(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master and fellow practitioners! I have been practicing Falun Dafa for over 20 years. Every step in my cultivation came about from Master Li Hongzhi’s (Dafa’s founder) protection and guidance.
I recently read articles by practitioners on the Minghui website regarding technical skills. It prompted me to recall some of my experiences in cultivation. Breaking through the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) internet censorship is what our persecutors are most afraid of. I would like to share how I learned to access the Minghui website, as well as the understandings I gained while helping practitioners with technical issues.
When the persecution first started, two young practitioners who were students brought some truth-clarification materials from Beijing. They mentioned the Minghui website. I asked, “How can I access it?” They explained briefly but I could not understand the technicalities involved. However, it made me long to visit Minghui.
I received a flier, which was not easily obtained at that time. I thought if I could somehow save it in my computer, I would be able to print more copies. I went to a computer shop. One could rent a PC and surf the Internet for two yuan per hour. I made several trips to the shop, typing out the contents of the flier and saving it on a portable disc.
The flier had information on how to go onto the Minghui website but still, I couldn’t figure it out. I asked an employee at the shop. He did not know there was such a thing as internet censorship, and said, “All websites are accessible.” I said certain websites were blocked. He said, “That’s impossible.” I gave him the flier and he tried the method written on it several times, but he could not access the website, either.
At the time, I stored the flier on a floppy disk and the quality was not as good as USB drives are nowadays. Every time I opened the file, I discovered a few errors. I then had to go to the computer shop to correct the errors. The female boss of the shop learned from the employee that I’d tried to go onto banned websites and reprimanded me when I went to the shop.
I stood across the street facing the shop and hesitated. Should I go in? I was eager to fix the error in the flier. I crossed the road and entered the shop. I sat in front of a computer and plugged in the disk. I opened the document, took a quick look, and then ejected the disk and left the shop. The whole process only took a few minutes.
There were plainclothes policemen in the shop but I failed to notice their presence. My house was consequently ransacked and I was arrested. A police officer and the driver grabbed my wrists, and pushed me into the police car. My back was bruised from the assault. I was detained at a police station.
As I had gone to appeal for Dafa after the persecution began, I was on the CCP’s blacklist. Subsequently, my house was ransacked several times, I was arrested and detained, and punished and monitored by my workplace. My husband raised my one-year-old son alone and visited me in prison. He suffered tremendously and often lost his temper with me out of resentment and frustration. Yet, on this occasion, my husband actively helped to get me out of prison. I was released the same day.
In 2004, I saw a link to the Minghui website in an article in the Minghui Weekly magazine. I tried it and successfully went onto the website. I saw Master’s photo sitting quietly amid the mountains and all the articles on the website. I was both overjoyed and scared. My heart kept pounding. I could even hear my heartbeat. I was only on the website for several seconds before I quickly left out for fear.
I could finally go onto Minghui! Since then, I was able to connect with Dafa disciples around the world!
I noted the links, and when one link stopped working, I moved to the next. I downloaded several articles, edited them into fliers, printed them, and gave them to fellow practitioners. This became the first materials production site in our area. Later on, I learned even more skills on the forum set up by practitioners, but I could not grasp them all at once. I tried to follow the instructions step by step.
Once, I went to the city and saw a roadside stall selling discs. I discovered that one of them was a system operations disc and I bought it. I followed the method on the forum and learned how to install it on my computer. Later on, I read that not all system operations discs are safe to use. I used the method provided to check the viability of the disc and was told it was fine. I thought I was fortunate to buy a disc that turned out to be safe to use. Later on, I enlightened that it was not luck, it was because Master was always looking after his disciples. If not for Master’s arrangement, I would not have a clue as to what a system operations disc was. How could I have bought one from a roadside stall by chance and it turned out to be good?
For a period of time, I had doubts about the security of going online and I stopped surfing the internet. After about a month, I felt lost and depressed over not being able to read the Minghui website. This won’t do! I must go online! I sat in front of the computer, calmed down and went online. When I saw the Minghui website, all my depressed feelings disappeared.
Once, I wanted to download an audio file which was a large file. I tried to download it for several days unsuccessfully and the internet kept dropping off. I sat in the full lotus position in front of the computer and began to send righteous thoughts. I observed the progress of the download and kept sending righteous thoughts until the file was completely downloaded. My husband walked in and saw me. He said, “You will surely succeed if you have such determination!” I knew Master was encouraging me through my husband’s mouth.
For a period of time, the environment was relatively more stable. I casually stored the files I downloaded on the PC. One day, my husband suddenly asked, “Did you encrypt the files? Did you slack off again?” My husband is not a Dafa practitioner nor does he know anything about IT. I thought it was Master reminding me through him. At that time, I did not know about encryption systems. I only did simple file encryption methods then.
The first time I printed truth-clarification materials at home, I was afraid to let my husband know. Yet I needed the materials in a hurry. I chose to start printing the materials after my husband had gone to bed. We lived in an old house then and it was not very soundproof. I successfully printed out all the materials. The next morning, my husband said, “I slept very soundly last night.” He never said things like that before. I knew Master was encouraging me. Not only did the printing sound not affect my family, it helped them have a good night’s rest.
I wanted to teach other practitioners the skills so they could go on the Minghui website, but I realized I should be responsible for their safety. I decided to learn how to install a secure operations system. I sat in front of the PC every day learning skills from the forum. At times, I repeatedly tested and pondered over things in order to solve a problem. Sometimes I was up all night trying out a skill.
There was a skill – antivirus software and firewall – that was crucial to security but I did not know how to install this software. A practitioner’s son who was in his teens returned home from the city just then. He gave me several discs other practitioners in the city had given him. Among the discs were system operations discs as well as other commonly used software. This young practitioner helped me solve the problem of installing antivirus and firewall software. I knew it was Master who arranged for him to help me.
When I first started learning how to install encryption systems, I looked at the thick instruction manual and it seemed like a huge task. I did not know many terms in it. I kept trying things out step by step and finally learned how to install a hidden encryption system. I knew this system was suitable to use on practitioners’ PCs because many of them shared one computer with family members who were not practitioners. With such a system installed, practitioners could use the PC to go onto the Minghui website without their family member’s knowledge.
From then on, I began to assist practitioners who wanted to go onto the Minghui website to install the encryption system. I followed the instructions step by step. Every step had to be done correctly. Sometimes, it took two or three days to install one PC. Every software, every setting, I had to manually operate and click every step.
In particular, the encryption process takes time. Sometimes, due to the inferior configurations of the computer, just the encryption process alone took over a day. Yet the operating systems on such computers are easily damaged and after efforts were taken to install the operating system, it was accidentally damaged and had to be reinstalled again. On top of that, the software needs upgrades from time to time or a security setting needs to be installed. I had to go through all the websites. I became extremely busy. I had no time to eat or sleep. My child was only a few years old. My husband frequently scolded me for not taking care of the family. However, as long as practitioners needed my help, I tried my best to accommodate them.
At that time, the persecution was very severe. Providing technical support in this situation gave me lots of pressure. I planned to keep it low-key through single-point contact with the materials production site, so that other practitioners would not know what I was involved in. But practitioners not working on this did not understand my pressure. Even if I told them to keep it confidential, they may leak the information from time to time.
During group discussions, some practitioners who knew I could overcome the internet blockade often directly handed me a list of people who had quit the CCP organizations. Even though other practitioners might guess what I was doing, I quietly accepted the list anyway. Some practitioners wanted me to copy Minghui Radio audio files for them and asked me to do it in front of others. In addition, some practitioners close to me could casually mention something and leak related information. I knew all requests from other practitioners were related to our cultivation and truth clarification, so I could not say no. Plus, they also endured a lot during the harsh suppression. Even though all this added pressure to me, I could not complain since they did not do it intentionally.
When installing systems for other practitioners, very often I told them not to share information with family members, for security purposes. “Your family members can use the computer as they normally do. Except for someone who is a real computer expert, they will not know there is a hidden encryption system on this computer,” I would explain. “Please do not tell them I installed that or what I was here for.” Most practitioners agreed but later shared the information when family members asked.
One time, I went to install systems for an elderly practitioner. Her daughter-in-law asked what I was there for. “She is here helping me to install computer systems,” replied the practitioner.
I was uncomfortable and thought, “How could you not cultivate your speech and casually mention this to someone who does not even practice?” But I also knew I had to continue.
Her daughter-in-law looked at me and asked, “Is it (the system) safe?” At that time, I felt even more pressure.
There were many instances like this. Looking back at them now, they may seem trivial, but at that time it put me under a lot of pressure. As this happened again and again, it began to seem like everyone knew what I was doing. Because of the persecution, every trip and every day could be dangerous. Sometimes, I felt that the huge pressure would suffocate me.
One day I thought, “Should I continue, or stop?” After reflecting on it for a few days, I told myself, “This is what I am here for. I have to do what I need to do, regardless.” With that thought, the huge pressure was gone. I knew Master helped me remove it.
Every day I was busy and I hoped others could share my workload. I shared this thought with a few practitioners. “I will teach whoever wants to learn. You do not need to learn much – even a little would help,” I said. Everyone was silent even after I said this a few times, which made me very anxious.
One time, I became impatient again and said, “I cannot handle so many things. Someone needs to help.” The other practitioners were quiet. Some of them were very capable and well-educated. One even majored in computers in college. I was very upset.
When I mentioned this again during one large group discussion, Mei said, “You don’t want to really teach others. You just want to keep it to yourself.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “I have asked many times for others to learn and promised to teach whatever you want to learn. Right?” Nearly twenty practitioners at the group discussion all began to talk, pointing out this or that problem that I had.
I shouted, “All right! I did everything you accused me of, and I have problems! So, those who did nothing have no problems?! Is that how it works?”
I was still upset when the others left.
Among them was Lan, a practitioner and my coworker. She is mild-tempered and never raises her voice. Over the years, we often stayed together and she understood me well. On this issue, however, she also pointed out all my issues – in a gentle tone as always. I was exhausted.
Why did the others all treat me like this? Why didn’t anyone understand what I was going through? I worked so hard! I had little time to eat, sleep, or take care of my family. The others refused to learn but instead complained about me and said I was wrong! I could not take it since it was too much.
Later on, I privately talked with Mei about this. She smiled and in her soft tone gave me an example. “When Hong taught me, I could learn everything. It was not like this when you taught. Hong could explain difficult things clearly. Everything becomes simple and clear when Hong talks about it,” she said.
Upon hearing this feedback, I calmed down. She did point out my shortcoming and I should thank her. Looking back, I had to admit she was right. When others learned slowly, I became frustrated and my tone of voice became harsh. This added pressure to them.
Mei continued and said, “When you taught others, your mentality was: ‘I can do it and you guys cannot. I am better than you.’” I calmed down and thought about her words. I looked within to see if I was validating myself. Gradually, I came to understand what they said was correct, and I needed to let go of my ego and arrogance. When teaching others computer skills again, I needed to be more patient. More importantly, this incident taught me to be humble instead of considering myself better than others.
This incident thus became an important reminder of my cultivation journey. When doing things to validate the Fa later on, I was no longer attached to who is right or wrong on the surface. Rather, I would look at the issue from a different angle and check my mentality in the process. I am thankful this happened because it helped me to lay a solid foundation, to let go of myself and walk steadily.
When I now recall those years, I feel Master helped me so much no matter what I did. Master was looking after me during each step and helped me to improve along the way. Thank you, Master!
In those years before I was able to access Minghui, my cultivation state was not stable. I usually did not understand things based on the Fa. There were times that I learned from other practitioners instead of the Fa. After I was able to access the Minghui website, I was able to study Master’s new articles in time instead of being disturbed by fake articles that undermine the Fa. When anything was not clear, I would visit Minghui, and other practitioners’ sharings helped me a lot. When I noticed my attachments but wasn’t sure about it, I often looked at Minghui to see how other practitioners understood things and how they eliminated their attachments through righteous thoughts. I have learned a lot.
Not just me, but other practitioners have also benefited significantly from Minghui. Practitioners who often access Minghui websites are usually able to understand things based on the Fa, remain diligent, do the three things well, and play important roles in projects that validate the Fa.
Because many practitioners in this area are able to access the Minghui website, certain situations that damage the Fa are hardly found here. Even if some problems arise, practitioners notice them and remind each other, in order to avoid losses.
Thank you, Master for always being at my side and helping me! Thank you, Minghui practitioners for helping me so that my cultivation journey is not lonely. I also thank practitioners from around the world for opening their minds, encouraging each other, and sharing their insights so that we can remain diligent together.