(Minghui.org) Greetings Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
My cultivation journey in the UK began in early 2010 when I met Falun Dafa practitioners in front of London’s Chinese Embassy. I’d like to share some of my experiences while peacefully protesting there.
Overcoming Various Hardships
Before I came to the UK, I didn’t know other practitioners, nor did I know where to find them. One day, I suddenly spotted practitioners doing the exercises near the Chinese Embassy. I was so excited that I immediately ran over, stood behind them, and joined them. I felt like I’d suddenly been freed from the intense, fearful, and oppressive environment in China. It was as if time had turned back to before the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa, when practitioners could openly do the exercises outdoors. I felt incredibly relaxed and joyful. I came to appreciate even more deeply how precious the group exercises in China had been.
After connecting with practitioners, I began taking shifts in the protest in front of the Chinese Embassy. It was my first truth clarification project since moving abroad.
Transportation Trials
Having just arrived in the UK, everything was very new and unfamiliar. I didn’t speak the language and wasn’t familiar with the surroundings, so I wasn’t sure where I was. Transportation was a major challenge.
After I started volunteering at the Chinese Embassy, a practitioner showed me how to get there from where I was staying. I memorized the underground (the “Tube” subway system) and transfer stations, thinking I could easily go to the embassy alone. Unexpectedly, I soon came across a special situation.
It happened soon after I started volunteering at the embassy. A little after 5:00 a.m. one morning, before daybreak, I was heading to the Chinese Embassy for my 6:00 a.m. shift. As I transferred from overground to underground, something unexpected happened. Normally, I could walk directly from inside the station to the transfer station, but that day the internal walkway was out of service, forcing all the passengers to exit the overground station, then re-enter the underground station.
Having just learned to transfer inside the station, I was a little nervous to suddenly find myself in this situation, worrying that I would be late for my shift. I had no choice but to follow the crowd out of the overground station. At that point, the crowd began to disperse in different directions. It was still pitch dark, and I was unsure of where to go. I couldn’t ask for help, as I didn’t speak English.
After a moment’s hesitation, I followed some people. After walking for a while, I saw the entrance sign to the underground station and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling happy, and at the same time, a sense of wonder. I enlightened that Master must have noticed my difficulties and helped me, leading me to find the right path. I am deeply grateful for Master’s merciful help.
In the first few years after coming to the UK, I moved several times for various reasons. Every time I moved to a new place, I had to adapt to new transportation routes. Sometimes the underground wasn’t running or I missed my stop, or went in the opposite direction, etc.
For example, once after finishing my shift, I was in a hurry to go home to use the toilet, but I missed my stop. At that time, I didn’t know how to find the train to go back. I couldn’t make any phone calls due to a lack of signal in the underground, and I didn’t know how to ask. Feeling terrible, I was overwhelmed by negative mentalities such as anger, impatience, and disgruntlement. I can’t even remember how I got home.
Despite this, I didn’t miss my shift in front of the Chinese Embassy. Master may have seen that I failed to enlighten but still had the heart to save people. One day, Master’s Fa suddenly appeared in my mind:
“Whatever you experience during your cultivation—whether good or bad—is good, for it comes about only because you are cultivating.” (“To the Chicago Fa Conference,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
It dawned on me that these unpleasant experiences took place to forge me and help me improve. How can I cultivate without trials and tribulations? Even according to ordinary people’s logic, if I could learn from each experience, I would know what to do next time. Wouldn’t a bad thing then turn into a good thing?
Indeed, Master opened my wisdom. I quickly learned to read the underground maps and navigate the underground, the buses, and other modes of transportation. Whenever I encountered disruptions, I could generally handle them without getting impatient. Especially during the Shen Yun D2D promotion, I had to travel to many different locations. Since I could navigate the underground by myself, I could usually easily find the meeting point.
Xinxing Tests While Buying Underground Tickets
To use the underground, tickets must be purchased. My daughter had just arrived in the UK to study. Without a bank account, I had to ask her for money. To take part in Dafa activities, I needed to deal with the issue of transportation fares. I constantly pondered whether to go out or not. Especially when I first arrived abroad, whenever I spent money, I was always converting British pounds into yuan.
A monthly travelcard would cost me over £100, which was more than 1,000 yuan. For me that’s a lot of money. In China, a taxi ride in the city only cost five yuan, but still I didn’t take taxis casually. I kept thinking about how much the monthly Tube (underground subway) fares were. One day when I was studying the Fa, I came across this from Teachings at the 2005 Conference in San Francisco:
“I hope that you will still do a good job with what Dafa disciples should do, given your new environment. No matter where you are, you are always a Dafa disciple.” (Teachings at the 2005 Conference in San Francisco)
I realized that Master was enlightening me about what to do. As a practitioner I must follow Master’s instructions and do what a practitioner should do wherever I am. I was fortunate enough to have come abroad. Compared to China, the environment here is so much more relaxed. There are ready-made Dafa projects to work on, which are badly in need of manpower. How could I not do it? If I stay at home and did nothing, was I still a Falun Dafa practitioner?
So I stopped hesitating, let go of my attachment to self-interest, and decided to buy a monthly travelcard. While Tube fares are higher than bus fares, the tube is faster, keeps me on time, and I get free bus rides with a Tube ticket. I talked to my daughter about the travelcard. She was very supportive and bought one for me. I actually live quite frugally myself. When I was in China, tofu was very cheap, and I ate it often. After coming to the UK, tofu became a luxury for me. With a box of tofu in the Chinese supermarket costing a pound, I haven’t bought it for a long time.
Cultivating in All Kinds of Weather
Over the years, while on duty at the Chinese Embassy, I’ve experienced a wide variety of weather conditions. Be it freezing cold or scorching hot, windy or rainy, whenever it was my turn, I went without hesitation.
It snowed heavily during one New Year, and I was on duty at the Chinese Embassy. Watching snowflakes dancing across the sky, I felt a pang of mixed emotions. As a native of Northeast China, snowfall was nothing new to me. But the sight brought back memories of my time in China, when practitioners gathered outdoors for group exercises even on snowy days. Though it was a common occurrence back then, I treasured how precious those moments were.
It was a holiday that day, a time for people to relax and unwind, and to gather with friends and family. But I stood alone on the street in the heavy snow. Why? Because I knew it was to let the world see that innocent people were being persecuted by the CCP, to call for an end to the persecution, and most importantly, to save the world’s people. It’s practitioners’ responsibility and mission to save sentient beings.
The weather in London changes rapidly, and it may rain at a moment’s notice. When it rains, the rain is often accompanied by wind. Even with a raincoat on, my shoes and trousers were sometimes soaked through after hours spent in the pouring rain, and the clamminess is incredibly uncomfortable. If the temperature is low, I’d be frozen to the core. Whether or not to persevere became a xinxing test.
The Chinese Embassy seems colder than any other place. In the freezing winter, even wearing two winter jackets didn’t stop me from feeling cold. My hands were frozen even with gloves on. When I stood there doing the exercises and feeling chilled to the bone, I remembered Master’s words from Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003:
“This is what I’d think: “You’re cold, and you try to make me cold—are you trying to make me freeze? I’ll be even colder than you, I’ll make you cold.”” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)
I thought to myself, “Cold, I’m not afraid of you. You may be cold, but I’m not.”
When the weather is extremely hot, it feels like I’m being scorched by fire. Even under an umbrella, I sweat all over when I do the exercises. I thought of what Master said:
“Or, “You’re trying to make me hot. I’ll turn it around and make you hot—so hot that you can’t stand it.”” (Teachings Given on Lantern Festival Day, 2003)
I thought, “Everyday people can’t endure being cold, hot, tired, this or that. Isn’t that just human? Through cultivation aren’t we supposed to step out of humanness?”
Master said in Zhuan Falun: “When it’s impossible to do, you can do it.” I pushed myself to apply righteous thoughts in various adverse weather conditions, sticking to my duty in front of the Chinese Embassy.
In addition to the various trials mentioned above, there were also tests in other areas. For example, when I first started sitting in meditation on duty in front of the Chinese Embassy, for some reason, both of my legs hurt unbelievably. One minute felt like an eternity. My legs hurt when I meditate for an hour at home, but not like this. So I recited the Fa and used all the methods I could think of to endure the pain for an hour.
I sometimes experienced karma elimination with physical symptoms such as a stuffy nose, headaches, and pains all over. I felt dizzy when I walked, but I still insisted on carrying out my shifts in front of the Chinese Embassy.
Clarifying the Truth to Save Chinese People
Clarifying the truth to save sentient beings is one of the three things Master asks us to do. Clarifying the truth to people from China is particularly important. Members of China’s democratic parties often hold protests in front of the Chinese Embassy. When I’m on duty I clarify the truth to those who arrive before their events.
One day, I saw a young man stood in front of our display board, so I went over to say hello. It turned out he was attending an event. I asked him how long he’d been in the UK. He answered, “A few months.” I asked, “Have you heard of Falun Dafa?” He said he had but didn’t know much about it. I told him about Falun Dafa, the CCP’s persecution, and the state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting.
As I spoke, I saw he was listening intently, nodding in agreement. I talked a lot and saw that he understood. I then moved to advising him to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations, telling him that good is rewarded and evil meets retribution. He agreed, and gave me his last name. I offered him an alias to withdraw from the Party’s affiliated organizations. He readily agreed.
Although these Chinese people from China oppose the Party’s rule, many of them don’t know about Dafa. Perhaps Master arranged for me to clarify the truth to them when we meet here. I try to talk to as many as I can, starting with the basics, then moving on to the withdrawals. Some people deeply identify with the truth and easily withdraw from the CCP. Others think they alread know everything and don’t need to be told. Still others refused to listen. Undeterred, I continue to seek out those with predestined connections to clarify the truth.
In talking with the people I’ve met, I’ve learned that some have been able to break through the CCP information censorship in China. Having watched our media and the videos produced by practitioners, they gained some understanding of the truth. It’s easy to persuade those people to withdraw from the CCP while talking to them face-to-face. Some quit the CCP online on their own. I’ve come to realize that Dafa practitioners are one. Our media plays a vital role in saving people. Some regular activity attendees said to me, “Here you guys are here again. You are truly remarkable!”
I sometimes meet Chinese people who come to the embassy to apply for visas. When they ask me for directions, I quickly clarify the facts about Falun Dafa and help them withdraw from the CCP’s affiliated organizations. Many Chinese people pass by our display boards and see us. Even if they don’t stop to listen or accept our leaflets, the fact that they see us standing diligently there speaks volumes.
People’s Recognition and Support
We have persisted in peacefully protesting in front of the Chinese Embassy, day after day, year after year, for over two decades. We have become an essential part of the daily scene there. Indeed, countless vehicles have passed by over the years, countless people on tour buses have seen us, countless passersby have stopped to read our display boards, and countless people have signed our petition. Still many others quietly expressed their concern for us through their actions.
Let me give you a couple of examples. The one that left me with the deepest impression and moved me the most was when a British police officer standing guard in front of the Chinese Embassy offered me a cup of coffee. It was a cold January morning, and there were two British police officers on duty in front of the Embassy. I was standing there doing the exercises when one of them approached and greeted me with “Good morning!” He then bought two cups of coffee at the café in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) behind me. He returned, and offered me a cup. I thanked him. Perhaps his gesture was natural, but it was truly surprising to me, a person who had just arrived from abroad. I had never expected British police to treat us so kindly. The difference between Chinese police and the British is like night and day. I was deeply moved.
I was once meditating while it was raining, and a woman pulled her car over, got out, approached me, and handed me a ten-pound note. I thanked her but declined. Pointing to where the flyers were, I told her she should take one. She went over, took one, and placed the note in the information box. Gesturing at the box, she smiled happily at me. I was deeply moved by her sincerity but felt ashamed. I asked myself, why hadn’t I stood up and handed her the flyer? It turned out I was worried my meditation mat would get wet if I got up. I felt so guilty for having such a selfish thought!
Once, after meditation, I suddenly noticed some food around me... boxes of fruit and sandwiches. On one rainy day, I was given an umbrella. Some people took photos of us and posted them on social media. The RIBA behind us let us use their restrooms for free. The staff there were very friendly and even offered us to take shelter inside on a rainy day. Some people spoke to me. Although I couldn’t understand what they were saying, I could tell from their expressions and body language that they knew about the evil of the CCP and supported us. There are many more examples, too numerous to mention. Those people were kind to practitioners and have chosen a bright future for themselves.
Time flies, and over a decade has passed in the blink of an eye. I’ve been tempering myself through this project. Looking back on the journey, I feel deeply that it’s Master’s Fa that guided me through each trial and tribulation, and it’s Master’s mercy that helped me keep moving forward. I am grateful for all that Master has done for me! I also realize that this project, like all the others that clarify the truth and validate the Fa, has Master’s affirmation. As long as we treat ourselves as cultivators while participating and never forget to cultivate ourselves, we can play our role in saving sentient beings.
I respectfully quote Master’s teaching:
“Student: Please tell us more about the significance of sending righteous thoughts and appealing in front of the consulates and embassies. We practice in front of them every day, rain or shine. Although the conditions are poor, we're all quite steadfast.
“Master: The consulates and embassies in different countries are places where overseas Chinese people can go to express their views. Of course you can go there. There are people there, too, who can be saved. So it has great significance. Also, everything that you do there can be seen by the world's people. But for Dafa disciples it really is strenuous. In the North winter is very cold, with its freezing winds that chill to the bone, yet Dafa disciples still keep up their efforts. They're amazing, truly amazing! Everyone is walking his own path of validating the Fa. Those students too are walking their own paths of validating the Fa.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume V)
If there is anything not in accordance with the Fa, I sincerely ask practitioners to please correct me!
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Selected article presented at the 2025 UK Fa Conference)
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