(Clearwisdom.net)

On September 21, 1999, Professor Liu Zhengyi at Taiwan's National Chung Hsing University was thrown off his bed in the middle of the night during a deadly earthquake that shook Taiwan. When the earthquake finally ended, he found himself standing amidst collapsed residential buildings and debris, feeling completely shocked, confused and lost. The home of Professor Liu was located in Wufeng Township, Taichung County, Taichung City in central Taiwan, which was the center of the earthquake impact. Collapsed walls, buildings, and raised earth replaced what had once been a community.

While he was looking for his belongings in the ruins, Professor Liu was amazed that his collection of Falun Gong books that had been sitting on his desk was still completely intact. In fact, the earthquake had failed to even shift their position. He began to recall how he obtained those Falun Gong books. He got his first two Falun Gong books, Zhuan Falun and Falun Gong from a graduate student under his direction, but he did not read them until shortly after Falun Gong practitioners in China appealed for Falun Gong to China's State Appeals Office in Beijing on April 25, 1999. At that time, the Chinese Communist Party had just started its nationwide and worldwide hate propaganda and smear campaign against Falun Gong. Out of curiosity for Falun Gong, Professor Liu started reading these two books. Professor Liu recalled, "After I finished reading Zhuan Falun, I had a deep subconscious reaction to the Chinese Communist Party."

Professor Liu Zhongyi, Director of Academic Affairs, at Taiwan's National Chung Hsing University

He added, "The entire book of Zhuan Falun is about teaching people to cultivate their morality, to practice Falun Gong exercises, and to become better people. I cannot think of any valid reason why the Chinese Communist Party is opposed to Falun Gong." To further understand Falun Gong, Professor Liu bought the rest of Mr. Li Hongzhi's books, everything that was available at the time. Professor Liu said, "Now that I think of it, my entire life style began to improve after reading those books. I just wasn't aware of it! I started to spend most of my evenings at home studying Teacher's books."

Professor Liu was a very athletic person who enjoyed playing many different types of sports. On reaching middle age, he especially enjoyed playing golf. However, playing sports inevitably resulted in sports injuries, which caused the professor chronic muscle and joint ache. Moreover, Professor Liu led a very stressful life due to a large workload of teaching, academic research, and administrative work, thus he would drink and smoke in an attempt to reduce stress. Finally, Professor Liu enjoyed making friends, so he was invited to many parties and social occasions that involved drinking. These social calls also gradually had a negative impact on his health.

In March 1998, Professor Liu was diagnosed with angina pectoris (chest pain). He had chest pain twice in a row in March. He was admitted to National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH), the best hospital in Taiwan. The doctor did a cardiac catheterization, a procedure in which a doctor inserts a thin plastic tube into an artery or vein in the arm or leg. From there the tube can be advanced into the chambers of the heart or into the coronary arteries. However, during the procedure the doctor discovered that five centimeters in the left lower branch, and three centimeters in the right branch of his coronary artery were severely clogged. The doctor then inserted two intracoronary stents as a treatment. In addition, his colon was not functioning properly, so he had not had solid stools for a very long time. He also suffered from hemorrhoids and would bleed in almost each bowel movement all year round. Professor Liu recalled, "I used to tell my wife, 'If I don't die of chest pain, I will probably die of colorectal cancer.'"

Following the September 21's deadly earthquake, the Taichung area became very quiet and still at night because there was no water, electricity or gas. Since there was no light, he could not read any books. He thought of using the time to practice Falun Gong. He lit up a candle, and under the candlelight he began to follow the exercise illustrations in Falun Gong. "Prior to that I had never practiced any qigong," said Professor Liu. "Although I had read a few Falun Gong books, it still did not occur to me that I could improve my health by practicing Falun Gong exercises. I guess it has to do with my medical background. It was my understanding that one can only improve health by exercising and playing sports."

A miracle happened on the fifth morning after he started to practice Falun Gong exercises according to the illustrations in Falun Gong. The professor was shocked! "That morning I had a bowel movement. I discovered that my colon was functioning! I had solid stools! And my hemorrhoids did not bleed!" It was not until then that he experienced the mighty power of Falun Gong. Professor Liu said, "It turned out that everything Teacher said in Zhuan Falun is true!" Since then he began to practice Falun Gong even more diligently and became a genuine Falun Gong cultivator.

Professor Liu became increasingly healthy and strong over time. He emphasized, "When you play sports, you are very likely to get sports injuries. Falun Gong's five sets of exercise are very gentle and effective (and cannot cause injuries). Its sitting meditation is very effective in reducing stress." Professor Liu also began to improve his spiritual life. He said, "I am no longer attracted to going to parties. I am now leading a more natural and simple life. I prefer to have a healthier and spiritually rich life."

For the past five years, Professor Liu's blood pressure has been normal. He has quit smoking and drinking. His health problems disappeared one after another. Moreover, he looks younger each day. He is already in his 60's but he looks like a man in his 50's. More importantly, his physical and mental improvements have inspired his wife and his son to practice Falun Gong as well.

Professor Liu established "The Faculty Falun Gong Club" at National Chung Hsing University. Every morning Professor Liu practices Falun Gong exercises with fellow practitioners at the club. They study Falun Gong books together three times a week. He feels that Falun Gong has helped him better fulfill his responsibilities as Director of Academic Affairs. He said, "After I started practicing Falun Gong, I have become more patient with students when counseling them. I seem to have the wisdom needed to help them. I often quote from Zhuan Falun and suggest the students to seek inward when they encounter problems in their lives. I tell them that those who often look inward will have more inner strength to face external challenges."

Finally, Professor Liu said, "Today's people normally hold fast to their own notions and are not open to different concepts. They only listen to ideas that match their own, and refuse to listen to or believe ideas that do not match their own. Today's people are very narrow-minded." It is Professor Liu's sincere wish that those who have the enormous fortune to hear about Falun Gong will be more open-minded and take some time to understand and try out Falun Gong before they pass judgment. The professor said, "If they give it a try, they will obtain genuine physical and mental health like me!"