(Minghui.org) I’ll never forget the World Falun Dafa Day I celebrated while I was held in a detention center 10 years ago. I folded my quilt into a square, placed it underneath the camera in the cell, and used it as a table. I made two lotus flowers out of some colorful wrapping paper I saved. As the inmates watched, I kowtowed to Master and wished him Happy Birthday. I’d like to tell you about some of my experiences.
When I was arrested on my way to work 10 years ago, I shouted, “The police are arresting good people. Falun Dafa is good! Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!” My first thought was to ask Master to strengthen me so I could have compassion for my persecutors.
The police took the keys to my home, my ID and the truth clarification DVDs from my bag. I was taken to the police station and tied to an iron chair. They took turns interrogating me. I asked for their names and IDs. When a senior police officer interrogated me he showed me his ID. I said I would tell them my name if they removed the handcuffs. The stalemate lasted for more than two hours. When they finally unlocked the handcuffs, I raised my hands to the camera to show the abrasions to whoever was watching.
I told the police how I benefited from practicing Falun Dafa. At the same time I sent forth righteous thoughts. I said that because I practiced Falun Dafa I put other peoples’ interests before my own, including those who hurt me. I told them how other practitioners recovered from their terminal illnesses and how they improved their morals. I reminded them that good people are rewarded.
I’m not a fluent talker, but I knew Master strengthened me and gave me wisdom. After he interrogated me for 10 hours the policeman brought me some food and a cup of hot water. He left at 9 p.m. I realized that, with Master’s help, my righteous thoughts dissolved the evil factors that were manipulating him.
I recited the Fa, sent forth righteous thoughts, and practiced the exercises every day in the detention center. A man shouted at and threatened me in the corridor but I ignored him. I clarified the truth to the inmates whenever I had the chance. I was held in two cells and persuaded about 10 people to withdraw from the CCP. I cleaned the cell every day and helped the inmates.
One inmate was deaf. She looked unhappy one day, but the others ignored her. I didn’t know how to communicate with her. When I learned that she could write, I wrote a note and asked her what was wrong. She told me that she had a stomachache for a long time. I wrote: Recite “Falun Dafa is good and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” and I explained why millions of Chinese had already withdrawn from the CCP. She agreed to quit the CCP and wrote that she would recite “Falun Dafa is good and Truthfulness-Compassion-forbearance is good.” The next day, she said her stomachache was gone and that she was very grateful to Master and Falun Dafa.
When I clarified the truth to the inmates, one of them didn’t accept what I said. Another inmate told us a story. Her husband was a sailor and there was a terrible typhoon. All the sailors recited, “Falun Dafa is good and Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” and they were safe. That inmate then accepted the truth and agreed to quit the CCP.
Some inmates were very kind. They wanted to give me clothes, food, shampoo, tissues, and so on. It wasn’t easy to get these necessities in this harsh environment, but I politely refused and thanked them for their kindness.
The inmates took four or five buns during each meal but discarded most of them in retaliation towards the detention center. They urged me to do this. As a practitioner, I should follow Falun Dafa’s principles and I shouldn’t waste food, even though I was mistreated and persecuted in the detention center. I only took one bun at each meal. I asked the inmates not to waste food because it wasn’t good to do this.
One night when I was practicing the exercises a female guard chatted with an inmate and said, “Look at her. She practices the exercises and she doesn’t get sick.”
The TV in the cell often played dramas, but I didn’t watch them. I reminded myself that my mind should only be filled with Dafa, not everyday things that would dilute the Fa in my mind and wear down my will to cultivate. Dafa is my life, my root, so I avoided listening to or looking at things that interested everyday people.
I wanted to write a complaint about the police kidnapping me to prevent them from committing crimes against Falun Dafa practitioners. I felt this was having compassion for them. I asked for a paper and a pen, which they gave me several days later. The purpose of my writing a complaint was to clarify the truth to the labor camp guards and the police. I saw a book about criminal law in the cell when I was preparing to write the complaint. It contained information about similar cases and related legislation. I also remembered what I was taught about Chinese law in school. In my letter I stated the facts about how I was kidnapped and which laws the police violated. I asked Master to give me wisdom.
I also wrote how I recovered from my illnesses and became a healthy and happy person after I practiced Falun Dafa and how I helped others and took personal interest lightly.
I wondered what attachments or loopholes I had that caused me to be arrested and persecuted, so I looked within.
The police from one inmate’s hometown came to interrogate her. I was frightened and worried that I would be persecuted again. My fear lasted for two hours but it felt eternal. I eventually remembered Master’s Fa, which helped me set aside my fear.
Master said,
“Don’t Be SadImprisoned as you are,Don’t be sorrowful or sadCarry on with righteous thoughts and actions,And the Fa is with youCalmly reflect on the attachments you haveRemove your human thoughtsAnd evil will naturally die out”(“Don’t Be Sad,” Hong Yin II)
One day while I recited Master’s article “Realms” from Essentials for Further Advancement, I realized that I had jealousy, which I thought I didn’t have.
I remembered that I helped one practitioner a lot, and created a good cultivation environment for her. I spent a lot of time, energy and money—but she still didn’t cultivate diligently. When I talked to her harshly, I realized I was arrogant and self-centered. By reading the Fa I realized I had jealousy, which I needed to get rid of. I thanked Master for helping me have this insight.
I was released after 37 days. A policeman reminded me to take the statement that I was acquitted with me, as it might be useful to me in the future.
My daughter wanted to sell her apartment and use the money to rescue me. The police told her that even if she spent 200,000 yuan, it wouldn’t be enough to free me. But I was acquitted without spending a penny.
I thought the police searched my home and took everything. Thanks to Master’s protection, they didn’t find my Falun Dafa books.
Master does everything for us. I know that long as I firmly believe in Master and the Fa, the persecution will be dissolved.