(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa before the Chinese communist regime launched its persecution of the spiritual discipline in 1999. Back then, I worked in the central office of our local tax bureau. I followed Falun Dafa's principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance at work, and my performance reviews were always good.
After the persecution began, I was demoted to work as a tax collector at a branch office. Although it was not a high-level position, my new job meant that I would be dealing directly with taxpayers. Given the many loopholes in China's tax system, it is often considered an opportunity to enrich oneself through unethical means.
As a Dafa practitioner, I always refused gifts, bribes, and any other types of kickbacks from taxpayers. In the meantime, I spent a lot of time improving my technical skills and was well respected among my peers.
At work, I applied the principles of Falun Dafa and treated our customers with kindness and sincerity. Because of that, they trusted me and often came to me for help and found what they needed.
One time it took me about one week to check all kinds of documents to resolve a major issue for one taxpayer. He brought an envelope of money to thank me for helping him. When several of my coworkers saw me turn down a “gift” yet again, they said I was just plain silly. “Some tax collectors even go after customers for money, but you refuse the money that's offered to you as a gift. I just cannot understand it,” one of them commented.
But my customers liked it and praised me for my work ethic. “I have been an accountant for over ten years and worked with a number of tax bureaus. You are the best,” remarked one customer. “You are different from the others because you truly care about us and treat us equally,” another customer added.
After hearing me discussing Falun Dafa with coworkers and customers, a director came to talk with me. “I know you are an honest person and good at what you do. There are thousands of tax collectors in the city, but you are the most trustworthy one,” she said. “You are a true communist party member!”
The director seemed to think that the many Party members in China who abuse their power and take bribes didn't truly believe in communism, that if they did, they wouldn't be corrupt.
I told her I owed my integrity to Falun Dafa and that communism uses deceit in its struggle to maintain power, which runs counter to Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
“I am just an ordinary Falun Dafa practitioner. Anyone who truly practices the principles of Falun Dafa would behave the way I do,” I said. “I am not a communist party member, and I do not want to become one, because communism has nothing positive to add to the world.”
