State media said a member of the spiritual movement set himself ablaze on Friday in a
Friday's incident comes three weeks after five people set themselves alight in
The suicide showed Falun Gong leader Li Hongzhi's alleged exhortation to followers "not to be afraid of dying in order to achieve 'nirvana' is absolute heresy that violates human rights," the People's Daily said.
"Cherish your life and don't be victims of Falun Gong any longer," the Communist Party newspaper said in a commentary.
"He burst into flames"
An eyewitness told Chinese television how he suddenly saw a man pour gasoline over himself, flick on a lighter, then burst into flames.
Police say they rushed to put out the fire, but that 25-year-old Tan Yijui was already dead.
State television showed police lifting Tan's charred body, adding that a six-page suicide note linked the man to Falun Gong.
Falun Gong said in a statement it could not verify if the man was a member. "We are extremely sad and shocked to hear (of) the death of a Chinese citizen who was said to have set fire to himself in
Group against suicide
It restated its tenet that it is against Falun Gong teachings to take human life, and that includes suicide.
The movement reacted similarly to the first self-immolation, by five purported Falun Gong adherents who included a 12-year-old girl, in
The Chinese leadership banned Falun Gong as an "evil cult" in 1999 and has launched a major campaign to denigrate it across the country.
It compares the Falun Gong to
"Self-immolation by burning oneself is one of the most notorious characteristics of the evil cults," the People's Daily said.
Beijing bids for 2008 Games
Falun Gong, which is based on elements of Taoism, Buddhism and traditional Chinese meditation and exercises, says none of the Chinese accusations is true, that it is a non-political movement aimed only at improving people. The latest purported Falun Gong suicide took place four days before International Olympic Committee officials are due in
Pressure may mount
The pressure on
Reuters contributed to this report.