Brand Building lessons from the Falun Dafa| 3ivision

Brand Building Lessons from the Falun Dafa

Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) is a spiritual discipline born out of the Buddha school of self-cultivation. It was introduced to the Chinese in 1992 by Mr Li Hongzhi, the practice’s master, who taught:

assimilation to the highest qualities of the universe – Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance) – is the foundation of practice. Practice is guided by these supreme qualities, and based on the very laws which underlie the development of the cosmos.

In its peaceful practice, reminiscent of traditional Chinese belief systems, the Falun Dafa movement has mobilized a nation and inspired tens of millions of people to defy the fascist regime, risking their lives in pursuit of enlightenment.

So what can we learn from the Falun Dafa? Brand building lessons found within its three defining principles provide insight into how we can improve our personal or professional brand. The Falun Dafa teaches us to strive for:

Zhen – Truthfulness

Story-telling is the cornerstone of any brand building process and in order to have the required impact, the story being told must resonate with the right audience. For this to happen, your brand – whether personal or professional – must represent itself with honesty and authenticity.

Do not pretend to be something you are not – be real, warts and all. Remain true to who you are and allow your words and actions to reflect this total transparency. This will attract like-minded individuals and organisations who will remain loyal to you, supporting and championing your interests as they do their own.

Shan – Compassion

Connections are made when one is able to relate to another. When presenting your brand it’s important to remember how to ‘connect’ with people. Reach out to those you’d like to form relationships with – whether that be customers, peers or potential employees and commit to adding value to their everyday lives.

Find out about their situation and be sympathetic to their needs. Be helpful, share your knowledge and wisdom without thinking “What do I get in return” and your brand will gain a reputation as an approachable expert in your industry, which will in turn drive referrals your way.

Ren – Forbearance

As we go through life, we are constantly learning. But sometimes that learning curve can feel slow and arduous, tempting us to skip the tough stuff and focus more on the ‘quick-wins’. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently bad about a quick win. However, sometimes it’s necessary to experience a mistake or the feeling of self control you develop through training hard at your discipline, in order to evolve and move your business on to the next level.

There is certainly a lot of truth in the saying “nothing that’s worth having comes easily”, for it’s only through practice, patience and a commitment to grow can we ever truly win. Happiness prevails when even in the face of adversity, we can rise above and take another step on the journey towards our goals.

Share the story of the Falun Dafa

When the followers of Falun Dafa rose to an estimated 70 million, exceeding membership of the Chinese Communist Party , the leaders of the party set about trying to destroy the Falun Dafa, defaming it with false propaganda and threatening tactics, which are still occurring to this day.

The persecution of the Falun Dafa has seen tens of millions of its followers literally cut down, tortured and silenced. Yet despite every attempt by the Chinese Communist Party to eradicate the Falun Dafa, it is estimated that millions still practise this discipline both in China and around the world. It’s as if Communist threat has reinforced the movement, uniting members and adding further meaning to its core principles Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance).

One woman refused to break to the suppression and had the courage to stand up to the establishment. Imprisoned, outcast and then exiled for her faith, Jennifer Zeng found the strength to fight for her values and beliefs, publishing “Witnessing History: One Chinese Woman’s Fight for Freedom”.

This harrowing, but deeply inspiring tale has now been adapted for the screen in the documentary “Free China: The Courage to Believe”, which is currently on a global tour prior to public release, playing at private screenings and film festivals, for which it has already picked up multiple awards (and it will surely win many more).

To help Free China, it’s imperative that we share the story of the Falun Dafa and the 1.3 billion Chinese people who, in the words of Jennifer Zeng, should: