Li Hongzhi (Chinese: 李洪志; pinyin: Lǐ Hóngzhì, born 13 May 1951) is the founder and spiritual leader of Falun Gong (or Falun Dafa), a "system of mind-body cultivation" in the qigong tradition. Li Hongzhi began his public teachings of Falun Gong on 13 May 1992 in Changchun, and subsequently gave lectures and taught Falun Gong exercises across China.