Rethinking Civilization

How can a 22-minute documentary shape public opinion through selective editing, personal testimony, legal allegations, and striking financial figures? In this book, Fang Tianliang examines 11 allegations concerning Shen Yun presented in an ARTE documentary, distinguishing documented facts from accusations and interpretations. A reflection on journalistic responsibility, media influence, and the importance of independent judgment.

Leaving China does not necessarily mean leaving behind the habits of thought formed there. Inspired by The Truman Show, Fang Tianliang explores five questions about freedom of expression, childhood political oaths, historical responsibility, the distinction between China and the Chinese Communist Party, and the courage to think independently.

On January 23, 2001, a self-immolation incident in Tiananmen Square shocked China. CCTV's coverage profoundly influenced public attitudes toward Falun Gong. Fang Tianliang examines 21 questions about the footage, the participants and the deaths of Liu Chunling and Liu Siying, exploring how one televised tragedy contributed to a far-reaching campaign of fear, hostility and public condemnation.

Why does Charles Bridge stand crowded with saints and martyrs? Some were once condemned as criminals, imprisoned, or killed by those in power. Centuries later, Falun Gong practitioners facing persecution walked across the same bridge. What connects their stories? This book explores faith, science, persecution, media, and conscience—and asks a deeper question: Is my judgment truly my own?

Why did qi become “energy” in Western translation? What do yin and yang actually describe? Were Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water really five elements? Volume II examines qi, yin-yang, the Five Phases and the relationship between humans and nature, asking where ancient observations meet modern science—and where important questions remain open.

We possess unprecedented access to information, technology, and choices, yet we do not necessarily have a clearer understanding of our purpose in life. What truly matters is not merely finding a direction, but discerning whether that path is worth pursuing. Through seven distinct life stories, this piece explores a deeper question: can an answer to which one entrusts one’s life withstand the scrutiny of facts, morality, and responsibility?

We have more choices than ever before, yet we do not necessarily have a clearer sense of our purpose in life. What truly matters is not merely finding a direction, but discerning whether that direction is worth pursuing. Through the stories of seven real lives, this book re-examines the question—"To what shall I dedicate my life?"—across three dimensions: fact, morality, and responsibility.

More than two thousand years ago, without microscopes, CT scans or modern laboratories, what did Chinese physicians actually see? Beginning with ancient medical records, Volume I traces the ideas of meridians, acupuncture points and qi, placing traditional observations alongside modern scientific inquiry without forcing one system into the language of the other.

In an age of greater wealth, freedom, technology, and AI, are we also becoming kinder, more honest, and more responsible? Through 100 principles and real-life stories, this book explores character, respect, speech, money, family, public life, digital ethics, and conscience—and invites us to begin not by judging others, but by looking at ourselves.

Choosing a Life Partner in the AI Age From the Justin Sun–Jing Tian Controversy to Love, Algorithms, Commitment, and the Values We Cannot Measure

Why does wealth disappear within three generations in some families, while others prosper for centuries? Through the rise and fall of families in China and the West, this book asks what we truly leave our descendants: money, education, family values, institutions—or the lasting consequences of the way we live?

Why do Chinese people still remember their ancestors? From ancient myths and family genealogies to ancestral rituals, Spring Festival, and Qingming, this book explores how ancestral memory has endured for thousands of years—and how it may help explain the remarkable continuity of Chinese civilization.

Is seeing really believing? Can experience always be trusted? What about a sincere friend, an authoritative expert, or an AI that answers with perfect confidence? In an age when truth and illusion are increasingly difficult to separate, perhaps the better question is not “Who should I believe?” but “What gives me good reason to believe?” BK17 explores the senses, memory, experience, human trust, and artificial intelligence—and asks how we can make sound judgments in an uncert

THE CHOICE The world is always urging us forward. Faster. Higher. Stronger. Yet few remind us to pause and think. Some choices shape today. Some choices shape a lifetime. And then there is another kind of choice— one that determines who we become and where a civilization is headed. Welcome to Fang Tianliang, For Truth & Life.

In an era where voices can be cloned, photos generated, and faces swapped in videos, "seeing with one's own eyes" or "hearing with one's own ears" is no longer sufficient proof of reality on its own. Matters are further complicated by the fact that our judgment is inherently influenced by our senses, memories, personal experiences, peer pressure, and algorithmic recommendations. AI has simply lowered the cost of fabricating falsehoods.

In an era where voices can be cloned, photos generated, and faces swapped in videos, "seeing with one's own eyes" or "hearing with one's own ears" is no longer sufficient proof of the facts. The real danger lies not only in gullibility but also in swinging to the opposite extreme—believing that nothing is trustworthy.

Late at night, the sound of my daughter crying came through the phone—the voice, the accent, and even the tone of her sobs were identical to the real thing. Yet, in an era where AI can clone voices, generate photos, and create deepfake videos, "hearing it with one's own ears" no longer equates to reality. Faced with increasingly realistic misinformation, what we truly need to learn is how to verify evidence before deciding what to believe.

Five people came close to death—and returned with experiences that profoundly changed how they understood consciousness, life, and what may lie beyond the boundary of death.

What has truly endured at Dujiangyan for over two thousand years is not a static arrangement of unchanging stones, but rather a way of understanding and harnessing power. It harnesses the river's own energy while leaving room for the river itself; it establishes engineering boundaries while remaining open to maintenance, modification, and renewal by successive generations.

Five people came close to death—and returned with experiences that profoundly changed how they understood consciousness, life, and what may lie beyond the boundary of death. Through their accounts, Five Witnesses from the Edge of Death explores near-death experiences from medical, scientific, psychological, and spiritual perspectives. Rather than offering a final answer, Fang Tianliang invites readers to consider a deeper question: Is consciousness entirely produced by the b