Moving Forward Despite Repeated Setbacks

(Clearwisdom.net) On July 20, 1999, Jiang's regime began the relentless persecution of Falun Dafa. Being Dafa practitioners, it is our responsibility to safeguard Dafa. Since the peaceful appeal by more than 10,000 practitioners outside the State Council of Appeals Office on April 20, 1999, I have been to Beijing six times to appeal to the government to stop the persecution and clarify the truth to people.

On October 14, 1999, Jiang's regime labeled Falun Gong a ***[slanderous word omitted]. I again went to Beijing seeking justice. One day, I went to the People's Supreme Court with a fellow practitioner from Liaoning Province to file a lawsuit. On our way there, we encouraged each other and shared experiences. I asked her: "Could you give up your life for the truth of the universe?" She said, "I could." She asked me "Could you?" I answered firmly "I could too."

When we submitted the form after arriving at the court, a staff member was frightened upon seeing it and said, "Are you Falun Gong practitioners? Why do you come here to file a lawsuit? Leave right away and don't let them arrest you." We explained what really happened in Tianjin City and we explained about the April 25 appeal. Some observers were moved to tears and expressed their sympathy. We left the court safely.

During those difficult times when the evil was rampant, I became more steadfast in Dafa cultivation. To validate the Fa, I did the exercises outside even under tremendous pressure. From March until October 2000, besides going to Beijing to validate the Fa, I did the exercises in public places almost every day. On the sensitive dates, I did the exercises alongside buildings and tried to avoid being arrested. On July 18, we were arrested while exercising outside. After being detained for 16 hours, we were released unconditionally. We then continued to practice as usual.

On the morning of October 4, 2000, as we were doing the exercises, a fellow practitioner came to tell us "Many Dafa practitioners were arrested at Tiananmen Square." I felt then that I had to go to Tiananmen Square to appeal on behalf of Falun Dafa. On the train to Beijing, an officer from the public security bureau discovered me during the ticket check. Several officers dragged me to a police car. I was taken to the Jinan Police Station at the train station. When the public security personnel interrogated me, I refused to give my name and address. They told me, "We are just doing our jobs. Just tell us so we can go to lunch. We are exhausted." I said peacefully, "Hurry up! Have your lunch and get some rest." One officer took me to his office and told me, "I am the head of the station. Tell me your name and address and I'll release you. I can promise you that." I said, "We cultivate "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." We try to be good people, and not give our government any trouble. You are here to take care of bad people. Why bring me here? " Another officer realized I wouldn't tell them anything and picked up a copy of Zhuan Falun and said, "If you still refuse to tell us, I'll burn this book." I thought I could not let him burn a Dafa book and remembered what Teacher taught us:

"Under any difficult circumstance, everyone, remain calm in your hearts. Just by staying unaffected, you will be able to handle all situations." ("Lecture on the Fa at the U.S. Midwest Conference" June 26, 1999, Provisional translation)

I kept reciting in my mind, "Just by staying unaffected, you will be able to handle all situations." When he could not ignite his lighter, he gave the book back to me and said, "You stay here and read the book. I don't care anymore." They all left, and I started to read peacefully.

The police station at the train station had arrested 20 Dafa practitioners. I was placed in a separate room because I did not give them my name. At night during a shift change, I was put in a room with other practitioners. We were able to share experiences until daybreak. When it was shift-changing time again in the morning, I thought that I could not stay there and I ought to get out. I noticed that all windows were reinforced with iron bars. A security guard sat on the sofa, which was placed in front of the door, and more guards were pacing back and forth along the hallway. I asked Teacher to help me to escape from there, so I could go to Tiananmen Square to validate the Fa. I recited a sentence from Zhuan Falun: "When it's difficult to endure, you can endure it. When it's impossible to do, you can do it." At the shift change, the security personnel were counting the number of people. It was so strange: I was next to them and they could not see me. One guard counted one by one and said it was 19 people.

I realized right away it was Teacher reminding me that I was ready to leave. Sure enough, my chance came! When two fellow practitioners wanted to go to the restroom, security guards opened the door and moved the sofa a little to one side. Two security guards left with them. After a little while, I asked a practitioner besides me: "I am thinking of leaving here. Do you want to go?" She answered: "I don't have the courage." I said, "I am leaving." I then walked towards the door. A security guard glanced at me without saying anything. He continued to stare at me. When I walked to the corridor, I met the two fellow practitioners with two security guards returning from the restroom. They passed by me and seemed not to notice me. I walked past the corridor and entered the hall; still no one noticed me. As I walked to the street, I saw a streetcar coming. I boarded the streetcar and then rode a bus to the bus terminal. I got on a bus heading for Beijing. Once again, I felt the mighty power of Dafa and Teacher's clever arrangement. As I arrived in Tiananmen Square, I could not help yelling out what had been buried deep down in my heart for these years, "Falun Dafa is good!"

On October 14, 2002, I went to the countryside with a fellow practitioner to "clarify the truth." A special agent arrested the fellow practitioner. I thought that her business was my business and I could not let them take her. I went to clarify the truth to the security people. They refused to listen, and they put us in a police vehicle. They took us to the Hanting Shuangyang County Police Station. Because of our unwillingness to give up Dafa practice, they sent us to the Wangcun Women's Labor Camp. I searched my mind for the reason why I was being caught this time. I realized that I did not follow Teacher's teaching to do the three things well. For the last few days, I did not send forth righteous thoughts. I was too busy doing things, and I was not calm. I became careless. I found that I was too emotional, and lacked strong righteous thoughts. I could not stay clearheaded, and the evil took advantage of my loopholes. Teacher had reminded both of us several times before we left, but we failed to realize them and acted with our attachments. Being a Dafa practitioner, we need to totally negate the arrangement made by the old forces. The evil forces are not qualified to test us, even when we have omissions.

On my first day in the labor camp, two camp staff members came and tried to convert me. I was steadfast in Dafa and refused to be converted. The labor camp applied sinister means to the practitioners who refused to compromise. They were not allowed to sleep or to go to the restroom. The guards ordered us to remain standing for long periods, or left us in the unheated basement in freezing temperatures. Several collaborators helped them try to "transform" me. They pushed and dragged me whenever I closed my eyes. Two of them dragged me to run with them. The guards ordered several people to take turns in wearing me out day and night. They also took turns brainwashing me. When I became extremely exhausted, they used paper edges to cut my eyelids and a broomstick to poke at my ears. After I became confused and lost my reasoning ability, I wrote a repentance statement, which a Dafa practitioner absolutely should not do. I did it against my conscience, and brought shame to Dafa. That was a blunder in my cultivation. When I regained my senses, I deeply regretted what I had done and decided to start over again to validate the Fa. Two days later, I was imprisoned and was persecuted for six months.

I felt our merciful Teacher was besides me every moment to protect and guide me. I knew that I would follow Teacher closely and walk to the end without wavering. I would wash away the blemish. I memorized the Fa every day and spent much time sending forth righteous thoughts to cleanse myself. I slept only four hours each day and remembered Teacher's teaching at every moment:

"Why should you, a Dafa disciple, fear the evil ones when enduring persecution? The crux of the matter is that you have attachments. If not, do not endure passively, and face the evil people with righteous thoughts at all times. No matter what the situation, do not cooperate with the evil's demands, orders, or what it instigates. If everyone does this, the environment won't be this way." (From "Dafa Disciples' Righteous Thoughts are Powerful," Essentials for Further Advancement II)

I tried to let go of all my human notions. I refused to sing or to write reports or what they wanted me to write. I refused to vow when raising the flag, or do the exercises they wanted us to do. I took action to validate the Fa (I turned in a solemn statement to nullify what I had written before).

On May 14, 2004, two months prior to my release, our brigade coerced us into watching a video slandering Dafa. At that moment, it was the battle between good and evil, and also the test of life and death. Regardless of any consequence, I shouted: "Falun Dafa is good!" About six security guards rushed to me and trampled on my hair. They tried to muffle my mouth. They twisted my arms, and put an arm around my neck to drag me to an office. A guard used a sticky tape to seal my mouth and then started to beat and kick me. I felt no fear or pain. A prison guard tied me inside the restroom and would not let me use the restroom or sleep. I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate all evil in other dimensions. I started a hunger strike in protest. After a few days, I lost consciousness and saw Teacher was besides me to encourage me to be firm. I felt confident at once and decided never to compromise with the evil. I wanted to be a qualified practitioner and would not let Teacher down.

I learned afterwards that a very steadfast practitioner went on a hunger strike for several days while all those things were happening to me. She was still being persecuted when I left the labor camp.

On August 7, 2004, the day my term ended, I walked out of the labor camp in a dignified manner.

In October 2002 when we were arrested, the local practitioners all sent righteous thoughts to strengthen us. I was so touched and also sad. The evil took advantage of my weaknesses because of my omission, and consequently I encountered such hardships. From now on, I must steadfastly do the three things Teacher requested.

Chinese version available at http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/6/27/104958.html

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