HONG KONG, July 18 (Reuters) - A surprise promised by a faction of the Falun Gong spiritual group at the start of Hong Kong's book fair on Wednesday left visitors scratching their heads.
Instead of a stall and smiling Falun Gong adherents at an event which typically draws huge crowds, there was a large, empty space marked out with grey masking tape.
The group, which had teased the media for days about what they would do at the six-day fair, said that true believers would understand.
The surprise was planned by a faction that split from the main Falun Gong movement in Hong Kong last year. It told Reuters when contacted by telephone that it was providing a quiet place for contemplation.
"It's to tell people that there is a need for silence, for space," said member Peng Shi.
Fair organisers, nervous for weeks about what the Falun Gong exhibitors had in mind, were not amused.
"This event is to promote books and exhibitors must conform with the objective of the book fair," William Cheung, a spokesman for the Trade Development Council, said.
The Falun Gong has been banned in China as an "evil cult," but is legal in Hong Kong.
Although the splinter faction paid the HK$180,000 (US$23,100) rental fee, Cheung said the TDC reserved the right to end the contract.
The main Falun Gong group distanced itself from the faction, led by Hong Kong resident Belinda Pang, last year after it carried out what were perceived as publicity stunts, including apparent suicide attempts from window ledges and a hunger strike by a pregnant follower.
Fair visitors had mixed reactions to the latest stunt.
"An open society must accept this, maybe this is how they choose to express themselves," said an elderly man who identified himself only as Mr Chow.
A teenage student disagreed.
"This is a book fair and people come here to look for books," she said.
Insurance agent Keith Ho was unmoved by any spiritual vibes when reporters lured him into the empty space, but he chose to give the group the benefit of the doubt.
"I feel nothing and I don't know what this means," he said. "It may be because they could not print their books in time."
02:28 07-18-01
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