Li Hongzhi is 75 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 13 May 1951.
Quick facts
Date of birth13 May 1951
Age75
NationalityChinese
BirthplaceGongzhuling, People's Republic of China
Editor's Take:
Li Hongzhi built one of the most controversial spiritual movements of modern China. Falun Gong combined qigong exercises with moral teachings. It spread fast in the 1990s. The government saw it as a threat and launched a harsh crackdown. Human rights groups have documented the abuse of practitioners. Critics question some of his teachings and the movement's media empire. He rarely gives interviews, which adds to the mystery around him. Followers and critics describe two very different men.
Key Milestones
1992: Introduces Falun Gong in China
1995: Publishes Zhuan Falun
1999: China bans Falun Gong
2006: Shen Yun is founded
Li Hongzhi (Chinese: 李洪志; born 1951 or 1952) is a Chinese religious leader. He is the founder and leader of Falun Gong, or Falun Dafa, a United States–based new religious movement.
