(Minghui.org) I’ve practiced Falun Dafa for 22 years and witnessed many amazing things. I’d like to tell you about something that happened in 2007, when, protected by Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, a newly-built furniture factory was miraculously saved.
When Shan, one of our local practitioners, visited her hometown in Yunnan Province and told people the facts about Falun Dafa and the persecution, the police arrested her and took her to a detention center. We wanted to rescue her, but none of us had ever been to Yunnan Province.
Two practitioners from the provincial capital city who were visiting our area said they were heading to Yunnan Province. One of them, Fen, said her younger brother Gang had a factory there. She said, “You can come with us. Gang will take care of your lodging and meals.”
We realized that Master had arranged this, so we thanked her and agreed to go. Another local practitioner joined me, and the four of us headed to Yunnan Province.
A Businessman Who Cared About His Employees
On the way there, Fen told us about Gang. After he heard about Falun Dafa and the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, he agreed they were good. His business was very successful. Fen was arrested at a train station while Gang was attending a large trade show in Gangzhou in Guangdong Province. When he heard what happened, he immediately called the 610 Office and said, “Take good care of my sister. If anything happens to her, I will not rest until I set things right.”
I had only been practicing Dafa for three years at that time, and Fen’s words reassured me. I seldom traveled and I didn’t want to bother anyone. If Fen hadn’t told us this, I would have stayed at a hotel.
It was late afternoon by the time we got to Gang’s factory. We read the Fa (teachings) and sent forth righteous thoughts before we were called to have dinner. The food was very good—chicken, fish, and vegetables. “I can tell Gang is a very nice person,” I told Fen.
A girl working in the kitchen overheard me and said, “He always treats his employees well.” This is rare in China today, where people take advantage of each other because they are focused on making money.
The girl said that the employees often worked overtime, and when they did, Gang asked the kitchen staff to make a snack for them in the evening: “Gang doesn’t want them to work such long hours, but they are willing to since Gang is so nice and he pays them well. Occasionally they even work overtime without extra pay”.
Gang arrived and he was very friendly. Introductions were made, and I told him we had just heard many good things about him. Gang said he had been a worker himself, so he knew things were not easy for them.
“I cannot ignore the workers’ health,” he explained, “so we built dorms, and some of my employees’ families, including their children, live here.”
“No wonder the factory was so successful,” I said.
Factory Faces Closure
We were busy doing what we could to rescue Shan and were making progress. We ate lunch with Gang on the third day, and I noticed he looked worried. “You seem stressed. What’s going on?” I asked.
He hesitated but then talked about the difficulty he faced. The police had met with him that afternoon and told him the authorities said his furniture factory violated local regulations. Because the building detracted from the city’s appearance, officials ordered his factory be closed and demolished.
Because I had heard about similar cases in the past, I knew the local officials just wanted to be bribed. I thought this might be a hint from Master for me to help out. “Did you follow the policies and procedures when you built the factory?” I asked Gang.
“Of course,” he replied. “I checked and re-checked everything.”
“Then there’s no need to worry about it. I believe you can work it out,” I said.
When Gang looked at me in disbelief, I explained that, because he helped Falun Dafa practitioners, he would be blessed. I suggested he recite, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” before he met with the officials. If they demanded a large amount of money as a bribe, I told him not agree, since they would just keep coming back and drain the factory’s finances. However, paying for a meal or a small gift should not be a problem, because it showed he respected their authority.
Then I suggested some talking points that he could bring up during the meeting. First, the factory had just been built, so it was a boost to the local economy; Second, the factory should not be forced to close since it violated no policies or regulations when it was built. If the regulations were now changed, the authorities could suggest what needed to be remediated, but the factory should not be demolished. Third, were the factory to close, about 100 workers would lose their jobs. They and their family members would suffer due to the illegal closure of a legitimate business and they might stir up trouble.
Gang felt better, although he was not convinced. “Please follow these suggestions and Master will help you,” I encouraged him.
A Turn for the Better
He returned a few hours later and exclaimed, “I followed your advice, and it worked! They no longer want me to close the factory. My business is saved. Thank you!”
I said it was Falun Dafa that taught me to be considerate. “Had it been my own business, I would have done the same. Please thank Master Li, not me.” Gang nodded and smiled.
I explained that, because the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) promoted brutality and lies while ignoring moral values, it pushed society downward. The persecution of Falun Dafa and its principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance has made things in China worse. As a result, officials suppress ordinary citizens at will and find ways to squeeze money out of them. Operating a business in China is difficult, especially for small business owners like Gang.
But because he trusted Dafa and treated practitioners and his employees well, he would be blessed. “Those officials are also human beings—it’s just that they’ve been corrupted by CCP ideology,” I said. “If we explain things in a way they can accept and help them understand the pros and cons, they will know which way makes more sense.”
Gang thanked me again and said he was fortunate to know Falun Dafa. If not, he might not have be able to resolve such a difficult situation.
