming, once the head of the Falun Gong organization in Macao, donates RMB 1 million to Falun Gong every year. There are also donations from Western anti-China forces. According to PanDo Daily, each year, Falun Gong media organizations receive $ 1.5 million of technical support from the Broadcasting Board of Governors. In addition, there are donations from corrupt officials. In April 2007, Yan Yongming, a man wanted by the Chinese police and a supporter of Falun Gong, set up the 2007 Special Awards of Spiritual Belief in New Zealand and rewarded the Falun Gong community with NZD 50,000. Li did not conceal the fact that he received donations from them. In the 2015 Dharma Assembly in the West of America, Li said, “Anyway, these people choose to donate to Falun Gong, so we just accept them.” The people of China despise such collusion with corrupte officials.
Hold events
The Shenyun Performance is the No.1 show to which Li Hongzhi gives priority. It is said that the venues are always fully packed. As the performances and ticket sales are all carried out by Falun Gong followers, the costs of such performances are very low. All you need is to find a hotel for the performers. You need to prepare food for them, e.g. box lunch or fast food. The total expenditure on them is less than several millions. Yet according to Li Hongzhi, “The show stands at a loss.” The reason is that the bulk of the revenue goes into Li’s pocket. The exact amount of profit is not known, but it is certainly profitable. Otherwise, how can Li Hongzhi afford seven properties in the US? How does he pay for the living expenses of his family there?
A gentleman who loves material gains gets them through lawful means. Yet Li Hongzhi cheats his followers with various tricks, even resorting to extreme methods. The ultimate purpose is to deceive people into offering all their wealth to him. His followers should see through his tricks as soon as possible! (Editor-in-charge: Song Zhou)
