(Minghui) I began to study Falun Dafa in 1996 while living in the countryside, but I lost touch with other practitioners when the persecution started in 1999, and soon stopped practicing.
In 2013, I moved from the countryside and was able to reconnect with other practitioners. I have since resumed my cultivation.
I have experienced many miracles over these years of practicing. Teacher Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, is responsible for all of these blessings.
I went to a market with other practitioners earlier this year to tell people about Dafa and the persecution of this peaceful practice. The police soon showed up. As they rounded us up to take us to the police station, I questioned them: “Why do you want to shut us down? We practice Falun Dafa in order to become better people, and that isn't in violation of the law.” The police didn't answer.
At the station, one of the officers started to read a list of names on a piece of paper that they took from us. “What’s this? Number 123, Li Happy, Wang Safe. What kind of names are these?” I informed them that it was a list of people who had wanted to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. I added that when Chinese citizens quit the Party, they sometimes use an alias to keep from being harassed or arrested.
“More than 230 million Chinese have quit the Party,” I added. “They want to secure a bright future for themselves. Working for the police can be very dangerous for you. Persecuting upright faiths and Dafa practitioners is an act that will definitely be punished.”
Another officer confronted me. “Do you know what my job is?”
“I don't care,” I replied, “I'm just telling you the facts.”
One of the officers at the police station was using WeChat, a messaging application. Apparently, his 8-month-old son was running a high fever and wasn’t recovering with the treatment.
I advised him to sincerely recite “Falun Dafa is good.” I told him that our Teacher would help his child.
I put my hands together and asked Teacher, “I want this policeman to be saved. Could you please help his son?”
The officer was curious at at my behaviour. “Have you got stomachache?” he asked. I then told him what I was doing. He was silent for a long time.
Perhaps my compassion touched his heart. When snacks were distributed among the detainees that evening, I was offered extra rations. The man later confided in me. “Saying ‘Falun Dafa is good’ was really effective,” he said. “My son has recovered.”
Another officer approached me, saying “We know that Dafa practitioners are good, but why don’t you just practice quietly at home?”
“We do the exercises, read Dafa books, and correct our behavior constantly,” I replied. “What's wrong with any of that? Why persecute us? We strive to do everything in line with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. If everyone in China behaved in line with these principles then society would be so much better.”
The officer was silent.
I heard that his wife had cancer, which cost them more than 1,000 yuan per day on medical expenses. I advised him to obtain a copy of Zhuan Falun and read it because it could change his wife’s fate, helping her to recover.
These two policemen listened to what I had to say, and perhaps their true natures were awakened. I heard that they asked their manager to transfer them to new posts. “Even a clerk position at a small local station will do,” one asked.
The other said, “As long as you give me any other post, I will be content.”
I was later transferred to a detention center, but the officials there refused to accept me because my health records showed that I had severe heart disease. However, people from the 610 Office forced them to keep me. I searched inward to see what was wrong on my part.
When I was interrogated, the guard told me that he was a Dafa practitioner with his third eye open and that he had supernatural abilities. As a test, I told him to tell me the last topic of the last lecture in Zhuan Falun. He couldn’t answer.
Another guard then said, “Does anyone even know that you are suffering here?” I told them, “There's no need for anyone to know of my circumstances. My Master knows everything.”
I couldn’t fall asleep that night, so I kept sending forth righteous thoughts. A few days later, another practitioner was brought to the detention center. We tried to encourage each other. “Let’s believe in Master, believe in the Fa and maintain strong righteous thoughts!”
On my 30th day in the detention center, my mind was preoccupied with my husband, child and my business. My inner tranquility was disturbed. I recalled what I'd read in other practitioners' experience sharing articles: When these practitioners were persecuted, what was on their mind was the Fa.
I decided to recite Master’s poem:
“In life, nothing sought,In death, regretting naught;Washing away all wrong thought,Buddhahood, with lessadversity, is wrought.”(“Nothing Kept” from Hong Yin)
As I was repeating the words, my righteous thoughts became stronger and my heart broader. A detention center is nothing to a practitioner. What could possibly hold back a practitioner's righteous thoughts? Nothing! We practitioners should cultivate ourselves whenever and wherever we can, be it at home, in society, or while being persecuted. We should seek nothing and keep only Dafa in our minds.
When I understood this, I suddenly became tranquil. My heart was calm, and I was at peace, with compassion. It was a big leap in my cultivation.
On the morning of day 34 of my detention, I told Teacher that now I fully understand that a detention center was not a place for a practitioner to stay. I asked him to please help me leave.
I was released unconditionally the following day.
As such, I wrote this essay to show my gratitude towards Teacher.