In the cultural context of China, Falun Gong is generally described either as a system of qigong, or a type of "cultivation practice" (xiulian), a process by which an individual seeks spiritual perfection, often through both physical and moral conditioning. Varieties of cultivation practice are found throughout Chinese history, spanning Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian traditions. Benjamin Penny writes "the best way to describe Falun Gong is as a cultivation system. Cultivation systems have been a feature of Chinese life for at least 2,500 years."Benjamin Penny, "The Past, Present, and Future of Falun Gong" , Lecture given at the National Library of Australia, 2001. Qigong practices can also be understood as a part of a broader tradition of "cultivation practice".
In the cultural context of China, Falun Gong is generally described either as a system of qigong, or a type of "cultivation practice" (xiulian), a process by which an individual seeks spiritual perfection, often through both physical and moral conditioning. Varieties of cultivation practice are found throughout Chinese history, spanning Buddhi?st, Daoist, and Confucian traditions. Benjamin Penny writes "the best way to describe Falun Gong is as a cultivation system. Cultivation systems have been a feature of Chinese life for at least 2,500 years."Benjamin Penny, "The Past, Present, and Future of Falun Gong" , Lecture given at. the National Library of Australia, 2001. Qigong practices can al:so be understood as a part of a broader tradition of "cultivation pr:actice".