(Minghui.org) Over the past 20 plus years of cultivation, I have let go of chances to have a good life again and again, and have simply wanted to be a good person.
After having the fortune to become a Falun Dafa practitioner, I was not attached to having a comfortable and easy life. As a result, I ended up with many opportunities to save people and validate the Fa.
Since I began to practice Dafa, I have given myself to Master Li Hongzhi (the founder). To me, cultivation is very sacred and I am deeply grateful for the miracles and blessings I have witnessed.
(Continued from Part 1)
5. Manager Suspended, Made to Write Self-Criticism
After I was kept at the detention center for more than 70 days, the domestic security bureau chief asked me to write a statement saying that I would not go to Beijing. I refused, and they sent me to a forced labor camp. I did not pass the physical exam and at that time I did not know to oppose the persecution with righteous thoughts. Anyway, through some connections the police convinced the labor camp to admit me.
Military training was the first thing required after I arrived there, and I refused to yield. The secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee called me and a few other practitioners to her office. She ordered us to join the military training, and none of us said anything. We grew tired later on and lowered our heads.
“Listen, I am not good-looking,” she said, “But you don’t have to avoid looking at me.”
“You are beautiful,” I chuckled a little, “But we are sad because we are detained here for wanting to be good citizens. Plus, our Master has been badly defamed. That is why we have no interest in military training. We are not soldiers anyway. Please understand us.”
I continued explaining that although she was a Party secretary, she need not thank the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Rank and reputation actually came from virtue in her previous lives. “In ancient China, for example in the Tang Dynasty, Song Dynasty, or Qing Dynasty, there was no CCP. But there were still officials and wealthy people, right?” I said. “An open-minded person will be able to hear different opinions and discern right from wrong. If you can help good people, you will accumulate more virtue for the future, right?”
Seeing that we were good people, the Party secretary said, “Okay. If you have any thoughts, feel free to write to me then.”
Inside the labor camp, I did not do things that the guards asked me to do, but continued to do things that were forbidden, such as doing the exercises and reciting the Falun Dafa teachings. One day, we practitioners recited Master’s poems together. Drug addicts stuffed mops and socks in everyone’s mouths, except mine, to stop us. But we finished anyway. Wei, an inmate assigned to watch me, later complained. She said that because we did the exercises in the evening and recited the teachings during the day, she was tired all the time and could not sleep well.
“All right then,” I said kindly, “Please have a rest now.”
Wei began cursing at me and repeatedly kicked me until I fell to the floor. Other inmates came over and pulled at me, but I did not get up. Practitioners also came over to help me, but I refused to get up. I knew sleeping on the floor did not look normal, but opposing the persecution was also needed.
An officer came to the cell, but I did not yield. Seeing me like this, other practitioners discussed going on a hunger strike to protest the beating by Wei. After the senior manager at the labor camp heard about this, the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Committee came to ask me what happened.
“We finished reciting the teachings and out of care for Wei I asked if she needed a rest. She said she has a bad temper and wanted to beat someone,” I replied calmly, “I think bullying and being bullied are not permitted in the labor camp. So I just want to confirm that.”
The Party secretary made a record of the incident. Since it was related to labor camp discipline, as well as a hunger strike and potentially the lives of more than 10 people, the manager of the section was found liable. The Party secretary had come to know Falun Dafa well through me, so her decision was that first, Wei needed to apologize to me and all of the practitioners with a written statement. Second, the section manager would be suspended and would write a self-criticism statement. Third, all of the inmates in the cells where Falun Dafa practitioners were detained would be transferred somewhere else, except for one inmate who would stay behind to clean. Fourth, detainee representatives in the section needed to be selected by a Falun Dafa practitioner.
6. 610 Office Director Learns the Facts and Gives Me a Job
One day in 2004 while working in the provincial capital, I thought about clarifying the truth to the domestic security bureau officers, since they had arrested practitioners over the years. I went there and handed an officer some materials I had written based on my own experiences, and he read it twice.
“Maybe you can share this with other officers too?” I asked.
“Sure!” he replied, “We will all study it.”
An officer brought me tea and another officer said he respected practitioners for their perseverance during the suppression. But the political head was not convinced. “It is true that the police department job brings you some wealth,” I said to him sincerely, “But there are things that are more important, such as your health, safety, and the future of your family.”
I told him that, like other practitioners, I had been detained and persecuted for my belief. But we did not hate the police. Instead, we were worried about them and hoped they would do better in these positions for their own futures. The political head was moved.
“How about you talk with higher officials?” he suggested. “Pressure to carry out the persecution comes from them.” I told him that would be no problem.
He then called the 610 Office director, who was also a Party secretary in the Political and Legal Affairs Committee (PLAC), and said I would come.
I arrived there and said, “Thank you for taking the time to meet me. We often heard that it is good to exchange ideas between ordinary citizens and officials, as that can bridge the gap.” He smiled and gave me a cup of tea. I explained to him that Falun Gong is cultivating one’s Buddha-nature according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. In fact it is so profound and precious that one may not meet something so good in hundreds or thousands of years. Furthermore, anyone who does good things or bad things will meet with the outcome and consequences of their actions sometime in the future.
The director said he would not just listen to a one-sided opinion. I added this was not just something I said; rather it was part of the divine culture since ancient China.
“I don’t believe in the divine,” he said hesitantly as he glimpsed at others in the office. I said I respected his personal opinions. Nonetheless, I would point to one thing. “Do you remember in the news when Deng Xiaoping passed away, his daughter was burning paper for him?” I asked.
He smiled and said it was just because of grief. I told him wearing the black armband and wreath were sufficient for grief. Burning paper would be excessive. “You know, it is part of the Chinese tradition,” I continued, “After people die, burning paper money is used to send something for the deceased to use in the netherworld.”
The director agreed and gave a big smile.
I then told him that in China the highest authority comes from the Constitution. Article 36 of the Chinese Constitution specifies that citizens have freedom of belief and that no one should be discriminated against because of that. Plus, ordinary citizens could audit its implementation by any government agency. So what if someone violates the Constitution? I had been harmed and sent to a labor camp already. How could we resolve this? Plus, Article 41 of the Constitution points out that any government officials who harm people will provide compensation. How could we implement this?
The director was stunned. He then picked up the phone and called a subordinate township party secretary, “Please arrange a position for someone. She is in my office now.” The party secretary said all of the slots had been filled. But the director did not budge and said this had to be done. He then turned to me and said, “These officials report to me and they will find a position in the township government. This is part of our compensation.”
Several days later, I went to work in an office under the Civil Affairs Bureau as a deputy manager. This office has two positions: me and a manager. Both these positions are usually filled by two Party secretaries selected from 24 townships. Seeing that I, a Falun Gong practitioner who had no experience as a government official and who refused to renounce her faith, had now been directly appointed to the position, everyone was surprised. Many young, well-educated, capable officers had been wanting this position, but could not get it. I did not have a college degree, plus I was already in my 40s, but the Political and Legal Affairs Committee (PLAC) Party secretary arranged a government vehicle for my commute.
After getting there, I found that all the employees I supervised had some connections. For example, one person was a director’s wife and that person was the niece of a Party secretary. Because of my position, I often dined together with higher officials.
“We all welcome you,” one township officer said, “You know, when we discussed the position, I voted for you.”
“Thank you so much,” I replied with a smile and explained, “I am toasting back with tea because I am a Falun Gong practitioner. But please remember ‘Falun Dafa is good’ and you will be blessed.”
Due to the light workload, I often went around on a bike telling people the facts of Falun Gong. When I explained this to a Party secretary, he told me he knew the CCP had done lots of bad things and that freedom of belief should be protected. Later on, however, I slacked off in my cultivation practice and lacked righteous thoughts. As a result, a police officer surnamed Tong stopped me as I talked with someone about Falun Gong on my way to work. He did not listen to what I said about Falun Gong and sent me to a brainwashing center in the city. I did not give up my belief. Instead, two practitioners who had already renounced their belief understood what had happened after we chatted. Both of them agreed to resume their practice.
After coming back from the brainwashing center, I went to the police station where Tong worked to retrieve my bike. As I arrived there and saw director Liu, I greeted him and said, “The Falun Gong practitioner is here to get her bike back.” He told me it was in the parking lot and I could get it myself. When I got there, I found the seat was damaged. Since Tong was there, I said to him, “You know, if a police officer damages an ordinary citizen's property, there should be compensation.” I also added some facts about Falun Gong.
But once again, Tong refused to listen. “How dare you, a Falun Gong practitioner, ask for compensation?!” He said while picking up my bike and knocking it against the wall.
Because my bike was damaged again, I called the complaint hotline for the city police department Discipline Committee and reported it. The officer who answered the call said I should talk with the police station head about either repairing the bike or getting a new one. “If they say no, we will force them to pay you back,” the officer said.
Thinking that I was a practitioner and should not take advantage of this, I decided to just ask for a repair since the main goal is letting the police know Falun Gong practitioners should not be bullied. After all, the police station had new staff members and they needed to know what Falun Gong is too. I went there again the next day and met the deputy director. After hearing my story, he told me to go ahead and repair the bike and it would be reimbursed by his office.
Thinking that the purpose is for them to know Falun Gong practitioners should not be discriminated against, I had a chat with him. I said practitioners are following the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to be good people and that Falun Gong is a righteous belief that brings everything back on track. Therefore, whoever persecutes Falun Gong is committing a crime. “It is like a basket of bad apples, whoever believes Dafa is good will be saved and become a good apple,” I explained, “That is why we practitioners clarify the facts to people to save them.” I also added that it was a higher official who had requested the compensation. The deputy director agreed with what I said and said they would fix my bike.
Many people in the region later heard about this incident, including both government officials and ordinary people. They heard that because of the bad deeds committed against Falun Gong, Tong had been reprimanded and his bonus had been deducted. “It’s not worth it,” some of them said.
My nephew came to me to talk about this. “From this, I now am very impressed by Falun Gong,” he remarked. He said everyone knows that the police almost never offer compensation after confiscating or damaging ordinary citizens’ property. When he had an internet cafe business in 2003, for example, police shut down his business using SARS as an excuse and took away dozens of computers. None of them were returned and there was no place to complain.
“Right now, Falun Gong is still being suppressed by the CCP. But after a practitioner’s bike was damaged, the police station’s deputy director repaired it and returned it. Falun Gong is really great,” he said, “Not only that but my aunt also became a government official for opposing the persecution. It is truly a miracle.”
After working as an official there for a few months, I found that many people in the region, from the township head, Party secretary to ordinary residents, had learned what Falun Gong is. Since my mission was completed, I resigned and decided to go other places.
7. Apology from a Police Office
Starting in 2005, I went to the provincial capital city to do temporary jobs while explaining what Falun Gong is to people. I had worked in many places such as a concrete plant, lumber plants, and a relocation company. Once I met a truck driver at a labor market and we chatted. He said the persecution is wrong but he did not dare to quit the CCP organizations, since the Party has guns, the police, and the military.
“So which one is more powerful? The Party’s guns or plagues from the divine?” I asked.
He understood and said he would quit the CCP. “Yes, although the CCP may seem strong. When a pandemic really comes, even the military could be doomed,” he said.
Later on, my daughter also came to the city. She began to practice and lived with other practitioners. I did not have a stable place to stay. After making some money, I would take a break to focus on saving people. Master gave me lots of wisdom. Even in front of many people, I could explain how good Dafa is and how corrupt the CCP had become. Almost no one refuted. Some people were very thankful and some saluted me. By 2010, more than 10,000 people had quit the CCP organizations because of me. I know Master helped a lot with this.
In 2009, two practitioners, a male and a female, were arrested in the city. When the female practitioner’s niece went to the police department to ask for her release, a police officer kicked her, leaving bruises on her leg. Thinking that the police officers had violated the law, I went with her to a higher agency – the city police department discipline committee – and filed a complaint. Since I had listed part of the police law in the written complaint, indicating that police are forbidden to commit physical abuse, one officer said they would follow up on it.
But the battle between good and evil was not easy. The city police department asked us to resolve this in the district police department and we encountered difficulty over the next two weeks. The officers shirked responsibility between one another and wanted us to withdraw the case. But I was calm and did not give in. I also reminded them to process the case within 30 days as required by law. In the end, the police officer who kicked the practitioner's niece apologized under orders from the discipline committee. “I apologize on behalf of all police officers,” he said, “If something happens again, you can contact me.”
This case suppressed the viciousness, and police stopped harassing practitioners. “This is strange,” one local resident said, “The police have harmed so many people and they have never apologized. Now they are apologizing to a Falun Gong family. It’s like a miracle!”
8. Provincial Bureau Director: “You cannot beat them just because they are Falun Gong”
The male practitioner who was arrested was a key person according to the police. He was beaten and some of his teeth fell out. Filing a lawsuit was not easy because he was arrested by the city domestic security bureau, which is the same level as the city police department. There is little disciplinary power since they are both on the same level.
Another thing was that this process could take more than a month. I did not have a residence nor a stable income, so I did not know where this would go. After thinking this through, I decided to let go of my personal interests to safeguard Dafa and save people. When I discussed this with other practitioners, however, they considered it too difficult and too dangerous. Although no one wanted to work on it with me, I decided to continue even if I was on my own.
Thinking I would start with the provincial police bureau, I found its number and address. The officer on duty at the provincial police bureau told me the information for its disciplinary committee. I wrote a complaint and mailed the registered letter. After the post office confirmed its delivery a week later, I called the disciplinary committee inquiring about the case. The agency denied there was a case.
I explained to the officer that the agency is not a bogus company; rather, it is a province-level agency that audits the provincial police bureau. “Plus, tracking information from the post office shows that this registered mail has been received,” I explained. The officer changed his attitude and said he would look into it.
A week later, I called again and another officer answered the phone. “Is it a Falun Gong case?” she asked, “What’s your relationship with the practitioner?”
I said I am that practitioner’s relative. The officer said they had received many Falun Gong cases. It would have been easy had it been a corruption case.
“You know, we are afraid of these kinds of [Falun Gong] cases,” she replied implying I'd better drop the case.
But I did not back off since practitioners have not done anything wrong. I explained to her that the highest authority in China comes from the Constitution, in which Article 36 guarantees the freedom of belief.
“Whether it is related to Falun Gong or not, whoever violates the Chinese Police Law on physical abuse and torture should be investigated,” I said, “Our country set up the discipline committee for such a purpose. If people do not follow their duties, the law will not exist, your office will be useless, and your police along with your uniform would not exist.”
Master gave me a lot of wisdom. I continued by saying that if things are not resolved, I would appeal to the national disciplinary committee. I would not stop as long as the Chinese Police Law exists and the disciplinary committee system exists. She was scared, as if she might lose her job soon. “Do not worry. Please give me some time and I will report to our (provincial) bureau director now,” she replied.
During the month of this case, I realized the importance of truth-clarification to the provincial police bureau discipline committee. Another local practitioner agreed to help pass information to the practitioner who had been beaten so that he would know which step his case was in and would be ready for compensation. During this process, I also sent forth righteous thoughts and studied the Fa well.
One night I had a dream in which I knocked open a seamless stainless steel water pipe with fists. In the dream, I did not care whether it was steel or some other material and just kept on knocking on it with my fists. In the end, the pipe broke and water came out. After waking up, I realized this could be a good sign – the state apparatus of the CCP that persecutes Falun Gong was broken. Thinking that the broken machinery could still have some pieces to knock off, I called the discipline committee again. “We have reported this to our (provincial) bureau director and have required the city-level agency to take care of this,” the officer said and then gave me the phone number of the city-level police department discipline committee.
I called the city-level agency and said I had filed a complaint related to Falun Gong. “The provincial office gave me your number and said that they have requested you take care of this,” I said.
“Falun Gong is a political issue,” the officer said, “Don’t even think about it.” He then repeated some defamatory propaganda against Falun Gong and Master Li.
Master gave me a lot of wisdom and I could block every talking point he had. I said the Constitution allows freedom of belief and Falun Gong teaches one to be a good person and move toward Buddhahood.
“Your office is for auditing the police. If police officers do bad things and citizens complain about it, it is your office that investigates it,” I said, “For this case, where a Falun Gong practitioner was beaten, it is not only something the province level agency has agreed on but is also under the authorization of higher officials that you have to redress justice and do something in favor of Falun Gong.”
I then said that Falun Gong promotes Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and we have no enemies. In fact, our Master and Falun Gong have compassion toward everyone, and anyone who helps innocent practitioners will be blessed. “Please think about this, isn't this a great opportunity for you?”
“No worries,” he was a little excited, “I will ask manager Wu to take care of this in one or two days.”
I know the old forces have set up a huge tribulation. Practitioners have to knock off the steel to save sentient beings.
After some time, I called the city-level agency again. The officer who answered the phone was very polite, as if I was her supervisor. She told me the practitioner was a key person that the city-state security bureau (SSB) wanted to arrest.
“They [SBS officers] did not even care about us. After all, this is not a corruption case that is easy to handle,” she explained. She said since I had filed the case to a provincial-level agency, which required the city-level officer to handle it, she and other officials had no choice but to contact the province-level police bureau.
“In the end, the province level police bureau director came himself and had a big meeting that included all the police station chiefs and higher officials, making everyone very nervous,” she continued, “In the meeting, the province level bureau director told us, ‘Who said you can beat people? What gave you the authorization? You cannot beat them just because they are Falun Gong!’ Not only that, every police station chief needs to put a display the discipline committee hotline number in the office so that people can file complaints when needed.”
I told this to other practitioners and they were happy. One of them said that this effort had greatly suppressed the evil. Another practitioner said that we practitioners do not really need compensation since our goal is saving people. Plus, I had not worked for a month because of this, and I needed to make a living. I followed her advice and began to work.
In the efforts of assisting Master with Fa-rectification and saving sentient beings, I am willing to let go of all attachments. Only by letting go of ourselves, can we assimilate ourselves to the Fa, increase righteous thoughts, gain wisdom, and fulfill our mission. Thank you Master and thank you fellow practitioners.
(The end)
