(Minghui.org) My husband and I are both veteran practitioners who have been cultivating since 1998. I wish to share my experiences while cultivating and preventing the old forces from doing harm over the past 14 years. We have been doing the three things that Teacher asks us to do.
Taking time to learn Falun Dafa while living a miserable life
I was injured at work in 1977, when I was just 20 years old. After that I came down with many kinds of illnesses and spent lots of money on different treatments. I also learned many types of qigong, but nothing restored my health. I could barely take care of myself.
When Dafa was introduced in my village, my husband was told that this practice required the practitioner to read a book called Zhuan Falun. He immediately bought one and after starting to read it he asked me to also read it. I told him that nowadays there is so much fake stuff around, so I didn't want to waste my time. I suggested that he read it himself. Therefore, I missed the chance to cultivate in Dafa for several months.
Teacher hinted to me several times, but I just did not get it. Eventually, my husband kicked me out of my home and we almost divorced. My suffering from many kinds of illnesses over the past twenty years had made me narrow minded, jealous, resentful and selfish.
After I had my written my will, I saw Teacher’s book Zhuan Falun . I felt the power of the book as soon as I opened it. It was different from all other books that I had read, and I truly wanted to read it. As I was reading, Teacher cleansed my body and all my illnesses soon disappeared. I made up my mind that I would diligently cultivate from then on. That was in 1998.
Facing an unprecedented persecution with righteous thoughts
The persecution of Falun Gong began after I had been practicing for a year. I was very diligent in studying the Fa, and sensed that this was going to be a tough journey ahead. But I believed that I could keep on going. I began to memorize Zhuan Falun , which established a strong foundation for my later cultivation.
I saw many posters that slandered Teacher and Falun Dafa on the street when I went to a meeting in August, 2000. I thought that Teacher and Dafa are so good, so how could we let people badmouth them? The more I thought about it the worse I felt. I could not calm down during Fa study that night, and knew that I had to stop these people.
I began to write letters to the authorities to inform those that spoke bad of Falun Dafa, to inform them how I had benefited from the practice, and the truth about Dafa. I told them that when the page of history would turn, their crimes would be too large and they would face eternal damnation.
On the third day, I went to the 610 Office with the letter, and talked with the officers there face to face. I let them read the letter first, for fear that I might have left something out, and then I answered their questions afterward. From then on, no one there badmouthed Teacher or Falun Dafa.
Telling people the facts about Falun Dafa in the detention center
My black-and-white TV had been broken for half a year and I couldn't afford to get it fixed. I felt sorry for my 13 year-old daughter, so I borrowed some money and bought a 21-inch color TV. Several fellow practitioners came to my home and we watched a video of Teacher’s lecture together. But, someone reported us to the authorities. Officials from the county government and 610 Office came to my home and arrested five practitioners. They also confiscated my new TV and a DVD recorder. My husband was beaten at the police department.
I went on a hunger strike for seven days to protest my persecution. When I was asked for the names of those who gave me the DVD of Master's lecture. I told them that I borrowed it, but I did not tell them where I got it from. I also told them that I did not ask the practitioners to come to my home. They happened to pass by and saw that I was watching Teacher’s lecture, so they came in.
When the deputy head of the police interrogated me, I told him that I did not want to talk to him. But I would talk to the superior of those who arrested me. On the seventh day, a guard at the detention center told me that I was a “big shot” because three police chiefs had come to see me. I told the guard that I was just a simple farmer.
Reasoning with the police chiefs
The police chiefs were very polite. They asked me why I didn’t eat. I told them that I truly wanted to, as I did not want to starve to death, but it was their subordinates that wouldn’t let me eat. When they asked me how that was possible, I answered them truthfully. I said, “When I got injured at work and the pain was getting worse to the extent that I could not take care of myself, which one of you officials took care of me or paid any attention to me? It was my Teacher who unconditionally cured all my illnesses and taught me how to be a good person by following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I learned Falun Dafa and I did not violate any law, nor did I hurt anybody. So why was I arrested one time after another?”
I then turned to one of the police chiefs and said: “You are a person of reason and feelings. Think about it: as a farmer I rely on crops. When I was ready to spray pesticide, they arrested me. When I was replanting rice, they arrested me. When I was harvesting the crops, they arrested me. Now, when I was ready to pick tea leaves, they arrest me. I don’t have money, crops or tea leaves.”
The police kept listening as I talked: “Every home has a TV set. My daughter went to our neighbor’s to watch TV, but the neighbor locked his door and didn’t let her in. I felt so sorry for her, so I borrowed money to buy a TV set. I begged your subordinates not to take it, but they did it anyway. What am I going to say to my child? The DVD player was borrowed, how am I going to repay it? Right now my daughter still has a place to sleep. If this carries on she will not even have that. So you see, it is your subordinates who do not let me eat.”
One of the police chiefs said, “Okay, I understand. We will give the TV and DVD player back to you, and let your husband go home to pick the tea leaves.” I was concerned about other practitioners, so I asked, “How about the others?” The police chief said: “We will let them go too.” I then said, “How about me?” He thought it over for a while, then replied: “We’ll let you go as well. Why don’t you eat your meal. Don’t hurt yourself.”
Another police chief said: “Now you are well. Let’s sign an agreement - if your illness does not come back in half a year, you will stop practicing Falun Gong.” I said: “Buddha cultivation is great and serious. Since I have chosen the path of cultivation, I will continue no matter how hard it is.” He laughed and said: “You can do it at home and not let others know.” I said: “Then that makes the persecution against Falun Gong legitimate, and makes it seem that there is something wrong with Falun Gong. I will let people witness the righteousness of this cultivation practice.”
Two practitioners were released ten days later, and my husband was released within 2 weeks. Another practitioner and I were released 27 days later. They also returned my TV and DVD player. One officer told me that it was the first time he had seen the police returning stuff that they had seized. They also stopped harassing us.
Leaving the brainwashing center with righteous thoughts
A brainwashing center was set up in our local area in September 2011. The police went to practitioners' homes and told their families that they would re-educate them. Many practitioners were taken, some were persecuted and became mentally disordered, while some could not stand the torture and signed a guarantee statement to renounce their belief. Many police officers looked for practitioners that were on their wanted list everyday. Some practitioners informed me about the situation of those who were arrested.
I looked inward, and believed that it was no accident for me to face this situation and I needed to stop the police from committing crimes against Dafa and poisoning more people with the communist Party propaganda. I am a practitioner. How should I stop it? Seeing my heart of wanting to protect Dafa, Teacher hinted at me with two poems:
“The Dafa disciples ascend to the highest heavens And, presiding over Heaven and Earth, rectify the human realm” (“Foretelling” in Hong Yin II)
“The divine pens deter those demons in human skin Like sharpened blades, they extirpate rotten spirits The old forces pay not the Fa its due respect Wielding the brush you shall subdue the surge of madness” (“Deterrence” in Hong Yin II) .
I immediately began to write to officials at the city police, court and the district attorney’s office to let them know the facts about Dafa. I told them that Dafa is good, that it is beneficial to the country and society, and that Dafa practitioners have not committed a crime by believing in the Fa. I informed them that the so-called re-education classes were actually places of torture, and that they should take care of the people and stop this tragedy from happening, so that they will have a good future themselves. I also wrote to officials in the 610 Office, as well as the village and town officials, to expose the true nature of the re-education classes. After I mailed the letter, no more practitioners were taken there.
Seeing our righteous thoughts, Teacher resolved everything for us. I enlightened that as long as there is the Fa in one’s mind, it is indeed what Teacher says:
“When disciples have ample righteous thoughts Master has the power to turn back the tide” (“The Master-Disciple Bond” in Hong Yin II)
