(Minghui.org) What can a person really attain on the journey of life? Many ponder this question. As for Mr. Qiu Tianxi, who started practicing Falun Dafa in 1996 at the age of 40, he remembers a life full of gratitude.

Mr. Qiu said, “At my age, many people lament that they have worked hard all their lives to strive for fame and fortune, and end up with nothing when they die. While I am not rich, I have what many people can only dream of.”

Mr. Qiu was born into a farming family in Xinshe Township, Taichung. He is the youngest in the family. He has two sisters and five brothers. His parents and siblings were often busy with farm work, and young Tianxi never gave them cause for worry. He always got up early for school and did his homework on his own. 

Mr. Qiu’s mother died when he was in his second year of middle school. At that time he moved to live with his older brother. More than ten years later, he graduated from Changhua Normal University (formerly Changhua Institute of Education) and worked as chief of the Teaching and Learning Department at Taichung Wufeng Agricultural and Industrial Senior High School.

Discovered Falun Gong 

The Teaching and Learning Department was considered the largest in the school. It was also reputed to be the busiest and least important of the departments. Scheduling of work to meet the needs and interests of every teacher was a nightmare for Mr. Qiu. 

Mr. Qiu explained, “In the early days, computers were not available to do the class scheduling and everything was done manually. The teachers would come to me and complain when they were not happy with their schedules. In addition, I also had to make schedules for substitute teachers, and plans for many teaching activities. It was so stressful that I developed a peptic ulcer and lost a lot of weight.” 

To relieve his stress, Mr. Qiu practiced qigong for many years. He said, “I liked to read martial arts novels. I thought that practicing qigong would not only keep me healthy but also fulfill my desire for the realm of martial arts.”

At the end of 1996, Mr. Qiu received a call from Mr. Jian, a qigong enthusiast. This person excitedly said that many people in China were now practicing Falun Gong and they could do it together in the future. Mr. Jian also gave Mr. Qiu a copy of Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong. A strong desire to cultivate urged him to read the book immediately. 

Later, Mr. Jian asked Mr. Qiu if he would like to attend a cultivation experience-sharing conference to be held in Beijing in February 1997. Mr. Qiu immediately accepted the invitation, hoping to meet Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong. At this time he had not yet even learned how to practice the exercises. 

Understanding the True Meaning of Cultivation

On his 10-day trip to Beijing, Mr. Qiu did not meet Master Li. But he understood the meaning of cultivation better. He admitted, “I actually was just starting to learn about Falun Gong at the time. I thought it was just a practice. After the conference, I realized that it was completely different from what I thought.”

Mr. Qiu participates in morning exercises in Ditan Park, Beijing.

Mr. Qiu found that every Dafa practitioner practiced cultivation seriously and respectfully. They sat upright when studying the Fa and doing the exercises. They openly shared their experiences of how they followed Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance when dealing with conflicts or humiliation at work or at home. They also discussed how to eliminate attachments and human notions. 

Mr. Qiu recalled, “The conference room was overflowing with so many practitioners. A practitioner from Beijing was pushed into a corner of the room by the crowd. He didn’t care a bit and kept smiling. He did not complain and remained cheerful. This seemed to be a small thing, but it taught me that everything in life is about cultivating oneself.”

When Mindset Improved, Great Changes Occurred

After attending the conference, Mr. Qiu always put himself in the other person’s shoes when it came to the class scheduling. His state of mind in dealing with busy work changed. He said, “I often received phone calls from teachers right after a long holiday, asking for a temporary leave. Such a call spelled trouble for me because I had to find substitute teachers, who often declined my request with the excuse of ‘no time available.’”

Mr. Qiu continued, “Now that I have let go of this attachment, I take such calls easily. I assure teachers that a substitute would be found to cover the class. When I schedule the classes now, I consider their needs and try my best to help them out.” 

The change in his attitude toward work not only improved the work environment, but unexpectedly, it also helped him recover his health. He shared, “Because of a peptic ulcer, I did not drink coffee or strong tea. Nor did I eat pineapples. One time, I accidentally drank some coffee and ate pineapple, and I did not experience any problems. Only then did I realize that the disease I’d suffered with for years had disappeared.” 

Meeting Master at the Taiwan Fa Teaching

On November 16, 1997, Master Li gave a Fa lecture to the public in Taipei. Since many people were unable to attend the lecture, Master agreed to hold another one in Taichung. Due to time constraints, it was very hard to find a location for the lecture. Luckily, Mr. Qui was able to get approval from his principal and his school became the venue for the lecture. 

Mr. Qiu revealed, “I did not have a chance to see Master in Beijing, but I finally got my wish this time. Master arrived at the auditorium on time. He is tall and kind. He smiled at people and nodded when answering whatever questions they asked. He was so affable and polite, completely different from other qigong masters who were often arrogant.” 

The lecture in Taichung lasted six hours, and Master only took one break during the entire lecture. Many people surrounded him after the lecture. Some had questions and some wanted to shake hands with Master. Mr. Qiu was amazed. “Master had lectured for so many long hours,” he recalled. “He should have rested. But he answered questions patiently and shook hands willingly.” 

Master Li had dinner with staff practitioners when the lecture was over. Only at the dinner table did Mr. Qiu realize the good intentions of Master in teaching the Fa. Mr. Qiu recalled, “After the meal, Master took the initiative to shake hands with everyone present. Even after all these years I still remember how soft Teacher’s hands were.”

Many people knew that this opportunity was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. They asked their relatives and friends to attend the lecture. After the lecture, many of them became practitioners, including Mr. Qiu’s wife and his older brother. 

Mr. Qiu and his wife at the 2024 Cultivation Experience-sharing Conference in Taiwan 

Mr. Qiu modestly concluded, “Falun Dafa is righteous, and it can change people’s lives. I have not yet experienced any Dafa miracles myself in the past 28 years of cultivation. However, miracles have indeed happened to many people and their lives have been changed forever as a result of their experience. Some people attest to improved health after they start practicing Falun Gong. Couples report that when their relationships improved, their families became more harmonious.” 

Mr. Qiu expressed his sincere gratitude to Master Li: “I am very grateful to Master for providing me with this cultivation path, helping me become a better person, and guiding me in understanding the true meaning of life. I will help more people know about this extremely precious Dafa!”