Li Hongzhi is regarded within Falun Gong as the founder and central guiding figure of the movement. He publicly introduced Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, in China in 1992, presenting it as a cultivation practice that unites meditative qigong exercises with a moral framework. Practitioners view him as their shifu, or master, and see his role not merely as organizational founder but as the originator of the path they follow. His status in the community is therefore both historical and spiritual, shaping how the practice is understood and transmitted.

His teachings form the doctrinal core of Falun Gong. Li Hongzhi is the primary author of its foundational texts, especially Zhuan Falun, which practitioners treat as the main scripture explaining its principles, cosmology, and methods of cultivation. Through these writings and lectures, he sets forth a moral philosophy centered on Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, and explains how these principles are to be embodied in daily life alongside the practice’s exercises. In this way, his role extends beyond that of a teacher of techniques to that of a moral and spiritual authority whose words define the contours of the path.

Within the inner life of the movement, Li Hongzhi functions as the highest doctrinal authority and a powerful symbolic presence. Practitioners often regard him as an enlightened master or high-level spiritual being, and his image and writings serve as focal points for study, reflection, and inspiration. He is considered the sole legitimate teacher of Falun Gong, and many adherents hold that authentic cultivation in this tradition is inseparable from following his guidance. Thus, his position is not simply that of a founder in a historical sense, but of an ongoing spiritual reference point through whom the meaning and direction of Falun Gong are continually interpreted.