(Minghui.org) To spread the beauty of Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) and the truth surrounding the persecution, several other practitioners and I went to the countryside to distribute truth-clarification brochures in 2021. We were reported to the police and arrested.

I told the officers, “We’re doing this so people can stay out of harm’s way and be safe. We’re doing a good thing. We didn’t break the law.” But no matter how we explained the situation, they ignored us. We were dragged into the police car and taken to the city’s Domestic Security Division.

We were interrogated all night but wouldn’t reveal our names or addresses. The officers slapped us, shocked us with electric batons, and kicked us. After searching their database, they eventually found out who we were. We were taken to the detention center the next day.

Supportive Team Lead and Inmates

We were put in the same cell in the detention center. The cell lead asked why we were there. When I told her that we were Falun Gong practitioners, she gave us a big smile and said, “Falun Gong is good! My aunt is a practitioner. She was arrested for her faith but continued to cultivate after she was released. Every time I see her, she tells me about Falun Dafa. She is very diligent in her practice.”

Once the cell lead opened up the conversation, we naturally started to clarify the truth to the other inmates. Pretty soon, everyone in our cell learned what Dafa was all about and why the persecution was wrong.

Inmate Ping asked me, “How do you do the exercises? I have pain in my lower back. Do you think they would help?”

I nodded, saying, “What we practice does wonders when it comes to healing illnesses and keeping fit. If you practice, I’m sure it will help with your back pain.”

I demonstrated the fifth exercise as everybody watched. They were amazed when I did the hand signs and thought they were really special. I told the inmates, “Doing the exercises is one part of it. Most importantly, you need to be a good person.” I asked Ping if she could find practitioners in her hometown.

She said, “I’m sure I can! I’m going to look as soon as I’m released.”

Helping Others

Since over 20 inmates had to share the same bathroom, it was filthy and smelled terrible. The other practitioners and I took it upon ourselves to clean the bathroom. We then took turns maintaining it every day. An older inmate said, “Doing Falun Gong is good. You guys are so nice.”

The newcomers were usually in great distress when they first arrived, and some even cried when they walked in the door. We tried to comfort them as much as possible and shared our bottled water and toilet paper before they had a chance to buy them.

An elegant, pretty woman in her 30s was assigned to our cell. She came in, walked to the back, sat down, and started crying. I went and sat next to her. She told me she worked in a government agency. When she found out her husband was having an affair with her best friend, she was furious and smashed up her friend’s retail store. She was reported to the police and arrested for vandalism. She said, “I wouldn’t be so angry if it were some random woman but this was my best friend.” She felt betrayed.

I told her, “I can tell you’re well-educated. Morals in this society are rapidly declining. There is neither honesty nor trust between people. Everything is tied to money. We practice Falun Dafa and follow the principles Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. It teaches us to be honest, kind, and good. We won’t do anything that harms others.”

She looked up inquisitively and said, “You practice Falun Gong? Why do you still do it when the government banned it?”

I smiled and replied, “You may not know what Falun Gong is. Before I took up the practice, I was in a lot of pain and suffered from many health problems. I had lost all hope when my coworker told me about Falun Dafa. Within a month of practicing this cultivation system, all my illnesses were gone. I didn’t spend a dime. It was incredible. Let me ask you this: If Falun Gong was not good, would there still be so many people practicing it? Dafa simply teaches people to live by Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and be good people.” As she listened, she raised her head and smiled.

I continued, “The Tiananmen Square self-immolation incident broadcast on TV was staged. Those who died were not Falun Gong practitioners. They tried to smear and defame Falun Gong. Whoever the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants to persecute, they always ruin people’s reputations first. Dafa has spread to over 100 countries around the world. Why haven’t there been any other cases of self-immolation? You work for the government, you should know that the CCP is completely corrupt.”

I paused before asking her, “Have you heard about quitting the CCP and its youth organizations to stay safe?” She said she hadn’t, so I told her, “We are predestined to meet. Nearly 400 million Chinese have quit the Party. The CCP has committed crimes against humanity and killed more than 80 million people. Now it is persecuting and murdering innocent Falun Gong practitioners. Heaven will not let it continue and will bring the CCP to justice. If you don’t cut ties with the Party, you will go down with it when its time is up.”

She had not joined the Party itself but had joined the Youth League and the Young Pioneers. I asked if it was okay to give her a pseudonym and help her quit the CCP’s organizations. She answered, “Sure. Thank you!”

During the two weeks that we were detained there, all the inmates saw how sincere and kind Dafa practitioners are. We helped all of them quit the Party.

Being Kind to Dafa Practitioners Brought Her Blessings

Because of the pandemic, the other practitioners and I were transferred from detention center to detention center—three times within a month. In the last detention center, the guards separated us and placed us in different cells. I was the only practitioner in my cell. I went on an eight-day hunger strike. As I got weaker and weaker and started seeing blood in my urine, someone notified the guards but they didn’t care. Each night, the inmate on duty came to check if I was still breathing.

When I first got there, I rarely spoke to anyone. During lunch breaks, I recited the Fa and sent forth righteous thoughts instead of taking a nap. I realized how poorly I had done with Fa study—I didn’t have a lot of the Fa memorized.

There was a convicted murderer in our cell. She was in her late 30s, very pretty and a talented singer and dancer. When I first got there, she greeted me as if she knew me. When she found out I was a Falun Gong practitioner, she helped me as much as she could. She brought me food and snacks and made sure I ate. She asked the guard to bring me hot water to drink, and she shared her toilet paper with me. She told the cell lead that I was very weak, so I was exempt from having to do night duties. She also asked that I be moved to the bed next to hers.

She looked at me long and hard one time, and said, “You remind me of my mother. I really miss her. She is as nice as you are.” As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes. I stroked her hair and tried to comfort her as if she were my own daughter. I told her to recite, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” She said she knew about these phrases, because she had met a few Dafa practitioners before and they were all very nice. She was supportive of Dafa.

The guard came in one day and said to her, “Due to your recent good behavior, we’ll take your shackles off.” She was so happy that she cried. She was blessed for treating Dafa practitioner with kindness.

Helpful Cell Lead

The cell lead was a young southerner serving a two-and-a-half year sentence. She was very kind and principled. She observed me and told me one day, “I think you’re a good person. You never complain about your own suffering and are always considerate of others.”

She told me there used to be another Falun Gong practitioner detained in their cell and that she was also very nice and unwavering in her faith. I said, “Master taught us to be sincere, kind, and tolerant. We try to always consider others first and be a good person wherever we are." She saw that my bedding was thin and told the guard to bring me something thicker. She also arranged for me to do 30-minute night duties instead of a full hour.

The guards brought in the approval of my arrest and tried to get me to plead guilty to the charges. I refused. The cell lead said to me, “You don’t have to sign it if you don’t want to. The other Falun Gong practitioner didn’t.” She was full of admiration for practitioners.

All inmates were required to recite the detention center rules, but I had not complied since the day I arrived. The director said that whoever didn’t memorize them would have to stand until they could. The cell lead told the director that I had bad vision and couldn’t see clearly and even though they tried to teach me, I just couldn’t remember anything. The director took a look at me and said loudly to the guards, “Fine! She doesn’t have to recite the rules.” I thanked the cell lead for helping me out.

I often told the cell lead about the miraculous things Dafa practitioners have experienced. She really enjoyed hearing these stories. Seeing me sharing my food and toilet paper with others, she also shared her snacks. I said, “With each kind deed, you accumulate virtue. Being kind to others is being kind to oneself.” She became more and more generous. Before being transferred to prison, she told me to take care of myself and hoped we would meet again someday.

Helping An Inmate Make Peace with Herself

One inmate was a project manager at a large company before she was convicted of fraud. She went to college and was well-read and very talented. She was innocent and wrongly convicted. She cried often and was depressed. We were the same age and had a lot in common, so we quickly became friends. She told me what had happened to her and asked for advice.

I told her that nowadays most people are driven by money, and some enterprises set up schemes and try to get as many investments as they can. The leaders of these companies ignore the law and knowingly commit crimes just to make more profit. They give investors some benefits at first to lure them in, then take all the funds and run, leaving a lot investors broke. These investors have to sell everything they own to pay off the debts. Some were so devastated that they became seriously ill or even committed suicide. It has caused so much pain to countless families.

“Look at yourself,” I said. “You invested millions of yuan in the hope that you’d make a huge profit. Now you’re under investigation, and the company’s CEO took the money and ran. You’ve become the scapegoat. Nowadays people don’t have a sense of spiritual obligation that maintains morality.” She seemed to be deep in thought. I told her that heaven records every deed. If one harms another, he or she will have to face the consequences.

I told her that things like this would not happen among Dafa practitioners. A lot of business owners and managers are Dafa practitioners, and they are honest and trustworthy. If everyone had a sense of spiritual obligation like Dafa practitioners do, society’s morals would be restored. “Please don’t be angry.” I said. “I’ve told you what I truly think. You can be honest with yourself and ask if you’ve done anything wrong. With a calm heart, reflect on what you have done.”

I taught her to recite, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” to cleanse her body of toxins and pull herself out of depression. She started to change after our conversation. She said, “I think the principles you shared with me are so true.”

I talked to her whenever I had time. She liked to listen to me recite Master’s poems and said that if she was released, she’d start over and live an honest and simple life.

Helping an Inmate Face Her Past Mistakes

Another inmate used to be the assistant general manager of a large enterprise. She was sentenced to 10 years for embezzlement. She refused to plead guilty, but instead of being transferred to prison, she had been held in the detention center for almost four years. She was a cell lead for two years and nobody dared to meddle with her. Even the guards wouldn’t mess with her.

Her mother used to practice Falun Dafa and many of her ailments disappeared. After the CCP launched the persecution, her father, who was a Party official, forbid her mother from practicing. Another Falun Gong practitioner who used to be held there showed her how to meditate and taught her many Dafa poems. After reciting them, her high blood pressure was gone and she no longer needed to take medication. At one point, she even got all the inmates in the cell to mediate as a group. However, when the practitioner was released, she stopped doing the exercises.

We got to know each other well. I was able to be completely honest with her, so she didn’t get offended. “If you had taken up Dafa,” I said, “you would never have been sentenced. You stole so much money and broke the law. Why wouldn’t you plead guilty?”

“My health has been deteriorating over the past few year,” she replied. “I believe you’ll be released soon, and I want to go home, too. I did take the money, and I’ve thought about it long and hard and have decided to plead guilty. If I could be released on medical parole, I would also like to practice Falun Dafa. I’ll bring my mother along, so she can start again. We have some property in the mountains. Tell all your practitioner friends to come live with us where you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

She meditated every day and often recited, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” I was happy to see her being so supportive of Dafa.

Power and Money Don’t Bring Happiness

An inmate who was an entrepreneur was worth half a billion yuan. She was implicated in her employee’s case and sentenced to prison. I told her what Dafa really is and why the persecution was wrong. She was very interested in learning the truth about Dafa. She suffered some health issues and wanted to give Dafa a try. She used to be the head of the company and was a very powerful person. Then she ended up behind bars. I told her, “You used to be on the top but now you’re incarcerated. Power and money did not bring you happiness or safety.”

When the inmates found out that I was going to be released, they were all happy for me and came to say goodbye. One of them said, “Please teach us how to meditate in the full lotus position and to say, ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good, Falun Dafa is good.’” I recited the phrases for them.

The entrepreneur said, “I wish you didn’t have to leave, so you could teach us the Falun Dafa exercises.

I replied, “We’ve built up good relationships but now it’s time to part. As long as all of you can be saved, being detained was worthwhile.”

Helping Inmates Resolve Conflicts

There were over 20 inmates in our cell, and they often argued. Inmate Peng was detained for drug trafficking. She had abused substances for years and had gone through a lot before her arrest, so she was in poor health. She was depressed and had episodes where she’d get very scared and cried. She knew I practiced Falun Dafa and liked being around me. She asked the cell lead to move me to the bed next to hers and said that my energy helped her stay calm and sleep better.

I talked to her about Dafa every day, saying that Dafa practitioners have benefited mentally and physically from the practice and that’s why we remain resolute despite the relentless persecution. I told her about the Tiananmen Square self-immolation hoax. I also taught her how to cross her legs and meditate.

She had a fight with another inmate named Dong. The two of them fought over a seat all the way in the back, and neither of them would give in. I waved her over and asked if I could give her some advice. I told her the story of the “Six-Foot Ally.” To avoid a conflict over the border to their property, a famous official in the Qing dynasty advised his family to build a fence three feet away from the neighbor's property. The neighbor was so touched that he also built his fence three feet away. The six-foot ally between the two fences became synonymous for being considerate of others and taking a step back from a conflict.

I told Peng, “I’ve told you many stories of Dafa practitioners cultivating and improving their xinxing. You’ve benefited from these stories and your moral standards have elevated. This incident is a test to see if your improvement is solid. If you let others have their way, your body will go through dramatic changes. Your back won’t hurt anymore because your heart is considerate of others.” She nodded and told me she understood.

Dong, the other inmate, was very upset. She cried and would not eat. I told her that as cellmates we should take care of each other. Why would she blow things way out of proportion and make it into such a big deal. We all met because of predestined relationships, and when we’re released, it would be difficult to see each other again.

Peng said to Dong, “Don’t be upset. I will let you have the seat.”

Dong was touched and replied, “I shouldn’t have fought with you. Being in here is hard for everyone.”

The conflict was resolved. Without taking her medication for several days, Peng felt great and glowed with happiness.

Headache Disappears

All the inmates were moved around into different cells, and I got to know a few new inmates. Hui, in her 40s, was detained for selling counterfeit cigarettes. She thought it was just a small offense and believed she would be released soon. The public prosecutor officials told her that she would get two years if she pleaded guilty. If not, she was looking at at least three years.

She came back from the arraignment very distraught and started to cry as soon as she sat down. She had four kids and all of them were still in school. They were all top students. Her oldest was in the process of applying for graduate school. If she was put behind bars for two or three years, what was going to happen to her kids? What if they could no longer go to school because of her?

She was so stressed out that her head hurt. I told her not to worry too much as kids have their own paths in life. Plus, they would still have their dad. “Trust me,” I said. “Things will turn around if you sincerely recite ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.’” She started reciting the phrases right away, and as she did, her headache went away. I said, “Isn’t it powerful?” She now firmly believes in the power of Dafa and recites the two phrases every day.

Being Considerate of Others

The cell lead ordered some box organizers for us and when they arrived, everyone went up all at once trying to pick a good one. I stayed put and waited patiently. When everybody got what they wanted, there was only a broken one left. The cell lead turned to me, and said, “I can return it and have them ship a new one.”

“Return it to whom?” I asked. “Nobody would want a broken one. It doesn’t bother me as long as it holds things.”

One time, the inmate on duty distributed steamed buns at dinner. When it was my turn in line, there were only two buns left and some broken chunks and crumbs at the bottom of the bowl. I was the third from last in line and the two inmates behind me had not gotten a bun yet, so I grabbed the broken bits and left the two buns for the inmates behind me. The inmate on duty was touched, and said “Your standards are so high. I have never seen anyone as considerate as you. You’re always thinking of others.”

I smiled, and responded, “I am a Falun Dafa practitioner and will always consider others first. Look, these chunks are still good.” Everyone looked at me in admiration.

When we were first admitted to the detention center, the guards took our winter clothes and jackets. Winters are long in northeast China. We were left with a thin layer of clothes that didn’t keep us warm.

Some newcomers complained to the guards that they were getting sick from the cold. The guards found a few thermal tops and leggings, but four people had to share one set. The inmates took turns wearing them. I always gave up my turn and told the other three in my group that I was a Dafa practitioner and the cold didn’t bother me. The other inmates in my group were happy and very appreciative. Inmates in other groups often fought over the thermals.

One time, after the inmate on duty handed out lunch, my lunch box went missing. The cell lead was annoyed and shouted, “Who took an extra lunch?”

Inmate Rong answered, “I have two. Sorry. I thought nobody wanted this one.”

The cell lead scolded her and told her not to take the wrong lunch box again. I later asked Rong, “Are you not getting enough food?”

She nodded and said, “Yes! If you can’t finish your food, I’ll take it. I’m always hungry.”

Inmates in the detention center have to purchase items such as toothpaste and toilet paper, and not having these things can make one’s life very difficult. Some inmates simply don’t have the money to buy them. An inmate was in tears because she couldn’t afford pads during her menstrual period. I gave her a roll of toilet paper and shared my soap and toothpaste with her. I always tried to help as much as I could whenever someone came to me.

More than 20 of us shared one bathroom, and we often had to wait in line to use the toilet. People often cut in front of me, which never upset me as I tried to be understanding of their situations. Seeing how I was always tolerant and generous, the inmates said that I had a heart of a Bodhisattva. They all knew that Falun Dafa was good.

As the weather got colder, everyone wore thermals and sweaters. I only had a thin shirt on but didn’t feel cold. Other inmates stopped taking showers because there was no hot water. However, I took a cold shower regularly and never got sick. The inmates were all impressed at how extraordinarily healthy I was. I left all my things for the others before I was released, including towels, socks, and underwear. Nothing was thrown away. The inmates were happy to take them, as some said, “Falun Gong practitioners are super clean and have no illnesses.”

Unwavering Faith

Before my indictment was submitted to the court, two directors talked to me. One went over my personal information and asked about my family. Then she said, “Based on what you just told me, I think I could get you released without taking your case to court. That is, if you write a statement that you won’t practice Falun Gong again. Your family misses you. This is a great opportunity. Will you write the statement?”

I told her, “No, I will not! All of my illnesses disappeared because of Falun Dafa. I cannot do such a thing against my conscience. If I didn’t practice Dafa, I would have died long ago. Dafa saved me.” She told me to think it over. She tried a few times to convince me, but I didn’t change my mind.

During our last meeting, she said, “This is your last chance. Your case has been submitted to the court. If you don’t write the statement, you’ll be sentenced. For what you have done, you’ll be sentenced to at least three years.” I thought, “It is not up to you.”

She continued, “Look at how weak you are. You won’t even last until the end of the year. Look at the criminals who are detained here. What kind of people are they? You won’t lose anything if you write the statement. Don’t you want to go home? Why do you want to stay here and suffer in this harsh environment?” She lowered her voice, and continued, “If you want to practice Falun Gong, go home and practice it with the doors closed. Nobody will know.” She paused and then added, “You people [Falun Gong practitioners] are so selfish. You don’t care about your family.”

“I do care about my family,” I replied. “The police arrested me and detained me unlawfully. Everybody in my family and where I work, and my friends think I am a good person.”

“Then practice at home,” she responded. “Why do you have to distribute the fliers?”

I answered, “I want everybody to know that Falun Dafa is good. I want people to know the benefits of Dafa. There are so many natural disasters and a plague [COVID-19] going around nowadays. I want people to know how to keep out of harm’s way and be safe. I didn’t hurt anyone by speaking the truth and didn’t break any law.”

She said I was being stubborn. The other director who hadn’t said anything until then piped up, “This is a matter of one’s spiritual belief. I don’t think we’ll be able to convince her.” She turned to me, and said, “If you don’t want to write the statement, then so be it.”

My heart was light as I walked back to the cell. Inmate Peng asked if I wrote the statement. I said, “There’s no way I’d write such a thing after benefiting so much from Dafa. Dafa saved my life. I’ve endured great tribulations in my life and Dafa helped me get through them.”

Peng responded, “You look so frail, but you’re really strong. I admire you and support you.”

Some inmates told me that if they ever got the chance to go home, they would write whatever statement the guards wanted them to.

“Let me tell you why I won’t write it,” I responded. “When my mother was 80, she developed a tumor on her eye. It grew so big that it almost covered her entire eye. We took her to the hospital but the doctors couldn’t remove it because they were afraid she wouldn’t survive the surgery. When we got home, I said to my mother, ‘All your illness disappeared when you practiced Falun Dafa. When the CCP started the persecution, you stopped practicing out of fear. Now all your illnesses have returned. Even the hospital can’t help you with the tumor this time. Why don’t you practice Falun Dafa again?’ My mother agreed. She studied the Fa and did the exercises with me and the tumor disappeared within a month. People thought it was incredible. There are countless examples of people with serious illnesses who fully recovering after taking up the practice. Do you think I should continue?”

The inmates nodded. They agreed with me but felt sorry for me.

Validating the Fa

I was detained for a total of eight months and met many inmates during that time. I never had an argument or fought with anyone. I didn’t care about personal gains and was tolerant and treated others with compassion. I always remembered that I was a Falun Dafa practitioner and tried to follow the Dafa principles. I didn’t go out of my way to prove anything. Instead, the compassion and selflessness I’d cultivated showed in my conduct and interactions. Through me, the inmates and guards witnessed the beauty of Dafa practitioners.

In my 25 years of cultivating Dafa, I have gone from being seriously ill to being healthy and from being cynical to being tolerant and generous. My husband and I have been persecuted for our faith in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. We have endured arbitrary detention, forced labor, and imprisonment. Even the most violent crackdown didn’t change our determination to cultivate Dafa. We know that Falun Dafa is a righteous Fa and one is most fortunate to have found it in this lifetime.

I am still far from the standards of the Fa and will continue to improve through cultivation. I will help Master rectify the Fa and save sentient beings. One day, I hope to leave this secular world and return to my original, true self.