  |   Practitioners display banners and posters on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court |   |
People Are Awakening to the Truth
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(Clearwisdom.net) Eight out of ten families practice Falun Gong in a small village in Hebei Province. From the little children to the elderly, everyone knows that Falun Gong is great. One villager used to be well-known for drinking, gambling, beating his wife, and other bad habits. After he started practicing Falun Gong, he changed completely. His wife told others, "I would rather go to prison with him than have him quit practicing Falun Gong!"
Another incident has had a huge impact among the villagers. A diabetic villager in his fifties was in a terminal condition. The hospital had given up on him, and he was bedridden. When Falun Dafa practitioners spread the blessing of the Fa to him, he said, "I can be saved!" Just several months after practicing Falun Gong, he regained his health miraculously.
Regardless of the negative propaganda programs on television, the villagers know clearly that there were only about twenty people practicing Falun Gong prior to the start of the persecution in 1999, and now the number has increased to over 140.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Neighborhood Police Officers Become Aware of the Truth
A while back, a new police officer was assigned to our neighborhood. He visited each home to register all the residents. I shared the truth of Falun Dafa to him. He said that when he was on duty, any truth-clarifying leaflets and brochures brought in by informants would all be withheld without reporting them to higher authorities. The "Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance" signs posted by practitioners would not be peeled off.
One day, I went to a practitioner's home to deliver Teacher's latest articles. A neighborhood police officer that we were acquainted with was sitting in the room. I learned from him that he had family members who also practiced Falun Dafa. As we talked, he said, "Everyone in my family knows that Falun Gong is good. We have a correct understanding." The officer once told a woman, "If you believe in anything, believe in Falun Gong." We since made further contact with this woman, and she had started practicing Falun Dafa.
Village Official Becomes Aware of the Truth
In mid-January 2005, an official from Dishang Village in Houcun Town, Quzhou County, Hebei Province, went to the town government building to attend a meeting. After the meeting was over, town officials distributed several prints of paintings defaming Falun Dafa to each village official. The official from Dishang Village took a look and tore the prints apart. The town officials asked, "Why did you tear them up? We want you to take them back for posting." The village official answered, "There aren't any practitioners in our village. Why bother posting them?"
March 12, 2005
ONCE a month, Alexander Downer signs a certificate banning adherents of Falun Gong from displaying banners and making excessive noise outside the Chinese embassy in Canberra.
[...]
The real reason is that the Chinese [...] complained about signs that read "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" and "Stop the Killing", as well as the playing of exercise music with a Chinese voice-over.
According to the group, Australia is the only democratic country to impose such restrictions on its members, or practitioners, as they prefer to call themselves - an assertion the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade did not challenge when it was put to it this week.
Unfortunately, the Chinese do everything to impair the dignity of Falun Gong practitioners. Amnesty International says tens of thousands are being detained in China, mostly in "re-education through labour" centers but also in prisons and mental hospitals. It reports that total alleged deaths in custody had reached about 500 by the end of 2002.
The US State Department says that several hundred reportedly have died due to torture, abuse and neglect. Falun Gong claims to have verified 1423 deaths and that the total could be as high as 10,000. Whatever the figure, it is one of the worst examples of repression of Chinese citizens since the Cultural Revolution.
[...]
Many Australians driving past the Chinese embassy and consulates in other cities have seen the Falun Gong in action, if that is the word. It is the epitome of passive protest. They are often sitting cross-legged, meditating.
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You can draw your own conclusions why Australia finds it necessary, unlike other countries, to impose a statutory restriction on a group just because the Chinese say they are offended, as opposed to the police simply keeping an eye on members or responding to specific complaints about breaches of the law. This week the Government went further to please the Chinese by excluding Falun Gong from talks it convened in Canberra with non-government organizations on human rights in China.
These discussions are held as part of the input for the annual human rights dialogue Australia has with China. Haven't heard much about those? That is because they are held behind closed doors. Even the NGOs participate in the preliminary talks only on the condition that they do not speak about them publicly.
Falun Gong was prepared to abide by these conditions but this week it was dis-invited to the talks. Why? Because it held a protest outside the foreign affairs department to coincide with the meeting. This included displays of information about Falun Gong and a demonstration of Chinese torture methods.
A foreign affairs department spokesman said Falun Gong members had been told their attendance might have to be reconsidered but they decided to go ahead with the demonstration anyway.
"We advised them formally on Tuesday, the day before the consultations, that their invitation had been withdrawn because the protest was not consistent with the co-operative spirit of the consultations," he added.
That certainly sorts out Australian priorities. Punishing people for engaging in peaceful protest is not consistent with democratic values. These are the kinds of values we hold so dear [...].
But these values apparently are not as important as kowtowing to the Chinese. The foreign affairs spokesman said the restrictions on Falun Gong activities outside the Chinese embassy should not be interpreted "as indicating any lessening of the Government's concern for the rights of Falun Gong practitioners" and that these concerns had been raised at the last dialogue in October.
The annual dialogue is a means of quarantining human rights issues to a private meeting and is a substitute for public criticisms of China's appalling human rights record, including in the UN Human Rights Commission. As Australian ambassador to China Alan Thomas put it last year: "I don't get up with a microphone in Tiananmen Square and that is appreciated [by the Chinese Government]."
Australia argues that this approach is more effective, but the results are hard to find. Australia has raised a series of individual Falun Gong cases in the annual dialogues, including, in two consecutive years, that of the brother of an Australian citizen arrested in China for being a Falun Gong practitioner. "He still died in a labour camp," says Rubacek.
Yes, it is important to have good relations with China and not only because they buy lots of our goods. And no, we should not pretend that a country of our size is ever going to have a big influence on Chinese behaviour. But that does not mean we always have to bend over backwards further than any other country to find favour. [...]
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12515306%255E7583,00.html
(Clearwisdom.net) "Question Time" is the premier political debating program broadcast on the UK's BBC One TV station. On Thursday March 10, the program did a special broadcast live from Shanghai in China with a panel featuring former Hong Kong Governor and EU Commissioner Chris Patten and writer and broadcaster Isabel Hilton, as well as a Chinese Government representative. A studio audience made up of Shanghai residents and visitors put forward questions for discussion.
One Chinese man asked the question, "Do you endorse the description of the human rights situation in China made by the most recent U.S. annual human rights report." The host of the show quoted the U.S. report, saying it "accused China of serious human rights violations including the killing and torture of dissidents" and that "the authorities are quick to suppress religious, political and social groups."
The first speaker to address this issue was Isabel Hilton, who quickly agreed with the U.S. report, telling the Shanghai audience and millions of viewers that "there have been many deaths in custody of Falun Gong practitioners." Ms. Hilton went on to list other human rights abuses happening in China and pointed out that it is not only the U. S. State Department that is critical of China's human rights.
In response to this point, the host of the show quoted Amnesty International's recent report on China's human rights, which states that "a growing number of brave individuals in China...are facing arrest torture and even death," for standing up for their basic freedoms. Ms. Hilton again agreed with the statement and pointed out that in China, several hundred people have died of abuse in custody over the last few years.
Source: http://clearharmony.net/articles/200503/25323.html
(Clearwisdom.net) At noon on March 11, 2005, Washington, DC practitioners went to the U.S. Supreme Court and exposed Jiang Zemin's factions' crimes of genocide and brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.
| | Practitioners display banners and posters on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court | |
  Explaining the facts to passers-by |   "I Support Falun Gong" |   Explaining the facts to passers-by |
(Clearwisdom.net) The main book of Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun, was published in Slovak in March 2005.
Zhuan Falun, written by Master Li Hongzhi, is the main text of the Falun Gong cultivation practice system. It was first published in China at the end of 1994 and became a bestseller in Beijing in 1996.
The book is easy to read but contains profound principles. It benefits practitioners in health improvements and upgrading both mind and body, and leads people to ascend to higher levels. The teachings in the book have changed millions of lives. Falun Gong practitioners in Slovakia hoped that the Slovak people would have the opportunity to read and experience the depth of this book, and thus translated this book into Slovak.
At the end of 2004, a poll was taken of some tens of thousands of readers in Australia, to determine the bestsellers among 5,000 books. When the Australia Broadcasting Corporation reported the top 100 bestsellers, the only book on cultivation from the East, Zhuan Falun, was listed as No. 14 among books mainly written by Western writers.
As of mid-February 2004, Zhuan Falun had been translated into 25 languages and published around the world. It was welcomed by people from all walks of life. At the end of February 2005, a new Hebrew edition of Zhuan Falun was published and made available to readers.
Zhuan Falun in Slovak (ISBN 80-88969-23-9), as well as the book, Falun Gong (ISBN 80-88969-16-6) can be ordered from CAD Press publishing house.
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, Falun Gong practitioners in Finland submitted signatures of appeal to the Foreign Minister of Finland to help end the persecution of Falun Dafa in China. The official in charge of human rights affairs in Finland's Foreign Ministry sent the Falun Gong students a letter in response, which indicated the continuous concern by the Finnish government for the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese government.
The official in charge of human rights affairs expressed his appreciation for the letter sent in by the Falun Gong students. He also acknowledged that letters from other areas of Finland had been received, appealing on behalf of Falun Gong. He affirmed the ministry's awareness of the letters of appeals that Falun Gong practitioners gathered to stop the persecution in China, as well as the special report regarding the human rights violations against children.
The official indicated that, as part of the continuous concern for China's human rights situation, Falun Gong will receive more attention in the relationship between Finland and China as well as in the human rights dialogue between the European Union and China. He stated that he took human rights reports provided by non-governmental organizations very seriously, and said that he hoped to maintain constructive cooperation in the future.
(Clearwisdom.net) At noon on March 8, Student Peace Action Network (SPAN) at the University of Texas Arlington (UTA) held an event at the Central Library mall on campus to rescue Falun Gong practitioner Qu Yanlai and to let more kind-hearted people know about the plight of this excellent young scholar.
 Practitioner Qu Yanlai |
Several members of SPAN displayed posters and banners, and distributed informational material about Falun Dafa as well as information about the plight of Qu Yanlai. They also invited local Falun Gong practitioners to demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises.
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University Student Organization Works to Rescue Falun Gong Practitioners
SPAN is a popular student organization which has chapters in many universities across the U.S. Its goal is to bring an end to violence in the U.S. and overseas. Mr. Zack Salo, the president of SPAN's Arlington Chapter, said, "The purpose for us to hold this event is to help Falun Gong practitioners. Through the practitioners' exercise demonstration and distributing fliers, we want to let more students on campus know what Falun Gong is and expose the ongoing human rights violations against Falun Gong in China. We hope that more people will pay close attention to this issue."
UTA engineering Professor Bei Gou is a graduate of Shanghai University of Transportation (SUT), and is also a member of the World Organization to Rescue Falun Gong Practitioners Persecuted in China, SUT Chapter. Professor Gou has participated in efforts to rescue Mr. Qu Yanlai before.
Dr. Gou said: "Qu Yanlai is outstanding; he graduated from the Department of Energy Engineering of SUT in 2000. He was a participant in the National Olympics Chemistry and Mathematics Competitions. He is also, however, widely respected more for his noble character. Since he started practicing Falun Gong, he strictly follows the principles of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance,' giving priority to the needs of others and helping others unconditionally. He once donated his savings, clothes and bedding to classmates who were in great financial difficulty. Such an outstanding student, however, was secretly arrested and illegally sentenced to 5 years in prison for his unyielding belief in Falun Dafa."
Recently, minghui.ca [the Chinese version of Clearwisdom.net] reported that Mr. Qu has been holding a hunger strike continuously for 780 days to protest the brutal persecution, while the authorities have on four occasions turned down his attorney's request to meet with him. Dr. Gou feels the responsibility to let more people know about the genocidal campaign against Falun Gong and to help end this persecution. He said, "As a fellow practitioner and alumnus of SUT, I admire the courage of Qu Yanlai and support him wholeheartedly."
Practitioners' Compassion has Received Increasing Respect from around the World
While the persecution launched and maintained by Jiang Zemin's regime and the Chinese Communist Party has lasted for nearly 6 years, millions of practitioners have never stopped their efforts to expose the evil nature of the persecution, and to expose the lies of the Chinese communist regime. Practitioners risk the danger of arrest, beatings, incarceration and even death, for their brave actions.
In the past 6 years, the Chinese Communist Party has never applied the rule of law towards Falun Gong practitioners. Therefore, there is enormous pressure and difficulty facing legal professionals, such as attorney Guo Guanting, who step forward to defend the rights of Falun Gong practitioners including Qu Yanlai. Dr. Gou said: "From this case, I see the noble character and the best of humanity in Attorney Guo. The righteous actions of Guo Guanting deserve international attention, support and respect."
In an open letter published by Attorney Guo on the Internet, Mr. Guo expressed how he was moved by practitioners' compassion and integrity, and he referred to Mr. Qu Yanlai as "my honorable client." Attorney Guo also described how Mr. Qu's mother called him twice concerning his own security without mentioning her son, while in fact her son was in critical condition and great pain because of persecution. Mr. Guo said: "I was so touched and realized that compassion is so powerful.''
This is the first-ever event of this kind organized by SPAN UTA chapter. The communication between practitioners and the organization was surely a process of truth clarification. In the end, SPAN decided to hold this event and have its members distribute Falun Gong materials. This reporter heard SPAN members telling passers-by: "Falun Gong is not a religion and it has nothing to do with politics. They believe in the principles of 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance'... and why is he [Qu Yanlai] being persecuted? Because he holds on to his belief firmly and never gives up."
Dr. Gou said: "Through the five-years-plus effort of truth clarification by practitioners, we now see more and more kind-hearted people who have learned the truth. Practitioners' noble actions have touched people and won their respect. I am so pleased to see the help offered by SPAN UTA chapter."
Rescue Effort Helps People Understand the Truth
Though it was the spring break at UTA, there were still many students passing by the library. Local practitioners were invited to demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises in front of the library. They also displayed posters reading, "Urgent! Rescue Falun Gong Practitioners," as well as other information and photos along the walkway.
  Distributing fliers |   Telling students about the persecution |
One student carefully studied all the posters, and she expressed her sympathy to Qu Yanlai who was tortured simply for his belief. She said that she wanted to sign her name to support him. When she learned that practitioners hadn't prepared petition forms for this event, she said that she would write to her congressman to urge him to pay closer attention to the persecution in China. Moreover, this student was very interested in the exercises and said that she would contact local practitioners later to learn Falun Gong.
  Practitioners meditating |   Practitioners meditating |   A young practitioner meditating |
When practitioners were demonstrating the Falun Gong exercises, many people who were relaxing and enjoying the sunshine nearby were attracted by the serene and peaceful scene. A young man told a practitioner that he had been planning to learn Falun Gong for a long time and yet had never found time to contact local practitioners. He was very happy to see practitioners on campus. The practitioner told him about an upcoming Falun Gong workshop on March 20. There were also many others who asked for information about the workshop.
A gentleman who has a strong interest in China talked with a practitioner for a long time. For several years, he has been tracking news about the persecution of Falun Gong and other groups by the Chinese Communist Party. He was very happy to meet practitioners and he told a practitioner that he could feel the positive energy emitted by practitioners. He also suggested that practitioners work more with other international organizations such as Amnesty International, to help stop the persecution.
(Clearwisdom.net) When the Chinese Government launched its persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999, it was looking for a quick kill - three months to be exact. Jiang Zemin, the main perpetrator of the persecution, claimed, "I just do not believe the Communist Party cannot conquer Falun Gong." The very fact that the persecution is still going on, however, sends an unmistakable message: Falun Gong is still standing in China, and Falun Gong practitioners are still going strong!
The sacrifices made by Falun Gong practitioners are tremendous. From what has leaked through the tight media control of the Chinese government, we know that over 1,400 Falun Gong practitioners have died at the hands of police.
What makes Falun Gong practitioners so resilient? What are they insisting on? A new book, Stories of Conscience, addresses the significance and nature of this historical event from the angle of human conscience. As stated in the book's preface:
"Why are Falun Gong practitioners so unyielding to coercion? Why are they so uncompromising in insisting on their conscience? If right and wrong can be compromised, why have right and wrong? If good can cave in to evil, what will values and principles be based on? Conscience, the innate knowing of goodness, is the very essence of humanity. Everything else, even our 'inalienable rights,' can be forcibly taken away. The alteration of our conscience, no matter how small, must be consented to from within. Conscience, thus, defines human nature, and the right to conscience is a human being's most fundamental right.
"No crime, therefore, is worse than the crime against conscience. The Chinese government's persecution of Falun Gong not only violates Falun Gong practitioners' right to conscience, but is also an assault aimed at the destruction of human nature."
Through eleven heart-touching stories, Stories of Conscience describes not only how barbaric the persecution is, but, much more importantly, it eloquently portrays practitioners' gallant defense of humanity and their conscious choice of goodness in resisting evil. The simple narration brings to life those who have lost their lives during the persecution, presents these real, kind and common people to the world, and gives a new meaning to peace, courage and conscience through their stories and experiences. The barbaric persecution will become a distant past in the near future when the evildoers are reduced to dust, but Falun Gong practitioner's conscience, courage, and sacrifice will forever remain humanity's most precious heritage.
Even though this book was published only one week ago, an abundance of positive feedback has been received. One reader, who formerly held a suspicious attitude towards Falun Gong, said after reading just a few pages of this book, "These stories are thought- provoking. What can I do [for these practitioners]?" When told this book does not require the reader to do anything, he said, "Well, that's true. But when you read a book like this, you naturally think about what you can do to help."
Another reader said, "It's unbelievable. Falun Gong has an incredible strength that enables its practitioners to endure one round of brutal torture after another." As a qigong lover, he has been exploring various kinds of qigong. But due to the misleading information provided by the media, he had been evading Falun Gong. Now he is very happy to read this book and thinks it will undoubtedly change his life. This person not only wants to learn Falun Gong himself, but he also wants his son to join him.
Stories of Conscience is published by the Falun Gong Human Rights Working Group (www.falunhr.org). Readers can download this book free of charge from http://www.falunhr.org/reports/2005/Report2005.pdf
Those who would like to purchase this book, please contact info@falunhr.org.
(Clearwisdom.net) On February 19th, Falun Gong practitioners in northern Germany were invited to participate in the Vietnamese New Year Celebration in Bremen. Vietnamese residents from Bremen and the surrounding districts celebrated the Vietnamese New Year. Every year for fifteen years, Bremen's Vietnamese community has come together for this event, which offers elaborate stage performances and delicious Vietnamese food.
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| Many long discussions were held at the information stall with interested visitors |
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| A short history of Falun Gong |
A small photo exhibition detailed the journey of Falun Dafa. The pictures started in 1992, when the practice was first brought to the public, and went on to show the numerous awards and recognitions that reflected Falun Gong's popularity among the Chinese people before the persecution began. For his own wicked interest, however, former Chinese president Jiang Zemin banned Falun Gong in July 1999 and thereafter launched a vicious campaign of genocide and suppression that has already resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 innocent people.
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| Many children waited patiently in line to learn to fold lotus flowers. They watched and learned. Not surprisingly, many returned again and again. | |
The highlight for the visitors was the "Dunhuang dance," performed on-stage by one of the Falun Gong practitioners. Dunhuang is cultural town in Northwestern China, where thousands of priceless ancient paintings and sculptures were discovered in the 19th Century. The dance was to depict the beautiful ancient Chinese culture. As soon as the first tones of the music for the "Dunhuang dance" were heard, the visitors gave the performer their undivided attention. The onlookers found the dance beautiful and charming. Immediately following the performance, the president of the Vietnamese Association presented the dancer with a bouquet of flowers. He expressed his appreciation for the stable and happy cooperative relationship between his association and Falun Gong practitioners.
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| A Dafa practitioner performs the graceful "Dunhuang dance" |
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| A bouquet of flowers from the Vietnamese Association's President, with thanks for the wonderful dance performance. |
Source http://clearharmony.net/articles/200503/25325.html
(Clearwisdom.net) My daughter's nickname is Kaixin, which means "joyful" in Chinese, and her official name is Huang Ying. Her mother, Luo Zhixiang, was a Falun Dafa practitioner who died from the brutality of the Guangzhou police. My little daughter was separated from her mother when she was only three months old. She lost her mother at the age of one and a half. This caused her young mind to be deeply troubled.
As a result of the all-out efforts of numerous Falun Dafa practitioners, my daughter finally arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, on December 10, 2004, reuniting her with her father. She also has been granted asylum status by the Thai Government.
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I was trying my best to make Kaixin happy. However, what I worried about happened. Every night, Kaixin cried in her sleep. In the beginning, I sent righteous thoughts toward her because I thought she was being interfered with by the evil. It was not very effective. She still cried continuously at night. She also sounded different than other children. She tried to suppress it, and apparently was in great misery.
"Kaixin, do you miss Mom?" I asked. Only then, did Kaixin cry out loudly, "I miss Mom! Others have their moms, but I don't. Oh, I miss Mom so much! I want Mom! Dad, I don't remember what Mom looked like!" She started crying again and I held her tightly and also burst into tears.
 Kaixin's mother, Luo Zhixiang was killed in the persecution by officers of the Tianhe District 610 Office in Guangzhou City |  Kaixin's mother, Luo Zhixiang, and father, Huang Guohua |
Even now, the Chinese Communist Party is continuing its crazed persecution against Falun Dafa practitioners in China. Let's voice our strongest condemnation of the brutality of the Chinese Communist Party and put an end to this cruel persecution, which has lasted almost six years!
(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Zhou Decheng, a Falun Dafa practitioner who lived in Kaoshan Town, Nong'an County, Jilin Province, was 73 years old. On November 7, 2000, Mr. Zhou went to a fellow practitioner's home carrying two banners with the words, "Falun Dafa is Good!" He was reported, arrested, and taken to the Kaoshan Police Substation from his home, by former Substation Director Fan Hongbin (male) and a group of policemen. They later sent Mr. Zhou to the County Political Security Office.
In the Nong'an County Political Security Office, five to six policemen beat Zhou Decheng mercilessly. Two of his front teeth were knocked out, and blood gushed from his nose and mouth. Even as he bled profusely, the elderly man still shouted loudly and strongly, "Falun Dafa is good!" Another policeman grabbed Mr. Zhou's hair and slammed his head against the wall. They detained Zhou Decheng for 15 days, and ordered him to pay more than four hundred yuan for "room and board" before releasing him. The police went to Mr. Zhou's home afterwards to harass and threaten him, and they ransacked his home several times.
Mr. Zhou Decheng died on October 21, 2004. The doctor found that he died from cerebral thrombosis (stroke) caused by the head injury he sustained during detention.
(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Zhang Shushan, 61 years old, was a Falun Dafa practitioner who lived in the Fifth Dujia Group, Shuangyang District, Changchun City, Jilin Province. He was sent to a forced labor camp because of appealing for Falun Dafa in Beijing. After being tortured repeatedly, Mr. Zhang died on February 27, 2005.
The first time he went to Beijing to appeal, Mr. Zhang Shushan was arrested and detained for fifteen days. In 2001, before the Chinese New Year (January 24), he walked more than twenty days to Tiananmen Square, and was sentenced to two years in a forced labor camp. Mr. Zhang was tortured in the Chaoyanggou Labor Camp in Changchun City.
In April 2002, Falun Dafa practitioners were brutally tortured in the labor camp. Eyewitnesses said that Mr. Zhang declared that anything he had said or written under torture was null and void. He declared that he was "Firmly cultivating Falun Dafa!" Deputy Director Liu Wenrui (male) of the Third Ward and a uniformed guard surnamed Peng beat him mercilessly that night. They struck him hard with the handle of a shovel, shocked him with an electric baton and whipped him with a belt. They tortured Mr. Zhang for several hours, then dragged him to a restroom, stripped him naked, poured cold water on his body, and then shocked him again with the electric baton. Finally, the villains poured a salt solution on his wounds and someone even shouted, "Rub some salt on his wounds!" No matter how brutal the torture was, Mr. Zhang did not give in one bit.
On February 25, 2003, Mr. Zhang's term ended. However, instead of being released, he was sent to the Xinglongshan Brainwashing Class by the Shuangyang District 610 Office because he continued to practice Falun Dafa. Due to the relentless abuse and the poor living environment in detention, Mr. Zhang suffered from scabies. When the scabies developed into a severe condition, the authorities injected him with an unknown drug that made his legs turn dark and swollen. Zhang Shushan was very weak and appeared to be dying. The police were afraid to be held responsible for his death, and notified his family to pick him up at the end of March or beginning of April 2003. He was quite ill and undernourished upon returning home. Mr. Zhang never recovered and eventually died on February 27, 2005.
(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Gao Jun was born on May 6, 1972, and lived on Xinghua Street, Ganjingzi District, Dalian City, Liaoning Province. He started practicing Falun Gong in late 1998. After starting the practice, his previous illnesses including psoriasis, parotid gland lump, and gastritis all vanished. He also quit smoking and drinking, and thoroughly let go of his previous thoughts of committing suicide due to the failure of his career. Falun Gong saved his life.
On July 20, 1999, the head of the evildoers in China started to arbitrarily persecute Falun Gong. Gao Jun was beaten by the police for going to the city government to peacefully appeal, and was arrested and incarcerated twice.
When he went to Beijing to appeal, Gao Jun was illegally incarcerated for a total of three days in the Jinzhou City Police Department in Beijing. After he was sent back to Dalian City, Xinghua Police Station personnel escorted him to the Yaojiao Detention Center where he was held for a month. The police subjected him to forced labor and compelled him to write the guarantee statement. After his release Mr. Gao was further monitored and watched, and his daily activities had to be reported to the police station. Because policeman Dong Shiguo often came to his home to harass him, and called him in and verbally abused him, Mr. Gao became homeless in order to avoid further persecution.
As Gao Jun was a new practitioner when the persecuted started, he knew few fellow practitioners. So he had to stay in the homes of his friends or classmates who did not practice Falun Gong. Due to the persecution, Mr. Gao lost the environment for Fa study and exercise practice, and his lump returned and his health deteriorated. Gao Jun died on February 6, 2005, at the age of thirty-three.
This is a letter by organization Friends of Falun Gong.
March 8, 2005
Mr. Guo is a practicing lawyer with the Tianyi Law Firm in Shanghai. He has acted as a defense attorney for many well-known dissidents and Falun Gong practitioners, and is generally recognized as one of the few lawyers in China's legal community who has the courage to face political pressure from Chinese authorities on these delicate legal matters. On February 23, 2005 the Bureau of Justice in Shanghai searched Mr. Guo's office, confiscated his legal license, and took his computer. We further understand that authorities have banned him from his legal practice for one year. On March 4, 2005 the Bureau of Justice of Shanghai held a hearing regarding Mr. Guo's punishment and will deliver an official verdict in two weeks. Allegedly, Mr. Guo indicated that Shanghai authorities told him the reason for this treatment was because he was acting as a defense counsel for two Falun Gong practitioners. Consequently, we at Friends of Falun Gong USA are extremely concerned for Mr. Guo's immediate safety and well being.
Falun Gong is an ancient Chinese spiritual meditation practice that consists of five gentle exercises and postures, along with a self-improvement component of teachings. The teachings are summarized as Truth, Compassion, and Tolerance. Many liken Falun Gong's technique to the ancient practices of tai-chi or yoga. The discipline was made public in May of 1992 by its founder, Li Hongzhi. Today, Falun Gong is practiced in over 60 countries.
According to Chinese government census estimates taken in the mid 1990's, as many as 100 million people were identified as practicing Falun Gong, including high-ranking officials within the Communist Party. In turn, former head of state Jiang Zemin outlawed the peaceful practice in July 1999. One theory for the persecution is that Jiang may have perceived a threat to his own power over the masses after seeing so many of his people voluntarily following the ideas and teachings of a practice independent of Communist doctrine. Unable to crush the millions who experienced improved health and positive life changes from practicing Falun Gong, Jiang and the Communist regime intensified its propaganda campaign to turn public opinion against the practice while quietly imprisoning, torturing and even murdering those who practice it. Currently, over 1,400 confirmed deaths have been reported, and hundreds of thousands are feared to be tortured in labor camps and prisons throughout China.
From a purely legal point of view, the Chinese Communist Party's persecution of Falun Gong is groundless and even violates articles in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China that guarantee freedom of belief, speech, association and assembly. No actual law has been passed in China forbidding Falun Gong. Rather, two "announcements" were issued. The first was issued by the Ministry of Public Security. It forbids Falun Gong from hanging banners with Falun Gong references, assembling in public, or to appeal for Falun Gong. The second was issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and it banned the continuation of the Falun Dafa Research Association. Ironically, according to the Chinese Constitution, any departmentally issued regulations that contradict the Constitution are technically deemed invalid. Yet, this clause within the Chinese Constitution continues to be trampled on by the Communist Party. The tragic result is that this behavior creates an environment where any verbal "order" or whim by Party leaders, such as not allowing lawyers to provide a fair and legitimate defense for Falun Gong practitioners, automatically overrules law.
Mr. Guo has historically demonstrated a great sense of justice and ethical courage for the plight of human rights in China, and has even published articles on the Internet in China when legal and constitutional protocols have been compromised. In his article entitled "Chinese lawyers are useless," Mr. Guo expressed indignation that his client Qu Yanlai, a Falun Gong practitioner, had to go on a hunger strike for 780 days without food and water, "the longest and the greatest in human history," in order obtain a genuine lawyer for his defense while on trial. Even after such suffering, Mr. Guo, serving as the defense lawyer, was refused access to his client four times. Mr. Guo stated that, "according to Chinese law, a lawyer has the right to meet his client even if his client is in prison, and the prison must arrange for the meeting within 48 hours In Qu Yanlai's case, however, 103,680 hours had passed. I requested to meet him four times, yet the prison openly violated the law and refused to arrange any meeting for him to see his lawyer!" It is very likely Mr. Guo's articles will be used as "evidence of crimes" by Chinese authorities to begin their persecution and abuse of him.
We consider Mr. Guo's exceptional courage to be something worth protecting and advocating for. We would like to request your assistance in this matter by asking you to express your concerns for Mr. Guo's situation to the Bureau of Justice in Shanghai, and the congress of China. In particular, we would like the Bureau of Justice to immediately stop their unconstitutional persecution of Mr. Guo, return his license, and ensure that Mr. Guo can carry out his legal practice in an unhampered environment.
(Clearwisdom.net) I obtained the Fa in August of 1996. After practicing the exercises for the first time, Teacher purified my body. I felt very light and happy. I knew that I had learned the true purpose of life and my heart became so peaceful.
During my personal cultivation period, my family respected my belief, and we all enjoyed the happiness endowed on us by the sacred Fa.
On July 20, 1999, the Chinese government suddenly started persecuting Falun Gong. At first, I did not know what to do. I needed to think calmly about my cultivation path over the previous three years. I considered other practitioners that I knew, what they had experienced and all the changes that I had experienced both physically and spiritually. I felt very fortunate that I had taken the path of cultivation. Teacher said in the article "Rationality," "...those who attack goodness are bound to be evil." (Essentials for Further Advancement II)
I decided to go to Beijing to appeal to the government about the persecution of Falun Gong. On the train to Beijing, I met a mother and son who were also on their way to Beijing to appeal. The son worked at the Public Security Bureau. They said that they wanted to say a fair word for Falun Gong. However, once in Beijing, I realized that there was nowhere to appeal. We went to the Appeals Office, but we were forced into a police van as soon as we said that we were appealing for Falun Gong. At the Public Security office, I met practitioners from various provinces throughout the country. We all had tears in our eyes. Although we did not say a word, we held hands together. I was soon sent back to my hometown and detained in the local detention center. During my detention, my wife [who does not practice Falun Gong] could not take the intense pressure of all the persecution and attempted to commit suicide. Fortunately she was sent to the hospital in time, but there are many other families in China who face a similar situation and are still suffering.
In April of 2001, the authorities damaged a truth-clarification materials production site in our area. I was arrested a second time.
During the detention, I faced numerous tests that targeted my attachments, but nothing could change my determined heart. At that time, my grandfather was suffering from late-stage lung cancer. On one occasion my mother asked my grandmother to visit me in jail. During the visit she cried the whole time. She told me that my grandfather desperately wanted to see me before he died. She asked me to write a repentance statement so that I could be released. She then cried again, sat on the floor and refused to get up. I told her that I also wanted to get out, but I could not say things against my conscience to do so. I said I would go home in a dignified manner. The next afternoon, my parents and my wife took me home. When I left, the police at the detention center told the head of the court in my town, "He was still practicing the exercises at noon today. You need to keep a close eye on him."
Once I got home, I saw that my family members had all become gaunt due to the tremendous pressure of the persecution and from the misunderstanding of society. My mother had attempted suicide several times. I deeply understood the brutal torture of practitioners and their families.
My family closely watched over me and tried to stop me from going outside by myself. I had to study the Fa and practice the exercises secretly. At one point I felt very desperate. At that moment I finally realized why the old forces used excuses to put me into a detention center. What a strong attachment to sentimentality I had! I thought of the pain my wife suffered when she was hospitalized after attempting suicide, and the pressure my parents sustained after my arrest. This heart of fearing my family would suffer because of me, controlled me. My xinxing is like a container full of water. Adding even a little more water will cause it to overflow. On the one hand I wanted to rid myself of this attachment, and on the other hand this attachment was still continually controlling me. I had a deeper understanding of what Teacher said in the article, "True Cultivation:"
"Cultivation itself is not painful--the key lies in your inability to let go of ordinary human attachments. Only when you are about to let go of your reputation, interests, and feelings will you feel pain."
I gradually let go of my attachment to sentimentality through studying the Fa. After sharing with fellow practitioners, I enlightened to the understanding that I needed to clarify the truth to my family in a dignified manner and rectify my surrounding environment. I put "truth-clarification" flyers and VCDs on my neighbors' doors so that they could all see the truth of Falun Gong and the persecution. I told them about the spread of Falun Dafa all around the world and about the torture the practitioners suffered in detention. As my righteous thoughts became stronger, my attachment was getting weaker. The process of ridding myself of this attachment was also a process of improving my character. I felt that the entire exterior situation in my life at that time was pointing out this attachment.
Before, I did not have a clear understanding of Teacher's words in the article, "Eliminate Your Last Attachment(s):"
"All of you are already aware of the principle of mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition. If you are not afraid, the factor that would make you afraid will cease to exist."
In Teacher's article, "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference," Teacher said:
"If you can all keep a calm and steady state of mind while being assaulted by strong words, and you're not at all affected, then see if those factors still exist."
I suddenly realized that if we do not have a certain attachment, the old forces will certainly not arrange tests that target our attachment. We must oppose this persecution and deny the arrangements of the old forces. We need to fundamentally let go of all human attachments and meet the requirements of Dafa at different levels. This process is also harmonizing what Teacher has asked us to do, including clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings.
As soon as I relinquished my attachment, my enlightened nature developed great compassion towards sentient beings. I constantly felt that I had not done enough to save them. Countless sentient beings and their corresponding boundless universes have already come to the edge of being destroyed. I can almost see the desperation in their eyes and feel the pain they feel knowing that they can no longer be saved. Many of these people used to be Teacher's relatives! We cannot give up on those who are still savable nor can we abandon our fellow practitioners who still have human attachments and have not stepped forward. No attachments can be brought to heaven. Those personal things that we cannot let go of, or do not wish to relinquish, are so insignificant compared to the magnificence of practitioners in the Fa-rectification period. However, those human attachments will eventually wear down our strong will to cultivate and save sentient beings. At this moment when the Fa rectification is about to come to an end, every practitioner is waking up the conscience of sentient beings with their great compassion, so that people can come to know the truth. When the Fa-rectification reaches the human world, I hope that every practitioner can say, "I always tried my best to save sentient beings, and I have no regrets."
(Clearwisdom.net) Since the arrest of Dafa disciple Mr. Li Qiu by the Senior High School attached to the Nanpiao Mine Bureau and policemen from Huangjiajie Police Station, Nanpiao Dafa disciples have quickly exposed the evil persecution in their local area on the Internet. They have been sending forth righteous thoughts every evening at four, five, and six o' clock with strong and focused minds, eliminating the evil factors that persecute Dafa disciples.
Meanwhile, for nights on end, Dafa disciples printed thousands of pamphlets containing information about Mr. Li Qiu's arrest and his home's invasion by the school authorities. In addition, they listed the names of the local policemen who were involved. These pamphlets, entitled "Persecution is Happening Right Next to You," were distributed to various places throughout the area.
Dafa disciples wrote and then distributed thousands of letters about Mr. Li Qiu's arrest to local citizens and local government and party officials, as well as the local Public Security Bureau and its many police stations. The main goal was to clarify the facts and kindly advise the authorities not to do evil by persecuting Falun Dafa and Dafa disciples.
Dafa disciples also posted the following statements on the buildings of the local government and 610 Office: "There is nothing wrong with cultivating Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance and being virtuous. Release Li Qiu immediately," "Falun Dafa is good," "Policemen Sun Fengchen, Dai Jinghui, Zhang Tongguang and Meng Xiangjun, as law enforcing agents, violated the law. Li Qiu is innocent." "Falun Dafa has spread around the world."
In other areas of Nanpiao District, even more posters could be seen. A banner, seven meters high and one and a half meters wide, with the words "Falun Dafa is upright" and other similar scrolls were hanging from the bridge in front of the local government building. Statements such as, "It is a crime for the police to arrest good citizens," "Good is rewarded; evil provokes karmic retribution. This is a universal principle," and "Open trial of Jiang Zemin all over the world," were posted on the walls near the building of the Security Bureau. At the same time, family members of Mr. Li Qiu went to the local police station and the local Public Security Bureau to ask for Li Qiu's release and brought a lawsuit against those responsible. Practitioners both at home and abroad have made numerous telephone calls and written many letters to clarify the truth to the people in the Nanpiao area.
The righteous thoughts and actions have effectively restrained the evil from carrying out further persecution against Mr. Li Qiu. The perpetrators have become quite frightened. The deputy director of Nanpiao Public Security Bureau, Sun Fengchen, received a call from a practitioner telling him about the karmic retribution that occurred to local people, Su Fengkui and Hao Shushan, who were once involved in persecuting Dafa practitioners. Upon hearing this, Sun put down the phone and left his office hastily.
The righteous factors are eliminating the evil. We hope that every practitioner continues to send forth more righteous thoughts and does not let up.
(Clearwisdom.net) In October 2004, about 900 Falun Gong practitioners were illegally detained in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp. As of mid-February, 688 Falun Gong practitioners were still detained there. On February 1, 2005, because practitioners on the first floor shouted, "Falun Dafa is good!" at least three practitioners were sent away in a police vehicle. The guards in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp said they were sent to Dabei Prison. Several days later, more practitioners were sent away, and the guards said they were sent to the Criminal Team.
One morning in January 2005, several Falun Gong practitioners detained in the Second Brigade shouted from the window, "Falun Dafa is good," "Falun Dafa is righteous," "Stop the persecution," "Release us unconditionally." Their ongoing protest discouraged the guards at the Masanjia Labor Camp.
Falun Gong practitioners in the First, Second, and Third Brigades who went on a hunger strike to protest the illegal arrest were all locked up behind the iron gate on the first floor. They shouted, "Falun Dafa is good" countless times, 24 hours a day. The practitioners who were locked up in the "small cell" in the No. 4 "Comprehensive Building" [a place at Masanjia Forced Labor Camp where steadfast Dafa practitioners are tortured even more severely] also shouted, "Falun Dafa is good!" In order to muffle the protest, the guards played rock'n'roll music at a high volume, but still couldn't drown out the practitioners' righteous voices. As a result, the authorities of the labor camp sent several male guards into the building to brutally suppress the female practitioners, but the sound of "Falun Dafa is good" is still heard every day.
Falun Gong practitioners Ms. Li Mei, 37 years old, from Dalian City, Liaoning Province, and Ms. Yi Wei, over 40 years old, from Yuhong District, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province, were locked up in the restroom for about 6 days. Currently, Li Mei is being persecuted in the "Comprehensive Building." Some practitioners were detained in the warehouse, which is normally used to store raw materials used for the forced labor. Ms. Xu Jun, who is over 60 years old, from Fushun City, Liaoning Province, was detained in the gloomy, cold, damp warehouse and subjected to brainwashing for 2 months. Ms. Li Baojie, from Panjin City, Liaoning Province, was detained in the Fourth Subteam of the Third Brigade. Ms. Yang Liwei, from Benxin City, Liaoning Province, has been on a hunger strike for 3 months and has been force-fed all this time. As a result of the maltreatment, a practitioner who is over 40 years old, from Dandong City, Liaoning Province, shows symptoms of uterine cancer; she has been confined to bed and needs two people to help her when using the restroom.
When Ms. Liu Jingwen from Shenyang City was sent from the Longshan Forced Labor Camp to Masanjia Forced Labor Camp in October 2004, a tall male team leader with the last name Feng from the Longshan Forced Labor Camp beat her and knocked out one of her teeth. She has been on a hunger strike for about 3 months and is very weak. When Ms. Liu Jinzhi from the Third Subteam refused to do forced labor, Li Mingyu, head of the Third Brigade, threatened her. He said that if she still refused to work, her term would be extended and she would be sentenced to prison. Ms. Liu Jinzhi's sister, Ms. Liu Jinying, was detained in the Second Brigade.
The guards in Masanjia have been persecuting Falun Gong practitioners using even more insidious and covert means. They often call out the head of the cell and give her their orders in secret. They supervise, closely monitor and have increased the severity of the maltreatment of the firm practitioners. The guards also spread rumors to try to create disagreements and mistrust among practitioners. For example, they spread lies among the isolated steadfast practitioners, saying that other practitioners have been "reformed" or yielded to the pressure and gave information to the authorities.
Su Jing, the chief of the Second Section, is deceitful and secretly directs the abuse. A practitioner confronted Su Jing once: "You always say that you treat Falun Gong practitioners in a civilized manner, but why did you lock the practitioners who refuse to collaborate with you in persecuting practitioners in the restroom?" Su Jing still denied any wrongdoing, saying, "We just don't have enough space." Around November 2004, Su Jing and director Wang Naimin saw a prison guard beating a Falun Gong practitioner in a hallway because he refused to give up his belief. They didn't stop the guard; instead, they they encouraged the guard even more by laughing. In Su Jing's office there is a computer; she claims that she can read Falun Dafa articles and news from the clearwisdom.net website as soon as they are published. Su Jing slandered Clearwisdom.net site in front of the Falun Gong practitioners detained in the Women's Second Section.
List of guards in the Third Brigade of Masanjia Forced Labor Camp:
Team leader of the Third Brigade: Li Yuming, over 40 years old, in charge of persecuting Falun Gong practitioners
Vice-team leader of the Third Brigade: Qiu Ping, over 50 years old, in charge of production
The five subteam leaders in the Third Brigade:
First Subteam: Zhao Jinghua
Second Subteam: Zhang Lei, formerly the leader of the Sixth Subteam, over 20 years old, is very brutal.
Third Subteam: Person with the last name of Dong
Fourth Subteam: Zhang Huan, over 20 years old
Fifth Subteam: Guan Liying
Sixth Subteam: This subteam was dismissed around October 2004 and the practitioners were transferred to other subteams.
(Clearwisdom.net) I used to think that I should do my best so as not to be taken advantage of by the evil. So whenever I found that I had some problems, I became nervous. I made sure that I was diligently studying the Fa, practicing the exercises, and sending forth righteous thoughts. And when I was doing truth-clarification work, I took care to maintain righteous thoughts. If I was lacking in any of the three things, I felt bad. I reminded myself not to walk the path arranged by the old forces, as if what I was doing was in response to them, and not because it was what a practitioner should do. My standpoint was incorrect. It was selfish, and I realized that I had not stepped out of the principles of the old cosmos.
Master Li said:
"We negate even the very emergence of the old forces and everything that they've arranged; we don't even acknowledge their existence." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference")
How can I use the concept of "not letting the old forces persecute me" as a standard, while at the same time trying to get rid of my attachment of fear? The problem is that I didn't fundamentally negate the old forces' existence. We should not even acknowledge its existence. Practitioners need to follow what Teacher said and do the three things required of us during the Fa-rectification period. This is the most fundamental requirement. We must do our best to meet the standards of the new cosmos and save more sentient beings.
In 1999, at the Eastern United States Experience Sharing Conference, a practitioner asked Master Li, "The blood of a cultivator is very precious. How can we let it be sucked away by mosquitoes?" My understanding from Teacher's answer is that it's because our blood met "the mosquito's standards." Otherwise, if the blood were pure, the mosquitoes would not be attracted to it.
Therefore, if we have problems within ourselves, our field is not righteous and evil will appear. If our field is very pure and righteous, then evil will be disintegrated and can no longer exist. If we all look within as we cultivate ourselves and correct our omissions, our field will be very pure, and there will be no room for the evil. We need to use the Fa as the standard at all times. We should be looking within ourselves at all times and measuring ourselves according to the Fa.
(Clearwisdom.net) In the latest Spanish language version of Zhuan Falun, the translation of "Teacher" was changed from "Maestro" to "Shifu," a transliteration. This is because even though "Maestro" means "Teacher" or "Master," it does not fully convey the meaning of the Chinese word, "Shifu."
At first, Spanish-speaking Falun Gong practitioners in my area had a hard time adjusting to the new translation, so I explained the meaning of Shifu to them. Shi means Teacher in Chinese and Fu means Father. Therefore, Shifu refers to someone who is both your teacher and father. No other culture has the matching word for Shifu, so it is more appropriate to use its transliteration. I also explained to them that Chinese people do not address regular schoolteachers as Shifu. It is a special term used only in the cultivation field. A cultivator must go through a solemn ceremony before he may address his master as Shifu. I also shared with them that I started my Falun Gong cultivation practice alone and did not dare to address Teacher as Shifu until after eight months. The reason is two-fold. First, when I first started my cultivation practice, I did not know the proper way to address Teacher. Secondly, I felt I was not qualified to be Teacher's disciple. It was not until eight months later that I suddenly called out, "Shifu" in my heart.
When I read the Fa lectures following Zhuan Falun, Teacher said he is our Shifu and we are his disciples, I felt that "Maestro" (meaning Teacher or Master) in the Spanish version of Zhuan Falun did not fully express the meaning of Shifu. Besides, Teacher often said (in Chinese) in the Fa lectures, "As your Shifu..." or "I am your Shifu..." So I truly believe that the transliteration, Shifu, is a better choice. Although most Spanish-speaking practitioners here have not met Teacher, they feel closer to Teacher when they read or hear the word Shifu. They said that they did not have such a feeling when they read the word, "Maestro."
The Spanish-speaking practitioners are very fond of the meaning of Shifu, so they all started saying Shifu during the cultivation experience sharing gatherings. A Spanish-speaking practitioner once told me an interesting story that happened during the experience-sharing time following a group Fa study. A Spanish-speaking practitioner continued to refer to Teacher as "Maestro" and another Spanish-speaking practitioner immediately corrected him. "No. Please do not say Maestro. Please say Shifu."
About four months ago, I was distributing truth-clarification materials in front of the Chinese Embassy in Argentina when I saw two local Chinese people, with a close relationship with the Embassy, standing near the entrance. I immediately approached them to offer them the materials. One of them was an elderly man who was talking on his cellular phone, so I offered a copy of the truth-clarification material to the other man first. When he saw that it was Falun Gong's truth-clarification material, he shook his head and refused to take the material. Then the elderly man turned his head and asked what I offered to his friend. I replied, "It is the truth about China's persecution against Falun Gong." He began to look nervous and shouted at me, "Get out of here! You have no right to distribute flyers here! This is the Chinese Embassy. If you don't leave, I will call the police and have you arrested and beaten!" I said to him in a composed manner, "This is Argentina, not China. You are welcome to call the police. We are glad to have them understand the truth about China' persecution against Falun Gong." He jumped and yelled at me, "You are not afraid of the police? We will see if you are afraid!" I said, "Falun Gong practitioners inside China have courageously stepped forward to speak for Falun Gong at Tiananmen Square at the risk of their own precious lives. I must not be afraid to speak the truth when I am outside of China."
His young friend tried to pull him away, but the man was tenacious and refused to leave. He stared at me fiercely for a moment and turned red. Then he suddenly pointed at my nose, while shouting at top of his lungs, "What is the relationship between Li Hongzhi and you?" I was speechless for a second because this was the last question I had expected he would ask. Then I immediately answered peacefully, "Li Hongzhi is my Shifu." He looked very angry and paced in circles. Next he turned to me and shouted, "Tell me! What is your relationship to Li Hongzhi!" I gave him the same answer, "Li Hongzhi is my Shifu." He looked even angrier this time. He paced in circles again. Then he pointed at my nose and shouted even louder, "Answer me again! What is your relationship?" This time I answered him out loud, "Li Hongzhi is our Shifu!" He stared at me fiercely. While I kept sending forth righteous thoughts in my heart, I asked him in a kind manner, "Why are you so angry?" Surprisingly, he lowered his head and stared at the ground for a while, as if he was contemplating something. Next I heard him mumbling, "I am not angry. I am not angry at all." Then his friend finally pulled him into their car and took off. I stood there thinking about what had just happened. I had a feeling that the repeated question did not come from the elderly man himself, but rather was from the dark minions and demons manipulating him from other dimensions.
I realized how much it means and how significant the title, Shifu, is to all the Falun Gong practitioners around the word who are helping Teacher with his Fa-rectification!
In this year's Chinese New Year greeting, we told Teacher that Spanish-speaking Falun Gong practitioners are very fond of calling him Shifu, a highly respectful and affectionate title. We would like to take the opportunity to thank Teacher again. We know it must have been difficult to help us find Falun Gong and start our Falun Gong cultivation practice. Without Teacher's protection and guidance, we would not have the unprecedented opportunity and honor to be Falun Gong practitioners in the Fa-rectification period. Teacher, you have repeatedly said, out of your infinite compassion, that you will not let us down. But the truth is that we are not worthy of you saying such a modest thing to us. It is we that should promise you that we won't let you down. We would like to extend our most heartfelt gratitude to you for letting us become your disciples!
These are my personal understandings. Please point out anything that may be improper.
(Clearwisdom.net) Ever since July 20, 1999, Falun Dafa practitioners have shifted their cultivation from personal cultivation to Fa-rectification due to the persecution of Falun Dafa by the evil old forces. Since this period began, many sad incidents have happened to Falun Dafa practitioners in China, such as truth clarification materials production sites being destroyed, practitioners being arrested and forced to endure the so-called "tests," and practitioners being forced to walk on the path arranged by the old forces. Based on the principles of the Fa and solid cultivation, every practitioner should realize that the path arranged by the old forces is a dead-end route that will not lead anyone to meet the requirements of the Fa-rectification.
In China, the people have been forced to accept the evil brainwashing of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP's) doctrines since childhood. Because their minds have been poisoned this way, they are fearful of the tyranny that rules over them. With this kind of mindset, when that evil power acts violently, many Chinese people avoid the truth of what they are seeing out of sheer terror; this makes saving sentient beings in this part of the world much more difficult. In such an environment, to walk the righteous path of Fa-rectification and to eradicate and suppress the evil with maximum force is a crucial matter for each Falun Dafa practitioner.
It is important for cultivators to maintain a righteous starting point. How does one do this? Teacher said it clearly in "Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Students":
"The truth is, beyond being attached, while human beings live in this world they are never able to take their fate into their own hands. There's no way they can get whatever they want. For a person to get something it has to be something that's preordained as part of his life; if it's not preordained for him he will never have it."
Humans are supposed to live in the environment of birth, aging, sickness and death, and to repay debts according to one's karma; such is the controlling force of fate.
In order for the old forces to achieve their goal of persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners and destroying the people of the world, they have let the evil culture of the CCP instill in Chinese people's minds since childhood, the idea that man can conquer nature. They label all traditional Chinese culture, which stresses the harmonious relationship between people and the universe, as blind faith, and even "stomp on" it so as to "never let rise again" the things that have sustained human moral standards for thousands of years. Communist leader Mao himself was a worshiper of a traditional path. This policy of keeping people in ignorance has caused Chinese people to break their connection with the universe.
Many contemporary Chinese consider that what one has obtained is due to one's own great efforts, and thus regard themselves as central. They consider one's own achievements as the most important thing in one's entire life. There are still people who are willing to do anything, however unscrupulous, to achieve that. To a cultivator during the Fa-rectification period, if he or she does not eliminate the attachment to self and the attachment to regarding oneself as infallible, the direct consequence will be to unconsciously cooperate with the old forces.
Whether we walk the path arranged by the old forces or that arranged by our Teacher, the crux of the matter is that we remain clear-headed and rational. My understanding of clear-headedness is that, first of all, we clearly recognize what Teacher means to us. This is a serious issue. There remains an outstanding problem with some practitioners who were "reformed" by evil forces or were enlightened along an evil path. The evil forces incite them not to recognize Teacher, but only recognize "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance," and only recognize being a good person, thus allowing the old forces to get what they want by persecuting Falun Dafa practitioners. Another point is that we must clearly recognize which thoughts belong to us, and which do not. We need to carry out our Fa-rectification work and save sentient beings based on these two points. If we can achieve that, then no matter what kinds of actions the old forces take against us, we will not get lost, and will firmly follow the Fa-rectification path arranged by Teacher.
Another suggestion to Falun Dafa practitioners in Mainland China is that they ought to read the "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" in order to eliminate the evil aspects of the Party that still survive, to eradicate their thoughts poisoned by CCP propaganda, and to eradicate the evil forces thoroughly.
If I have misunderstood anything because of my limited understanding, kindly point it out.
(Clearwisdom.net)
1. [Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Zhou Zhaoxiang Is Arrested
Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhou Zhaoxiang is thirty-seven years old, and a resident of Worker's Village, Dongshan District, Hegang City, Heilongjiang Province. The police recently arrested him. No one knows of his whereabouts.
Mr. Zhou was sentenced to forced labor twice since the persecution of Falun Gong began on July 20, 1999. His father works away from home, and his mother is paralyzed. His mother's condition requires constant care.
Relevant Phone Numbers:
Director of Dongshan District Police Station: 86-468-3567777
Worker's Village Police Substation: 86-468-3572787
Dongshan District 610 Office, Wang Yanming (male): 86-468-3537610
2. [Aba Prefecture, Sichuan Province] Mr. Zhou Dechang and Mr. Chai Dengyi Are Arrested and Imprisoned
Around August 2004, Falun Dafa practitioners Mr. Zhou Dechang from Jinchuan County, Aba Prefecture and Mr. Chai Dengyi from Danba County, Ganzi Prefecture were reported when they were out clarifying the truth. Danba County Police arrested them. Mr. Zhou Dechang was sentenced to seven years in prison. Mr. Chai Dengyi's feet were severely injured from torture. As a result, he has not been sentenced to prison yet, and is currently detained in the Danba County Detention Center.
3. [Pulandian City, Liaoning Province] Mr. Gu Yanqing Is Detained
In May 2004, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Gu Yanqing from Pulandian City, Liaoning Province was handing out truth clarifying materials in Zhongzhenggou Tun, Zhenggou Village, Chengzitan Town, Pulandian City. The village Party Secretary, Sun Yuquan (male) reported him and had police officer Wang Shuiyong (male) and Jiang Chunsheng (male) arrest Mr. Gu. He is now detained in Pulandian City Detention Center.
Relevant Phone Numbers:
Sun Yuquan: 86-411-83212298 (Home), 86-13940851089 (Cell phone)
Director of Pulandian City Police Station: 86-411-83138799
Police Chengzitan Town Station: 86-411-83432192, or 86-411-83436220, Operator, 86-411-83432047.
4. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. An Senbiao Is Arrested
At noon on January 24, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. An Senbiao went to Yuanshengli Police Substation to clarify the truth. He was arrested for handing out Dafa materials. Around 4 p.m. that day, police officer Liu Yanqing (male) and another police officer, Party Secretary E Jintai (male) from the Second Petroleum Collecting Plant and Deputy Secretary Wang Xizhong found Mr. An's house key while doing a body search. They ransacked his home in the presence of his wife. Mr. An is detained in Longfeng Detention Center.
Relevant Phone Numbers:
Party Secretary of Second Petroleum Collecting Plan, E Jintai: 86-459-52816229 (Office), 86-459-5106099 (Office), 86-13704668500 (Cell phone)
Party Secretary Wang Xizhong (a lower ranked official): 86-459-5291543 (Office), 86-459-5763772 (Home), 86-13836740661 (Cell phone)
5. [Jiaohe City, Jilin Province] Ms. Li Guirong and Her Daughter Yang Tiemei Are Arrested
On January 21, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioners Ms. Li Guirong and her daughter Yang Tiemei from Dengchang Village, Chishui Township, Jiaohe City, Jilin Province were reported when they were distributing truth clarifying materials. They were arrested by police from Songjiang Town Substation in Jiaohe City. Ms. Yang Tiemei had previously been sentenced to one year of forced labor in 2002.
6. [Dalian City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Liu Xiuying Is Arrested
Recently, Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Liu Xiuying from Dalian City was posting truth-clarifying materials in Northeast Second Power Company of Dalian City. She was captured on a hidden camera and police from the local Lingshuiqiao Substation later arrested her.
7. [Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Lai Caijun Is Abducted
On November 24, 2004, Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Lai Caijun, a teacher at Chaoyangjie Elementary School in Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province, was reported for clarifying the truth to her students. She was arrested by State Security Agent Fu Yanling (male) and police officer Chen Zhi. Ms. Lai is now detained in a detention center. The state security officials tried to sue her by filing a case against her in Lingyuan City Procuratorate.
Relevant Phone Numbers of Court Officials
Liu Zhixin (male): 86-421-6883501 (Office), 86-421-6810545 (Home), 86-13188171566 (Cell phone)
Zhang Baiyan (male): 86-421-6883502 (Office), 86-421-6822858 (Home), 86-13008240463 (Cell phone)
Public Prosecution Office:
Li Xinghua (male): 86-421-6883526 (Office), 86-421-6820496 (Home), 86-421-13942106700 (Cell phone)
Liu Shufeng (female): 86-421-6883528 (Office), 86-421-6823198 (Home)
Director of Lingyuan City Police Station Guo Shaolin (male): 86-421-6883101 (Office), 86-421-7816791 (Home), 86-13904912586 (Cell phone)
Director of Detention Center Yu Hailong (male): 86-421-6883215 (Office), 86-421-6824383 (Home), 86-13904916383 (Cell phone)
8. [Haicheng City, Liaoning Province] A Falun Dafa Practitioner Is Arrested When Distributing Truth-Clarification Materials
At 2 p.m. on January 24, 2005, a Falun Dafa practitioner was arrested for distributing truth clarifying materials in Sanjiazi Village, Wenxiang Town, Haicheng City, Liaoning Province. The practitioner is detained in Haicheng City Detention Center. This practitioner has not revealed his/her name.
Wenxiang Town Police Substation of Haicheng City: 86-412-3650110.
9. [Weifang City, Shandong Province] Mr. Yu Shenghe and His Wife Ma Guizhen from Changyi City Are Arrested Again
Around midnight on January 17, 2005, police tried to arrest Mr. Yu Shenghe and his wife Ma Guizhen by pounding on their door. Around 6 or 7 a.m. the next morning, police officers Yang and Zhai Jiantao from Shifi Town got on a truck belonging to Mr. Yu's neighbor. He climbed over a wall in order to into get into Mr. Yu's house and then arrested the couple.
10. [Suizhou City, Hubei Province] Mr. Zhu Haiding Is Arrested from Home
On January 8, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhu Haiding from Suizhou City, Hubei Province was arrested from his home by police from Rudong County, Jiangsu Province. Mr. Zhu was reported to the police after spreading the truth of Falun Dafa in Rudong County, Jiangsu Province.
11. [Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province] Mr. Li Zhenfang, Mr. Zhang Mingfang and Ms. Xiao Shanrun from Bucun Mine Are Under Close Surveillance
Around the end of January 2005, Fucun Coal Mine (under Zibo City Mining Bureau) sent people to closely monitor three retired employees, Mr. Li Zhenfang, Mr. Zhang Mingfang, and Ms. Xiao Shanyun.
Relevant Phone Numbers:
Shengjing Town Police Substation Office: 86-531-3681006
Li Zhongjun (male): 86-531-3255629 (call his home early morning or evenings), 86-13864111669 (Cell phone)
Fucun Town Police Substation: 86-531-3711037,86-531-3711377
Fucun Mine Party Committee Office: 86-531-3711065
Zhangqiu City 610 Office: 86-531-3212281
12. [Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province] Zhai Shanyong from Zaoyuan Town Is Sentenced to Eighteen Months of Forced Labor
On the evening of October 19, 2004, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Zhai Shanyong was reported for distributing truth-clarifying materials in Baita Village, Zaoyuan Town, Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province. The local police arrested him and sentenced him to 18 months of forced labor. Mr. Zhai is now imprisoned in Wangcun Labor Camp in Shandong Province.
Zhangqiu City Anti-[slanderous term omitted] Team Leader Yang Bingliang (male): 86-531-3310927 (Home), 86-13606371610 (Cell phone)
Liu Zhongshui (male): 86-531-3652302 (Home)
13. [Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province] Police from Guta District Arrest the Child of a Falun Dafa Practitioner
Around 9 a.m. on January 21, 2005, two police officers from Beijie Substation of Guta District, Jinzhou City, Liaoning Province ransacked Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Xu Hui's home. They took away her Falun Dafa books, Teacher Li's photo, and truth clarifying materials. Ms. Xu Hui's son was arrested as well, and is detained in Jinzhou City Detention Center.
Beijie Police Substation: 86-416-2363869
14. [Chongqing City] Ms. Li Zhengfen and Ms. Xu Wenxiu Are Arrested
On December 25, 2004, Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Li Zhengfen (a post office employee in her 50s) and Ms. Xu Wenxiu (a Chongqing City department store employee in her 60s) were arrested by police when clarifying the truth in Jilong, Banan District. No one knows their current whereabouts.
15. [Wulian County, Shandong Province] Mr. Gao Xingfa Is Arrested
Around January 15, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Gao Xingfa (in his 60s) from Quepo Village, Hongning Town, Wulian County, Shandong Province was arrested by police from Wulian County Station. He is detained in the County Detention Center.
(Clearwisdom.net) A "solemn declaration" is a person's public statement declaring to the world that whatever he or she has done or said under duress or deception that was against Falun Dafa is null and void. Most of these statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wished to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they had signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Also, as more and more people in China learn the truth about how they have been deceived and lied to by the Jiang regime, many non-practitioners are also submitting "solemn declarations."
Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Facts of the Persecution
1. Crimes of Policemen in the "National Security Guard Group" of the First Division of the Dalian City Police Department
The deputy chief of the National Security Guard Group, Chen Xin, directs and participates in the tapping of Falun Gong practitioners' telephones, unlawful spying on practitioners, and interrogating practitioners with torture. He forces and bribes policemen under his command to arrest and abduct practitioners, confiscate their personal property and money, illegally sentence practitioners to forced labor camps or prison, and torture practitioners, sometimes to death. Chen Xin is behind the destruction of most of the Dafa truth-clarifying materials production sites in Dalian City.
Officer Gao Yingzhong has always been active in torturing practitioners, and he always tortures practitioners in secret. Additionally, in Beijing he stole money from practitioners.
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/3/4/96630.html
2. Dafa Practitioner Guan Yingxin has been Imprisoned and Tortured in Heilongjiang Women's Prison for Three and a Half Years
On December 22, 2000, Dafa practitioner Guan Yingxin was unlawfully arrested at her workplace by policemen Wang Zhiwen, Wu Dexi, Xu Chongfeng and Zhang Shaohua from the Heihe City Aihui District Police Department. The same night, Guan Yingxin was taken to the Heihe City Detention Center. Since Guan Yingxin refused to cooperate with the perpetrators and renounce Falun Dafa, she was transferred to Xunke Detention Center on December 27. On September 17, 2001, Guan Yingxin was unlawfully sentenced to seven years and imprisoned in Heilongjiang Women's Prison. During her imprisonment, Guan Yingxin has been monitored constantly. She cannot walk anywhere or talk freely. She has to be monitored when eating, washing up and using the toilet. She is not allowed to see her family, make phone calls, write letters, or buy anything.
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/3/4/96605.html
3. Dafa Practitioners Resist Persecution with their Righteous Thoughts in Guangyuan Prison, Sichuan Province
Before the New Year of 2005, policemen in Guangyuan Prison, Sichuan Province made chalkboard posters maligning Dafa. They erased them after Dafa practitioners talked to them solemnly. For every Dafa practitioner, Guangyuan Prison assigns two to three criminal inmates to monitor them 24 hours a day in rotating shifts. Practitioners are not allowed to talk to each other, and their daily activities are recorded. The prison even makes fake recordings of Dafa practitioners studying brainwashing materials. Dafa practitioner Xiao Hongmo, who is unlawfully jailed in the Second Ward, shouted out "Falun Dafa is good!" Policemen then pushed him down, stepped on his neck, and beat him with batons. As a result of being beaten, Xiao Hongmo was very weak for a long time. Later, Xiao Hongmo held a hunger strike to protest the unlawful detention, and was jailed in a solitary compartment and force-fed. He stopped the persecution with his righteous thoughts. In August 2003, prison authorities made chalkboard posters maligning Falun Dafa. Dafa practitioners Xu Weidong (from Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province) and Xie Hongming (from Longquanyi District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province) erased them, and they were subsequently severely beaten by the guards. Practitioner Cao Jiguang (from Linshui County) has been jailed in the Strictly Monitored Division for nine months, since the beginning of his term at Deyang Prison. He always speaks the truth with his righteous thoughts when policemen talk to him. In June 2004, Cao Jiguang wrote a 50-page truth-clarifying letter to the prison police, and after that, they quit administering so-called "transforming" discussions. For the past three and a half years, Cao Jiguang has not had to report anything to the police, and he has not had to wear a prison uniform.
There are more than 30 Dafa practitioners unlawfully jailed in Guangyuan Prison, including Xiao Hongmo from Guanghan City, Zeng Yuxian from Cangxi County, Wu Bochen from Pingchang County, Zhang Zongshan, Cao Jiguang from Linshui County, Zhang Rui from Pi County, Xu Weidong from Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province, Kang Li and Lu Shengyun from Shuangliu County, Chengdu City, Xie Hongming from Longquanyi District, Chengdu City, Shuai Liangcheng from Jiajiang County, Tang Deliang from Tongnan County, Chongqing, Yang Guobing from Ebian County, 3 practitioners from Zitong County, and 3 from Gulin County. There are also several practitioners from Xichang City.
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/3/4/96622.html
4. Dafa Practitioner Liu Zhenhai from Chengdu, Sichuan Province Exposes the Barbaric Persecution by Unlawful People in Wuhou District, Chengdu City
My name is Liu Zhenhai and I am a Falun Dafa practitioner from Jinhua Town, Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Because of my belief in Falun Gong, I was unlawfully detained and jailed from December 1999 to January 31, 2005. During the imprisonment, I lost all my freedom, and I was severely beaten. Vicious policemen took off my clothes and beat me. They hit me in the stomach, and the beatings left bruises all over my body. One time, two policemen lifted me up and threw me down to the ground in a narrow alley because I recited Dafa articles loudly. Another time, because I sent forth righteous thoughts, policemen from Jinhua Town beat my knees with a wooden club. Fellow practitioners sent forth righteous thoughts to support me. Vicious policemen pulled me down the stairs from the third floor, which scraped the skin off my back. During the winter, policemen pulled me out of bed, removed my clothes, and forced me sleep on the concrete floor. They even kept the door open, letting the cold wind blow on me. Policemen also yanked on my fingers for half an hour. Policeman Liu Xiaokang inserted a burning cigarette into my collar, which burned a hole in my shirt. They put menthol oil on my eyelids to make them burn, and rubbed my chest with stinging nettles. Some practitioners' heads were severely beaten, and they had difficulty breathing due to the brutal treatment. I was beaten on a bed until I fell to the ground. We held a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Due to our righteous thoughts, the authorities no longer dared touch us.
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/3/4/96617.html