(Minghui.org) I used to be the director of a key department in China's People's Liberation Army. But my physical health was very poor and I always felt that work was a big challenge for me. I had stomach problems, such as gastritis and gastric ulcers. I had anorectal disease and hemorrhoids. I also had nephritis, hepatitis, arthritis, migraines and urticaria. Even though I had tried many kinds of treatments, my health never improved. As soon as I went home from work, I'd have to lie down on the couch as the suffering was too much to bear.
One night in November 1996, an old boss who retired early as a result of illness came to my home to introduce Falun Gong to me. He told me that this practice was very good, and that many people had become healthy after they began to practice. I didn't want to refuse him to his face, and because of his enthusiasm, I accepted a few Dafa books that he brought to me. But I didn’t see the main text of Zhuan Falun there. However, he told me that I could find the book from bookstores.
I went to a bookstore the next day to get a copy of Zhuan Falun . The sales assistant told me that this was the last copy they had. I knew that it was not very easy to obtain this book, yet I still didn't cherish it. Instead of reading Zhuan Falun diligently I would look over a few pages only when I was free or before going to bed. Soon my old boss came to me and asked if I had started to read the books. I didn't want him to feel bad, so I said that I had. Under his cordial invitation, I went to an exercise site to learn the Falun Gong exercises.
Even thought I wasn't very diligent in practicing, benevolent Teacher didn't give up on me, and still treated me as His practitioner. He cleansed my body, which left me feeling free of illness. I began to eat well, sleep well and I was full of energy. I could handle my day-to-day work and even did some overtime. Over the past 16 years, I have never been to the hospital or needed and medicine. If I had never learned Falun Gong, it would have cost the army or the state tens of thousands of yuan in medical expenses to look after me.
I was born in the countryside and lived a frugal life growing up. My wife's family were in a similar situation. A few years after I joined the army and was promoted to a cadre, all our savings went to support both our families in the countryside. So we ended up with no savings and were again living a frugal life.
I worked my way up in my career, and soon after I began to practice Falun Gong, I was promoted from the acting Director to a Director in an oversight role, where I managed about a dozen prestigious agencies that were spread over a few provinces and cities. It would have been quite easy to take advantage of my position to gain extra personal benefits. However, since practicing Falun Gong, I never took advantage of my post and I never took bribes from anyone. I donated my allowances from the army to the office of the Hope Project (to help support underprivileged children).
As Dafa was being defamed and slandered by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), people came to investigate my performance, to try and find some “evidence” to incriminate me. My boss and co-workers all thought very highly of me, and that I was incorruptible. They said to the investigators, “We need more managers like him!”
Many miracles have happened to me, which made people around me also experience the miraculousness of Dafa. For instance, one night, after I took a shower, I saw the book Essentials for Further Advancement shining. When I was on a boat going to an island, a copy of Zhuan Falun was lying in the bottom of the boat. Water got into the boat, and all the other items got wet, but Zhuan Falun remained dry and intact . On the same trip, I had been on my bed doing the sitting meditation when the sea suddenly became very quiet and still, as if we were on a lake. The cadre with me was surprised and said: “We have been coming here for so many years and the sea has never been this quiet. This is the first time. It's truly amazing!”
Since the “April 25” incident in 1999, people from the army began to investigate and interfere with practitioners. One day my manager came to me, asking: “Was it you who signed on the petition supporting the 'April 25' activity? I know you were out of town at that time, so you can tell me that you don't know anything about it.” What he meant was that as long as I agreed that it wasn't signed by me and had nothing to do with it, it wouldn't affect me or my job. At that time, I was a Director of a key department. If I chose to deny any knowledge of the signature on the petition, then I would have naturally been promoted like any other predecessors of this post.
Faced with such a temptation of career advancement and the prospect of more money, I chose to speak the truth, stand on the side of justice and be an upright practitioner. I said: “Even though I was out of town at the time, it was me who signed the petition, because I believe that this is something I should do.”
After that, other colleagues and bosses also came to talk to me, but I would not change my answer. At that time, we were doing our performance reviews, and one of my bosses said to me: “You've done very well in all aspects, please don't be too stubborn on this petition issue.” I was then asked to write a guarantee statement promising to give up practicing Falun Gong. If I agree to stop practicing, then I could keep my job. In my statement I listed a few points of how I have benefited both mentally and physically after practicing Falun Gong. I noted that I was doing a better job at work since I began to practice and that there was nothing wrong with practicing Falun Gong. I also said that I would never give up my belief.
One day in early 2000, without prior discussions from my boss, he suddenly informed me that it was decided by the management team that I be transferred out of the department. A few bosses from other departments told me that they had discussed whether I should be transferred to another area or not at the meeting, but they couldn't reach an agreement. They told me that if I were to go to a certain boss and admit that I was wrong in believing in Falun Gong, then I'd have been able to remain. I was shocked. However, I didn't change my mind. In the end, I chose to discharge myself from the army.
Those who choose to discharge themselves from the army are usually treated harshly and I would loose any benefits that may have come my way in the future. Even so, I still held onto my decision to discharge myself from the army.
After I was discharged I had a dream in which Teacher helped me to enlighten to. A few days later, I was hired in the Human Resources department of a company. I was only an ordinary member of staff and my pay was much lower than before. This troubled me at first, but then remembered what Teacher said:
“... in the eyes of other lives, one’s life is not for being human. It is meant to return to one’s original, true self...
Indeed, practitioners will say: "Ordinary people have their pursuits, and we don’t seek them. As for what ordinary people have, we also aren’t interested. Yet what we have is something that ordinary people cannot obtain, even if they want to."” (Zhuan Falun)
I began to let my attachments go. I started afresh with a new job and new environment. I was humble and when I let go of my pride, I was easygoing. I put forward proposals on human resources as well as pay management, and used a practitioner's standard to handle things. I gradually changed my tone, from that of ordering, which I had formed while in the army, to managing human resources to serve its employees. As to those who wanted to treat me to a meal, I declined them all. I quickly adjusted myself to my working environment, by remembering what Teacher said:
“The factory manager came out to meet him in person: "Since studying Falun Dafa, these workers have been coming to work early and going home late. They work very diligently and will do any assignment the boss gives. They also no longer compete for personal gain."” (Zhuan Falun)
Within two years, my knowledge and ability had expanded from human resources to other large departments in the company. I didn't care what I did, as long as it was necessary I'd take it on. I worked closely with others and completed tasks in an exceptional way.
It was just as Teacher said:
“In terms of conducting scientific research projects or carrying out assignments from our supervisors or other duties, we are very clear-minded and perform them very well.” (Zhuan Falun)
I was soon recognized by other employees and managers, and won awards every year. I was promoted to a department manager and my salary increased. In addition, while still practicing Falun Gong, I got to see the best way of handling things as well dealing with issues and conflicts. As I got older, my logic became much clearer. When I was about to take some exams one time, I was able to quickly flip through the revision book before hand. I not only passed the two exams, but also was rewarded for my scores. This was truly brought about by the fact that Teacher had opened up my wisdom. When my company was going through some changes, my boss counted on me on to do all the related work.
Later, I was arrested by the police for handing out truth-clarification materials, and was sentenced to one year imprisonment. When I returned to my company, my manager said that he really missed me. Actually, all I did was to hold myself to the standards of a practitioner. I behaved in an upright manner and looked inward when conflicts arose. All because of these principles, I have gained people's trust and respect.
Even though my company had changed from being a state-run company to a private enterprise, they still received a lot of pressure from the CCP because I practiced Falun Gong. I was therefore demoted to a representative in charge of a project and had my pay cut by a third. The clients who entrusted this project to us had a lot of complaints owing to the previous manager and the project lacked leadership. I didn't care that I had been demoted as I was fulfilling my responsibilities, setting myself as a good example for others and handling problems with fairness. In this way my team had taken on a new look. Everyone wanted to pull our efforts together. I balanced well the relationships among those involved, and the management improved dramatically. When faced with being wronged and misunderstood, I remembered what Teacher said:
“So be sure to remember this: Whenever you come across anything such as troubles, unpleasant things, or friction with others, you need to examine yourself and search within. You will find the cause of that insurmountable problem.” (“Lecture at the First Conference in North America”)
I looked within and always thought of others in everything I did. I gained the respect from work colleagues and the enterprises we worked for. When I was interacting with coworkers, I also took opportunities to talk to them about Falun Gong and the persecution.
During my time as a representative, I was recognized as one of the top two employees. The clients which entrusted us on this project issued me a year-end bonus which nobody else was entitled to before. Within one year I was reinstated to my old job, and my pay was increased to one third higher than my pay before the persecution began. When I left my representative job, my team didn't want me to leave. They all said that I was a wonderful person to work for.
During the 14 years of the persecution, I have been holding onto my belief, clarifying the facts, and helping my friends and relatives quit the CCP. I hope that people will not be deceived by the CCP's fabricated lies. Even though I was harassed by people from our local community management committee, arrested by the police and thrown into a forced labor camp, I've maintained a steadfast and peaceful state of mind.
I have been practicing Falun Gong since 1996. Even though I have been through many hardships, faced with many temptations and unfairness. It may seem to some that I have lost many things, as I don't have fame or assets. I have been pitied by my relatives, coworkers and friends, as they didn't quite understand me and even complained about my situation.
However, I can proudly say that I have gained so much from Dafa. Facing the choices, criticism and persecution, I deeply felt benevolent Teacher by my side protecting me all the time. I am illness-free, and no longer suffer in this world as my my realm of thought has been elevated. I firmly believe in my original choice, the choice made by taking up cultivation. I will walk on this path solidly and walk well every step, until the end of my cultivation.
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Category: Improving Oneself
