(Minghui.org) I am now in my 70s and began to practice Falun Gong on October 21, 1994, a date I will never forget.
My husband, a retired officials department chief, was asked by Falun Gong practitioners to play Master Li's (the founder of Falun Gong) video in an activity room. I had a fever, was in pain and planned to have a check-up at a hospital. However my husband asked me to watch the video.
My body felt warm, I was no longer in pain nor did I feel ill. Therefore, I decided to practice Falun Gong.
Solid Belief in Master and the Fa
Despite the persecution launched by the former dictator Jiang Zemin in July 1999, my belief in Master and the Fa remained solid.
When I first began to cultivate I was diagnosed with a number of ailments and I was well-known in my workplace for taking lots of medication. I was hospitalized more than twice a year. Not only did I suffer, my ailments also affected my three children and my husband and our life lacked harmony. Then, after I practiced Falun Gong I no longer needed medication and became known for my good health.
I went to the exercise site every morning during the week before Falun Gong was banned on July 20, 1999. Our Dafa group read Zhuan Falun at night, and on weekends I went to the countryside to tell people about Falun Gong. Because many people started to practice Falun Gong, I became the volunteer instructor. I worked during the day, yet I was not tired and was full of energy.
Refused to Be Intimidated
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to slander Falun Gong, spread rumors, and arrest practitioners in July 1999. I went to Beijing to appeal for the right to practice Falun Gong in March and December 2000. Although I planned to go with other practitioners, for one or another reason I went on my own.
At Tiananmen Square, police asked me if I was a Falun Gong practitioner and I asked if practitioners were not allowed to come to Beijing, and said that I was a practitioner. I was arrested, taken to my hometown and detained for 15 days. During detention, I was asked several times to sign a document that I would give up Falun Gong, but I refused.
To counter the vicious lies by the CCP, fellow practitioners and I decided to talk to people about Falun Gong. Therefore, I was arrested in May 2004 and taken to a brainwashing center. While there, I talked to everyone about Falun Gong and was released.
At my workplace I told everyone, from workers to management, about Falun Gong and gave them informational materials about this cultivation practice. I asked them to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations and most agreed to quit.
Everyone at my workplace understood the facts about this cultivation practice. Therefore, when the district's 610 Office asked them to take me to a brainwashing center, management refused.
“She practices Falun Gong at home and it does not affect the work environment,” management told the 610 Office. “Everyone is assigned a position, and we have no one to do your bidding. You take her over there. If something happens to her, you are responsible. It has nothing to do with us.”
The three heads of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee talked to me. I told them about Falun Gong and how I benefited from it. I became healthy and my workplace no longer had to pay medical expenses for me.
“I would be a fool for not practicing something as good as Dafa,” I said. “There is a proverb, 'The favor of a drop of water should be returned with a fountain of water.' I only have a mind and a life. I can only repay my Master with my mind and life. I will never give up Falun Gong.”
The 610 Office assigned someone to monitor my activities on May 12, 2004 and I lost my freedom. I could not go shopping without someone following me. I called the local police station and was told that this had nothing to do with them.
My husband and I went to the local residential administration committee to deliver a letter that explained the facts about Falun Gong on May 15, 2015. I was asked to leave immediately, but was stopped by the head of 610 Office. When we left, police arrested me, although my husband tried to prevent it. I was taken to the Jinjiang Brainwashing Center.
Harmonious Family Life Despite Adversity
My family saw that I became healthy after I began to practice Falun Gong. They understood the facts about Falun Gong, although it took them a while before they fully accepted it. Now, my husband and children respect my practice and support me, even though I was detained and arrested three times and our home was ransacked.
My daughter did well on her promotion exam, but the management did not promote her because I practice Falun Gong. My children and husband did not complain, but I felt bad for them.
“As long as you are good, we are all good,” said my daughter. “A promotion to the management results only in a little raise and does not really mean much to me.”
My daughter benefited from Dafa. She had endometriosis and could not get pregnant. Since she believed in Master and Dafa, she was able to conceive a child.
When I was released from the brainwashing center, the police asked that my son pay 7,500 yuan for food and incidentals.
“Didn't you invite my mother? Do you charge your guest for the meal,” my son said. “Now my mom has been diagnosed with an overactive thyroid gland, high blood pressure and other ailments. We have not asked you to pay the medical expenses. Explain to me in detail the fee you want us to pay.” We refused to pay a penny and returned home safely.
Since my son supported my practice of Falun Gong, he was laid off from his senior instructor position in October 2004.
“A person with skills can find a job anywhere,” he said. “Someday in the future when Falun Gong is redressed, I will make them accountable.” Now my son works abroad.
My family environment is harmonious, which is helpful for me to do everything a practitioner is supposed to do. There is no interference from my family and my home is a quiet place for group Fa study.
Cooperate with Practitioners
Because of the persecution, worries about the CCP's past political movements, and that their children's job and future may be compromised, some practitioners had not gone out to talk to people about Falun Gong. Fellow practitioners and I told them since we benefited from Falun Gong, that we cannot hide but must tell people the facts about this cultivation practice.
Some of these practitioners realized that Master is worried. They were moved and began to cultivate again and tell people about the practice.
A practitioner at the materials production site was arrested in 2007 and we could not get Falun Gong materials for over 10 days. I decided to make the materials and asked Master for help. Immediately, I came across a practitioner whom I had not seen for more than two years. She arranged for someone to come and help me. I have only elementary school education, but I learned to surf the Internet and download all I needed for making Falun Gong materials.
Master said,“All of the gong and Fa lie in the book, and one will naturally obtain them by reading Dafa. Those who learn it will change automatically, and they will already be in the Dao when they read the book over and over again. Teacher will certainly have Law Bodies (fashen) safeguarding them quietly. With perseverance, they will certainly achieve Righteous Attainment in the future.” (“Seeking Discipleship with Teacher” in Essentials For Further Advancement)
Little School Education Was No Hindrance
Because I only had a small amount of school education, a poor memory, and poor comprehension, I repeatedly read and transcribed the Fa. I also transcribed the part of the Fa that Master emphasized and read it as often as possible. I make sure that I base my actions and thoughts on the Fa.
I never felt even once, that I suffered, even though I was arrested three times. I am lucky to be a practitioner during the Fa-rectification period. As a Falun Gong disciple, I consider hardship as joy.
Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
