Li Hongzhi

Li Hongzhi is the founder of Falun Gong, a spiritual movement that emerged in China in the early 1990s. Following the Chinese government's crackdown on Falun Gong practitioners in 1999, he fled to the United States, where he established the group's headquarters. Li's teachings, which emphasize principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, have been controversial, with critics pointing to his often bizarre public statements and views on various social issues, including his opposition to modern medicine.