In Michael Ashkenazi's posting he asks if Li Hongzhi and the Falun Gong "have, or use, or are purported to have relations to the old secret societies?"
It appears Li wishes the FLG to be independent of any other group, previous or current. I'm enclosing a quote of Li's in the Zhuan Falun II regarding the Yiguandao. Also, one of the reasons Li left, or was expelled, from the offical qi gong association was that he wanted to be distinguished from the other "regular" qi gong groups and to have FLG recognized as something different.
In connection to the FLG's parallels to "a whole set of 'heterodox' leaders and their organizations throughout Chinese history" - the parallels are one of the reasons the CCP is so nervous about the FLG, for they do of course, bring to mind such groups as the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, White Lotus, Yellow Turbans, etc. I recommend an article in the Asia Times August 10, 1999 by Jacques deLisle titled "Who's afraid of Falun Gong." (www.atimes.com/china) He does a wonderful job of pointing out how "a review of possible reasons for the current [anti-FLG] campaign provides an archaelogical tour of the several-layered character of the reform era party-state and the vulnerabilities its leaders perceive."
Regarding the "denigration of the common person" being familiar, perhaps someone on h-asia could address this issue regarding other Chinese heterodox groups. To a certain extent, the creation of the "other" being set aside from the "followers" is a part of any group dynamic, and the reaction assigned to the "other" may vary from mild irritation, to evangelism, to demonization.
Quote of Li Hongzhi from Zhuan Falun II
"In old China there was a "Yiguandao" which advocated practicing five religions in the same hall when it appeared at the end of the Qing Dynasty. It was an evil religion. The moment it apeared, the Qing government tried to destroy it. The emperor of the Qing Dynasty wanted to eradicate it. During the initial stage of the Republic of China, the Guomintang also tried to eradicate it and executed its followers by shooting them group by group. The Communist Party also suppressed them in the years just following the Liberation. Why did such a case occur? In fact, everything that occurs in the society of ordinary people is not accidental. History is nothing but a course that follows the change of the celestial phenomena. Therefore, whatever happens in the society of ordinary people is not what one can do upon a sudden impulse. That is to say, it was not ordinary people that were eradicating Yiguandao. It was the will of Heaven, the Realm Above wanted to eradicate it and didn't allow it to exist. The so-called practicing of the five religions in the same hall is a severe disruption of the Law. It is the manifestation of the demon's doing in the society of ordinary people......
But that "Yiguandao" advocates joinging the five religions together, which shall receive no forgiveness from Heaven. Now it has made its reapperance in Taiwan. "
Regards. Patsy Rahn
Original text from: http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-asia&month=0001&week=b&msg=KLtoPqmU/8cQGSYg/ZaMeQ&user=&pw=
