(Minghui.org) I have been practicing Falun Dafa (also known as Falun Gong) since late 1998. Targeted by the local police and the 610 Office for my faith, I was detained in 2018. While under detention, I was kind to everyone and clarified the facts about Dafa and the wrongful persecution.

Clarifying the Truth to the Detention Center Doctor

The day I arrived at the detention center, I underwent a comprehensive physical examination. As I lay on the exam table, the female doctor entered data into her computer. I thought, “Maybe I’ll never see her again. This may be my only chance to talk to her about Dafa, as we were predestined to meet.”

Before I finished my thought, she broke the silence, “You seem like a genuinely nice person. Why are you here?” I explained, “I didn’t commit any crime or break the law. I’m here because I practice Falun Gong and live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I am innocent.” She stopped what she was doing and turned to me, saying, “Falun Gong? Why would you practice such a thing?” I smiled and replied, “I’m sure you’ve met other Dafa practitioners before, given your line of work. Do you know any of them well?”

She shook her head, saying, “I heard they’re all very stubborn, every one of them. Because of that, they’ve suffered a lot. I feel bad for them, but I just don’t get it—why couldn’t they just practice at home? Why did they have to tell people about it? It’s not worth losing your freedom for.”

I could tell she was a kind person, so I explained to her what Dafa really is, how the persecution was launched, and why it is wrong. She listened attentively. The police officers escorting me grew impatient outside and pounded on the door, saying, “What is taking so long? Are you done?” The doctor raised her voice. “Not yet. Please wait.” She then turned back to me and signaled for me to continue.

I told her about people cultivating Dafa who received blessings. I told her how the Chinese Communist regime abused and tortured practitioners. I described how the Tiananmen self-immolation was a staged hoax intended to slander Dafa. She nodded as she listened.

Finally, I asked her if she would like to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its youth organizations, and she agreed. Just then, the officers pushed the door open and barged in. The doctor told them, “Get out! I’m almost done.” She helped me up and straightened my clothes before the officers took me.

“I Am Not a Criminal”

One inmate in each cell was appointed to be in charge. They were picked because they did whatever the guards told them to do and enjoyed certain privileges and power over others. The especially vicious ones kissed up to the guards and abused the weak.

When I was first placed in a cell, I walked in, scanned the room, and asked with a smile, “Who is in charge here?” There were more than two dozen inmates in the room, and everybody turned to look at one inmate, who replied, “I’m not ‘in charge’ here. I’m just temporarily on duty.”

“I want to talk to you about a few things,” I said. “What is it?” she asked. With ample righteous thoughts, I looked her in the eye and said, “I practice Falun Gong, which teaches people to be good and live by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I am being detained for my faith, not because I broke the law. I am not a criminal, so there are things I won’t do.”

I counted out the eight things on my fingers, “One, I don’t need to be re-educated, and I will not do labor. Two, I will not wear the vest others wear. Three, I will not memorize the rules and regulations of this detention center. Four, I will not ask for permission before doing anything. Five, I will not work security shifts. Six, I will not answer ‘here’ to anybody calling my name. Seven, I will not answer ‘Yes, Ma’am’ when asked to do something. Eight, I will not participate in roll call in the mornings. I will do the exercises and meditate every day.”

The inmate in charge stared at me blankly. “Oh my goodness. What am I supposed to do? I can’t deal with this.” I told her, “I know you’re in charge of these things. I am not going to do them because I am not a criminal. Please don’t take this personally—I am not trying to give you a hard time. You don’t have to deal with it. Just tell the guards what I said and have them deal with it. Hand off the responsibility to them.”

She held up a vest. “You’ll have to wear this at least. I don’t care who you are—as long as you’re here, you’ll have to wear it.” I stood my ground. “These vests are for criminals detained here. I didn’t break the law, and I will not wear it.” She stopped handing me the vest midair.

I smiled and said, “You won’t be able to make me wear it. The CCP is far more powerful than you, isn’t it? It’s been persecuting Falun Gong for almost two decades, but it hasn’t been successful. You should let the guards handle this. You and I have a precious predestined relationship to have met here today. Don’t let this ruin our friendship.” She didn’t say anything else. After assigning me a place on the bed, she left for the guards’ office.

Studying the Fa and Doing the Exercises

There was a giant wooden bed in our cell, shared by all 27 inmates. We sat on it during the day and slept on it at night. The inmate in charge returned from talking to the guards and moved me to the outermost spot in the first row of the bed. I assumed it was the guards’ idea.

I meditated and sent righteous thoughts for long periods of time. I also recited the Fa I had memorized. I woke up early and did the five exercises. After adjusting to my new environment, I was ready to find an opportunity to talk to people about Dafa.

The inmate in charge came to talk to me on the fourth day and said, “Newcomers are exempt from the night shift rotation for their first three days. Otherwise, everybody here has to take a night shift as a guard. You’ve probably seen it. You’re a Falun Gong practitioner, so you should be considerate. If you don’t do night shifts, other people will have to cover for you. There are inmates older than you here, and some are minors. Are you really going to do that to them?” The purpose of the night shift is to watch other inmates and make sure they don’t commit suicide or harm others.

I thought about it. “People take self-interest so seriously nowadays. If I don’t work night shifts, the inmates will feel I am infringing on their time. It will affect my chance of clarifying the truth to them later on.” So I told the inmate in charge, “Okay. I’ll work night shifts. I won’t sleep, and I will do the Dafa exercises. This way, others will be able to get some rest, and I will have extra time for the exercises. You’re also welcome to put me on watch during the afternoon nap time. I can cover it every day, so others don’t have to take a turn. I will meditate during that time.”

The entire cell was quiet—the inmates didn’t expect me to agree to work the night shift or to take on extra daytime shifts, sparing them from having to do so. The inmate in charge was stunned and didn’t know how to respond to my suggestions.

I looked at the many surprised faces and said cheerfully, “Okay. It’s decided.” The inmate in charge said, “You’re something else.” I did the five exercises at night. During my midday shift, I meditated on a small stool about 10 inches in diameter. My folded legs hung off the sides, but instead of feeling tired, I felt relaxed and rested after an hour of meditating. I could clearly feel Master Li strengthening me.

My cellmates were amazed at how I was able to meditate on such a small stool. They were also intrigued by the graceful movements of the exercises. They glanced in my direction whenever I did the exercises, and some walked by on purpose to get a closer look. Even the inmate in charge became curious after a while. When some inmates tried to imitate my movements during yard time, I helped them and corrected their hand positions. The inmate in charge pretended she didn’t see it.

The bed was quite high, and many had a hard time getting on and off it. Once, an inmate nearly 20 years younger than me tried a few times but couldn’t swing her legs high enough to get onto the bed. She watched me hop on and off with ease and said enviously, “If I were one-tenth as flexible as you, I’d be so happy.”

I promptly took this opportunity to tell my cellmates, “I enjoy great health and flexibility because I practice Falun Gong.” I sat facing them and folded my legs into the full lotus position. I told them how I started practicing and how much I had benefited from it. I recounted my blessings and told them about the CCP’s illegal and baseless persecution. I listed inconsistencies in government officials’ narratives and doubts about the official footage of the so-called Tiananmen Square Self-immolation to prove to them that it was a staged hoax.

The inmates listened quietly, including the inmate in charge, sitting all the way at the back. Some tried to fold their legs after I was done, so I demonstrated and taught them how to meditate. Two hours passed, but it felt like just a few minutes. Doing the exercises openly and diligently allowed me to talk about Falun Dafa with my cellmates. It laid a great foundation for helping them later quit the CCP and its youth organizations.

Being Kind to Everyone

My cellmates came from varied backgrounds, had different personalities and habits, and held different moral values. It was as complex as it gets—almost a miniature version of Chinese society. At first, I found some of the language vulgar and the behavior unbearable. There were times when I wished I could grow a pair of wings and fly out of there. But when my compassion emerged, I saw how pitiful and desperate my cellmates were. These women had become the way they were largely because of the Communist regime’s total destruction of our moral traditions. It’s hard to blame them when society as a whole is plagued by moral decay and corruption. I wanted to help them.

Besides meals and yard time, we spent the rest of our days in bed, quite literally. We sat on the bed during the day and lay down right next to each other to sleep at night. It was a very depressing situation. The lack of personal space made it hard to relax—anxiety and tension ran high, and everybody was on the verge of snapping. On top of that, some inmates were self-centered and combative. They got into trivial arguments that quickly escalated into shouting matches or physical fights. Everything turned into a big deal. The guards tried everything to keep them in line—verbal warnings, reprimands, physical discipline, and sometimes even violence. The cell was often filled with shouting and crying.

The detention center had a quick turnaround of inmates, with people constantly coming and going. New arrivals were usually assigned to the front row of the bed so everyone else could keep an eye on them. As time passed, I was moved farther back and now sat in the middle of the bed. The inmate to my left was a 19-year-old woman detained for drug abuse, and to my right was 16-year-old Ling, detained for prostitution.

The two of them didn’t see eye to eye and got into shouting matches almost daily. I was often stuck in the middle. One time, when they got into it, I closed my eyes and folded my legs into the lotus position. When I was able to calm my mind and sit still without moving, the noise around me seemed to fade away, and the detention center disappeared, along with all the inmates. I couldn’t tell where my body went, as if I’d become one with the universe. It was a wonderful feeling.

The next time the two of them got worked up arguing with each other, I smiled and said, “Deep breath. Take a deep breath. Don’t be angry. Anger is harmful to your body. How about I tell you a story?” They stopped and pleaded, “Please. I really like stories.”

I told them the story of an ancient high-ranking imperial official who advised his relative to give up three inches of their property to the next-door neighbor. After I finished telling the story, I repeated the poem the official wrote to his relative, explaining that giving up three inches is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It was extremely quiet when I finished reciting the poem, as everyone was listening.

I told them, “We’ve met here because of great predestined relationships. All of us came here at a low point in our lives. We spend almost all our time together, sharing meals, a toilet, and a bed. Wouldn’t you agree that’s some serious predestined relationship? And we have to cherish it. The harsher the environment, the more we have to help each other out. Think about it—if we weren’t detained today and witnessed people arguing and fighting over such small things, wouldn’t you think it’s ridiculous? Wouldn’t you think less of such people? This environment does bring out the worst in us, but look at it this way—we won’t be here long. How about we adjust our thinking and not get triggered by someone bumping into you, stepping on your toes, using foul language, or hurting your feelings? These aren’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, right?

“We are here, all together, every day, no matter what happens. You can choose to get worked up over something trivial, or you can choose to ignore it and have a good day. The predestined relationship we share probably took a thousand years to build. Let’s not spend our time here insulting and fighting with each other. We want to bring positive energy and make friendly connections, don’t we?”

A lively discussion ensued among the inmates. One commented, “True. So true. You’re spot on.” Another agreed, “Yes. Let’s not argue or fight anymore.” A third inmate added, “Maybe we’ll never see each other again after we’re released.” I shared with the group that cultivating in Falun Dafa and living by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance can resolve all karmic issues. As long as one cultivates one's character and tries to improve, anything can be resolved. The inmates all liked the approach.

“How about I share a story from traditional Chinese culture with you every day?” I suggested. “Would you all like that?” Everyone liked the idea. “Yes. Yes, please.” The inmate in charge said, “If you tell a story each day, we’ll all be calm and happy and won’t argue or fight. The guards won’t have to deal with all that anymore.”

Every day after that, I shared a story from traditional culture I had read on the Minghui website. I also used Dafa’s principles to encourage the inmates to be patient and considerate. I taught them poems from Hong Yin and songs written by Dafa practitioners, including “Lotus Flower,” “Salvation, Missing My Home Country,” and “Thinking Clearly.” Many inmates really enjoyed them. Half of them memorized a few poems and learned quite a few songs. Ling, who is very bright and musically talented, learned the songs quickly. She sang them beautifully and received many compliments.

Ling asked me one day, “Auntie, what do you think I should do when I’m released? Meeting you here makes me feel that maybe, just maybe, I can start anew and do something with my life. But I’m confused and don’t know what I can actually do. I’ve thought about this a lot lately. I am only 16—what is my path in life?”

I told her, “Ling, you’re very bright and a fast learner. You are willing to apply yourself when you want to do something well. It’s unfortunate that you dropped out of school at a young age. But I think that after being released, you should find a practical skill that you enjoy doing. It doesn’t matter what it is. As you become good at it, you’ll be able to make a living and support yourself. I believe in you. You’ll find something that works for you, and you’ll do well in life.”

Happy to hear my words, Ling looked at me with her beautiful eyes. “Thank you, Auntie. I wish I could call you Mom. I recite ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ every day. I will keep doing that after I am released. I am also going to find a copy of the Dafa book. I want to read it.” I felt so happy for her.

The inmates argued and fought less and less, and instead, they helped each other more and more. The guards transferred a few “problem inmates” from other cells to ours and asked me, “Nobody can handle her. Would you please help?”

Helping a Retired Teacher Recognize the CCP’s True Nature

Ms. Li, a 76-year-old retired teacher, was admitted to the detention center. She went on a hunger strike as soon as she arrived, and no one could convince her to eat. After a week, the guards had exhausted all means and decided to force-feed her. Two inmates convicted of drug dealing grabbed Ms. Li and pinned her down while the guards inserted a tube into her nose and fed her milk. She was then handcuffed to the door.

The painful force-feeding sessions didn’t deter Ms. Li—she had made up her mind to die. Not knowing what to do, the guards brought her to our cell and asked me to help.

Ms. Li shared her story. After retiring from teaching, she and her husband moved back to their hometown. Her neighbor is a 78-year-old woman who is insecure in her marriage and is always suspicious that her husband is having an affair. Whenever she accused a female villager of inappropriate interactions with her husband, she went to the villager’s home and confronted her in a hostile, aggressive manner, causing distrust and strain in others’ marriages and relationships. Nobody liked her, and the entire village avoided her.

Ms. Li and her husband tried to keep their distance, but the neighbor repeatedly accused Ms. Li of flirting with her husband. One time, the neighbor stormed in and insulted and cursed Mr. Li in the courtyard. Ms. Li and her husband ignored her, which aggravated the neighbor even more—she screamed louder and louder. At one point, she picked up a brick by the fence and started hitting Ms. Li with it. Ms. Li’s husband tried to grab it, but she could not be stopped. Uncontrollable, the neighbor continued the assault with a brick while hurling insults.

Furious, Ms. Li’s husband shouted, “Stuff her mouth with pig feces!” And that’s when Ms. Li grabbed a handful of pig feces from the sty and smashed it onto the neighbor’s face. The neighbor, now acting as the victim, reported the incident to her son, the deputy chief of the county police department. Ms. Li was arrested, yet her neighbor was not charged. Upon Ms. Li’s request, a doctor examined her and identified 47 bruises all over her body, but that was still not enough evidence to prove her neighbor was the aggressor.

Ms. Li was detained for “assault” and ordered to apologize to the neighbor, the deputy chief’s mother. Ms. Li, of course, refused and began a hunger strike to protest.

Ms. Li was in tears when she finished telling the story. “Please tell me—where is justice? This is pure nepotism. The law enforcement officials of the Communist regime punish the innocent. Is there law in this country? Please don’t try to convince me to eat. I just want to die. I am going to protest with my own life and show them that they’ve made a huge mistake.” She began to cry.

I listened quietly and gave her time to cry it out. Then I said, “Ms. Li, it would be a pity if you died because of this. It is not worth it.” She stopped sobbing and looked at me. I explained, “Think about it. If you died, who would be sad—your neighbor or her son, who put you here in the first place? Would they feel any regret if you died? Not at all. The only people who would be sad are your family. Your son would lose his mother, and wouldn’t he be heartbroken? Your husband would lose his loving wife, and wouldn’t he be sad and lonely? If you end your life today, you would be giving your neighbor exactly what she wanted, and your family would suffer the loss. Do you really think it’s worth it?”

“Yes, you were wronged,” I continued. “Would you like to hear my story and tell me what you think? I practice Falun Gong. Before I began practicing, I suffered from many illnesses for almost a decade. I sought treatment at several hospitals, but the doctors couldn’t do anything. Within two weeks of practicing Falun Gong, however, I was completely rid of all illnesses without spending a penny.

“Don’t you think I should be thankful? Shouldn’t I be grateful to Master Li, the founder of the practice? Practitioners of Dafa are required to cultivate their character in accordance with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. We are to always be considerate and kind to others. It is such a great practice, yet the Communist regime couldn’t tolerate it and has arrested hundreds of thousands of practitioners.

“A group of police officers broke into my home around midnight and came straight into my bedroom. Two young officers yanked me out of my warm bed, waking me from my dreams. Four more officers stood around my bed. They grabbed my arms and brought me to the living room, where even more officers crowded the space. I was taken downstairs and thrown into the back of a police vehicle. The officers ransacked my home and left it in disarray.

“At the police station, they demanded that I write a guarantee statement renouncing Falun Gong and making disrespectful remarks about Master. They threatened to sentence me to prison if I didn’t comply. Wouldn’t you say that Falun Gong was wronged? Wouldn’t you say that I was wronged? I was arrested and detained merely for wanting to be healthy and a good person.”

Ms. Li listened quietly. I told her, “We can’t die, we have to live well. We have to expose the CCP’s evil deeds to the world. Only when people learn the true nature of the Party can they recognize its lies and not fall for them. You would make a much bigger impact if you lived to share your story and spread the truth.” Ms. Li nodded enthusiastically, “You are right. I wasn’t thinking straight and almost died for nothing. I have to eat.” The inmate in charge quickly brought Ms. Li a bowl of vegetable soup and a steamed bun, which she devoured.

I asked to be moved next to Ms. Li, and the inmate in charge happily complied—it’s much easier than dealing with someone on a hunger strike under her watch. With this arrangement, I had plenty of time to talk with Ms. Li. Raising my voice slightly, I made sure people around us could hear as well. I explained what Falun Dafa really is and the facts surrounding the wrongful persecution. I talked about how Dafa has spread to many countries and regions around the world, and that over 100 million people have benefited. I described how jealousy prompted Jiang Zemin, former head of the CCP, to launch the persecution. I told them about the 610 Office, an extrajudicial agency established specifically to target practitioners.

I discussed the Tiananmen self-immolation incident as a staged hoax intended to frame Dafa. I talked about the inhumane practice of harvesting organs from living practitioners and other prisoners of conscience to supply a lucrative state-sanctioned organ transplant industry. I described the rock found in Guizhou Province with naturally formed characters that read, “The Chinese Communist Party Will Perish.” Eventually, I talked about how important it is to separate oneself from the Communist Party. While I spoke, no one interrupted me.

Ms. Li soon regained her strength. She became my sidekick as I talked about Dafa with other inmates and helped them quit the Party. She was released after three weeks. Before she left, she told me, “When I get home, I will tell all my friends and family to look up information about the rock in Guizhou Province.”

The inmate in charge came to me one day and whispered in my ear, “After I’m released, I will learn Falun Gong too.”

Going Home With a Big List

While detained for my faith, I scheduled meetings with the detention center’s on-site prosecutors to discuss Dafa and explain that the persecution was groundless. Whenever I had the chance to interact with a guard, I shared the facts about Dafa. Drawing on the wisdom I gained from cultivating, I approached each inmate a little differently and talked to them about Dafa from an angle that was relatable to them.

Those who had joined the CCP, the Young Pioneers, and the Communist Youth League all chose to quit the Party and its affiliated organizations. Those who had never joined learned the auspicious phrases “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”

When I was released, I had a list of 54 names I had memorized. They were people who chose to quit the CCP and its youth organizations. They not only quit the Party themselves, but they also gave me more than 60 phone numbers for their friends and families. They asked me to call their loved ones and explain the facts about Dafa to them as well. In the three days following my release, I called all 60-plus phone numbers and met up with some of them in person to talk about Falun Dafa.