(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Tian Zhongxin was 71 years old and was a teacher at Gangxi Central Elementary School in Gangnan Village, Gangtun Town, Lianshan District, Huludao City, Liaoning Province. He passed away on November 18, 2004 as a result of long-term persecution.

Tian Zhongxin was cured of hepatitis, from which he had suffered for over 20 years by practicing Falun Dafa. His friends, family and neighbors all witnessed the wonders of Falun Dafa. He went to Tiananmen Square to appeal for justice for Falun Dafa in 1999. He was cruelly tortured and his salary was suspended. He went into exile and rented a place far from his home to avoid illegal arrest.

In November 1999, in violation of the Chinese constitution, lawless officials from Gangtun Town sent 19 Falun Gong practitioners including Tian Zhongxin to Laoyemiao Village, Gangtun Town to torture them. In the daytime, the perpetrators forced the practitioners to do slave labor, and at night the perpetrators including Meng Qingjun tortured and interrogated the practitioners. They asked, "Do you still practice Falun Gong?" If the practitioner said, "Yes!" the perpetrators would beat and kick him, slap his face, and hit him with police batons and electric batons. When they were exhausted from beating, they forced the practitioners to take off their clothes except for underwear and stand in the snow without moving. Once they forced a dozen practitioners to stand in the snow and called Tian Zhongxin to the office. Meng Qingjun scorched Tian Zhongxin's hand with a red-hot iron stove hook.

November 25 it is freezing outside and Ma Enyou, Gangtun Town Police Department head, forced ten practitioners including Cao Yanzhuo, Chen Liguang, Zhang Qingchun and Tian Zhongxin to stand outside in their underwear. Then the perpetrators slapped their faces and hit them with electric batons.

Later, Tian Zhongxin was illegally sentenced to three years of forced labor. He was fiendishly tortured during his incarceration and was released when he was diagnosed with late-stage hepatitis. After he returned home, Tian Zhongxin actively clarified the truth and distributed flyers to save people. He passed away on November 18, 2004 as an indirect result of the persecution.