Tears Can't Wash Away Memories - In Memory of Uncle Wang Jinzhong (Photo)

By Zeng Xiaonan from Toronto

(Clearwisdom.net)

On the night of June 23, 2004, while browsing the Minghui website, I suddenly was confronted with the news that Wang Jinzhong was arrested at work by local policemen. He suffered various types of tortures at a detention center. As a result, he died on June 14, 2004. That familiar form materialized in my mind, everything around was all frozen, and only my right hand mechanically opened, closed, opened and closed the homepage. I hoped deeply within me that the person was not my friend whom I knew so well.

Mr. Wang Jinzhong, was a 48-year-old Falun Dafa practitioner, resident of Heping District, Shenyang City. On May 20, 2004, he was arrested at his workplace at Zhongshan Park by officers from the Xingshun Police Station, a substation of the Tiexi Branch Police Department in Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. After torturing him, the police sent him to Tiexi Detention Center. On the afternoon of June 14, he was tortured to death. Afterwards, the police took his dead body to a hospital. The doctors confirmed that he had died before being taken to the hospital.

Closing my tearful eyes, my memory slowly remembered Uncle Wang's upright and simple smiling face. This took me back to my childhood.

Uncle Wang's wife, Auntie Gu was my mother's colleague (Note: In China, it is common to refer to friends and respected elders as "Auntie" or "Uncle" even though no family relationship exists). They were close like sisters. Our homes was only a short distance apart, less than 200 meters. I didn't feel much difference between "his home" and "my home." Eating and sleeping at Uncle Wang's home was my most successful method to avoid being disciplined by my parents. At that time, it seemed to me that Aunt Gu's gentleness was a formidable contrast to my mother's treatment of me, which I viewed as being illogical and impolite. My most treasured childhood memory is that of myself howling under the street lamps, totally unwilling to return home with Uncle Wang. Sometimes, mother scolded him for doting on me too much. Uncle Wang always patted my head, while smiling unpretentiously. I especially liked to be around tall and strong Uncle Wang and listen to his deep and gruff voice, talking with a guileless smile.

Their daughter Wang Qian studied singing at the Music Middle School, and several conservatories wanted her to enroll. This was a happy family. I remember the simple and hard-working husband and father, a beautiful and gentle wife and a talented and intelligent daughter. The entire family enjoyed each other's company.

In 1995, uncle Wang's family began to practice Falun Gong. Not long after that, my mother began to practice it. At the same time I saw my mother's health improve greatly. I was also amazed by every little change I noticed in Uncle Wang. Once, when we were invited for dinner at his home, I found uncle was helping auntie to cut the meat. He actually had not done any such work before. During the splendid evening banquet, there was for the first time that I can remember no Fen liquor. This was generally served with every meal. Wang Qian told me quietly that her father had given away all his cigarettes and alcohol bottles after he began to practice Falun Gong. There was a big broom near the front door. The Wang' family voluntarily cleaned all the stairs of the entire building with this broom. Their family circumstances were good, but their lives became simple after they began to practice Falun Gong. They used their spare money to help others, help society and promote Falun Gong. When there was a conflict between the neighbors, they would ask everyone to look at their own shortcomings, and to be more considerate of others. The sincerity and kindness of Uncle Wang's family affected many neighbors. Because of the Wang's family, the residents in the entire building became modest and began to care for each other. Every morning, my mother, Uncle Wang's family and nearby Falun Gong practitioners practiced the exercises in the small park next to my home, while my father, I and some friends played ball or did some other sports activity nearby. T'his period was truly the most precious for me.

Right became wrong and wrong became right after July 20, 1999. As lies spread everywhere and the crackdown began, Uncle Wang and Auntie Gu appealed for Falun Gong many times and explained the truth to the government departments. However, they were unlawfully detained and fined. Later his entire family was monitored, the phone was tapped, and they were even restricted from leaving their home during sensitive periods. They had no choice, but sent their daughter, who had just enrolled in high school, to the grandmother's home, so she would avoid the persecution. In early 2001, the local policemen arrested Uncle Wang for telling people the truth of Falun Gong. He was secretly sentenced to one-year in forced labor camp without any legal procedure and detained in Shenyang Zhangshi Forced Labor Camp. During the detention, he was cruelly tortured with the electric baton. The local police would also have arrested Auntie Gu if she hadn't left home. She became homeless for two years to avoid being arrested. After Uncle Wang was released, I met him once on the street. I saw many scars, caused by the electric shock on his arms and face. During the following four years before I left China, starting in July of 1999, I never visited his home again because of all the pressure, although my home was only 200 meters away from his home. I sporadically learned news of Uncle Wang from my mother. Seeing the persecution my mother suffered (many times arrested, tortured and our home searched), it was not difficult to imagine the situation of the Wang' family. After Uncle Wang was released, his workplace leader changed his job to cleaning toilets. Uncle Wang did not complain, because he always believed that people would learn the truth some day.

In 2003, once Uncle Wang heard that I was going to emigrate to Canada, he sent me a precious gift. One day before I left, he called me. He said he could not personally see me off, because he was still under surveillance. He hoped that I would not forget to be a person that always thinks for others no matter where I lived. He said that a kind person is happy forever.

After I lived in Canada for one year, I realized that Jiang's regime spread lies about Falun Gong. Now, I began to get to know Falun Gong all over again. I finally began to practice Falun Gong. I told Uncle Wang about all the changes within me. He happily replied, "Your auntie, I and your mother were certain that you would practice Falun Gong too. The best opportunity of your life is your ability to practice Falun Gong. It is also your greatest fortune." He also said to me that it was not by accident that I could emigrate to Canada and learn Falun Gong. "You are undertaking a great mission. You must tell everyone around you who does not know the truth about the persecution your family is suffering in China. You must rescue your mother (my mother was illegally sentenced to 8 years in prison by the Chinese authorities because she practices Falun Gong)."

I listened to every word he said and held tears in my eyes. I felt Uncle Wang was standing before me, kindly patting my head and I could feel his love and caring. These words, said quickly so far away, became my last memory of Uncle Wang.

After I calmed down, I called his home. Auntie Gu answered, with a voice filled with sorrow and anger. We were silent for a long time, I could not think of words to comfort her, but remembered what Uncle Wang told me in the end: You are undertaking a great mission.......... Tell everyone around you about the persecution!

I then called Uncle Wang's workplace, the local police station and detention center, everyone that participated in persecuting him. As I inquired into the entire matter, the local police station and detention center personnel didn't respond clearly, froze up, unreasonably snapped, and even viciously threatened me. Uncle Wang's workplace leader even outrageously lied, claiming that Wang had committed suicide, because Falun Gong led him to insanity. They also allowed none of the employees to visit Wang's family. As a matter of fact, many among the staff and friends knew that uncle Wang was tortured to death by the police. They said, "Such a good person!" "What else can you do?" I could clearly hear their regrets over the phone. I sensed their feeling of hopelessness and disappointment in Chinese society. Most of the neighbors were threatened and lied to by the local community office and police station staff.

I put down the phone, because I could barely express my grief. A person believing in "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" was persecuted to death. What is more distressing is that the continuous lies are swallowing everyone's conscience. Uncle Wang's family members not only endured the pain of losing a family member, but also have to suffer from unfair slander. In this persecution that directly targets each person's conscience. Aren't' people's silence and ignorance sins against society? History will record everything. However, how would everyone position himself or herself in this time of history?

Looking at the starry sky, I can't distinguish which one belongs to Uncle Wang! Another good person tortured to death! I must tell the truth to everyone around me! I must tell those of my Chinese fellowmen who are still poisoned by Jiang's lies, that my uncle was persecuted to death for being a good person. I must tell that my mother was sentenced to 8 years for following "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance" and injected with nerve damaging drugs. Yet, my family and Uncle Wang's family is only a drop in the bucket. Millions of families are suffering because of the persecution in China. Among nearly 100 million Falun Gong practitioners in China, how many kind-hearted people experience the loss of loved ones? How many families are destroyed during this wicked catastrophe!

I sincerely wish to comfort Uncle Wang's soul in heaven with this article. I want to comfort Auntie Gu and Wang Qian for losing a family member. Perhaps tears may wash away the pain of losing a family member, but they can't wash away the many memories of a family member we hold deep in our heart.

Chinese version available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/7/18/79653.html

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