Li Hongzhi sprang into public view in 1992, unveiling a set of gentle qigong exercises and a moral code under the name Falun Gong. Born in 1952 in northeast China, he spent years studying various Daoist and Buddhist traditions before crafting his own synthesis—one that places Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance at its core. His teachings, collected in books like Zhuan Falun, read less like dry manuals and more like an invitation to cultivate inner peace and spiritual growth.

Behind the scenes, Li Hongzhi plays multiple roles: teacher, author, and spiritual guide. He’s the voice on recorded lectures, patiently unpacking how Falun Gong’s exercises align mind, body, and spirit. In a movement that steers clear of rigid hierarchies, his writings and recorded talks form the glue that holds a worldwide community together—from morning practice groups in New York’s Chinatown to small gatherings in Europe or Australia.

Over the past three decades, Falun Gong has morphed from a popular health practice—drawing millions of adherents in the ‘90s—to a focus of intense political controversy. When the Chinese government banned it in 1999, Li Hongzhi found himself cast as the founder of a “cult.” Yet that label hasn’t dimmed the movement’s global reach. Activists in Washington, Brussels, and beyond keep his message alive by organizing exercises in public parks and screening documentaries like Free China: The Courage to Believe.

Of late, Li’s role has extended into the realm of human rights advocacy. In 2024, United Nations experts again called on Beijing to halt its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners—a reminder that the man who once offered simple heal­ing exercises now stands at the crossroads of spirituality and international law. Whether viewed as a modern-day master of qi or a controversial dissident figure, Li Hongzhi remains the central pillar of Falun Gong, guiding thousands toward the belief that true transformation starts from within.