(Minghui.org) In recalling my cultivation journey, I believe the most unforgettable moment of my life was traveling to Beijing to validate the Fa. It was also a miraculous time, which demonstrated that we are protected by Master. As Dafa disciples of the Fa-rectification period, we should speak out for Dafa when Dafa is being persecuted, assist Master in the Fa-rectification, and fulfill our vows.
My family earned 800 yuan from harvesting cabbage in the autumn of 2001. My husband and I each took 400 yuan and made plans with several fellow practitioners to travel to Beijing to validate Dafa. My husband said, “You go first. When you return, I’ll go later.” So, four of us practitioners embarked on our journey to Beijing to validate the Fa.
Our first stop was a nearby city, where we were warmly greeted by fellow practitioners. They took us to a restaurant and explained the journey to Beijing. One practitioner said, “We should be like Liu Hulan, the communist martyr, someone willing to die rather than surrender.” I responded, “We’re not like Liu Hulan. We are cultivators—extraordinary beings. With Master’s protection, we are protected by divine presence!”
Fellow practitioners in the city helped us buy train tickets, and we went to the train station after dinner. The train was scheduled to depart at about 9 p.m. The four of us encouraged each other as we began reciting poems from Master’s Hong Yin. As we were reciting, the train arrived, and we boarded.
We then faced a test. As everyone was finding their seats, I noticed that mine was occupied by a man from Jinan. All three of my companions encouraged me to take my seat back, but I gestured that I didn’t need it. I stood next to the man and asked him if it was his seat. He replied, “I bought it for 10 yuan.” I said, “Since you bought it for 10 yuan, you can sit here.” I showed him my ticket, but he didn’t get up. I then asked where he was getting off, and he said Jinan. I replied “I’ll sit here after you get off.” The soldier next to the man said, “This is her seat, you should give it to her!” The man didn’t move, so I said it was okay.
I remembered a story about Master riding a train. On the last day of a Fa-teaching lecture series, fellow practitioners accompanied Master on a trip to another city. When they arrived at the train station, everyone was eager to board. Master had arrived at the platform early, and waited until everyone had gotten on the train before he boarded. There was one empty seat, and if Master had walked a bit faster, he could have taken it. But he didn’t, and let an ordinary person sit there instead. Master set a remarkable example for us. I realized that I should no longer argue over trivial matters with everyday people.
I wanted to reason with that person because I had spent 168 yuan on my ticket while he had only spent 10 yuan. However, I then realized that perhaps he was helping me let go of my attachment to material gain. I asked myself, “Who am I? Why am I here? I’m here on a mission. My purpose is to assist Master in Fa-rectification and fulfill my vows!”
The evil was at its peak at the time. Some practitioners had gone to Beijing, but were intercepted and taken back to their hometowns. We took a detour and attempted to reach Beijing. I knew this was not the time to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. I needed to have compassion for all beings! No matter how tired I was, I had to act based on the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. I must reach Beijing!
When the train arrived at Jinan Station, the person who had taken my seat got off, and I was finally able to sit down.
When we arrived in Beijing, we followed the directions given by the fellow practitioner and made our way to Tiananmen Square. The security was very tight, so we decided to split up into pairs. I teamed up with another female practitioner, and we unfurled our banner, shouting at the top of our lungs, “Falun Dafa is good! Falun Dafa is righteous!” My mind went blank at that moment, and it felt as though the air around us had frozen in silence. Our powerful voices echoed throughout Tiananmen Square.
While I was absorbed in this scene, an electric baton struck me, causing my right hand to loosen. Two police officers snatched the banner away. One officer stomped on it, and the other said, “What’s the point of stomping on it?” He then said to us, “Don’t come here again. Just go home and do your job.” They then drove us to the Zhanqian Police Station and locked us in a room.
Many Falun Dafa practitioners from different regions were also being held in that room. One police officer asked another if they needed to interrogate us. The officer replied that there was no need. We arrived at Tiananmen Square at 2 a.m. and were taken to the Zhanqian Police Station at 4 a.m., where we were detained until after 9 p.m.
One officer kicked each of our legs. We then heard a woman in another cell shout out, “I need to go to the bathroom.” I said to the practitioner who came with me, “Let’s go too.” The thought crossed my mind, “Escaping is the best thing to do.” I then whispered to her, “Let’s leave.” She asked, “Do you want to take your belongings?” I said no. We then got up and left. When we reached the main gate, a female officer didn’t stop us. She seemed to be restrained and didn’t react. We escaped!
After leaving the police station, we didn’t know where to go. We walked around for a while, and then saw an elderly couple approaching us. I asked, “How do we get to Beijing Railway Station?” The woman replied, “You just enter the subway entrance there, and take the train to the railway station.” I thought this couple must have been sent by Master to guide us.
By midnight, the two other practitioners from our village had also been released. It was truly amazing! Master had been protecting us as we walked the path of validating the Fa with righteous thoughts and actions. No one dares to touch us when we let go of human notions and attachments, forget about what could stop us, and follow the path Master arranged.
After we returned, my husband and his colleagues also went to validate the Fa. However, over 60 people ended up being detained. My husband was held in Beijing for eight days, then taken back by local police and imprisoned in a detention center. I reached out to the families of the detained practitioners and suggested, “Let’s go to the Political Security Bureau to request their release.” By that time, the practitioners inside had been on hunger strike for several days.
When we arrived, the section chief scolded us, “You’ve come in such large numbers. Are you trying to rebel?” We responded, “They’ve been on hunger strike for so many days, and their lives are in danger. Can you take responsibility if they die? Besides, they haven’t broken any law. They’re just good people who abide by the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. What’s wrong with that? Doesn’t the Constitution guarantee freedom of belief? How is this any different from believing in Buddhism or other religions?” He replied, “Then let’s go back to the Public Security Bureau and tell them there are too many petitioners here.” So we followed him back.
But when we arrived at the police station, the section chief began cursing profusely. At that time, I hadn’t studied the Fa deeply enough and still had a competitive mentality, so I only spoke of human principles. Master’s article, Making Clear to All (The Essentials of Diligent Progress II) had already been published, but I didn’t fully understand it. We then clarified the truth about Falun Dafa to the section chief. By the following evening, half of the detained practitioners had been released, and the remaining half were released the next day.
Three days after my fellow practitioners were released, a police officer summoned my husband again. He went to the station at 2 p.m., but by 4 p.m. he still had not been released. I realized I had to help him get out, so I went to the police station myself.
When I arrived, I asked, “Why haven’t you released my husband?” The officer replied, “What guarantee do you have that he won’t go to Beijing? You need to pay us 2,000 yuan as collateral.” I responded, “I don’t have that kind of money. If I did, I would go to Beijing too.” The officer then said, “In that case, you’ll need to hand over your property deed.” I didn’t hesitate. I went back home and got it, thinking to myself, “Where there’s life, there’s hope!” My husband returned with me.
Views expressed in this article represent the author's own opinions or understandings. All content published on this website are copyrighted by Minghui.org. Minghui will produce compilations of its online content regularly and on special occasions.
Category: Clarifying the Truth
