(Minghui.org) When I was jailed in 2017 at the No. 1 Women’s Prison in Shenyang, the prison head of Section No. 10 asked me, “You say that practicing Falun Dafa brings blessings. But you are imprisoned here and have suffered a lot. So how have you been blessed?”
I’m 65 years old now. I’d like to share my son’s and my cultivation stories in response to the prison head’s question.
I Finally Found a Cultivation Practice of Mind and Body
I was the head of the human resources department of an oil company at the county level. I often traveled for business, but I was afraid of running into acquaintances or meeting with former classmates, because I didn’t want them to see me as a sick person. I had many ailments, including inflammation of the gallbladder, gastric ulcer, neurotic disorder, chronic appendicitis, arthritis, irregular heartbeat, and lumbar detachment. I was on anti-inflammatory medication year-round, and had sleep issues. I was less than 40 years old with a lot of wrinkles, and I looked older than my real age.
I had a naïve thought―I wished there was an exercise that could make me younger! And guess what, my wish actually came true!
I was fortunate to find and read Zhuan Falun in April 1997. Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Dafa, said:
“It’s because the way things work in the universe, according to Buddhist thought, is that everything in a person’s life has “causal reasons” behind it, and the ordeals of existence—such as coming into the world, aging, getting ill, and dying—are as they should be. The ailments and miseries that people experience result from their karma, and karma is the product of past wrongdoings. So the ordeals that people face are how they pay for their karma.” (The First Talk, Zhuan Falun)
I understood why people get sick. I had formed many bad habits amid society’s current trends. I was competitive and wanted to get ahead. But things didn’t turn out the way I wanted, thus I was physically and mentally exhausted, and ended up with many illnesses.
Falun Dafa taught me to be a good person, to let go of self-interest, and to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to live my life. I soon regained my health. I looked younger and was full of energy. When I got together with my former classmates, they said I was a changed person!
My workplace went through reform in 1999, and I was selected as the general office director that oversaw eleven departments. In 2002, the company sent out separation notices with severance pay, but I was rehired after that, which meant my superiors recognized my work ethics and job performance.
My Son Said, “I Want to Practice Too!”
I came home from the practice site one night, and my son said he wanted to learn Falun Dafa. He was twelve years old and a fifth grade student. I was a new practitioner and didn’t know that children could practice too. He said, “I was curious why you and dad are so into it, so I read the book Zhuan Falun while you were out.”
I began taking my son to the practice site in the mornings, and he read Falun Dafa books in the evenings after finishing his homework. He followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, was very studious, and did well in class. He got along with his classmates and often invited them home during school breaks.
Many parents hoped their children could attend a well-known experimental junior high school in our city. My son needed the right connection to be accepted since we didn’t live in the school district. I told my son, “We are cultivators and Master Li looks after us. The school that you’ll attend is probably predetermined.”
My son gave me the good news one day, “My classmate’s father works at the police department and made arrangements for him to attend the experimental school. My classmate asked his dad to help me transfer to the school too.”
I found out later the experimental school had a five-year elementary and a three-year junior high program. My son was the number one student three years in a row. After junior high, if the students didn’t pass the high school entrance exam to attend the key high schools, parents would have to pay 10,000 yuan to send their children to ordinary high schools. I didn’t save for my son’s tuition, and my son’s test score was good enough to attend the best class in the key high school.
We didn’t hire any tutors for my son until he started to prepare for the college entrance exam. The head teacher told me, “Your son’s level of concentration is better than the other students. I think practicing Falun Dafa must have helped. When it is time to study, he can focus and nothing affects him.”
I asked my son when he applied for a famous Beijing university, “Nowadays Beijing colleges require every applicant to express their stance on Falun Dafa. What are you going to do?” He said, “I will tell them I practice Falun Dafa.” I then asked, “What are you going to do if they expel you?” He replied, “Then I’ll work for my uncle’s food company.”
“The Person I Admire Most is My Mother”
Almost all the colleges in Beijing require students to express their opinions on Falun Dafa and sign their names, but the class my son attended didn’t ask for it. Only his physics teacher gave the students three questions: Who do you admire the most? What is your favorite sport? What is your favorite book?
And my son’s answers were: “The person I admire the most is my mother, my favorite sport is soccer, and I’m afraid to talk about my favorite book.” The teacher took my son to lunch after reading his answers.
The teacher asked, “Your answers are quite unusual. Most students mentioned famous people or celebrities, but you chose your mother. Why is that?” My son replied, “Because my mother practices Falun Dafa, and my favorite book is Zhuan Falun.” My son gave the teacher a copy of the book later on.
“Master Li Is Looking After My Son”
My son withdrew from the Communist Youth League in 2004, after reading the poem “The Rotating Wheel,” in Hong Yin II.
“One hundred years of the Red Dynasty—a path of constant killingHeaven and earth turned upside down—a play that fools all ChinaYou clearly see red flowers flourishing at this momentBut do you know the lotus will bloom in the future”(“The Rotating Wheel,” Hong Yin II, Translation Version B)
The authorities raided my home and took me to a detention center in 2005. The police department, the 610 Office, and the Political and Legal Affairs Committee officials showed up at the detention center and threatened me, “If you don’t turn in practitioners’ names, we will go to your son’s school and tell the administrators that he practices Falun Dafa. We are certain they will expel him, and he will have no future.”
I looked at them and said, “You better drop the matter! Master is looking after my son. He will find a good job and do better than your children. Foreign companies like to hire Dafa practitioners.”
My son continued with his studies and started his career. He worked for a well-known large company after graduation but quit after a while. I wondered why he gave up such a good job. He said, “I have to work overtime and have no time for things that I want to do.” He then found a high paying job at a private firm in Beijing.
That well-known large company was involved in an unsound deal with the CCP, and was condemned by the international community. My son quit that company for a good reason, and I believe Master was looking after him.
“I’m Proud of You, Mom!”
Five years ago, my son went through many hurdles and hired a lawyer from Beijing to defend my innocence. During the court hearing, someone said that I was being selfish, “Your son is in his 30s and unmarried, and you only care about your Falun Dafa practice.” My son shouted in response, “I’m proud of you, Mom!”
Somebody introduced a lady to my son while I was imprisoned. The local custom was the groom had to own a house and give the bride’s family a betrothal of 80,000 yuan. When the bride’s family learned that I had been illegally sentenced to prison many times, sent to forced labor camp, and had no savings, they said, “Falun Dafa practitioners are good people.” The bride didn’t ask for a penny and married my son. My granddaughter is now four years old and quite smart.
My daughter-in-law didn’t move to Beijing after the wedding, they settled down near her workplace instead. When my son submitted his resignation letter, the director said, “You don’t have to quit, you can work remotely. We’ll notify you when we need you here. We’ll pay for all the travel expenses and reserve a dormitory room for you. You can work from home and be with your family at the same time.”
I was released in October 2021, after completing a four and a half year prison term. My relatives, friends, and former classmates said, “You are so fortunate! Your son is married and you have a granddaughter. He even bought a bigger house so that you can live with them. You have nothing to worry about now!”
I know Falun Dafa brought me the blessings. Thank you Master for your compassionate salvation!
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