(Minghui.org) Mr. Zou Xiong is a Falun Gong practitioner from Yanqing County, Beijing. More than 20 people, including officers from the Yanqing County Domestic Security Division and the Xiadu Police Station, broke into his home on the morning of June 14, 2017. They ransacked his home and arrested him.
Mr. Zou was previously sentenced to five years in prison for his belief in Falun Gong in 2004, a spiritual discipline banned by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Because he persisted in his belief, he lost his high-paying teaching position. Yet, Mr. Zou continues to live by Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.
After graduating from college, Zou Xiong taught in remote mountainous areas for more than 10 years. In doing so, he earned the respect of his colleagues, pupils, and their parents.
When he was asked to teach at another school, the parents of his pupils asked school officials that he stay because it was difficult to find a good teacher for such a remote area.
Mr. Zou gave up several opportunities to work in the city for the sake of the children in the mountainous areas.
His colleagues and the school leaders thought well of him. He was warmhearted and helped others in work and in life. Even the cleaning people praised him. He did not compete for fame, and simply wanted to help children be prepared for the future.
After Mr. Zou began practicing Falun Gong, he followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and strove to be an even better person. He was recognized with many awards and certificates, including the distinguished title “Elementary School Teacher of a Special Classification.”
At home, he helped his wife with housework. He also took care of his parents, parents-in-law and maintained good relationships with his siblings.
Mr. Zou became more socially conscious and thoughtful of others. He did not try to bargain hard when shopping so as to avoid offending the shop owner. From trivial to larger issues, Mr. Zou always tried to handle everything in the most positive manner.
After Jiang Zemin initiated the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999, Mr. Zou and his wife were arrested in 2004. He was sentenced to five years in prison and his wife to three years. He was detained in Qianjin Prison in Beijing and was tortured and subjected to brainwashing.
The happy family fell apart. His mother-in-law assumed the care of their child who was still in elementary school. Once, their young son painted a picture of a hen and her chicks and wrote the words, “I want Mom” on it, expressing how much he missed his parents.
When Mr. Zou was released from prison, he returned home and was jobless. He did not complain and held no hatred against those who persecuted him. He did not give up his belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance because of his situation. He and his wife became private tutors.
Being a private tutor is a respected job in China with a good income. Going against the social trend of charging as much as one can, Mr. Zou charged the lowest fee he could for his tutoring.
“Master Li, the founder of Falun Gong, has given us the best,” he said. “He also taught us the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance free of charge. Master never asks us for any money. I only need to maintain my basic living through tutoring children.”
While many private tutors charged 600 yuan or more per student per month, Mr. Zou charged only 300 yuan. Each student spends four or five hours per day at his home after school for about 20 days per month.
The children are taught how to study and behave well. They study and play at Mr. Zou's home, as comfortably as if they were in their own homes. Their grades and manners have improved. Many other parents have asked the couple to enroll their children. But Mr. Zou kindly refused because he wants to be responsible to the children he is already working with.
As a former “Teacher of a Special Classification,” he charges only a small fee as a private tutor. As a Falun Gong practitioner, Mr. Zou puts others' needs before his own and thus shows people the goodness of Falun Gong.