(Minghui.org) A Changchun City, Jilin Province, woman who recovered from a stroke after practicing Falun Gong is now in police custody for telling people about her miraculous recovery.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual practice based on Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. It was first introduced to the public in Changchun in May 1992 and enjoyed fast-growing popularity for its tremendous health benefits and elevation of one's character.
The Chinese communist regime began to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999 after discovering that nearly 100 million Chinese had picked up the practice, more than registered Party members.
Ms. Cong Nan, in her 50s, was arrested on October 23, 2018, for handing out informational materials about Falun Gong. The police followed her during the day and arrested her that evening. Her home was ransacked and her Falun Gong books and several thousand yuan-worth of banknotes that had Falun Gong messages printed on them were confiscated.
Because information is strictly censored in China, many Falun Gong practitioners turn to creative ways to raise awareness about the persecution, including printing messages on banknotes.
Ms. Cong has been held at Changchun No. 4 Detention Center since her arrest. She developed high blood pressure and other health problems. The detention center twice suggested to the police that her physical conditions weren't suitable for further detention, but the police insisted on keeping her incarcerated. They transferred her to the hospital and denied family visitation.
The police have submitted her case to Luyuan District Procuratorate with the charge of “undermining law enforcement with a cult organization,” a standard pretext used by the Chinese authorities to criminalize Falun Gong practitioners. She is now facing further prosecution.
Ms. Cong's arrest, which came shortly after her 86-year-old father passed away, has now left her 84-year-old mother in tremendous agony.
Ms. Cong's husband, who had an operation to remove a tumor in his salivary gland in 2015, suffered a recurrence of cancer after his arrest. The doctor found the tumor has metastasized into his lung and predicted he only had a few months left.
Ms. Cong suffered from a stroke a few years ago while her husband worked out of town and their son was attending college. Home alone, she struggled to care for herself.
While she was in a desperate situation, a Falun Gong practitioner suggested that she recite the verses of “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” and said this might help her.
Skeptical at first, Ms. Cong eventually decided to give it a try. She started to show improvement just a few days later. She was discharged from the hospital after two weeks.
She learned the Falun Gong exercises upon returning home and soon enjoyed a full recovery. In addition to the health benefit, she also found her mind becoming more peaceful and her hot temper disappeared. Her son was later admitted to a renowned university overseas to pursue a PhD degree.
Grateful for the changes brought about by Falun Gong to her life, Ms. Cong became passionate about sharing her story with others and refuting the demonizing propaganda spread by the government to slander the practice. Her efforts to raise awareness of the persecution landed her in police custody.