(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I felt excited and enthusiastic when I saw the notice, “Call for Articles for the 23rd China Fahui on Minghui.org.” I’d like to tell you how I began to practice cultivation and about some of my cultivation experiences. I hope to learn from other practitioners so that all of us may be diligent in practicing cultivation together.
My grandparents, my mother, and my third aunt’s family all practice Falun Dafa. As a child, I often saw them studying the Fa, doing the exercises, and sending righteous thoughts together. My mother would frequently take my younger sister and me to a university campus to distribute materials about Falun Dafa. On the way to kindergarten, my mother would often recite a passage from Master’s teachings:
“Study the Fa and gain the Fa;Focus on how you study and cultivateLet each and every thing be measured against the Fa.Only then, with that, is it actually cultivation.” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin).
My sister and I naturally learned to recite it as well. In kindergarten, I often said: “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” My grandparents also told my kindergarten teachers the facts about Falun Dafa.
However, as a child, I was very fond of playing and had many bad habits. For instance, I was impatient and highly competitive. When I was ten years old, my youngest aunt was driving my second aunt, my cousin, and me to my grandparents’ house. Since my cousin usually opened the car door first after we parked, I felt I couldn’t let him win. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, I rushed to open the door. My youngest aunt became very angry. She scolded me sharply and reached for the door, intending to discipline me. Feeling that her harshness was unnecessary, I angrily threw the bottle of herbal tea I was holding at her.
I suddenly couldn’t breathe. My youngest aunt, even angrier now that I had thrown the bottle at her, grabbed me and pulled me toward my grandparents’ home. Just as we reached the building, we saw my mother. Seeing how distressed I was, she began saying, “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good,” and carried me up to my grandparents’ apartment. The adults were all alarmed by my condition, and my youngest aunt, now frightened, suggested taking me to the hospital.
My grandparents asked Master to save me. On the way to the hospital, my mother and I kept saying “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” At that moment, a thought came to mind: “Please, Master, save me! If I recover, I will definitely practice Falun Dafa.”
I fell asleep. I was completely fine when I woke up. We arrived at the hospital entrance, but instead of going in, we turned around and headed back home.
After this experience, I decided to truly practice Falun Dafa, and I asked my mother to teach me the exercises. The first time I meditated, I was in intense pain while sitting in the lotus position for 59 minutes. But then my leg slipped down. I was so frustrated that I burst into tears. The same thing happened the second time, and I cried again. I finally succeeded the third time! I was overjoyed and resolved to practice all five sets of exercises every day.
I learned from and compared myself to my relatives who are practitioners. My third aunt—a fellow practitioner—encouraged me to memorize On Dafa and Hong Yin, and she helped me with any characters I didn’t recognize when I read Zhuan Falun. I did the three things with my grandparents, and I memorized Hong Yin with my cousin, and we checked each other’s recitation of the Fa. My life became happy and positive.
After I began practicing, the first thing I did when I returned home from school each day was to complete my homework. I always tried to finish my assignments quickly, so I had more time to study the Fa and do the exercises. I also made sure that I sent righteous thoughts on time. If a teacher ran late and kept us past the scheduled dismissal, I hurried home so as not to miss the designated time to send righteous thoughts.
Every morning, I wake up punctually at 6:00 a.m. to send righteous thoughts. I don’t even need an alarm clock. I simply wake up at the exact moment that it’s time to begin. I believe Master is helping me, ensuring I can participate in sending righteous thoughts right on schedule. Once that is done, I proceed to do the exercises.
After I arrive at school, I immediately hand in my homework. During exams, I hold myself to a strict standard: I never peek at anyone else’s paper, choosing instead to complete the work myself, regardless of whether I know the answers or not. I have also become eager to help others; for instance, I often take the initiative to explain math problems to classmates who are struggling. At school, whenever a classmate needs a hand, whether it’s with classroom chores, cleaning, or running errands, I am always ready to assist. The little boy who used to neglect his homework, cheat on tests, and show a lack of respect for his teachers and elders is truly a thing of the past.
I used every spare moment to engage in Dafa activities. Whether I was on my way to school, during breaks, or heading home after class, I would silently recite the Fa. I also looked for every opportunity to save people. One day, a classmate named Albert had a headache. I told him, “Say Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good, and you will feel better.” He did, and his headache actually went away; he was very happy. I also told him, “Don’t wear the red scarf. The Young Pioneers is not a good organization. You should withdraw from it.” He agreed.
That afternoon, I happily packed a copy of Zhuan Falun and several amulets that had information about Dafa into my schoolbag. Upon arriving at school, I handed some of these amulets to my classmates. My homeroom teacher summoned me to her office. I was afraid, and sensed that something bad was about to happen.
She asked, “Does anyone in your family, or anyone you know, practice Falun Dafa?” Trusting her, I told her the truth. At that time, I lacked experience in clarifying the facts and did not realize that, under the circumstances of the ongoing persecution, one should not expose fellow practitioners. I naively thought that by telling her, I was clarifying the truth. She decided to contact my parents. My father, out of fear, forbade me from practicing Falun Dafa. The teacher reached out to my uncle-in-law. When he found out, he told my father, and my father forbade me from talking about Dafa at school.
When I first started middle school, I firmly reminded myself that I have the mission of helping Master save sentient beings. I resolved to save one person every day—which would amount to 365 people over the course of a year. By reading the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and The Ultimate Goal of Communism, as well as various informational brochures, I gradually had enough information I could use when I clarified the truth to people. During my first year of middle school, I successfully persuaded a fifth-grade student to withdraw from the Young Pioneers. He thanked me happily, and I felt very happy, too.
In the evenings, after finishing my homework, I would sometimes find time to go to a public square to save people. On the way there, I would send righteous thoughts, asking Master to bring predestined individuals my way and to clear away any evil factors behind them. I usually focused on students around my age. If I didn’t find anyone at one square, I would head to another.
I struck up a conversation by playing basketball with others, then steered the discussion toward Dafa. For instance, I might tell them, “When I’m taking an exam and come across a question I don’t know how to answer, I just say Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good, and suddenly I know what to write.”
Although I didn’t quite manage to save one person every day, I’ve grown from someone who didn’t really know how to clarify the truth into someone who has gradually learned how to, and I gained a great deal of experience along the way. I have made significant progress in saving people, and it is deeply gratifying to see the gratitude expressed by those who have come to understand the truth.
When I first started high school, I was appointed class monitor. I studied diligently and ranked first in the class during exams—an achievement that drew admiration from everyone.
During the second semester of my first year, my politics teacher brought up the topic of religion in class and slandered Dafa. I raised my hand, stood up, and said, “The whole world knows that Falun Dafa is good.” I exposed the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party—from Marx’s adherence to Satan to the CCP’s long history of atrocities since seizing power, including the Land Reform, the “Three-Antis” and “Five-Antis” political campaigns, the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Cultural Revolution, and the June 4th Massacre. I pointed out that the Communist Party has killed 80 million Chinese people, and that it is now persecuting Falun Dafa.
Once again, my parents were summoned to the school. I asked my father to join me in clarifying the truth to the teachers, but he was afraid and did not come, so I went to the office alone. The vice principal and several department heads were waiting. The vice principal asked, “Why haven’t you gotten vaccinated?” and demanded to know whether my parents and I practiced Falun Dafa. I managed to sidestep the first question with an excuse, and I refused to answer the second.
I began to cry, and I said, “Why are you treating me as if I were a bad student or a troublemaker who gets into fights?” One of the department heads accused me of violating the National Security Law, and the vice principal, who was quite enraged, nearly resorted to physical violence against me. When I announced that I would resign from my position as class monitor, he actually offered a word of praise, acknowledging that I had made contributions to the class. I asked to be excused from the politics teacher’s classes. He refused, but I stopped attending. The entire ordeal passed without any serious harm. I knew Master protected me once again.
Later, I realized that my decision to skip the politics class had been selfish; by not being there, I lost the opportunity to stop the teacher from spreading lies, leaving my innocent classmates to be subjected to that indoctrination.
After this, the classmates who used to speak ill of Dafa in front of me toned down their behavior, and the evil elements in my environment were significantly diminished. Because I stood up for Dafa, and with Master’s help, my situation improved. I began to practice more diligently, doing my utmost every day to do the three things well. My life became fulfilling and joyful. When the time came for the college entrance examination, I was admitted to a public university in my local area.
Although I was accepted into a university, I didn’t have money to pay my tuition—a sum of 6,000 yuan ($901 USD), which is a significant expense for my family. My parents discouraged me from pursuing higher education—they wanted me to work and earn money instead. I attempted to cover the tuition myself by taking a summer job; the search alone took several days. Since we don’t own an electric scooter—ruling out food delivery work—I ended up in a kitchen position at a chain restaurant.
Because my work pace was too slow, and also because I pointed out some issues regarding the company’s integrity, I was let go after just fifteen days, earning only 1,000 yuan ($150 USD). I tried my hand at telemarketing for a loan company, and I sold cleaning products, but both attempts failed for various reasons. Not only did I fall short of earning enough for my tuition, but I also lost a great deal of time.
The tuition for my university studies was hard-won; it came through equal contributions from my third aunt, my eldest aunt, and my mother. My living expenses were covered by funds my mother borrowed from her coworkers. My laptop was a gift from my cousin, who is also a practitioner. I am deeply grateful for Master’s compassionate arrangements, and I thank my relatives for their sacrifices and support.
I must be more diligent in practicing cultivation so as not to let Master down. I cannot afford to drift aimlessly at the university or waste time. I must cherish everything I have been given and work hard to repay my relatives in the future.
Before I attended the university, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to practice the standing exercises. I even cried, fearing I would no longer be able to complete all five sets of exercises every day. During my freshman year, my home was 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) away from campus. Each day, after finishing an hour of the sitting meditation exercise in my dormitory, I would ride a shared electric bike home to do the standing exercises, and then I would return to my dorm.
I spent two hours commuting back and forth just to ensure I could complete all five sets of exercises. At first, I complained about how slow the shared electric bike was; however, when I realized that it took my cousin 40 to 50 minutes to drive from the university to my home, I understood that the bike was actually quite fast.
I studied the Fa diligently, reading dozens of pages every day without fail, and I also frequently visited the Minghui website. This was made possible by my cousin, also a fellow practitioner who gifted me a tablet with Dafa e-books and a drive that contained software to bypass internet censorship. It was an exhausting period, yet I felt truly happy.
Not long after, I discovered that the room next to mine was vacant. I began using this empty space to practice the standing exercises, and I meditated on my bed behind a curtain I put up. This saved me a great deal of time, allowing me to dedicate more energy to my studies and to Dafa activities. I know Master arranged everything. I am deeply grateful to our great Master!
During my sophomore year, we moved to a different campus. I could no longer return home every day, and there was no longer a vacant dormitory room where I could practice the standing exercises. However, I meditated every day. In the new dormitory, I studied diligently and was always ready to help others—for instance, I helped my roommates with their luggage and set up curtain rods for their beds. I would wake up shortly after 4:00 a.m. each day, meditate, send righteous thoughts, and then begin my studies.
A roommate was writing an application to join the Communist Youth League. He was clearly exhausted and kept swearing as he wrote. It was past midnight—after the time to send righteous thoughts and I felt this was an opportunity to save someone. I said, “I advise you not to join the Youth League.” He asked, “Why?”
I explained, “The Communist Youth League is a CCP organization. The Communist Party’s forefather is Karl Marx, who worshiped Satan. Since seizing power, the CCP has carried out campaigns like Land Reform, the [Three-Antis] and [Five-Antis] movements, the Anti-Rightist Campaign, the Cultural Revolution, and the June 4th [Tiananmen Square] Massacre. The CCP has killed more than 80 million Chinese people. Now, it is persecuting Falun Dafa and even harvesting organs from practitioners while they are alive. It has committed countless evils. If you are a member of this organization, you will share its fate when Heaven destroys the CCP.” I also spoke about the benefits of Falun Dafa, encouraging him to keep the phrase “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” in his heart, which would bring him peace and health.
As I talked, the other roommates gathered around to listen and said that I opened up a whole new world to them, and they asked me to continue. I explained that I had two main goals: “First, I want you to remember that ‘Falun Dafa is good’ and ‘Truthfulness- Compassion-Forbearance is good.’ Second, please withdraw from the Communist Party, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers.” They were puzzled as to why they should withdraw, asking: “How do we withdraw? How do you know all this? Where did you get this information? We aren’t bad people, why should we withdraw?”
I said, “I gained this information by bypassing the internet firewall, and I can help you with the withdrawals. It is precisely because you are not bad people that you should withdraw.” As for how to bypass the firewall, I didn’t tell them directly; instead, I encouraged them to explore that for themselves. My circumvention software was installed for me by my cousin; at the time, I didn’t know how to share it with others safely.
Not long after, during a class on Mao Zedong thought, the instructor suddenly brought up Falun Dafa. I noticed that her PowerPoint slides contained content that slandered Falun Dafa. I usually sit in the very back of the classroom, but that day, I happened to be in the front. I asked Master to strengthen my righteous thoughts, and I resolved to clarify the truth. I raised my hand, stood up, and said, “Teacher, Falun Dafa is not a cult. Its core principles are Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance; furthermore, it strictly forbids killing and suicide.” She asked, “How do you know that?” I answered, “I learned it through two channels: bypassing the internet firewall and seeing messages written on the notes I use.”
I then brought up some legal points: In the document “Gong Tong Zi [2000] No. 39”—issued jointly by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, the General Office of the State Council, and the Ministry of Public Security—Falun Gong is not included among the 14 groups designated as cults. I also cited Article 36 of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens freedom of belief, and Article 98 of the Legislation Law, which establishes the supremacy of the Constitution, requiring all local laws and regulations to be in compliance with it.
However, the instructor persisted in presenting the “Tiananmen self-immolation” lie. Feeling anxious and unsure of what to do, I was relieved when another student raised their hand, stood up, and challenged her: “How do you know whether what you see after breaking through the internet censorship is true or false?” I immediately stood up as well and said, “By bypassing the firewall, I have been able to read Zhuan Falun, Falun Dafa’s main book. It repeatedly emphasizes that one must not kill; it also states that anyone who does not follow the requirements of Falun Dafa cannot be considered a true practitioner.”
As the instructor continued to click through her slides, still focusing on the “Tiananmen self-immolation,” I spoke up: “Look—if it were truly a self-immolation, why is the hair of the people in the photos completely intact? And why is the plastic bottle—supposedly containing gasoline—not even deformed by the intense fire?” In truth, there was no plastic bottle in the slides, but in my urgency, I simply said what I knew. When she showed no sign of stopping, I stood up again and said, “Teacher, if you continue to spread the Communist Party’s lies, aren’t you misleading your students?”
She stopped. I remained standing, and a few seconds later, the class ended.
After class, the teacher spoke with me, trying to find out if a Dafa practitioner told me these things. I continued by pointing out the many suspicious aspects of the staged “Tiananmen Square self-immolation” incident: Wang Jindong’s body was charred, yet his hair remained intact; a plastic bottle wedged between his legs showed no signs of melting or deformation; and the police waited until he finished shouting his slogans before using a fire blanket to extinguish the flames. I also mentioned that Liu Chunling was actually struck and killed by an object wielded by a police officer, rather than dying from the fire.
When I finished, she asked if I planned to continue to stop her from slandering Dafa during future lessons. I replied firmly, “Yes. You cannot spread such false and erroneous information; doing so only misleads your students.”
From then on, the teacher avoided the subject. This was the first time I successfully prevented a teacher from slandering Dafa. Later, a student from a neighboring class told me that the teacher praised my courage during one of their lessons.
Then came a new challenge: a counselor summoned me to her office for a talk. I felt a bit uneasy, but I had a firm thought: “No matter what, I must not reveal any information about fellow practitioners.” The counselor claimed she just wanted to check in on me, and she asked about my studies and personal interests.
Then, she asked, “Do you have any religious beliefs?” I said, “No.” She continued, “I’ve heard you’re quite interested in Falun Dafa. Do you practice?” I said, “Falun Dafa isn’t a religion!” She smiled and asked, “How did you learn about Falun Dafa? Are there any Dafa practitioners around you?” I replied, “I get my information by bypassing the internet firewall.” I explained to her that Falun Dafa was very well-received in China when it was first introduced in 1992, but in 1999 the CCP began persecuting Falun Dafa. She asked, “Have you joined Falun Dafa?” I asked, “What do you mean by joined?” She said, “Bypassing the firewall counts as joining.” I remained silent.
She then asked, “Do you have any close friends?” Realizing she was trying to find out if I knew other practitioners, I asked, “What do you define as a close friend?” She said, “Someone you study with or eat meals with.” I replied, “No, I don’t.” She asked, “What is so good about Falun Dafa?” I said, “Falun Dafa teaches people to conduct themselves according to the principles of Truthfulness- Compassion-Forbearance.”
I suggested she read Zhuan Falun, at which point her expression suddenly turned serious. I said, “Before the persecution began in 1999, the book Zhuan Falun was very well-known—it was even named one of the top ten best-selling books in Beijing. However, following the onset of the persecution, it was banned. You wouldn’t be able to buy a copy today unless you break through the internet firewall.”
She asked what Zhuan Falun is about. I said, “It teaches us what is good and what is bad, what defines a good person versus a bad person, and how one can distinguish between the two.” Intrigued, she said, “Some of my students always complain that I’m constantly calling them in for talks; they’ve labeled me a bad person because of it.” She then asked, “So, how does one determine that?” I answered, “Zhuan Falun says that ‘Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance are the sole criteria for judging whether someone is good or bad. A person who aligns themselves with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is a good person, while one who deviates from these principles is a bad person.’” I shared three examples from Zhuan Falun regarding the elevation of one’s moral character, illustrating the positive changes and benefits that practicing Falun Dafa brings to people’s lives.
Throughout our conversation, she didn’t seem particularly interested in the facts I was sharing about Falun Dafa; instead, she was focused on whether I was a Dafa practitioner and whether I knew others who practiced. I told her: “It’s enough for you to know that I am aware of the truth about Dafa; there’s no need for you to know whether I personally practice it or not.” Realizing she wouldn’t get any further information, she let me go. Under the compassionate protection of Master, I once again managed to stay safe during a dangerous situation.
The above are a few glimpses from my path of cultivation. When it comes to saving people, I still have a significant gap compared to other diligent practitioners. I am not yet able to consistently and effectively steer the topic toward quitting the CCP, nor have I figured out how to safely distribute software for bypassing the internet firewall. I must hold myself to a higher standard, continue to improve my xinxing, and learn through technical forums how to safely share tools for bypassing the firewall, so that I may better assist Master in the Fa-rectification process.
My life has become wonderful because of Falun Dafa. I feel fortunate to have been born into a family of Dafa practitioners; through the compassionate arrangements of Master, I embarked on the path of Dafa cultivation. Since then, I have left behind a life of idleness and ignorance—I no longer drift aimlessly like ordinary people, wasting my days on mobile games and videos.
My life has become amazing because of Falun Dafa. I am deeply grateful to Master for protecting and guiding me at every moment. Whenever I feel lost, confused, or in pain, the principles of Dafa have provided the direction that has enabled me to remain steadfast on this path to this day.
My life has become wonderful because of Falun Dafa. I am grateful to Truthfulness- Compassion-Forbearance for transforming me from a bad boy into a responsible, capable, courageous, and bright young man.
I pay my deepest respects to our compassionate and great Master!
(Selected submission for the 23rd China Fa Conference on Minghui.org)