(Clearwisdom.net) (Continued)

Part 1: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2007/3/26/83927.html

Part 2: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2007/3/27/83952.html

3. Teacher Graced Guan County for the Second Time

On May 12, 1993, when Teacher taught the Fa in Linqin, he decided to visit Guan County to meet with Falun Gong practitioners. At about 2:30 p.m., Teacher gave a Fa lecture in a conference room at the Guan County Winery for more than an hour.

Mr. Xin Chengfu from the Chinese Qigong Association is from Linqin. Just as Mr. Han Yu'an from Guan County did, Mr. Xin introduced Falun Gong to people in his hometown. Teacher accepted the invitation from the Linqin Qigong Association and visited Linqin on the morning of May 7. Teacher stayed at the Linqin Hotel (formerly called City Government Guest House). The small guest house that Teacher stayed at, the auditorium where the Falun Gong classes were held, and the restaurant where Teacher dined with practitioners in Guan County no longer exist. On the evening of May 8, the city government officials and staff members held a welcoming ceremony for Teacher in the conference room at the Linqin City Government Guest House ("Guest House"). Chairman Li of the Linqin Qigong Association made a welcoming speech and recited a poem. "On behalf of people of all walks of life in Linqin," Mr. Zhang Rongkai said, "Welcome, Master Li, to Linqin. Thank you for imparting the Fa and passing this treasure to us." Over 30 people from Guan County attended the welcoming ceremony. Afterwards, Teacher made a report to the Linqin Qigong Association. (It may have been the first Falun Gong class in Linqin. Mr. Xin Chengfu and Mr. Han Yu'an both attended.)

In the afternoon on May 8, some practitioners in Guan County went to the Guest House at different hours. Mr. Li Feng (pseudonym) from the Guan County Traffic Bureau was among them. He was paralyzed from the waist down and was unable to live independently. Because Teacher cured the illness of a middle-aged woman from his workplace, he asked his family to take him to Teacher in Linqin and beg Teacher to cure his illness. Teacher was busy, so practitioners from Guan County approached Elder Sister Liu. [It is a Chinese custom to refer to a middle-aged woman outside the family that is not old enough to be your aunt as Elder Sister as a sign of respect and affection.] She was assisting Teacher in teaching the Falun Gong exercises. Teacher had unlocked her supernormal capabilities and permitted her to use these capabilities to treat people's illness [for free.] Sister Liu treated Mr. Li Feng in the courtyard of the Guest House. Some veteran practitioners from Guan County stood in a circle around her and Li Feng. She touched Mr. Li's problem area firmly to repel his sickness karma and removed the bad elements from his body. Within a short time, Li Feng stood up and walked like a healthy person. He looked as happy as a child. Li Feng and his wife, Sun Qing (pseudonym), had the good fortune to have breakfast with Teacher on May 9. It is a pity that Li Feng eventually gave up practicing Falun Gong. We would like to take the opportunity to remind practitioners and non-practitioners who are still lingering, "It will be no use crying over spilled milk once the predestined opportunity no longer exists."

On the morning of May 9, practitioners from Guan County waited for Teacher in the courtyard of the Guest House. Some veteran practitioners wanted to ask Teacher to select a group practice site in the park. After Teacher came to the courtyard, everyone followed him. We crossed the small bridge in Wenshui and entered a public park. There is a traditional Chinese architectural style building near the entrance of the park. A man was practicing singing there. Teacher didn't stop there. When we came to a bamboo grove in the east, we saw some people practicing some kind of qigong. They were shaking their arms and legs while shouting out loud. Teacher smiled at the scene but did not comment. Teacher walked around the park and selected a location at the south side of the old building.

After we left the park, we stopped at a food stand across from the Linqin City Museum. Teacher told everyone to sit down and have breakfast. After Teacher took a seat, a practitioner from Guan County brought Teacher breakfast. Teacher had a small egg sunny-side up, a steamed bun, and a bowl of tofu soup. Practitioners from Guan County wanted to pay for Teacher's breakfast, but Teacher didn't accept it. Finally Elder Sister Liu paid for everyone's breakfast, but it was actually Teacher who paid for several dozen practitioners' breakfasts. (As we were writing this paragraph, we felt we could not express our immense gratitude to Teacher.)

After breakfast, Teacher invited practitioners to take photographs together in front of the museum. Next Teacher had Sister Liu pass the word that he had decided to treat illnesses for about one hundred people in Linqin, in the hope that they would learn about Falun Gong as soon as possible. Teacher asked practitioners from Guan County not to follow, as he needed to concentrate. We were reluctant to part with Teacher, but we finally bid farewell. Those of us who were not going to attend the Falun Gong classes in Linqin returned home.

Within six months, between November 1992 and May 1993, the number of practitioners in Guan County increased from just over 100 to over 300. For various reasons, the majority of them did not have a clear understanding about cultivation practice. Only about a dozen practitioners stayed and attended the Falun Gong classes in Linqin. The rest of them bid farewell to Teacher and returned home.

When those practitioners returned to Guan County, they told everyone that Teacher was in Linqin. Practitioners in that area wished for Teacher to come again to Guan County. Teacher accepted our invitation and came on the morning of Wednesday, May 12. Practitioners who received the news early went to Elder Dai's home early in the morning to wait for Teacher's arrival. [It is a Chinese custom to call an older acquaintance, friend or colleague outside the family by his last name preceded by the word "Elder."] Many arrived later in the morning. We all felt we had so much to say to Teacher, but we were all lost for words once we saw him. Teacher sat in a chair against the western wall in the living room and answered questions.

This time Sister Liu, Young Li, and several practitioners from Linqin came with Teacher. [It is a Chinese custom to refer a young man as "Young" followed by his last name.] We had lunch together at a small restaurant north of Guan County Guest House. (The small restaurant is no longer there.) The deputy mayor of Guan County, Ms. Qi Yufen, came to have lunch with Teacher as well. Over 30 people had lunch with Teacher that day.

Before lunch, Teacher said, "I have returned to my hometown." A practitioner asked, "Teacher, isn't Changchun your hometown?" Teacher explained, "I was from Guan County in one of my previous lives." We did not understand what Teacher meant until we had studied the Fa and cultivated solidly for some time. It was not until a practitioner from Changchun told us that in one life Teacher was a beggar in Guan County that we realized Teacher's special relationship with Guan County and how much hardship Teacher had endured to save the people in Guan County. (Note: Wu Xun, 1838 - 1896 A.D., was a common civilian and an educator who got the funds to establish free public schools by begging throughout his lifetime. Mao Zedong once criticized a Chinese movie honoring Wu Xun.)

After lunch, Teacher went to the Guanyichun Wine Company, Ltd. (Guan County Winery) at around 2:00 p.m. Practitioners had arrived early in anticipation of Teacher's arrival. Among them were Assistant Secretary of Guan County Mr. Shi Yongzhao and other government officials. Because it had rained, some practitioners were not able to get there as they lived quite some distance. When Teacher stepped on the stage, everyone applauded loudly. Teacher signaled for silence. We felt transported to six months before when Teacher taught us the Fa for the first time. First, Teacher summarized the country-wide development of Falun Gong over the previous six months. Teacher repeatedly emphasized the importance of studying the Fa and cultivating our minds. Teacher also brought us the book China Falun Gong that had just been published. (After the Falun Gong classes in Linqin concluded, Teacher gave us practitioners in Guan County about 100 copies of China Falun Gong.) Teacher also promised to provide us with a copy of the audio recording of the Fa lectures in Linqin. Teacher also answered our questions about cultivation. Finally, Teacher cured our illnesses. (In the audience, there were people who had just started practicing Falun Gong, as well as non-practitioners. Those everyday people were very lucky, but it was their predestined relationship with Falun Gong that brought them there.)

Standing on the stage with a microphone in his left hand, Teacher told us to think about the illnesses we wanted to get rid of and to stand relaxed with eyes closed. (Those who were not ill were asked to think of their family's illnesses.) Teacher waved his large hand and grabbed something invisible from our direction. Then He asked, "How are you feeling?" Some said they were cured, but some said they were not cured. Teacher said, "I will cure one more of your illness. Those with good enlightenment quality are lucky because illness cannot be cured casually." Teacher grabbed something invisible again. The majority of the audience was cured, but a few individuals were not cured.

There were two elderly women who were related through their children's marriage. One of the elderly women had suffered from Hepatitis B for around 20 years. She had already developed ascities because of the hepatitis, and she could hardly eat. Both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine did not help her. She was counting her days on this earth. In the morning, her son approached Teacher and talked about his mother's illness. Next Teacher took two pieces of the banana from the table, put them between his palms for a while, and offered them to the son. The son said he didn't want the banana pieces. Teacher said, "They are not for you." The son then realized that they were for his ailing mother.

Before the class, the elderly woman ate the banana containing Teacher's "gong." When Teacher grabbed the sickness away from the audience in the afternoon, she felt a cold waft of air traveling down from her liver to her right leg and to the ground. She no longer suffered from Hepatitis B. To this day, this elderly women remains firm in practicing Falun Gong. She has been following Teacher's requirements to cultivate herself, clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings. She finished only the first year of elementary school, but she can study Falun Gong books without any difficulty. There are many practitioners like her in Guan County.

When Teacher was leaving, we saw him off at the door and did not want to leave until Teacher's car could no longer be seen.

After Teacher went back to Linqin, a group of practitioners went to Linqin again to see Teacher on Saturday, May 15. Teacher does not accept gifts and does not drink wine or tea. (Back in Guan County, someone offered a bottle of Mao Tai Wine as a gift, which Teacher graciously declined.) Those practitioners that arrived in Linqin in the afternoon saw Teacher talking with a middle-aged women named Wang from Linqin when they entered Teacher's room. Young Li invited everyone to take a seat and offered everyone tea and oranges. After Teacher saw the visitor off, he returned to the room and talked to us. Teacher also offered us tea and oranges. Teacher also raised the cup and drank. We saw tea leaves in Teacher's cup and asked what type of tea it was. Teacher pointed at Elder Rui and said it was his tea. Elder Rui smiled. Teacher made an exception and accepted a bag of tea offered by Elder Rui.

Elder Rui had in his hands a photograph of Teacher sitting in meditation in a sweater and a copy of China Falun Gong that had just been published. On the first page of the book, Teacher wrote two lines: "Cultivate in the Righteous Fa Wholeheartedly. Climb one more flight of stairs." (Later a practitioner from Shaanxi Province borrowed the book, but it was confiscated by the wicked police from the Guan County Public Security Bureau.) Other practitioners brought home copies of Teacher's photograph. Teacher brought many copies of China Falun Gong to the classes in Linqin. After the class, Teacher gave the majority of the books to practitioners in Guan County.

There was a light drizzle before dinner, which refreshed the air. A group of practitioners took photographs with Teacher in the courtyard. Afterwards Teacher invited us to have dinner together. Elder Rui bought a box of juice and shared it with us. We remember it as the best juice we had ever had.

After dinner Teacher held the final class in Linqin. There was a simple closing ceremony before the class started. A female practitioner who suffered from terminal breast cancer was cured at that time. She was so excited that she choked up in tears. It was a most touching and unforgettable moment.

After practitioners gave their speeches, Teacher began to answer questions. A few practitioners from Linqin felt warm and were sweating profusely. We also felt extremely sleepy. A public security officer who was usually very energetic slowly closed his eyes. He tried to keep awake, but he fell asleep eventually. However, he heard Teacher's Fa lecture in his sleep and did not miss anything.

On the morning of Sunday, May 16, Teacher was scheduled to return to Beijing. Practitioners from Linqin rented a van. Practitioners from Guan County arrived at the courtyard of the Guest House early in the morning, waiting to see Teacher off. Teacher came downstairs and shook hands with every practitioner from Guan County. We were reluctant to see Teacher get into the van. The van began to drive away. We could not bear it any longer. We chased the van. A female student burst into tears. Other practitioners' eyes were also wet with tears. Although the van was driving slowly, it moved further and further away from us.

4. Teacher Prepared to Grace Guan County for the Third Time

In January 1994, Teacher held the first series of Falun Gong classes in Jinan. The class location was Shandong Province Chinese Communist Party Youth Group School in Jinan, Shandong Province. At about 7:00 a.m., Thursday, January 27, Elder Rui, Elder Dai, Mr. Du (chairman of the Science Committee) and about three more men went to Jinan West Station to pick up Teacher. The host organization in Jinan also had people pick up Teacher at the station.

After breakfast, and after Teacher had checked in, he went to the conference room of the school. At around 10:00 a.m., Teacher was scheduled to present a qigong report. The conference room was also known as the small auditorium. It was located on the north side with its door facing south. It was close to the entrance of the school. The conference room can seat about 600 people. About 40 practitioners from Guan County were also taking the classes. There is no side or back door in this small auditorium, so everyone had to come through the main entrance. Therefore, everyone kept looking at the main entrance, anxiously awaiting Teacher's arrival.

At close to 10:00 a.m., Teacher appeared with his daughter. Practitioners from Guan County approached Teacher. Teacher shook hands with us and had a smile on his face while walking up to the stage. Teacher made it in time. Besides practitioners from Guan County and veteran practitioners, there were few people that knew about Falun Gong, so the audience did not give Teacher a warm applause. Next, the chairman of the Guan County Science Committee got up on the stage and bestowed the highest respect for Teacher on behalf of all the Falun Gong practitioners from Guan County. The chairman also briefly reported on the development of Falun Gong in Guan County and the physical and spiritual improvements that Falun Gong practitioners had experienced. He also told a few stories of people whose illnesses were cured from practicing Falun Gong. Next he presented a congratulatory letter from practitioners in Guan County and wished Teacher success for the very first series of Falun Gong classes in Jinan. The audience applauded loudly.

Teacher taught the Fa for about an hour. Admission for this session was five yuan for each person. Many people changed their minds and decided to stay in Jinan to take Teacher's classes. They bought tickets for the Falun Gong classes right away. The admission fee for a series of ten Falun Gong classes was 40 yuan per person and 20 yuan for each practitioner that had attended Falun Gong classes before. This is the truth about the fees charged for Teacher's classes. Jiang Zemin and his henchmen lied by telling the entire nation that Teacher's classes were expensive.

Teacher left the auditorium after all the students had left. Mr. Li Xuexiu (pseudonym) was the first who spotted Teacher coming out of the auditorium. He called out to Teacher and raised everyone else's attention. Many who had just bought China Falun Gong immediately approached Teacher and asked Teacher to sign the book for them. Teacher graciously obliged. Teacher produced his pen and signed these new practitioners' books. Elder Rui's car was waiting. Teacher did not get into the car until he had signed everyone's book. It was nearly 12:30 p.m. Teacher had not had any rest for more than ten hours.

The car turned to the east of Jinshi Road and turned north at the foot of Yanzi Mountain. After a while the car stopped in front of a restaurant at the east side of the road. Elder Rui, the Science Committee of Guan County, and the county's qigong association welcomed Teacher with a lunch. We took two tables. About ten practitioners joined the lunch with Teacher.

After lunch Li Xuexiu opened the door of the restaurant for Teacher. After Teacher came down the stairs, he opened up the car door for Teacher. Teacher took a seat next to the driver. After Li Xuexiu closed the door for Teacher, Teacher rolled down the window and told him while facing east, "Guan County practitioners' gong is growing steadily." We believe we remember Teacher's words verbatim. During lunch, Teacher also told Elder Rui, "The sky above Guan County is shielded with red light."

After we returned to the Guest House, Li Xuexiu carried a box of apples, a gift from the Science Committee, to the fourth floor. Next we bid farewell to Teacher. Elder Rui was the last to leave. Teacher wanted to see him off, but he begged Teacher to stop at the second floor. While he was saying these words, his eyes welled up with tears. Teacher was also reluctant to see him leave. This was the last time he ever saw Teacher.

Most practitioners from Guan County knew that Teacher had been to Lingyan Buddhist Temple, so a few practitioners attending this class took the opportunity to visit the temple and trace the path Teacher had once taken. These practitioners went to see Teacher at the end of the class that night. Teacher was very busy, but he still met with them. Teacher told Young Li to divide the western pears among these practitioners. (Actually these practitioners ate snacks that Teacher brought from Tianjin. He had attached his gong to them at the beginning of class.) One of the practitioners said, "I will save the pear for my mother. She is not well. Could I please ask Teacher to send gong to this pear? I'd like to take it home to my mother." Teacher took the pear and put it between His hands for a while and handed it to him. Next Teacher gave him another pear. We sat in a circle with Teacher and ate the pears. Teacher was very pleased. Three of them said they would have to go back home the next morning because of work. Teacher asked, "Do you have to go back?" Two of them explained their work situations and told Teacher they had to return. After listening to their explanations, Teacher was silent for a long time. Finally Teacher said, "If you have to go, so be it." (Teacher was reluctant to see them leave.) One of the two said, "But I will come back!" We chatted with Teacher for a while and said our goodbyes to Teacher. Teacher saw us off at the door and did not return to the room until we went downstairs.

The fourth day of the class was Sunday. Teacher had planned to check on practitioners in Guan County for the third time. When Teacher spoke of going to Guan County, Ahua (pseudonym), a practitioner from Guan County, heard it. He immediately said, "As long as you are sure you wish to visit Guan County, I will have them send a car over right away." However, there were matters on Mount Tai and Qianfo Mountain that needed taking care of, so Teacher was not able to visit Guan County.

One winter evening in 1996, a practitioner in Guan County had a dream in which Teacher arrived riding in a truck. The truck stopped, but Teacher did not get off. He called out to Elder Qian because he had a jeep. Next he opened the door and invited Teacher to get out. Teacher told him that he would not get out and then drove northeast. The next morning a practitioner said at a group practice site, "Last night Teacher traveled from Handan to Jinan. Teacher passed by Guan County, but he did not get out of the car." This was the third time Teacher visited Guan County. In order not to disrupt practitioners' cultivation, Teacher came and left silently. But there was not a moment that Teacher did not think of each and every practitioner.

Teacher did not want to leave any practitioner behind. We should treasure more each second and each minute Teacher is giving to us. We should do our job well and fulfill our responsibility, promise and prehistoric pledge. There is Teacher and there is the Fa. We have to have faith in Teacher and the Fa and steadfast righteous thoughts. We shall succeed in assisting Teacher in His Fa-rectification and saving sentient beings. There is nothing that can stop sentient beings from getting back their righteous thoughts. Practitioners from Guan County shall not let Teacher down. We shall do better the three things Teacher requires of us!

With 2007 waiting just around the corner, practitioners from Guan County would like to share this article and wish our magnificent Teacher a Happy New Year! We practitioners in Guan County miss Teacher very much. We hope that Teacher will one day come back to Guan County and see us.

Epilogue

The content of this article is based on the verified collective memory of practitioners who participated in the aforementioned events. It is our goal to present only historically accurate information, especially time, location and individuals. If any other practitioner from Guan County publishes any information conflicting with this article, such as the time of Teacher's first visit to Guan County and the time and location of the first series of Falun Gong classes, please correct it.

Because of the current situation and limitations in China, this article is very limited in scope. We are sure it needs improvements. We hope that fellow practitioners, especially those practitioners from Guan County who also participated in the aforementioned events, will kindly provide their suggestions to make this article more complete. Thank you all!