Visitors viewing the paintings attentively
News and Events from Around the World
Facts of the Persecution
Voices of Justice
Open Forum
Practitioners Exchange Experiences and Insights
News from China
Traditional Culture and Art
Clearwisdom Weekly
(Clearwisdom.net) The "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance International Art Exhibition" was held in the gallery of the well-known St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church on July 31, 2005. The exhibition will stay there for fourteen days.
Visitors viewing the paintings attentively
On the opening day of the exhibition, practitioners distributed about 2,000 flyers. Many visitors came to view the exhibition because of receiving the flyers. A gentleman specifically came to see the paintings from west London. He came to know about the exhibition when he accepted a flyer from a practitioner in front of the Tate Museum on July 20. Some viewers said that on the streets of London and New York they saw photos exposing the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.
 Viewing the exhibition |
 A viewer |
 People signed their names to oppose the persecution |
After viewing the exhibition, the visitors understood more about the brutal persecution in China and were moved by these paintings.
(Clearwisdom.net) On July 30, 2005, several Minnesotan practitioners set up a booth at a local Farmer's Market in downtown Minneapolis. The event was a huge success. Many people learned about Falun Dafa, the persecution in China, and the righteous grace of Truthfulness - Benevolence - Forbearance.
A practitioner hands out flyers while another demonstrates the fifth exercise
In the booth, we had several methods to clarify the truth to people. We had detailed information about orphans of Falun Dafa practitioners in China, as well as words and pictures depicting the persecution. We also displayed pictures of the five Falun Gong exercises with descriptions of each. On the top of the booth we had a huge blue and yellow banner which read, "Falun Dafa" and "Truthfulness Compassion Tolerance," in both English and Chinese. Behind the booth, we had a similar banner which faced a parking lot. The big blue banner caught a lot of people's attention.
Inside the both we had copies of The Falun Dafa Reader, local flyers, bookmarks, the book, Stories of Conscience, and also freshly-made paper lotus flowers to give to children and girls. Many people warmly accepted the flyers and the readers, and almost everyone accepted the bookmarks. Several practitioners demonstrated the exercises outside the booth, which attracted a lot of attention, and we saw a lot of kind faces and smiles. Many people attempted to mimic the exercises, and many people pressed their hands together in front of their chests in the heshi gesture. While practitioners demonstrated the exercises, another was handing out materials and clarifying the truth.
A practitioner demonstrating the third exercise and another clarifying the
truth
Many people approached the table to ask questions. People ranged in age from old to young. Several of the older people had practiced qigong or yoga before and they were very interested in learning about Falun Gong. They all began to talk about their practices, but it always seemed that people were much more interested in Falun Gong, mainly because of the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. One older person asked us if the practitioner doing the sitting meditation was aware of us. We explained to them about the differences between a trance state and our Falun Dafa, where practitioners enter a calm and peaceful state but remain aware that they are meditating. They could see the calmness in us, and were delighted.
Two elderly ladies were asking about the exercises. One practitioner offered to demonstrate the fourth exercise, "The Falun Heavenly Circuit." During the demonstration, one of the women exclaimed, "I feel like I am in a pool! Just standing here I can feel the effects." The two ladies were very enthusiastic and took several copies of our informational materials.
A practitioner demonstrating the fifth exercise
There were many predestined people at the Farmer's Market. One young man was so enthusiastic about the practice that he said loudly, "Falun Dafa is so great!" People from all ethnic groups were at the market, and all of them accepted Falun Dafa; all the people we talked to thought it was good and that the persecution was horrible.
(Clearwisdom.net) On May 7, 2005, practitioners from Southern Germany went to Tübingen to raise awareness about the persecution of Falun Gong in China. They collected petition signatures in order to help rescue the Jiang Renzheng family who were deported to China by the German Government. The father of the family was later arrested and sent to a Chinese forced labor camp. In addition, we collected signatures to bring Jiang Zemin, the former President of China and instigator of the persecution against Falun Gong, to trial.
The rainy weather caused problems with our displays because the wind constantly tried to topple our poster stands and blew away our brochures. However, we were not to be deterred. Whilst some practitioners set up the stall, others handed out leaflets and talked to passers-by.
As soon as they finished setting up the stall, the practitioners started to demonstrate the five sets of Falun Gong exercises. The number of interested passers-by steadily increased as people saw the graceful movements and came to find out more.
A poster display showed the torture methods that the Chinese government uses against Falun Gong practitioners and provided information about the persecution of Falun Gong by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in China.
This elicited many interesting conversations with the public. One elderly woman who came to our booth became very upset when she understood that such atrocities are happening in China right now. After we talked with her for awhile, she was happy to sign all the petitions.
One young lady came up to us and asked: "Why are the peaceful Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted and tortured?" She couldn't make sense of the cruelties.
One young man became very angry about China's policy and about the silence of the media regarding the cruel persecution. He wanted to know how he could help and signed all the petitions.
A lady and two of her grandchildren approached us and asked us to explain to the two children why the CCP thinks that Falun Gong is so dangerous and prohibits it. One of the practitioners explained to the children in simple terms that the CCP hates it when people think for themselves rather than just repeating what they are told.
A woman from Mainland China spontaneously came to our booth and told the Chinese practitioners that one of the professors at her university in Beijing has been telling his students about the beauty of Falun Gong and the truth about the persecution of Falun Gong.
http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200508/28097.html
(Clearwisdom.net) The central library in Cambridge, England, hosted a poster exhibition for three weeks in July and August entitled, "History Reveals the Most Brutal Government."
The posters explained the rise of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its slaughter of millions of its citizens through treacherous campaigns to "cleanse" and instill fearful obedience in the masses. The posters explained how the killings began in 1949 with the CCP's inception, followed by the murder of entire classes of people. They discussed the Great Leap Forward which created a man-made famine, the Cultural Revolution, the Tiananmen Square massacre, and they also revealed the current persecution and murder of people who practice Falun Gong in China.
Falun Gong practitioners helped set up this exhibition as they felt strongly that it is important for people to know of the Chinese Communist Party's crimes committed during its genocide against people who practice Falun Gong. They also felt that looking at the history of the CCP and how it has always used violence and suppression to control China would allow people to better understand why it would brutally persecute a peaceful and non-threatening practice such as Falun Gong.
One telling example of this is the staged self-immolation incident on Tiananmen Square. Several people set themselves on fire, and it was claimed that they practiced Falun Gong. However, close examination of videotapes of the event revealed that this event was actually staged by the Chinese Government so that they could use it as propaganda to mislead the Chinese people about the nature of Falun Gong. The media was filled with untrue reports and the Chinese people began to think that people who practice Falun Gong do terrible things like setting themselves on fire. In truth, killing and suicide are both against Falun Gong's principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. Since this terrible event, practitioners have gone to great lengths to let people know that the self-immolation was staged b the Chinese Communist Party to frame Falun Gong practitioners and to use it as propaganda against them.
Accompanying the historic Chinese tragedies were posters discussing the recent wave of three million people withdrawing from the CCP. Also displayed were accounts of CCP senior officials who recently resigned from the Party because they could no longer live with themselves if they continued doing the CCP's unconscionable bidding.
A man reads about the CCP's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners
Many newspapers with the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party were
given away at the exhibition. This document was published by The Epoch Times
newspaper and is the most detailed and exact exposure of the CCP's dark history
that has ever been released.
A visitor's book was also provided, where most people signed their names to support the three million people who resigned from the CCP. Some people left comments to state their opinions about the brutal regime in China. The following are several examples:
"We must stop oppression in all its forms. People can change the world."
"All people should live free."
"... successive Chinese governments have been murderous tyrants and oppressors of their own people."
"Praying for a free and open China"
"It is time for the Chinese people to have the chance to rule their own country the way they want. I hope the West will encourage this liberty which should be, in my mind, a human right. Good luck, I will spread the word."
"Replace oppression wherever it may be!"
"What a horrific display. May your good work prevail."
"We support you all - As do Amnesty International."
"Down with the Communist Party of China!"
"Tell everyone about these horrors!"
"When will Western Governments wake up and do something to help the people of China?"
"Would be good if pressure could be put on Chinese government to stop the torture, oppression and killing."
http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200508/28099.html
29 March, 2005
Introduction
1. This addendum to the report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression gives an account of actions undertaken by the Special Rapporteur between 1 January and 31 December 2004. It also contains in summary form the replies received from Governments to his communications.
2. Replies to communications received after 31 December 2004 will be included in the Special Rapporteur's report to the sixty-second session of the Commission on Human Rights.
3. Owing to restrictions on the length of documents, the Special Rapporteur has been obliged to reduce considerably details of communications sent and received. As a result, replies from Governments could not be published in their entirety.
China
142. On 8 January 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, sent an urgent appeal concerning Cui Suzhen, a 61-year-old female resident of Shenze County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province, who was reportedly detained in the Shijiazhuang Labor Camp because she practiced Falun Gong. On 8 April 2001, she was reportedly transferred to the Gaoyang Labor Camp in Hebei Province. It is alleged that, since she went on a hunger strike to protest the treatment received, she was force-fed human excrement on three separate occasions, and afterwards suffered from serious diarrhea. As a result, she was reportedly sent to the Gaoyang County Hospital for emergency treatment. The attending doctor allegedly pointed out that feeding a person human excrement in that quantity can cause death. Upon being sent back to the labor camp, she was allegedly continuously beaten by the guards, who are said to have crushed her nipples, shocked her with electric batons simultaneously while pouring water on to her. They also used pliers to pinch her flesh, and buried her in snow until she passed out. At the time that this communication was sent, it was reported that she was still being detained in the labor camp, where she was believed to be at risk of being subjected to similar treatment.
146. On 4 February 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the right to health and Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent an urgent appeal concerning Tian Xianofei, 40 years of age, and resident of Cuidong Street, Pingshan District, Liaoyang City, Liaoning Province, who was reportedly detained in the Huazi Prison in Liaoyang City, and sentenced to 10 years by the Pingshan District Court, allegedly for being a Falun Gong practitioner. According to the information received, Mr. Tian began a hunger strike on 20 July 2003, and was held in solitary confinement with two prisoners monitoring him around the clock. It is alleged that while he was asleep, his hands were handcuffed to the bed. His health was reportedly deteriorating from forced feedings and he had difficulty walking. It is alleged that he was denied medical treatment, and would continue to be denied such treatment until his internal organs malfunction or he renounced Falun Gong. He was reportedly not permitted visits by his family. Moreover, Cao Jiguang, 35, an employee of the Cotton and Linen Company, Linshui County, Sichuan Province, was reportedly detained in Guangyuan Jail in Sichuan Province, serving out a five-year sentence, allegedly for being a Falun Gong practitioner. It is reported that he was detained in a small cell where five inmates are ordered to watch him throughout the day. He was reportedly on the verge of death after beginning a hunger strike to protest against his alleged torture by the prison guards. It is reported that, on a previous hunger strike, Cao Jiguang was force-fed by the jail's doctor, who inserted a plastic tube into his trachea and pulled it out repeatedly to hurt him, and that before force-feeding him, the guards opened his mouth with an instrument, which caused severe injuries inside his mouth. It is further reported that after his hunger strike, the guards reduced his food by half.
148. On 4 February 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal regarding Liu Xiaolian, 64 years old, a resident of Chibi Town, Chibi City, Hubei Province. She was reportedly arrested on 28 December 2003 by the local Chibi City police and her whereabouts were unknown at the time this communications was sent. Ms. Xiaolian had reportedly been detained on several occasions and subjected to torture and ill-treatment for allegedly being a Falun Gong practitioner. For example, on 6 December 2002, while she was reportedly detained at the First Detention Centre, Chibi City, 19 police officers and inmates started to beat Ms. Liu. Her body was reportedly pulled in five different directions simultaneously; her vagina was torn from the force and all her joints became dislocated. Others reportedly took turns beating her with 55pound shackles while she was being pulled apart. Ms. Liu reportedly suffered many broken bones and other severe injuries over the course of the day and fell unconscious due to the intense pain. Her head was reportedly violently banged, and she was then reportedly cuffed with 55 pound shackles for one week, and denied food for two weeks. In view of past allegations of torture against Ms. Xioalian, and her present unknown whereabouts, serious concerns are expressed for her well-being.
150. On 13 February 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal concerning Ms. W.L., a 17-year-old middle school student, from Machang, Suileng County, Heilongjiang Province. According to information received, in July 2002, W.L. attended a joint entrance examination for a provincial high school and answered a question in the politics section of the paper concerning Falun Gong, saying that, "Falun Dafa is good, and Falun Dafa is righteous". It is reported that later, officials from the Political and Judiciary Committee of the Police Department and Provincial Education Committee came looking for her, and she was forced to leave home. It is reported that her parents were arrested and ill-treated by personnel from the 610 Office. In May of 2003, W.L. was working in Harbin City, where she was reportedly seized by the police and sent to Suileng, where she is reportedly still detained, and it is not clear whether she was charged with any offence. Reports indicate that specific orders were issued at the time of her arrest by the chief of the 610 Office in Suileng County to detain her until she turned the legal age of 18 years and then to sentence her.
152. On 26 February 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent an urgent appeal concerning Sun Yuhua, who was reportedly arrested at her home on 14 January 2004 at about 2 p.m., by a group of policemen (whose names are known to the Special Rapporteurs), led by the Chief of the Political Security Team at the Hulan County Police Station, allegedly because she practiced Falun Gong. The policemen reportedly took Ms. Sun to the Hulan County Police Station, where officers (whose names are known to the Special Rapporteurs) reportedly beat and tortured her. Reports indicate that she was later sent to the Hulan County Second Detention Centre, where she reportedly went on a hunger strike to protest her torture and detention. When she refused to give up her beliefs, she was reportedly transferred to the Hulan County First Detention Centre, where she continued her hunger strike, and was allegedly force-fed, causing her physical condition to become critical. Fears were expressed that she might die from the treatment she allegedly received. Reports also indicate that, reportedly as a result of his public disclosure of the persecution of Falun Gong, Ms. Sun's husband, Zhang Qingsheng, was detained at Hulan County First Detention Centre. The police from the Hulan County Police Station also reportedly arrested Ms. Sun's daughter, an 18-year-old student at Hulan County College, on 14 January 2004. She was reportedly interrogated and tortured for four days, before being sent to the Harbin Second Detention Centre.
156. On 2 March 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent an urgent appeal concerning Li Dongqing, a Falun Gong practitioner. She is reportedly detained at Dabei Women's Prison, Baixitaizi Village, Pingluo Town, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province. Li Dongqing, who suffers from hepatitis, has allegedly been subjected to prolonged periods of solitary confinement, scolding, beatings, and shocks with electric batons by guards, including during her period of detention at the Masanjia Labor Camp. Currently, her body is swollen and her state of mental health is said to be deteriorating. In view of allegations of torture and ill-treatment of Li Dongqing in detention, and her present state of health, concern is expressed for her mental and physical integrity.
157. On 15 March 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, sent an urgent appeal concerning Yiwen Tang (f), a 37 year-old Falun Gong practitioner, from Zuhai suburb of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. On 23 February 2004 Yiwen Tang is said to have been taken from her home following an application for a passport. Her husband was reportedly also interrogated in connection with her passport application. It is reported that she was, at the time this communication was sent, being detained for re-education at the Chutou Law School, in Guangzhou Baiyun district. On 10 March 2004 information was received that Yiwen Tang's health condition was critical. She was said to have been on hunger strike for 17 days to protest her detention. It is reported that her family had appealed to the police in Guangzhou City for an investigation into the legality of her detention and called for her immediate release. Allegedly, no action had been taken at the time this communication was sent.
171. On 30 April 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, sent an urgent appeal concerning Liu Mei, 36, resident of Donggang City, Liaoning Province. She was reportedly held in Dabei Prison in Shenyang City at the time this communication was sent. On 10 March 2004, a relative who visited her reported that Liu Mei was carried to the visiting room wearing a big gauze mask, and that she was extremely weak and thin. It is reported that the guards immediately stopped the meeting when she said that she was dying, and since then no information on her situation had been available. It is reported that Liu Mei and her husband were arrested on 9 April 2002 and sentenced to 13 years in prison for producing and distributing materials about the alleged persecution of Falun Gong. It is alleged that since her arrest and detention at the Dandong City Police Station, and subsequently at the Dandong Detention Centre and then Dabei Prison, Liu Mei had been tortured in an attempt to force her to give up Falun Gong. The methods of torture and ill-treatment alleged include electric shocks all over the body and beatings on her head with hard plastic baton handles. It is alleged that she had been denied adequate medical attention, and as a consequence suffered among other things, high fevers which have damaged her lungs Her health had reportedly continued to deteriorate. In view of the allegations of torture and the reported state of her health, concern was expressed for the physical and mental integrity of Liu Mei if she did not receive prompt and adequate medical attention.
174. On 7 May 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal concerning Huang Xiangwei, aged 44, a high school music teacher and a resident of Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. He was reportedly held at Changlinzi Labor Camp at the time this communication was sent. It is reported that Huang Xiangwei went on hunger strike to protest alleged ill-treatment by the camp guards, as a result of which he lapsed into a coma and was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment. It is reported that, since his admission to the camp's hospital around early April 2004, no information had been available on his condition and he was not allowed any visitors. Huang Xiangwei was allegedly arrested on 15 May 2002 by the police from the Harbin City Police Station for being a Falun Gong practitioner, and brought to the Seventh Team of the Harbin City Second Detention Centre. It is alleged that he was tortured because he refused to renounce Falun Gong, and he became paralyzed from the waist down as a consequence of torture. On 3 November 2002, he was reportedly sentenced to three years of forced labor and transferred to the Wanjia Labor Camp, and later sent to the Wanjia Labor Camp Hospital. It is alleged that he was detained there for about one year, during which he was subjected to cruel and inhuman treatment, including being forced to crawl on the floor every time he needed to go to the bathroom. It is reported that in December 2003 he was transferred to the Changlinzi Labor Camp, where guards, allegedly falsely claimed that he was on hunger strike, force-fed him with concentrated salt water, and dragged him on the ground. Concern was expressed that Huang Xiangwei could be at risk of torture or other forms of ill-treatment.
176. On 18 May 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent an urgent appeal concerning Jin Jiang and his wife, Wei Limei, both in their thirties and resident of Botou City, Hebei Province. They were allegedly arrested on 8 April 2004 for giving explanations in their restaurant about the alleged persecution of Falun Gong. It is alleged that the seven police officers who came to arrest them, ransacked the restaurant and took away Falun Gong books and materials. It is alleged that the couple were, at the time this communication was sent, detained at the Botou Detention Centre, where they started a hunger strike to protest their illegal detention, and were force-fed as a consequence. It is alleged that when Jin Jiang did not cooperate, the police brutalized him, allegedly broke his legs and two of his ribs, rupturing his right eardrum and dislocating his jaw. Wei Limei was allegedly beaten and was covered with bruises. It is alleged that they may be denied medical treatment. Concern was expressed for the physical and mental integrity of the two persons if they did not receive prompt and adequate medical treatment.
183. On 8 July 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent a letter of allegation concerning:
185. On 15 July 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent an urgent appeal concerning:
190. On 4 October 2004, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal concerning Tang Yiwen, a Falun Gong practitioner. According to the information received, in May 2000, she was arrested in Beijing for appealing for Falun Gong. She was detained for two years in Chatou Women's Forced Labor Camp, Guangdong Province, and later transferred to Sanshui Labor Camp. During her detention, she was reportedly subjected to torture, in particular she was hung up, beaten and forced-fed with hot chili. She was released in August 2003 and re-arrested in February 2004. Since then, she reportedly tried several times to leave the country but was never issued a passport. In June 2004, her passport application was rejected for the third time by Guangzhou Police Department and on her file it was allegedly noted that "This person's activity is limited". On 25 June 2004, Tang Yiwen reportedly lodged a law suit in Guangzhou City Baiyun District Procuratorate (BDP) against those who illegally sentenced, detained and tortured her. It was furthermore reported that, since August 2004, she has been constantly followed by agents from the 6-10 Office. Fears were expressed regarding her physical and mental integrity, which may have been at risk.
192. On 15 October 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, sent a letter of allegation concerning reports of systemic repression against the Falun Gong . Over the past five years, hundreds of cases of alleged violations of the human rights of Falun Gong practitioners have been brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteurs. Many of these allegations have been reported back to the Chinese authorities and were reflected in reports of the Special Rapporteurs to the Commission on Human Rights. The Special Rapporteur is concerned that reports of arrest, detention, ill-treatment, torture, denial of adequate medical treatment, sexual violence, deaths, and unfair trial of members of so-called "heretical organizations", in particular Falun Gong practitioners, are increasing. He is concerned that these allegations may reflect a deliberate and institutionalized policy of the authorities to target specific groups such as the Falun Gong. According to information received, on 10 June 1999 the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party established what is known as the 610 Office, an institution which is linked to State Security Defense. The office reportedly was given a mandate to repress Falun Gong and other "heretical organizations", and is operating outside of the rule of law. Reports indicate that the Falun Gong was officially banned on 22 July 1999 through a decision of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and, since then, several decisions, notices, regulations and other judicial interpretations have been issued by the Government and judicial authorities to legitimize the official repression against "heretical organizations", including the Falun Gong. In addition, according to reports, a media campaign was launched against the Falun Gong and its practitioners in June 1999. It is believed that this campaign followed a protest gathering in Beijing on 25 April 1999, involving more than 10,000 Falun Gong practitioners (1). Further reports indicate that, in February 2001, the Central Committee of the Communist Party called for a Central Work Conference of high-level party officials. The purpose of this meeting was reportedly to adopt a plan calling for the formation of local "anti-cult task forces" in all universities, State enterprises and social organizations, to reinforce the 610 Office and strengthen local control over the Falun Gong. An analysis of reports received by the Special Rapporteurs indicates that the alleged human rights violations against Falun Gong practitioners, including systematic arrest and detention, are part of a pattern of repression against members of this group. Most of those arrested are reportedly heavily fined and released, but many are detained and ill-treated in order to force them to formally renounce Falun Gong. Those who refuse are sent to "re-education through labour" camps, where torture is reportedly used routinely and in many cases have resulted in death. The Special Rapporteur is further concerned by reports that few Falun Gong practitioners are prosecuted. When charges are laid they reportedly include allegations such as "disturbing social order", "assembling to disrupt public order", "stealing or leaking State secrets" or "using a heretical organization to undermine the implementation of the law". According to the information received, those prosecuted have been unfairly tried and many have received lengthy prison sentences. In this respect, it is reported that on 5 November 1999, a Notice issued by the Supreme People's Court instructed all local courts to do their "'political duty' in bringing to trial and punishing 'severely'" those charged with "heretical organizations crimes", "particularly Falun Gong", and to handle these cases "under the leadership of the Party committees".
193. On 19 October 2004, the Special Rapporteur, jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture, sent an urgent appeal concerning Falun Dafa practitioner Zhao Yougang, 32 years old. In June 2003, he was arrested by the Nanjing police while he was composing materials regarding Falun Gong. In jail he was reportedly subjected to torture and inhumane treatment. On 29 December 2003, he was sentenced to nine years in prison. According to the information received, he was then detained in Wuxi Prison where he was subjected to further torture. He started a hunger strike in June to protest the persecution and the ill-treatment to which he was subjected. He weighed 35 kg at the time this communication was sent. It was reported that he was being force-fed seven to eight times every night by the prison guards.
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/article_images/Expression_chn.pdf
(1) Editor's note: This event took place on April 25, 1999, when approximately 10,000 practitioners spontaneously went to Beijing to peacefully appeal at the Chinese State Council Appeal Office regarding the government's unconstitutional restrictions placed on Falun Gong, and to ask for the release of practitioners in Tianjin who had been illegally arrested.
(Clearwisdom.net) Around July 1, 2005, Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Yang Lichuang from Tumu Township, Huining County, Gansu Province was deceived into returning to his workplace by the leaders of the workplace. The County Party School was promoting the movement, "Maintain the advanced nature of party members" at that time. That night, Mr. Yang was inhumanly persecuted and tortured to death. His body was thrown into a cellar. The leaders of his workplace lied to his family members, alleging that Mr. Yang picked up three months worth of salary checks and skipped town. They said that they wanted his family to persuade him to return to work. About a week later, local residents found the body in a cellar. Details of Yang Lichuang's death are currently being investigated.
Mr. Yang Lichuang, 37 years old, was a special clerk for the birth control office of the Tumu Township government in Huining County. He had already been illegally detained four times because of his practice of Falun Dafa. Mr. Wang was sentenced to one year of forced labor during the first arrest, and after the second arrest he was sentenced to one year and six months of forced labor.
(Clearwisdom.net) After being persecuted in the Huludao Forced Labor Camp for more than a year, Mr. Hu Shaowei, a Falun Gong practitioner from Huludao City, Liaoning Province, has scabies all over his body and is almost blind. His family members asked the forced labor camp to release him on medical grounds; but the camp authorities responded that Mr. Hu cannot be released until he renounces his belief.
Mr. Hu Shaowei, 35, used to work at the Xinyuan Realty Development Co., a joint venture corporation. After he started to practice Falun Gong in 1998, he began to improve himself and to be a good person, according to the guiding principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance." He abandoned his bad habit of laziness and he thinks of others first, a fact recognized by his family members and friends. After the persecution started in July 1999, Mr. Hu went to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong and was arrested. He was sent back to Huludao City and was detained in a detention center for 3 months. While in detention, he got scabies and suffered tremendously from the itching. He was transferred to a forced labor camp, but he was released the next day for medical care because of the infectious nature of scabies.
In April 2004, several policemen broke into Hu Shaowei's house, immobilized him and pressed him to the ground. They searched his house, turning everything upside down and confiscated his books and Falun Gong materials.
Mr. Hu's mother, who was in poor health, was so frightened by the policemen's actions that she had a stroke. However, the policemen paid no attention to her condition and arrested Mr. Hu. Later, when his wife arrived home, she realized that Mr. Hu had been arrested. Currently, Mr. Hu's mother is still suffering from cataracts, caused by the intense fear during the police search.
At present, Mr. Hu is detained in the Huludao Forced Labor Camp. After a year of detention, he again got scabies all over his body. He also cannot see clearly, and he feels intolerable pain all over the body, especially in his hands and feet. His feet now have too many varicose veins for him to wear shoes. His family members asked the forced labor camp to release him on medical grounds, but the camp authorities responded that Mr. Hu cannot be released until he renounces his belief. He therefore continues to suffer this inhumane persecution in the forced labor camp.
We call on the righteous people of the world pay close attention to Mr. Hu's case and to use all means to rescue him.
Contact information of responsible persons:
Shao Shouhua, the Head of the Judicial Bureau of the city, 86-429-3160055 (Home), 86-13842970888 (Cell)
Camp office phone numbers: 86-429-3960700, 86-429-3960702, 86-429-3960703, 86-429-3960705, 86-429-3960706 and 86-429-3960707
Director, Yang Haiyan: 86-429-3128836 (Home), 86-13604290658 (Cell)
Political Commissar, Wu Shushan: 86-429-3126312 (Home), 86-13998908533 (Cell)
Deputy Director, Feng Jichun: 86-429-3961555 (Home), 86-13009294692 (Cell)
Deputy Director, Wang Shuxiang: 86-429-3960958 (Home), 86-13304291662 (Cell)
Deputy Director, Pang Guodong: 86-429-3998033 (Home), 86-13942988577 (Cell)
Deputy Director, Yang Shiwei: 86-429-2129999 (Home), 86-13188530001 (Cell)
Chief of the Discipline Section, Yang Lianyuan: 86-13304299660 (Cell)
Deputy Chief of the Discipline Section, Wu XX, 86-429-3127638 (Home), 86-13019978455 (Cell)
Jail physician who is in charge of forced-feeding:
Wang Dazhu (male): 86-429-3960781 (Home), 86-13052675556 (Cell)
Gao Guirong (female): 86-429-3183344 (Home), 86-13009286525 (Cell)
July 12, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) Since May of 2005, some districts in Shandong Province have tried to hold Minghui schools for young practitioners. Practitioners in Zuiwengxianzhuang, of the Laiwu tourist district held a Minghui trial school where 50 young practitioners attended. On the afternoon of July 20, someone reported them to the police. The police sent the young practitioners home but kept all their belongings, especially their homework and identification cards. The Laiwu police arrested Liu Faling and Feng Aimin. The authorities are persecuting them at the Laiwu City Detention center. Some practitioners have been forced to leave home because of this incident.
Currently the Laiwu City Police Station is investigating, and the Shandong police have also assisted in Laiwu. In order to avoid further deterioration of the current situation, we hope that many practitioners will send forth righteous thoughts focusing on this matter. We also hope that practitioners can search within themselves immediately, as this is necessary to eliminate the evil's persecution.
July 25, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) (Continued)
Part 1: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2005/7/15/62904.html
Part 2: http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2005/7/16/62931.html
9. The "dedicated assignment" system (also called the "sandwiching routine")
The "dedicated assignment" system is used in the No. 3 Forced Labor Camp in Henan Province. In this system, two to four criminal inmates keep a close watch on each practitioner, following the practitioner everywhere around the clock, accompanying him during mealtime and sleep, and even when he uses the toilet. Those criminals severely beat practitioners if they don't obey the camp's rules. Encouraged by guards with the promise of sentence reduction, the designated criminals play the roles of persecutors of Falun Gong practitioners. According to records, after being released, most of the criminals who got involved in persecuting Falun Gong were arrested again and sent back to the No. 3 Forced Labor Camp. For example, Li Jinglin, who had been involved in a lot of persecution cases, was also the most active inmate in persecuting Falun Gong. Though he got a two-month sentence reduction, only few months later he was arrested and again locked up in the forced labor camp.
Meanwhile, the officials in the No. 3 Forced Labor Camp use a system that provides better treatment to those who renounce Falun Gong. Their sentences are reduced by at least three or four months, usually in the range of 5-12 months. Once, a person who went astray shouted out a Falun Gong-slandering slogan at a meeting in March 21, 2001. That individual got an 18-month sentence reduction.
As far as solid practitioners are concerned, the perpetrators at the forced labor camp torture them brutally, trying all kinds of methods to force them to give up their belief. The guards boast, "We would rather beat someone to death than fail to "reform" him; for those who are on a hunger strike, we would rather let them starve to death than release them." The forced labor camp links the rate of "reformation" with the guards' work evaluation and bonuses. So, in order to increase the rate of reform, guards use all manner of tortures to deal with the solid practitioners. The guards forbid them to sleep and periodically interrogate them. They torture practitioners physically and mentally and create an environment of terror. Yan Zhenye, the camp director, and the deputy director Qu Shuangcai told the guards that they can use all kinds of methods to deal with Falun Gong practitioners. Their orders are based on Jiang Zemin's secret order, "It is not a crime to beat them [Falun Gong practitioners] to death; it will be counted as suicide."
Meanwhile, the practitioners' courage and solid belief in Dafa have terrified the evildoers and deeply shocked the other criminals. In such a severe environment, some criminals even expressed their desire to learn Falun Gong. Some criminals have already started practicing and reading the Fa with us in the forced labor camp.
10. The March 10, 2001 Incident
On March 10, 2001, five practitioners from Division 2, Chen Zhanyong, Cui Yusheng, Liu Qingyuan, Jia Shuangyuan and I started a hunger strike to protest the persecution and to ask for the right to practice. Chen Zhanyong and I were force-fed. Guard Zheng Qi scratched our feet, armpits and ribs with a ballpoint pen. They covered my nose and tried to open my mouth by force. Guard Shi Baolong ordered others to force-feed us by any means they could find. They tried for a long time but failed. I heard that they would use an anesthetic, but for some reason they did not.
Chen Zhanyong, a very steadfast practitioner, is a person who likes a clean environment and clean things. When he was deprived of freedom in the Xuchang Forced Labor Camp, several guards and criminals could not make him give up Falun Gong, even though they pummeled him with their knees, pushed him against the wall and stomped on him. This time, guards found a very dirty criminal and ordered him to blow rice soup into Chen Zhanyong's mouth with a metal pipe.
Guards applied the torture known as "Roasting a whole lamb" on Jia Shuangyuan. This is how it works: The police tied the practitioner's four limbs tightly onto a horizontal pole, thus suspending him, and then punched, kicked, and hit the practitioner with a stick. Before he began practicing Falun Dafa, Jia Shuangyuan was arrested and jailed in a forced labor camp because he stole a cow. In the forced labor camp, after we clarified the truth to him, he was amazed by the practitioners' courage and high moral standards. He started studying the Fa with us, although he didn't yet know how to do the Falun Gong exercises. He was beaten unconscious with an electric baton and a metal rod by the 2nd Team leaders Song Naxin, Dong Mao, and the division leader Jin Xushan of Division 2. Criminal Wu Zhi carried him back to his cell.
Illustration: "Roasting the whole lamb"
After torturing practitioners and creating such a terrifying environment, guards would force practitioners to read anti-Falun Gong books and write essays. Practitioners are forced to write "understandings" and a guarantee statement. If one refuses to do so, guards would hang him up and beat him with an electric baton and rubber club. They forced those who were compelled to reform to write to their families, and called this "giving abiding love to those practitioners." They forced practitioners to swear, sing and perform calisthenics; the purpose of these things was to destroy the practitioners' will.
Jia Shuangyuan was beaten unconscious twice because he refused to write political essays and because he read the Fa. Guards Song Naxin, Dong Mao and the political head of Division 2, Zhang Qiang, along with six or seven other criminals, beat Jia Shuangyuan with chairs for 1-2 hours. Once Jia Shuangyuan had to lie in bed for two days as a result of the beating.
When torturing Jia Shuangyuan in one room, the head guards, Yan Zhenye and Shi Baolong, even talked to me about "civilized management; the Chinese Communist Party's warm and gentle reformation being like a spring breeze" in another room right across the hallway.
The Xiaolongkou Farm, the No. 3 Forced Labor Camp in Henan Province, is where a widely-known murder took place - within 40 minutes, even before the policemen from out of town who escorted a criminal inmate here had left, the criminal was beaten to death. When talking to me about this "achievement," Yan Zhenye was even proud of it.
After the hunger strike on March 10, 2001, I was transferred to Team 2 from Team 1.
11. The March 21, 2001 Incident ("3-21 Incident")
The most ruthless persecution I experienced in the No. 3 Forced labor Camp in Henan Province was the "3-21 Incident" on March 21, 2001.
In a meeting slandering Falun Gong that was held on March 21, 2001, as soon as a person who turned against Dafa said something slanderous, all nineteen of us fellow practitioners spontaneously and at the same time shouted out, "Falun Dafa is good!"
The guards sprang on us, and we were then pulled out of the auditorium. The camp authorities forced Dong Wuyi and other criminal prisoners to beat us until we bled. Three of us lost consciousness. Afterwards, we were "tightened with the police rope" and pulled back to each team's "classroom" for further torture and forced to write "self-examinations." Later on, Feng Shulin, another practitioner whose name we did not know and Chen Zhanyong, who didn't write the essays, had their terms unlawfully extended by a year. The shortest extended term for the nineteen practitioners was three months. I had my term extended for eight months.
One day, under police instruction, the criminal prisoner Dong Wuyi from Team 2 of Division 2 suddenly grabbed my hair and fiercely struck my lower body with his knee. The pain nearly made me faint. After that, I suffered urinary problems for over a month, and for a long time my lower body felt numb and sore.
Right after that, I was tortured with the "tightened rope" torture and pulled to the Division 2 office on the third floor. Yao Peng, the political head of Division 2, commanded a criminal prisoner to drag me to Team 1, the "Hitler Group."
After I was dragged up there, they released me from the rope. Then they held a criticizing and denouncing meeting in the classroom. Prisoners were forced to yell a sentence slandering our Master.
Then I was pulled to the "chat room" for "tightening the rope." Because I refused to kneel, guard Zheng Qi commanded prisoners Kang Jingwei, Ba Dong and seven to eight persons to beat me. I suffered kicks to my head and my back, and I felt as if my intestines were punched out. As a result of the beating, I suffered incontinence and my nose was bleeding.
The prisoners tied me up with fellow practitioner Chen Yong. Guard Zheng Qi issued a special order to tie me with both arms crossed behind my back and palms facing each other. The No. 3 Camp invented this torture ("bend over with hands folded at the back"). It hurts even more when someone steps on the legs to force the knees to bend, holding up the chin and setting the back straight. Even though I was stripped of everything but a T-shirt when suffering the "tightened rope," the pain would make me sweat profusely in no time.
Under instructions from Yan Zhenye, the labor camp director, the political head of Division 2 Yao Peng, team leader Xu Jinshan and Education Section leader Shi Baolong, police officer Zheng Qi tried to get me to turn against Dafa. When he saw that I was silent, he turned to scold the prisoners of Team 1 and forced them to slap my face. Over a hundred prisoners in a line slapped me and rapped my head. Fellow practitioner Chen Zhanyong came out to protect me without concern for himself and shouted out, "If you want to beat someone, then beat me! Don't beat him!" But Chen Zhanyong's voice was silenced, and he was beaten out of my sight. Then the guards twisted Chen Zhanyong's arms. It hurt so much that he could not help but to cry out. This is how they tried to force me to give in. Facing this, I felt terrible, but I knew from the bottom of my heart, "Falun Dafa is good!" and "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!" How could I give it up!
By noon I was tortured again with the "re-tightened rope," where they loosen the rope for an instant, then tighten it again. This is even more painful, because the arms feel numb when tied for long so that they no longer hurt [the pain comes from the cut-off circulation and then the blood rushing through the veins again]. Then they pushed my head down and yanked my arms up. This torture is known as "flying an airplane."
When I went back to the cell, I was forced to kneel until I agreed to write up the "self-examination." Guard Zheng Qi said with teeth clenched, "If you don't write, the whole class will not be allowed to eat. If you don't cooperate this afternoon, nobody will be allowed to sleep tonight."
This extremely cruel threat was often used on steadfast practitioners. Fellow practitioner Yao Sanzhong, who had been in Division 1 and was tortured to death, had been tortured with the "re-tightened rope" four times back and forth, and his face was beaten and swelled up badly.
12. Distort the persecution; confuse what is seen and heard; disguise the truth and deceive the public
One day, the No. 3 Forced Labor Camp was suddenly placed under martial law. Usually, all prisoners ate their meals on the square. This time, however, food was sent to the workshop or cells. We knew that something happened, but the camp authorities strictly concealed the information. Later we learned that on April 25, 2002, Falun Gong practitioner Li Jian was killed under the persecution.
Since the "reformation rate" resulting from the savage persecution was high, the government declared this camp a "model." Officials who came to visit from all over the country formed a continuous stream. To disguise the labor camp's inside story of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, whenever outsiders came to visit, the camp head and guards would threaten everybody so that nobody would tell the facts, "Whoever dares to tell the truth, we will skin you!" They also used deception to conceal the facts.
The authorities forced us to work usually over 12 hours daily, yet they forced us to state to the outsiders that we only worked for six hours. The task for everybody each day was to weave at least four plaits, yet we were only allowed to say we wove two. We were quite hungry, yet we had to say that we were full. We had to polish 300 pieces of gems, yet were only allowed to say to the outsiders that we were only required to polish 100 pieces. They even made use of some prisoners to deceive the outsiders, saying that no beating was allowed in the forced labor camp. In 2001, when officials from the Bureau of Justice came to inspect the labor camp, the authorities improved our food for three days.
On June 29, 2001, when head of the 610 Office Luo Gan came to a forced labor camp in Shanxi Province to personally orchestrate the persecution of Falun Gong, a deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Security came to inspect the No. 3 Labor Camp. The camp authorities were afraid that we would disclose their brutal persecution, so they sent me, along with Chen Zhanyong, Cui Yusheng, Jia Shuayuan, Liu Qingyuan, Yao Sanzhong, Li Yuhan, Bai Hongmin, Ma Luping and other steadfast practitioners by truck to Xiaolongkou Farm, the original location of the No.3 Forced Labor Camp over ten kilometers away, to pull weeds. This lasted three days. After we returned to the camp, the guards ordered the prisoners to all say the same things and deceive us, telling us that nobody had come for an inspection.
The head of the Bureau of Justice in Henan Province visited the camp several times. Xuchang Television Station staff followed the visitors to videotape the "life-giving spring breeze and rain" in action. Before their visit, the camp authorities prepared everything. They arranged for those from Division 3 who were already forcibly brainwashed and "reformed" to give a joint performance in uniform in classrooms, dining rooms and on the playground. By contrast, they hid us steadfast Falun Gong practitioners or temporarily sent us to other divisions.
To deceive the public and distort the bloody persecution, the camp authorities built a garden with people's tax money, hanging high a sign reading "Administer in a Civilized Manner. Rigorously Follow the Law." They implemented an "establish" movement, first to establish a unit "directly under the province," later to establish a unit "directly under the minister." By persecuting Falun Gong, they received political advancement and monetary gain.
The camp was named as one of the "bases for brainwashing and reformation of Falun Gong practitioners" in Henan Province. The Ministry of Justice allocated a special funding of 15 million yuan to persecute Falun Gong, in order to reward their "outstanding achievement." The police held a large gathering to show off their "contributions." They built a four-story pink building, the so-called "Falun Gong Reformation Base" that is used to forcibly brainwash practitioners.
(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Xia Diankun was in his 30s and a Falun Dafa practitioner in Tonghua City, Jilin Province. He was sent to Chaoyanggou Forced Labor Camp, where he was tortured. During his time there, Mr. Xia contracted tuberculosis. He was released from the camp in August 2004 and died of tuberculosis in mid-July 2005.
Mr. Lin Qiuyun, was a practitioner in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province. During the past several years of persecution, he lived a very difficult life and had to move from place to place to avoid being repeatedly arrested. The persecution affected him mentally and physically. Mr. Lin died on May 27, 2005, leaving his wife and three-year-old son.
Mr. Xu Guoqing was around 74 years old, a practitioner in Yuanqi Village, Gelan Town, Changshou County, Chongqing City. He started practicing Falun Dafa in December 1998. Prior to that he had lung and heart diseases for over six years and endured lengthy hospitalizations to sustain his life. In less than a month after Mr. Xu started practicing Falun Dafa, his sicknesses were healed. He did heavy farm labor in the first half of 1999 but died on July 23, 1999, after hearing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda defaming Falun Dafa on the news on July 22, 1999.
Ms. Zhou Cuihua was 60 years old and a practitioner in Nanxiaozhuang Village, Dingxing County, Hebei Province. After she began to practice Falun Dafa in 1998, all her sicknesses disappeared. She went to Beijing twice to appeal for Falun Dafa in 2000 and was twice arrested and taken back for detention in the township government office. Ms. Zhou was beaten in the government office and had 5,000 five thousand yuan extorted from her. She was then harassed repeatedly after her release. Ms. Zhou Cuihua died on January 8, 2004.
Ms. Han Xiufang was 64 years old, a practitioner in Nanxiaozhuang Village, Dingxing County, Hebei Province. She obtained Falun Dafa in 1999 and practiced the exercises in public after July 20, 1999 when the persecution started. Ms. Han was detained in the township government office and had 500 yuan extorted from her. She was harassed many times after her release. Ms. Han Xiufang died on February 9, 2004.
(Clearwisdom.net) Michael J. Horowitz is director of Hudson Institute's Project for Civil Justice Reform and Project for International Religious Liberty. He gave an address on July 21, 2005 at the Anti-Persecution Rally in Washington, D.C., in support of Falun Gong. The following is the text of his speech.
Michael Horowitz
I come here to offer thanks to you and your brave colleagues, more than I do the little support I can offer. You know in military units the bravest of the brave are the scouts. They're the ones to march first; they're the ones to have the greatest casualties; but they clear the path for those that come and without them success on the battlefield or success anywhere would not be possible for those who follow in their path. And you are the pathfinders. Not just for China but for all of us everywhere seeking democracy and rights throughout the world. I'm in such awe. I'm so grateful for the bravery, for the path-finding work of your practitioners. You clear the path in China for artists, for house church Christians, for political dissidents, because you are the scapegoats; you're people of the battleground on which the battle for freedom in China is being fought. Your television [programming], one of the miracles I've seen of energy, effort and ingenuity, sends messages of freedom and hope to little villages in China; where people gather the little bits of money they have to buy, secretly buy, receivers to receive [your] broadcast. My God, you stand for freedom for all of us, and thank you so very much.
And yet there is in some ways an even larger dimension; the great issue of the 21st century will be in all probability the competition between the United States and China and the great question is where that competition will be: to see who can make better cars or television sets, or a competition in blood or war? The answer to that question is the answer to whether the 21st century will be a century of peace for my grandchildren or the bloodbath that the 20th century has been for the people of the world. And the key question that will determine the competition between the United States and China will be a peaceful productive competition or a bloody war; will be if China is moved to democracy. God knows it is not there but we also know that there are people within China and people putting pressure on China to move it in the direction of democracy because we all know and Mark Palmer has written so eloquently that democracies don't wage war with each other. So the path-finding work is done by the Falun Gong, as you stand there for freedom of expression and freedom of religion and freedom to express ones thoughts. You are the pathfinders for democracy in China and therefore keepers of the hope for the world and for the 21st century. Thank you for that, thank you for that so very much. And the blood of every one of those 2,711 people [who have died from the persecution] and the more who are suffering torture in prisons are the blood and suffering that offers hope to my grandchildren for a peaceful 21st century. I will do whatever I can for them and for you and again I thank you so very, very much for your courage.
Coming here [to this rally] every year is one of the honors and high points. This is, I think the third year that I have come, yet I will tell you this: with every ounce of energy I have, an effort to match which I never will, the courage of those 2,711, I will work to see that next year's meeting is a celebration of victory for freedom and democracy. And if, no, when it is, I will again say thank you, and thank you for my grandchildren and thank you for all of us on this earth. Thank you very much.
(Clearwisdom.net) According to The Epoch Times newspaper, more than 3.4 million people have withdrawn from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or the Communist Youth League on the Internet since the publication of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. However, there are also people who think that they have not done anything bad, are not corrupt, and do not swindle or steal. They think they are much better than some CCP members, and therefore they should be safe. They don't think it's necessary to withdraw from the CCP.
Perhaps they still don't understand why the Heavens will eliminate the CCP. It is because the CCP has committed all kinds of crimes and angered the Heavens and the people. Its existence can no longer be allowed. In the 56 years of the CCP's rule, it has initiated numerous, brutal political movements, killing approximately 80 million people, which exceeded the casualties from the two world wars combined. In addition, the forced family planning movement has killed countless innocent infants. Its brutality greatly surpassed Nazi Germany. Even today, the CCP continues to persecute innocent Falun Gong practitioners behind closed doors and suppresses dissidents and democracy advocates. The CCP has committed so many crimes and owes such an enormous bloody debt. It can't escape from retribution simply because it is in power now.
The good will be rewarded with good, and the evil will face retribution for their evil. If humans can't restore justice, gods will. Although the CCP appears strong and scary in front of its citizens, before gods, it is frail and weak. In retrospect, Nazi Germany appeared very strong, but it did not take long to defeat it. The collapse of the Third Reich was as much an effort by men as the will of heaven. The CCP not only killed countless people but also completely and irrationally destroyed traditional culture and the human living environment. As a result of its rule, society's moral standard has degenerated, people slander gods and buddhas, and there is no limit to their harmful actions. Now is the time to eliminate the CCP.
The CCP is not only a concept. It is an evil organization with nearly 70 million members. If Heaven destroys the CCP, it will completely eliminate this evil organization and all its members. When a member joined the CCP, she or he pledged their lives under the blood-red flag and carried the mark of the CCP beast. If you don't withdraw from this organization, you will be eliminated together with those die-hard Party members who have committed horrible crimes, to repay the huge debt the CCP owes.
Let's take a voyage as an analogy. If you don't withdraw from the CCP, you are a crewmember on the CCP's pirate ship. No matter how ornate and colorful the pirate ship is decorated, it is all decayed inside, and cannot withstand the weather. Once a storm hits, the ship will sink to the bottom of the ocean. If the entire ship sinks, will you be able to survive?
It is very compassionate that gods pass on heavenly principles to people and alert people to dangers in order to save them. Please cherish this moment and immediately withdraw from the CCP and its related organizations.
Gods can only help you when you choose to leave the CCP's pirate ship. Gods have extended their hands to you, but you have to extend your hand to accept their assistance. If you insist on taking the wrong path, and feel quite content on the pirate ship, how can gods save you?
(Clearwisdom.net) On July 15, 2005, the Tianjin Daily newspaper published the story of the murder of a woman by her husband Li Yanzhong. The newspaper falsely claimed that Li Yanzhong is a Falun Gong practitioner. We spoke with Li Yanzhong's colleagues, his mother's friend and his neighbors. Our independent investigation uncovered the following facts:
Li Yanzhong lives at the Jingxia Company residential compound at the Dagang Oil Field. He didn't get along with his wife, who had an affair. Li Yanzhong met his wife's lover and was beside himself with fury. On the night of the murder, his wife again didn't return home. Li Yanzhong phoned her and asked her to come home, but she refused. Li Yanzhong then killed her.
It was learned that Li Yanzhong drank alcohol that night. Li Yanzhong's colleagues said he often acted strangely. His father was a mental patient and passed away a long time ago. Prior to July 20, 1999 (when the persecution started), Li Yanzhong's mother read Falun Gong books but did not really practice cultivation. She kept Falun Gong books at home, though, which explains the 610 Office claim in the Tianjin Daily, "Falun Gong books were found at murderer Li Yanzhong's home."
A taxi driver who spoke on condition of anonymity said the murder had to do with Li Yanzhong being traumatized over his wife's affair, and that the only reason Li claimed to be a Falun Gong practitioner was because the government promised to exempt him from the death penalty if he did.
Dagang Oil Field TV also reported the murder. It cited a domestic conflict and didn't mention Falun Gong.
People at the Jingxia Company who used to practice Falun Gong said they've never heard about Li Yanzhong practicing Falun Gong and had never seen him at practice sites, yet, the Tianjin Daily claimed he had been practicing Falun Gong for nine years.
Li Yanzhong not only has mental illness but he also has a family history of mental illness. The teachings of Falun Gong discourage mentally ill people from practicing Falun Gong. Furthermore, genuine Falun Gong practitioners do not drink alcohol, and Falun Gong books clearly state that practitioners are forbidden from killing. If Li Yanzhong has been practicing Falun Gong for nine years, why would he drink alcohol and kill?
The report in Tianjin Daily also stated, "Li Yanzhong said himself, 'At the time, my mind was filled with the thought to kill; my thoughts were controlled by evil beings and I felt I no longer had control over them; they controlled my head and told me to do things such as kill others and kill myself."
People with some medical knowledge can tell this is a typical scenario of a mental patient having an episode of psychosis. Regardless of whether or not Li Yanzhong has been diagnosed with a mental illness, his narration clearly proves himself to be a mentally ill person.
Many people at the Dagang Oil Field were angry after reading this slanderous report. They said, "Falun Gong is very good; this has nothing to do with Falun Gong. Why do they blame everything on Falun Gong?" It's obvious that the Chinese Communist Party's lies can no longer fool people and the farce only exposes its baseness.
Falun Gong practitioners' persistent truth clarification has helped many people learn that Falun Gong teaches people to be good.
(Clearwisdom.net) Over the past six years, many practitioners in China have suffered cruel persecution. However, some practitioners (especially overseas practitioners) in addition to sympathizing and voicing support for those being persecuted, have admired them and praised them as heroes. These practitioners, while listening to the experiences of persecuted practitioners, often view such experiences as heroic stories. Actually, this view is a manifestation of numerous human notions. It is detrimental to those who hold such thoughts, to our cultivation environment, and to those practitioners who have been victims of the persecution.
When we expose the crimes of the persecution, our goals are to alleviate the pressure on the persecuted practitioners, eliminate the evil, and clarify the truth to save sentient beings. As long as we are able to achieve these goals, we are changing a bad thing into a good thing, and we are negating the arrangements of the old forces. When we expose the crimes of the persecution, we are also exerting the power of the larger body of practitioners to make up for the losses in saving sentient beings while our fellow practitioners are in custody and cannot clarify the truth on a large scale.
When clarifying the truth in writing, practitioners strive to write from angles that are comprehensible to the public and to use wording that is acceptable to everyday people when compiling articles to expose the persecution. However, articles detailing the persecution facts are not meant to advocate how a certain practitioner is able to endure the persecution, nor are they meant to set up a heroic model for everyday people. When Dafa practitioners endure persecution, it is an imposed arrangement, rather than the path a Dafa disciple in the Fa-rectification period must take or the goal one has to achieve. It is by no means an arrangement for us by our Master. It is caused by our failing to live up to the requirements in cultivation. It is our failing to conduct ourselves righteously at all times. As a result of our shortcomings, Master and all other righteous gods and gods safeguarding Dafa are unable to help us. Before the Fa rectifies the human world, we Dafa disciples are here solely to try our best to save sentient beings to the maximal extent. We are not here to establish our own mighty virtue by enduring persecution. Suffering persecution is not an honor.
From the perspective of Dafa principles, we cultivators understand that if between April 25 and July 20, 1999 all Dafa disciples had been able to walk a righteous path and live up to Dafa's standards and requirements, such a nationwide persecution would have had no opportunity to begin.
The human world is not meant to be a place for the evil to commit atrocities. We probably can understand it this way: if we all do well in clarifying the truth and in helping all people in the world to know that "Falun Dafa is great," and tell the true story of the evil persecution, the persecution will come to an end immediately. If we all cultivate well and live up to the Dafa requirements for each of us, the persecution will also come to an end immediately. If we do well when sending forth righteous thoughts and are able to disintegrate all the evil within our realm and our capabilities, the persecution will be brought to an end completely.
Conversely, before we are able to achieve this, the evil will continue to exist and the persecution will go on. Moreover, the evil will specifically look for those practitioners in whom it can find opportunities to persecute. To put it frankly, those practitioners who have been subjected to severe persecution all belong to the type of practitioner who fails to have a good enough understanding of the Fa principles, who fails to catch up with the requirements of the Fa-rectification, and who has not let go of certain attachments for a long time or fails to realize these attachments for too long. They thus become victims of the persecution.
Although severe persecution is caused by weaknesses in practitioners' cultivation, we are guided and taken care of by our Master. The old forces, rotten demons, and the communist specter are not authorized to impose the persecution on us by taking advantage of our loopholes. However, during the interim between the old universe and the new universe (at a special time in which the old Fa principles and new Fa principles coexist) the evil forces, despite their inevitable doom, continue to commit crimes against the Fa-rectification. When we negate the persecution, in addition to negating the evil factors, we should not neglect our weaknesses in our cultivation, nor should we look upon a cultivator's weaknesses with a human mentality.
From the perspective of cultivation, if those practitioners who are victims of the persecution are able to handle the encounter of persecution well, they will be able to look inward for problems immediately, let go of their attachments and human notions, and make the best use of their time to do the three things well. When they elevate their level, the evil will be left at its wits' end. However, those who suffer a severe persecution such as long-term incarceration or torture are usually practitioners who fail to become immediately clear-minded and fail to elevate in their understanding of Fa principles, thus giving the evil forces opportunities to persecute them.
If Master had not offered salvation to us with unprecedented compassion and had not endured such huge karma for us, if Master had not eliminated the evil in the universe at an unimaginable pace and continued to give us opportunities before the Fa-rectification comes to an end, many practitioners who have suffered the persecution would have become victims of an even more tragic plight.
Practitioners who have been directly persecuted and those who are in contact with them should not look upon the persecution with a human mentality. When they feel happy that our fellow practitioners have finally escaped the persecution, they should not consider their having been persecuted an honor, or treat those practitioners as heroes. Otherwise, they are not validating Dafa. Moreover, they would hamper those practitioners who escaped the persecution from moving forward in cultivation and doing well in clarifying the truth about Dafa. Such a human mentality may even cause the practitioners who have been persecuted to develop an attachment to self and bring further unnecessary trouble to their cultivation.
If we indeed cherish our fellow practitioners, we must be responsible to them. We should restrain ourselves from flattering them and admiring them. We should remind them to study the Fa more diligently, send forth righteous thoughts more frequently, and hurry to clarify the truth. In recent years, the practitioners who have been clarifying the truth to a large number of people and who have never been persecuted are the ones who really have validated Dafa in a positive manner.
The situations of practitioners who have been victims of the persecution or of prolonged interference are very complex. For example, some practitioners are probably doing well in many aspects, however they fail to raise their level in some aspects and thus the evil is able to take advantage of their weaknesses.
Some probably have not let go of their fundamental attachments and are very attached to their own gains and losses. Some probably have too many attachments and always look upon cultivation with their human notions. Some, for a long time, do not dare to do the "three things" Dafa disciples are supposed to do. Master has told us in a solemn manner that cultivation is serious.
We, ourselves, have also realized that a small discrepancy leads to a great error. A deviation in a single thought may bring about a completely different result, not to mention what can happen when some practitioners are holding onto very strong human attachments. If we fail to cultivate well, there's no way we can do well in the three things Master has asked us to do. Or, we may be able to do the three things to certain extent, but with very low efficiency. Sometimes our failing to cultivate well will cause interference and losses among practitioners. Cultivation is indeed a very serious matter.
July 26, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) During experience sharing, we have often heard fellow practitioners say that we needed to study the Fa diligently, follow the Fa-rectification closely and became steadfast practitioners. Whether or not we can achieve these requirement depends on more than just our words alone or a pompous speech. It requires a solid foundation of personal cultivation, a steadfast righteous belief, righteous understanding of the Fa and strong righteous thoughts. A pompous speech is only a magnificent show and a smokescreen. It only validates oneself and the behavior of an ordinary person. For a practitioner, it is a very serious obstacle in validating the Fa.
I offer these introductory remarks to help others examine this important issue. I want to explain an occurrence that has happened during our Fa validation. It touched me so much that I want to share the story with fellow practitioners. In the meanwhile, we need to take the Fa as Teacher strictly and look deeply within ourselves. We need to ask ourselves whether or not we have closely followed the progress of Fa-rectification. Are all our thoughts based on the foundation of the Fa-rectification, or are our thoughts based on egotism and selfishness, to validate ourselves?
Recently, two fellow practitioners in our region were arrested when they were distributing truth-clarifying materials, and were sent to a detention center. When other practitioners found out about it the next day, we consulted one another and decided to take measures to rectify the situation. We decided to work as a group and all were to do what they were supposed to do to help the arrested practitioners, to restrain the evil, to alleviate pressure on the practitioners and to mobilize practitioners as fast as possible in distributing a large amount of truth-clarifying materials. In the meanwhile, we sent forth righteous thoughts to strengthen the arrested practitioners and to eradicate the evil. However, by the end of the effort, only a handful of practitioners had participated. Although this event is in the past, it certainly recounts the xinxing level of each practitioner.
The Notion of Passive Endurance
The notion of passive endurance is an arrangement by the old forces, who have created many unrighteous influences to obstruct Dafa practitioners. Some practitioners, whether they are Dafa practitioners just starting cultivation, veteran practitioners or those who had been imprisoned in the forced labor camps, show different degrees of passive endurance towards old forces and the evil. Because of this, Teacher published several articles dealing with the issue: "Beyond the Limits of Forbearance," "Dafa Disciples' Righteous thoughts are Powerful," and "Dafa is Indestructible" (Essentials for Further Advancement II). However, the so-called "transformations" are still happening. Teacher has said in "Teaching the Fa on Easter, 2004, at the New York Fa Conference:"
"Today is Easter, the day of a god's resurrection! This is all I'll say today. On this special, glorious day, may Dafa disciples' divine sides also be resurrected!"
I think Teacher was telling us that we are not merely like practitioners of the past. When we have strong righteous thoughts and righteous actions, everything we do and think contains divine power. Teacher has also told us this from different angles about "the True Body exists this time inside the flesh body." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003")
Let us look back at ourselves with the Fa as our teacher. Was every thought based on the Fa, or were some thoughts based on ourselves? It is true that we are cultivators, but we are Dafa disciples in the Fa-rectification period. We have missions of gods, and we carry expectations from Teacher. We have the responsibility of saving sentient beings. We are fulfilling our oaths from prehistory. We are cultivators taking divine actions.
"The fact is, at this time Dafa disciples have to do divine things, because for Dafa disciples their personal cultivation is no longer first and foremost. Saving sentient beings and reconstructing the colossal firmament during the Fa-rectification are the purpose." ("Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. International Fa Conference")
What we need to do is totally negate the arrangements made by the old forces, calmly study the Fa, walk out of our wrong paths and ask ourselves strictly with gods' minds,
aren't we supposed to assist Teacher in this human world?" Teacher has told us:
"Beings are complicated. The truth is, I've already realized in action the process of a human becoming a God. My flesh body is already governing the Falun Paradise." ("Teaching the Fa at the Conference in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003")
Have you ever thought about how difficult it is to assist Teacher during the Fa-rectification period of the human world with human thinking, human reasoning and human behavior? Teacher has cautioned us many times: "A Dafa disciple's wisdom comes from righteous thoughts--divine thoughts." ("Teaching the Fa at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Students, April 12, 2004, in New York") Fellow practitioners, let's bolster ourselves. Gods' thoughts can accomplish anything.
Validating the Fa or Oneself?
Because of passive endurance and inadequate understanding of the Fa, we lack strong righteous thoughts during Fa-rectification and do things arranged by the old forces. In the meantime, our cravings for comfort makes us unconsciously follow the paths arranged by the old forces. Teacher told us in the "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Midwest-U.S. Fa Conference":
"I give you automatic mechanisms for increasing gong and other elements such as the Falun. Also, my Law Bodies are personally looking after Dafa disciples, and my Law Bodies appointed some Gods who can truly assist with Fa-rectification to help. But, the old forces have systematically arranged their elements, too, and in that way they specifically arranged everything they wanted. So this has put every student under the influence of specific arrangements by the old forces, and under the influence of those old force beings."
Thus, we need to cultivate ourselves well and keep strong righteous thoughts at all times when validating the Fa. It is critical to understand the Fa from the principles of the Fa. Only then will we be able to take every step well when validating the Fa. Otherwise, with slight deviations in our thoughts, we will follow the old forces' paths of evil enlightenment. We need to share more of our understandings with fellow practitioners and calmly study the Fa.
"If you, as a student [of Dafa], do not follow Master's requirements, it is definitely no simple thing. The old forces have arranged for all Dafa disciples a set of their things, so if a Dafa disciple doesn't follow Master's requirements, he must be following the old forces' arrangements. The old forces are in essence gigantic trials and tribulations that accompany you at all times, focused on whether in Fa-rectification Dafa disciples are able to step forward. If after going through this ordeal some students are still not clearheaded, then they will miss [the opportunities presented in] all of this. Only when you follow Master's requirements are you validating the Fa and cultivating yourself as a Dafa disciple, and only then are you a true Dafa disciple. ("Be Clearheaded")
Teacher told us:
"Your path is, and I think you've all seen this now, actually very narrow. If you deviate just a little bit you won't measure up to the standard of a Dafa disciple. ...
Don't leave any stain or regret on the path that you walk when you validate the Fa and during this period when you establish your mighty virtue. Those can never be erased." ("Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference")
Because some walked on the wrong path and had evil "enlightenments," they then validate themselves and regard self-interest above everything else. Isn't this demonic interference from one's own mind? Dafa practitioners need to break through all of these arrangements. Teacher said in the "Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference:"
"You need to be clear that a Dafa disciple's cultivation is about stepping out of humanness; it is to step out of the old colossal firmament that is restrained by all kinds of factors that result from endless, countless, innumerable beings in this old cosmos; it is to gain a new life, emerging from an environment that is at the last of the last stage of the formation-stasis-degeneration-destruction process of the colossal firmament. Who can step out of all of this? To escape everything and be able to truly enter the future is indeed very hard."
When Teacher said it was hard, I believe he talking about the viewpoint of cultivators and encouraging us from a different angle. It will not be hard if we are able to let go of life and death, be strict with ourselves, use the thoughts of a god, strictly take the Fa as Teacher, and act with righteous thoughts and righteous actions. The process becomes hard when we cannot let go of human attachments.
Slacking off in Fa Study Will Prevent Us From Keeping Up with Fa-rectification
The persecution of Dafa practitioners in China could not happen without the mindsets and attachments of those Dafa practitioners. Can we not assume the persecution is ongoing because we are unable to keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification? Can we not assume that it has to do with each of us? We only think about how not be restrained by the evil and others, and do not think about our own responsibilities and obligations. We do not think about using our own power to restrain the evil beings, and we do not develop our energy fields to create a restraining effect. Teacher mentioned in "Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Manhattan International Fa Conference:"
"The field Dafa has formed in the world has become enormous, with its density being very high now. The main thing the field is doing is helping Dafa disciples in saving sentient beings and in restraining the evil beings, particularly the major ones. So it basically leaves the mundane affairs of ordinary people alone. If this field were to produce a widespread effect, the effect would be quite significant and would far surpass the evil field of the wicked CCP. Meanwhile, the field of the evil-specter-ridden malevolent Party is dissolving and shrinking dramatically. So the evil beings are terrified."
Lastly, I will quote the last paragraph of "Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. International Fa Conference," so that we can encourage one another:
"If upon encountering trying circumstances your thinking can be truly righteous, then, when faced with the evil's persecution and when faced with interference, just one sentence of yours fortified with steadfast righteous thoughts can instantly make the evil disintegrate, and it will make those who are being used by the evil turn and flee, it will make the evil's persecution of you dissolve, and it will make the evil's interfering with you disappear without a trace. One thought born of righteous faith is all it takes. And whoever can hold firm that righteous thought and go the distance will become a magnificent god forged by Dafa."
Shared at the 2005 Washington DC Falun Dafa Conference
(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings Revered Master, hello fellow practitioners:
We are practitioners who were wrongfully convicted by the Hong Kong government for sidewalk obstruction. More than three years passed between the launching of the lawsuit in 2002, and its final conclusion in July 2005, when all charges were overturned. We wish to tell you the background story.
In March 2002, after Changchun practitioner Liu Chengjun and others played video footage exposing the Tiananmen self-immolation hoax on local Cable TV, former President Jiang Zemin issued a "Kill them without mercy" order to the police. Changchun police arrested 5,000 practitioners and tortured them--many to death. Keeping in mind the extreme urgency of this situation, four practitioners from Switzerland decided to travel to Beijing to appeal, but their visa applications were denied. Therefore, they decided to appeal in front of the People's Republic of China's (PRC) Liaison Office in Hong Kong. On the morning of March 14, 2002, the Swiss practitioners and several Hong Kong disciples began a peaceful sit-in and hunger strike. Their purpose was to expose the Jiang regime's atrocities against Dafa practitioners, and to ask people to support the call to stop the violence.
To our surprise, under strong pressure from the Chinese Communist Party, the Hong Kong government sent in about 60 police officers, and arrested all 15 practitioners. Subsequently, they tried us in court for seven crimes including, "obstructing the sidewalk," "preventing government staff from carrying out duties," and "assaulting police." After 26 days of court procedures, without substantial facts, the judge upheld all of the charges. After this verdict, we immediately appealed to the High Court in Hong Kong.
Looking back, we realized that the incident could have been prevented. We understood that the old forces took advantage of practitioners' attachments and arranged for this incident, ignoring the safety of sentient beings. This was not only a persecution of Dafa disciples, but it also brought severe damage to sentient beings. Since it had happened, however, we decided to do our best to deny this old forces' arrangement.
We realized that we must do the following:
1) Follow Master's requirement and look within for loopholes in our own xinxing.
2) Clarify the facts to people, minimize the damage done, and save more people during the process.
We accepted the challenge and stepped up our efforts to rationally, thoroughly and with a clear mind, clarify the facts to more people. We also exposed the fact that the Hong Kong government's persecution of Falun Gong practitioners was because of pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Master told us in "Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference:"
"Wherever a problem arises, that's where you need to clarify the facts. No matter what the end result will be, through doing this you will have chances to interact with more people and you'll clarify the facts on a large scale."
Master also said at the same conference,
"Actually, you're Dafa disciples, so hey, their plots are playing right into your hands! When they stir up trouble you'll have an opportunity to clarify the facts and expose the evil, right? 'As soon as you evil beings come near, I'll grab you and I'll let the world's people know.'--that's the perfect time to expose them."
Looking back, we found some of our omissions during the sit-in and the subsequent court appeal process:
1) We did not study the Fa well, and did not pay enough attention to self-cultivation. We also did not coordinate well as a whole body. The evil took advantage of our loopholes.
These omissions have resulted in the persecution by the Hong Kong government. Now we have realized that only when we are solid in our personal cultivation can we meet Master's requirement, "Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy." ("Rationality" from Essentials for Further Advancement II) These requirements complement each other. If we fight with people without rationality, the evil will certainly take advantage of our loopholes, and we will be walking on a path designed by the evil. Our appeal in front of the PRC Liaison Office was not wrong. The key was our mindset: Did we think as cultivators, or as everyday persons? In particular, did we treat the arrest as persecution by human beings? Were we validating ourselves, or Dafa?
On the other hand, we also held onto the competitive mentality. Therefore, the dark minions of the old forces seized the opportunity and persecuted us. We inadvertently followed the old forces' arrangement. If we had not had these omissions, the evil would not have had the opportunity to attack us.
For example, before this lawsuit, Hong Kong practitioners organized an appeal activity after it was learned that Masanjia Forced Labor Camp stripped 18 female practitioners and threw them into prison cells with men. The day we heard this terrible news, ten practitioners met, studied the Fa, and shared their understandings. The next day, we went to the PRC Liaison Office to appeal, hold a hunger strike, and expose the evil persecution. We reminded each other to act according to Master's teaching, "as a practitioner one should not fight back when being punched or insulted." (Zhuan Falun) and "Doing but pursuing not," (Hong Yin). No matter what happens, we decided we would remain calm. We would try to stop the persecution and send forth righteous thoughts. That time, the police carried all of us into police cars and took us to the police station. We did not have any conflict with them. We sat in lotus position, and sent forth righteous thoughts peacefully, quietly and rationally. The old forces could not find any reason to persecute us. After the arrest, fellow practitioners and coordinators publicized the event to the news media, and demanded that the police unconditionally release our people. Under the pressure from the media, the police failed to find an excuse to detain us any longer. They released all of us unconditionally.
This experience proved the following: Besides studying the Fa, abandoning our attachments, and denying the old forces' arrangements, we have to coordinate and cooperate with each other as one body. These are the important elements that enable us to validate the Fa and save sentient beings. Master once said that if all disciples coordinate well, the mighty power of the Fa will be maximized (not exact words).
In "Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference," Master told us:
"But all the same, Master doesn't acknowledge them [old forces' arrangements-translator's note]. And you shouldn't acknowledge them either. Do things well in an upright and dignified way, negate them, and strengthen your righteous thoughts some. 'I'm Li Hongzhi's disciple, I don't want other arrangements or acknowledge them'--then they won't dare to do that. So it can all be resolved. When you can really do that, not just saying it but putting it into action, Master will definitely stand up for you. What's more, there are lots of Fa guardians around Master, there are lots of Buddhas, Daos, and Gods, and there are even greater beings, and they will all participate, because forced persecution that's not acknowledged is a crime, and the cosmos's old laws don't allow it either--irrational persecution absolutely is not allowed, and the old forces don't dare to do it if that is the situation. So you should do things as righteously as you can."
2) When some rather significant events happen in some region, it not only targets the practitioners who have omissions, but it also tests the xinxing standard of all practitioners in the region as a whole.
The wrongful lawsuit was a test for every practitioner in Hong Kong, not just for the practitioners involved in the lawsuit. It was a test concerning our coordination and cooperation as one body. The evil's objective was to use this test as an excuse to take advantage of our omissions. They wanted to weaken our resolve and righteous minds, create division among us, and intensify our internal conflicts. For instance, when the court reached its unfair verdict, practitioners had all kinds of opinions. Some didn't understand our actions, some complained, some told us that we had brought damage to Dafa, that we had omissions, that we were causing troubles, etc. Facing the pressure from practitioners, we became scared. We looked deeply inside ourselves to find fault. We were afraid that we might do more damage to Dafa. We sank deep into self recriminations and could not recover. This self-doubting mentality did not solve anything. Just the opposite, we neglected to clarify the facts to the Hong Kong society during the three months prior to the court trial in June, 2002.
At that time, a large number of practitioners, including some practitioners involved in the case, thought that we had been wrong to appeal in front of the PRC Liaison Office. A majority of our practitioners did not have strong righteous thoughts. The dark minions under the old forces saw our minds in other dimensions and they said, "Look, even they say that they were wrong, so they have agreed with our arrangements. Now we will make them guilty of all charges." This was why the evil controlled the judge, who reached a guilty verdict. Master said,
"As I've said, everything that happens today in the ordinary society is the result of Dafa disciples' thoughts. Even though the old forces do exist, if you don't have those thoughts they can't do anything. When your righteous thoughts are strong enough the old forces can't do a thing." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2002 Fa Conference in Philadelphia, U.S.A.")
We believe that Master saw that most Hong Kong practitioners thought this way, and that everyone had been influenced by emotional criticisms of fellow practitioners. We could not concentrate during sending forth righteous thoughts and we did not clarify the facts in a timely fashion. The situation brought great pain to the fellow practitioners who had been wrongfully convicted.
Through studying the Fa diligently, we achieved a deeper understanding of teacher's words:
"The group of evil political scoundrels has never followed the law in dealing with Dafa disciples, so don't disapprove again of the actions Dafa disciples are taking as they clarify the truth, due to your attachment of fear." ("Look at Things with Righteous Thoughts")
Master's compassionate yet powerful words stabilized the Fa-rectification state in Hong Kong.
In fact, we should think of practitioners in China, of whom many go to Tiananmen Square to validate the Fa. Some have been arrested and tortured, and some have even lost their lives. How could anyone object to their actions of validating Dafa, just because they had omissions? Isn't that the same situation as our actions in front of the Liaison office? This ordeal also revealed everyone's xinxing level: Do you examine the incident while denying the evil's plot to damage Dafa and persecute practitioners? Or, do you examine the incident while blaming fellow practitioners for their omissions? Every Dafa practitioner is involved: Their business is your business, and your business is their business. Shouldn't we place Dafa in the highest position, while abandoning personal notions and helping each other to safeguard Dafa? Shouldn't we use our compassion to resolve the conflict and repair the damages to Dafa?
3) Our reaction to the court's original verdict, guilty on all charges
After the court decided to find the practitioners guilty on all charges, all practitioners in the case completely rejected the decision. When the police were fingerprinting us at the police station, we gave the police an article about people who persecuted Christians in their past lives, and received retribution in their current lives. We also clarified the truth to them, telling them not to persecute Falun Gong. The police officers were somewhat touched. Overseas practitioners also voiced their support to us by sending emails and faxes and by making phone calls. Under the overwhelming pressure, the police consulted with their boss, and finally set us free. Later, the court informed the police that they should ask us to pay a fine. We refused, because we were innocent. Paying the fine would have meant an admission of guilt.
4) Breaking through layers and layers of human notions, and eliminating all barriers to save sentient beings
During the court appeal, we organized weekly Fa-study and experience sharing meetings. When our case was to be heard by the High Court of Final Appeal, we discussed how to let the judges and public learn the facts about Dafa. In the past, we had also visited different offices of the court, delivering letters and making appointments with the judges. We had also talked to the judges' secretaries and had asked them to deliver our letters. Alas, at the time we were hindered by existing laws, which restricted meetings with judges, because the courthouses had rules stipulating that judges should not meet people casually, especially those who heard the cases.
We didn't feel comfortable about this, because we had no idea whether the judges had heard and understood the facts. Later, we studied Master's lecture in "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York." The following question and Master's answer gave us a new idea.
"Disciple: When clarifying the truth in Manhattan to the employees in the skyscrapers, we still encounter a lot of obstacles. How can we do better in breaking through the layers upon layers of obstacles and check points that the old forces set up, and thus bring the sentient beings in those buildings salvation?
Teacher: Yes, in fact when we go to those buildings to clarify the truth, it really is hard to get in, since everybody there is working. While everyone is working, if we go there to clarify the truth, their bosses will be upset for sure, and then they will think badly of us. Of course, that's not to say it is always that way. When circumstances permit we can do it. As for the employees in those companies, there are usually three times of day when you can come into contact with them. One is when they go to work, another is when they get off from work, and the last is when they eat lunch. Most of them come down for lunch. So at those three times we can opt to make an effort to reach them, and perhaps the results will be better."
Master's Fa words made us realize that we could hand flyers to the judges during their lunch breaks. We realized that we should also send forth righteous thoughts, let them know the facts, and save them.
We made big posters with pictures and displayed them near the High Court. All passersby could see the unfair treatment that we had received. Because we had been hoping for a chance to meet with the judges, to clarify the facts to them, Master made an arrangement. One day, while a practitioner involved in the case was distributing flyers to the public, one of the judges in charge of the High Court appeals case approached her with a smile and took a flyer from her. We knew clearly that Master's law body had arranged this chance to hand the flyer to the judge. As long as we approach saving people with a pure heart, Master will make it happen, so we can succeed in this giant task.
One month before the court date, some practitioners realized that we should quickly deliver our Dafa materials, the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and some truth clarifying VCDs to all the judges, attorneys, city council members, various government agencies and consulates of foreign countries. Over a short time, practitioners visited many people in their offices and delivered the materials to them.
5) Letting go of our pride, sincerely exchanging ideas with fellow practitioners who disagreed with us, and actively seeking our own faults, while cultivating ourselves
Early on in the appeal process, those involved in the case had not held deep discussions with other practitioners. There were even misunderstandings among each other. As a result, some practitioners did not fully support the appeals effort. Some practitioners involved in the appeal realized that we should take the initiative and talk to those practitioners who held negative views about us. This would allow us to resolve the misunderstandings between us, and dissolve completely the evil arrangement. Once we improved our common understanding according to the Fa, and began to coordinate and clarify the facts better, the evil no longer could bring damage us.
Through group study, we all gained better understanding of the Fa. As a result, fellow practitioners provided strong support to the practitioners involved in the case. One practitioner was initially not involved, but after he heard the details, he started to send personal letters to the judges, explaining the truth to them. On the last day of the four-day hearing at the High Court of Final Appeal, many practitioners stood outside of the courthouse sending forth righteous thoughts. This created a powerful energy field filled with compassion and serenity, which was so strong that the government lawyer could not even speak coherently. The collective effort by fellow practitioners demonstrated the mighty power of Dafa, which destroyed all the evil elements and shocked the evil. The righteous and merciful message touched the judges' hearts. Only one month after the hearing on May 5, 2005, the five judges unanimously reached the correct decision. All of the appeal arguments were validated, and all of the guilty verdicts in the lower court were overturned.
This successful case shows us that some fellow practitioners changed from disapproval, to understanding and finally being supportive. We began by clarifying the truth within the legal community. Later through Fa study and experience sharing, we improved our understanding of the Fa, and realized the importance of clarifying the truth to all the people in Hong Kong. Through this process, we became more and more mature.
The fundamental reason that we finally won the case is that the Fa rectification process has accelerated and has begun to manifest in this dimension. Also, the collective effort of truth clarification made a huge impact in securing the final outcome. Our common understanding of the Fa, our xinxing improvement, our coordination, cooperation, and sending forth righteous thoughts, all contributed as well.
In fact, the Fa guided our every step along the Fa rectification path. With Master's support, practitioners' continued efforts to clarify the truth, and sending forth righteous thoughts, we reduced our losses and made contact with special communities, which are not easily approachable. We created a new path. Dafa practitioners' righteous thoughts and righteous actions have changed people and improved the environment.
On July 8, 2005, the Hong Kong court was scheduled to hear another police lawsuit against Dafa practitioners on the charge of, "obstructing the sidewalk." Before the court date, many practitioners clarified the truth and sent forth righteous thoughts. We also obtained almost cost-free consultations from some lawyers. We thoroughly prepared for the hearing. Several days before the hearing, the police informed us that they won't provide any evidence, and that the judge will dismiss the case in court. So, Dafa practitioners' mercy saved more people, and has given them a bright future.
Before closing, I would like to read Master's poem, "Righteous Thoughts and Righteous Actions":
"A Great Enlightened Being does not fear hardship
Having forged an adamantine will
And with no attachment to living or dying
He walks his path of Fa-rectification openly and nobly."
Above are some of our experiences and understandings. Please let us know if there is anything inappropriate.
Thank you to our merciful and great Master!
Thank you everyone.
(Clearwisdom.net) The evil has been persecuting Falun Dafa and Dafa disciples for six years. During this time, the brutal persecution has not made Dafa disciples give up their beliefs. On the contrary, through clarifying the truth to countless people, the field established by Dafa has become significantly larger and the evil is diminishing.
Before the Fa rectifies the human realm, we, the Dafa disciples, are the only ones who can end the persecution. The experiences of the last six years have shown us that wishful thinking or placing hope on other people is not practical.
The world's people are under the influence of the old forces. They are also isolated by elements of the old cosmos. All of this has caused people to remain insensitive towards Dafa and the persecution. At the same time, people nowadays are more concerned about their self-interests. Many of them are making deals with the evil government against their consciences while ignoring the persecution of basic human rights.
We cannot simply blame the world's people, however. How they behave is their choice. They are also choosing their own futures. We can only think about saving sentient beings.
Clarifying the truth is to save sentient beings and to eliminate and restrain the evil. Sending forth righteous thoughts is to dissolve and purge the evil. All of the above are the methods disciples are using to stop the persecution. However, that is not enough. While sending forth righteous thoughts, disciples can eliminate evil in different dimensions using supernatural abilities. This is also an effective way to stop the persecution and save sentient beings in the current situation.
Let us study Master's teachings:
"Right now, due to the partition and interference brought about in human society by the old forces' factors and the factors of the old cosmos, gods cannot openly appear here, and the interfering demons and how they are struck down and destroyed can't be shown to sentient beings. The ways in which cultivators are completely different from ordinary people have always been blocked from view by the partition. The evil has been doing harmful things during this time before the Fa's rectification of the human world arrives. The purpose of doing the Fa-rectification in this human world here is absolutely not to put Dafa disciples or Fa-rectification in delusion. The setting of the Three Realms was created for the Fa-rectification, the purpose being to make this the place for Fa-rectification and to not disturb the divine realms. That's why we use this setting and use these human approaches to validate the Fa. But that doesn't mean we approve of the old forces interfering with the Fa-rectification, it doesn't mean we approve of the things they arranged. Human society is in delusion, and people cannot see how the cosmos truly is or the real situation of beings. That's how beings are at this level, but the situation during the Fa-rectification is presided over by Dafa and it changes according to what is required so that Dafa can save sentient beings. The fact is, at this time Dafa disciples have to do divine things, because for Dafa disciples their personal cultivation is no longer first and foremost. Saving sentient beings and reconstructing the colossal firmament during the Fa-rectification are the purpose. You have to do Fa-rectification things and things to save sentient beings, so you need to clear away the obstacles presented by this environment and validate Dafa." ("Teaching the Fa at the Western U.S. International Fa Conference")
"Have righteous thoughts and righteous actions, dissolve all hindrances, and spread the facts widely. Divine beings are among men." ("To the European Fa Conference in Stockholm")
In addition, Master also taught us about supernatural abilities. When we use our supernatural abilities, "...you have strong righteous thoughts, no fear, and no human attachments, apprehension, or hatred; only when you're in that state will it be effective, and it will take effect as soon as your thoughts emerge." ("Stop the Evil Acts with Righteous Thoughts")
Fellow practitioners, what is keeping us from using our supernatural abilities? We should carefully think about it. Is it human notions, an attachment to fear, apprehension, or hatred?
Master said in "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Chicago Conference,"
"When you Dafa disciples develop even stronger righteous thoughts among you, that will be what's most magnificent. Starting with each person, let's truly make our environment a very righteous one, and then all the unrighteous factors will dissolve, and all the students who haven't conducted themselves well will see where they fall short, and it will make them do better."
In the current situation where there is very little evil left, why are practitioners still being persecuted? Is it because we are not in a solid state? Or is it that we have accepted the evil in some areas?
Among all the hindrances Master told us to dissolve, the major part of it is the partition and interference from the old forces' factors and the factors of the old cosmos. They are not only blocking ordinary people from getting to know Dafa; they also keep the disciples from using their supernatural abilities. Shouldn't we intentionally break down and eliminate the blockage? At the very least, we need to break through it in our minds. Perhaps some practitioners think we do not have the ability to break through the blockade. Regardless of whether or not we have such ability, can the Fa not have this ability? Perhaps once we recognize this, the interference and partitions will dissolve in the Fa.
Fellow practitioners, we should really enlighten in this area. Let our divine sides resurrect quickly and let us be more god-like.
(Clearwisdom.net) The article published by a fellow practitioner on Clearwisdom, "The Only Thing Falun Dafa Disciples Have a Role in Is Saving People," discussed an old problem, which is very serious. This problem is explained the most in Zhuan Falun. It is also mentioned many times in Master Li's recent articles.
In the article, "Digging Out the Roots," Master clearly pointed out,
"What I would like to tell you is not whether this incident itself was right or wrong. Instead, I want to point out that this event has exposed some people. They still have not fundamentally changed their human notions, and they still perceive problems with the human mentality wherein human beings protect human beings. I have said that Dafa absolutely should not get involved in politics. The purpose of this event itself was to help the media understand our actual situation and learn about us positively so that they would not drag us into politics... ... I have long noticed that a few individuals do not have the heart to safeguard Dafa, but instead intend to safeguard certain things in human society. If you were an everyday person I would have no objections--it is certainly a good thing to be a good person who safeguards human society. But now you are a cultivator. From what standpoint you view Dafa is fundamental--this is also what I want to point out to you."
The essential point of "The Only Thing Falun Dafa Disciples Have a Role in Is Saving People" is to focus on the question, "from what standpoint do you view Dafa."
I think whether it is individual or Fa-rectification period cultivation, our cultivation can be described as "using the forms of human beings, but with the inner meanings of Gods." It is determined by Fa principles. Practicing the Falun Gong exercises without the "inner meanings of Gods" is just doing aerobics. Studying the Fa without the "inner meanings of Gods" is just seeing the surface meaning of the words. Sending forth righteous thoughts without the "inner meanings of Gods" is fruitless. Clarifying the truth without the "inner meanings of Gods" could become fighting with human beings. Cultivation is also impossible without the "forms of human beings." The universe's Fa principle will not allow Gods to be directly involved in human beings' affairs. Practitioners can only use the "forms of human beings" to embody the "inner meanings of Gods" and can only use their human bodies to follow the path toward divinity.
Using the "forms of human beings" is the requirement of cultivation practice. It includes using all kinds of everyday human methods (especially for Fa-rectification and truth clarification) and conforming as much as possible to the normal state of society. But at the same time, we shouldn't have any attachments to anything of ordinary life. If practitioners neglect this, they easily go to extremes and lack rationality. For practitioners themselves, the "inner meanings of Gods" are righteous thoughts and righteous enlightenment. If we neglect it, what we are doing is not cultivation practice anymore and no matter how well we conform to the "forms of human beings," we are still just human beings. From this point of view, the problem mentioned in the article, "The Only Thing Falun Dafa Disciples Have a Role in Is Saving People" is that some practitioners neglect the "inner meanings of Gods" and understand the "forms of human beings" of the Fa-rectification from the standpoint of human beings. Because their understandings are not clear, they are reluctant to do anything. They even think that the result would be the same, no matter whether they take action or not.
This problem is obvious in issues that arise during truth-clarification. Some practitioners are confused and think that distributing the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party is getting into politics, that intercepting TV signals to broadcast truth-clarifying programs is disturbing social order, and so on. Practitioners with this understanding have neglected the "inner meanings of Gods." The reason is that they didn't study the Fa very well. If the practitioners themselves are confused, certainly they cannot clarify the truth. A story in Zhuan Falun tells how Hua Tuo wanted to open Cao Cao's skull to operate and take out a tumor, but Cao Cao refused to let him because Cao Cao's mind was filled with the concepts of fighting and killing. No matter what Hua Tuo told him, the "form of human beings" is to open the skull with a knife and he thought Hua Tuo intended to kill him. This is a human being's standpoint and understanding. But in fact, Hua Tuo used his supernatural ability to see a tumor in Cao Cao's brain and wanted to cure him by taking the tumor out. This is the "inner meanings of Gods." Hua Tuo understood it, but Cao Cao didn't.
From cultivation practice and Fa study, we should clearly understand the "inner meanings of Gods" of what we are doing right now for the Fa-rectification. No matter how people talk about it and understand it, we must keep our righteous thoughts clear. Not only must we not be confused, but we also need to help the world's people awaken. We are "taking out the tumor to cure the illness" and we are saving the world's people. No matter who misinterprets the methods we use, as long as the ultimate goal is to save people and the method can really save people, we can use it. This is because we have the "inner meanings of Gods."
July 23, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently on the Internet, there has been a discussion on how to increase the time to study the Fa and to study the Fa well by listening to MP3 files of Master's Fa lectures. There are two main views held by those involved in the discussion. The first is that using MP3s help maximize the time available to study the Fa, and also helps to eliminate bad thoughts in everyday life. The second view is that studying the Fa in this way is disrespectful toward the Fa, and moreover, if the mind isn't at peace, the effect of listening to the Fa isn't good.
At first, I felt that both views were based on reason, as every cultivator's path is different and we don't seek uniform methods among practitioners. On my way to work this morning, the question came to me again. As I also have experience in this area, and being enlightened to a new understanding, I've decided to share my views in the hope that other practitioners might point out any misunderstanding I may have of Fa principles, so that we can improve together.
Before the persecution began in 1999, there was a period of time when I liked to listen to the Dafa music, Pudu and Jishi, on a portable CD player on my way to work every day. In the beginning, I felt that the effect was good and I could feel my heart improving with the Dafa music. As time went on, however, this feeling gradually faded, until in the end, I no longer had the same sense of respect and peace in my heart. Later, I put an end to this habit. (I didn't think much about it at the time, but reflecting on it now, I feel that it might have been Master enlightening me to the understanding that I shouldn't do that anymore).
After the persecution began, my state of mind was very ill and bad for a period of time, and I always wanted to listen to Pudu and Jishi. However, what often happened was that I got very drowsy as I listened to it and fell asleep. Later, I realized that this was also wrong and abandoned that habit as well.
I gave up both of those habits because the effect wasn't good. When I first started, the feeling was indeed good, but as time went on, the problem became apparent. Moreover, these weren't Master's lectures; I was only listening to Dafa music.
I wonder if practitioners who listen to the Fa on MP3 players have thought about the following before? There is a saying, "A heart cannot be occupied with two tasks." It is very hard for someone to do two things at the same time with a peaceful mind. Being cultivators, we probably cannot attain the level of using the heart on many different matters. Master has enlightened me on several occasions that studying the Fa without a peaceful mind is useless. Just think about it, listening to the Fa while doing chores, can your heart really be calm?
I feel that if in a certain period of time, you are indeed too busy to dedicate enough time to studying the Fa, it's better to sleep a little less and study the Fa for half an hour calmly, than to listen to the Fa in a chaotic state of mind for 10 hours. Moreover, it's often the case that we are blinded by false images, but if our thoughts are indeed righteous, it might be an entirely different image that we see: "The shade of willows, the blooms of flowers, a place to rest my head."
I have had a number of experiences along those lines. On several occasions, I was responsible for performing many tasks, and I was very tired and weary. In the beginning, because my thoughts weren't righteous, the situation got worse. However, I recalled Master's Fa-treasure to the Dafa disciples - sending forth righteous thoughts. Through sending forth righteous thoughts, in a short time, my own thoughts were straightened out, and soon after, a fundamental change took place in the situation.
Now on my way to and from work every day, I recite the Fa or send forth righteous thoughts. Sometimes I sing songs written by Dafa disciples. I find that the effect is quite good. (I like singing, but the evil communist party's songs should not be sung. Singing songs written by Dafa disciples has a good effect, but they cannot be sung all the time either, as it would affect other Dafa tasks.) When I'm able to send forth righteous thoughts in a calm state of mind, the effect is even better.
These are a few of my thoughts. Please feel free to point out any shortcomings.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Falun Dafa practitioner Wang Yu lived in Putuo District, Shanghai City. Police from Huangpu District arrested Mr. Wang on his way to work on the morning of July 11, 2005. Policemen also illegally searched Wang Yu's home without a warrant. Mr. Wang is currently held in Huangpu District Detention Center.
[Hengshan District. Jixi City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Tan Zhifang ArrestedOn the afternoon of July 22, 2005, Ms. Tan Zhifang was reported to the police for giving out truth-clarification materials near a water reservoir. Two officers from the Shenli Police Substation arrested her and sent her to the Hengshan Public Security Bureau. Officer Sun Mengshan and several others sent Ms. Tan Zhifang to the Jixi No. 2 Detention Center.
[Yaodu District, Linfen City, Shanxi Province] Mr. Zhang Liuyan Illegally Sentenced to Three Years in PrisonPractitioner Mr. Zhang Liuyan, 64, is a retiree of the Yaodu District Electricity Bureau in Linfen City, Shanxi Province. On April 9, 2004 Mr. Zhang clarified the facts to farmers in Xiangfeng County, and he was reported to the Zhangli Village Police Substation. The police held Mr. Zhang in the detention center for nine months. Officers involved in persecuting Mr. Zhang include Cai Jishan from the Political and Security Section. Mr. Zhang was later sentenced to three years in prison. In early January 2005, Mr. Wang was transferred to the Shanxi Province Jizhong (Qi County) Jail. He has been tortured there since then.
[Fengrun District, Tangshan City, Hebei Province] Mr. Li Chenghua ArrestedMr. Li Chenghua was arrested for passing out truth-clarification materials in Fengnan District, Tangshan City. He is now detained in the Xugezhuang Police Substation in Fengnan District.
[Niuxibu Town, Laixi City, Shandong Province] Ms. Liu Junling Sentenced to One Year in a Labor CampAround 9 p.m. on May 11, 2005, Ms. Liu Junling was reported to the police for hanging up Dafa banners. She was taken from her home to the Niuxibu Town Police Substation. The police searched her home without a warrant.
On the following afternoon, Ms. Liu was transferred to the Laixi Detention Center. She was held there for two weeks. Before Ms. Liu's husband picked her up, the Public Security Bureau and the 610 Office sentenced her to one year in the Zibo No. 2 Women's Labor Camp on May 27, 2005.
[Changchun City, Jilin Province] Mr. Ren Xichang ArrestedMr. Ren Xichang was arrested by the Dongzhan Police Substation in Er'dao District for posting his withdrawal from the Chinese Communist Party and its related organizations around 11 p.m. on July 17, 2005.
[Huaibin City, Henan Province] Mr. Liu Xueyou and Other Practitioners Are Still DetainedFrom February 2005 to March 2005, over 20 practitioners in Huaibin County were illegally arrested by Du Fuchi, leader of the National Security Team. As of July 2005, nine practitioners are still illegally detained. These include Mr. Liu Xueyou, Mr. Zhang Yuanliang, Mr. Ren Yuanshen, Ms. Wang Lichang, Ms. Jian Jiazhen, Ms. Li Guilan, Ms. Ge Qinglian, Ms. Xie Xiulian, and Ms. Zhu Xuezhi. Ms. Li and Ms. Xie were interrogated by the police for over seven days without sleep. Mr. Zhang's car, a 2000 Santana, was illegally confiscated.
The main telephone number of the Public Security Bureau: 86-397-7798014
Ask for the Political and Security Section, the Office for the Head of the Public Security Bureau and the Detention Center.
The Judiciary Bureau: 86-397-7787001, 86-397-7799296
The head of the Judiciary Bureau: 86-13937666567 (Cell), 86-397-7723188 (Office), 86-13937666616 (Cell)
[Suining City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Duan Qunying Was Arrested and Sent to a Brainwashing ClassNews from Suining, Sichuan Province reports that around 1 p.m. on July 14, 2005, dozens of police broke into Ms. Duan Qunying's home. Ms. Duan was asleep when the police dragged her out of bed.
[Tianjin City] Ms. Sun Jingyan ArrestedMs. Sun Jingyan, a teacher at Zhaogezhuang Primary School in Baodi District, Tianjin City, was arrested for clarifying the facts to students.
[Xining City, Qinghai Province] Ms. Wang Yuzhi Again ArrestedOn July 9, 2005, Ms. Wang Yuzhi was once again arrested for practicing Falun Dafa.
[Lushuihe, Wusong County, Baishan City, Jilin Province] Ms. Yang Zhonghong Illegally Sentenced to Forced LaborMs. Yang Zhonghong was sentenced to one year in labor camp. She has been tortured in the Changchun Women's Labor Camp since the Lushuihe Dongshan Police arrested her on May 8, 2005.
Relevant telephone numbers:
Directors of the Dongshan Police Substation:
Tang Longping: 86-439-6365338 (Office), 86-439-8944988 (PDA)
Yang Xiaoqiu: 86-439-6371229 (Home), 86-439-8945229 (PDA)
Li Zhenfeng: 86-439-6362637 (Home), 86-439-8963921 (PDA)
Zhang Fuwei: 86-439-6362252 (Home), 86-13159799225 (Cell)
[Leshan City, Sichuan Province] Mr. Li Ronglai and Other Practitioners ArrestedMr. Li Ronglai, Mr. Wei Lang, and other practitioners were arrested in late June 2005. They have been persecuted in the Shawan District Detention Center in Leshan City.
[Henyang City, Hunan Province] Ms. Li Caifeng Illegally Sentenced to Forced LaborIn late April 2005, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, Hengyang County 610 Office and the National Security Team arrested Ms. Li Caifeng. On May 4 on the lunar calendar, Ms. Li was sentenced to one year of forced labor at Baimalong Labor Camp in Zhuzhou City.
[Chang'an Town, Donggang City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Pan Baoyan Has Been Jailed for Nearly Three MonthsMs. Pan Baoyan was arrested by the Chang'an Police Substation on May 10, 2005. She has been persecuted in Donggang City Detention Center for almost three months. Police has not set a release date for Ms. Pan.
[Tongnan County, Chongqing City] Ms. Zhang Hua ArrestedMs. Zhang Hua was arrested on July 21, 2005 by six or seven policemen. Her handbag and phone book were confiscated.
[Yantai City, Shandong Province] Ms. Yang Guoshan and Ms. Lili Illegally DetainedOn June 30, 2005, Ms. Yang Guoshan and Ms. Lili from Yantai were arrested from Yantai College by Laishan District 610 Office. Ms. Yang is being persecuted in the Zhifu District Detention Center, and Ms. Lili in the Fushan District 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. Hengtai County Police Arrest Shengli Oil Plant PractitionersPolice from Hengtai County, Zibo City of Shandong Province, went to Shengli Oil Plant and arrested many practitioners, including Zhang Aiquan, Wang Mingyun, Yu Desheng, Yang Jianjun, Zheng Ruihuan, Liu Yulan and others. They also ransacked the practitioners' homes. Zhang Aiquan, Wang Mingyun and Yu Desheng were brutally persecuted by police from Hengtai County Police Department. Zhang Aiquan's daughter and Yu Desheng's wife went several times to visit them, but were refused.
A Chinese version of this news article is available at http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/7/16/106257.html
2. The Persecution of Practitioners at Suihua Labor CampSince Suihua Labor Camp was designated a base to persecute Dafa practitioners in 2000, it received a large amount of funding from higher government agencies. In 2002, it built a costly 4-story building for Division II--the division that exclusively persecutes Dafa practitioners. The new building appears as a luxurious hotel, but is, in fact, a place for torture and brutal persecution. Three stories are used to illegally detain Dafa practitioners. The first floor is the enforcing subdivision that exclusively detains practitioners that refuse to give up Dafa. The second and third floors are used to detain practitioners that yielded under the pressure, or those they think will possibly "transform", as well as collaborators. Before 2003, the majority of the practitioners detained there were from the Farming Bureau, Forestation Bureau, and coalmines. Since 2003, determined practitioners from Mudanjiang, Fuyu, Jixi and some other areas were also detained and persecuted there.
The following people in Suihua Labor Camp are notorious for their cruelty:
Political Director of Division II, Yang Bo
Deputy Political Director of Division II, Gao Zonghai
Deputy Director of Division II, Fan Xiaodong
Head of Division II subdivision 1, Zeng Lingjun
Head of Division II subdivision III, Chen Xinlong
Deputy Director of Division II subdivision II, Liu Wei
http://minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/7/16/106292.html
(Clearwisdom.net)
Facts of the Persecution
1. Ms. Yu Wanlan Sentenced to Three Years in Prison, Her Relatives in Taiwan and the U.S. Are Worried
Ms. Yu Wanlan is a teacher employed by the Institute of Humanities at Central China Normal University. She was arrested in October 2004 while passing out "truth-clarifying" materials in Beijing. Ms. Yu was detained in the Haidian District Detention Center for more than eight months and then sentenced to three years in prison by the Haidian District Middle Court on June 2, 2005. Ms. Yu and her family have appealed her sentence. She has only one functioning kidney, and her family is very concerned about her health inside the prison. Ms. Yu's grandfather was a CPR Hubei Province Army General before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power. Her uncle Zou Dinghua is now a high-ranking official in Taiwan, who has written a letter expressing his concern for Yu Wanlan's well-being.
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2005/7/29/107253.html
2. Members of Several Families Sentenced to Forced Labor
On March 24, 2005, practitioners Mr. Xu Zhongrang, Mr. Li Rongtang, Mr. Tian Shiwu, and Ms. Li Yuxia (Mr. Li Rongtang's daughter), all from Xinglonggang Town, Fujin City, Heilongjiang Province, were reported and arrested while passing out truth-clarifying material in Yongqing Village, Jinshan Town. The CCP Fujin City Political and Judiciary Committee, the 610 Office, and the police had Mr. Xu Zhongrang and Mr. Li Rongtang sentenced to six years in prison and Mr. Tian Shiwu and Ms. Li Yuxia sentenced to three years in prison. Mr. Xu Zhongrang's wife Liu Hailan was released in February 2005 after serving two terms of forced labor for clarifying the truth to people. Mr. Xu's daughter Xu Zhuo has been sentenced to two years of forced labor. Mr. Xu Zhongrang himself has been detained once and sentenced to forced labor for two years. Mr. Li Rongtang's wife Wang Changfen simply told people about how Falun Dafa completely eliminated her sicknesses, and she was subsequently sentenced to forced labor for two years. Mr. Li Rongtang has been detained once, has paid out more than 10,000 yuan extortion fees, and has served two terms of forced labor, the second time lasting three years. Other practitioners detained in Fujin City are: Ms. Wang Xiuyun, Mr. Li Shaotie, Ms. Qi Lizhen, Ms. Liu Hong, Mr. Liu Zhimin, and Mr. Zhao Qingxiang.
http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/7/29/107183.html
(Clearwisdom.net) In the semi-divine Chinese culture, improving one's character and morality, also called "cultivating the self," is the basis for managing a family, administering a government, and bringing peace to the entire world.
The Great Learning (Da Xue) is one of the Chinese scholarly classics. It only has about two thousand characters, yet, due to its important moral teachings, is revered as one of the four most essential books of Confucianism. The Great Learning was written about two thousand years ago. During the Song Dynasty (12th century), it became one of the required textbooks for all academic examinations. The Great Learning focuses on cultivating the self as a prerequisite to administering a government; the goal for an administrator cultivating the self was to rule the country wisely and bring peace to the world. It illustrates the relationship between improving oneself and administrating a government.
The opening line of The Great Learning says, "What the Great Learning teaches is to illustrate illustrious virtue; to renovate the people; and to rest in the highest excellence." "To illustrate illustrious virtue" refers to promulgating the great virtues heaven bestowed upon men; "to renovate the people" means managing the people through compassion and kindness; "to rest in the highest excellence" sets the standard at the pure kind realm discussed in Confucianism.
The Great Learning further says, in order to promulgate great virtues, the country must be administered properly. To administer the country properly, one must be able to manage the family well. To manage the family well, one must cultivate oneself. From the emperor to ordinary citizens, everyone must start from cultivating the self. There is no exception.
Then how does one cultivate oneself? The Great Learning says, "Wishing to cultivate themselves, they first rectified their hearts. Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts. Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge. Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things."
"To rectify their hearts" refers to constraining deviated emotions and desires. It is normal for human beings to feel anger, fear, happiness, and sadness. However, one should try to curb inappropriate emotions and desires.
"To be sincere in their thoughts" refers to being honest and self-disciplined, whether with others or alone, both in one's mind and actions.
"The investigation of things" and "extension of knowledge" are the foundation of the process. The "things" and "knowledge" refer to ethics and moral principles. In other words, one can only be truly sincere when he understands the moral standard; only then can he rectify his heart, and begin to cultivate himself.
"Cultivating themselves" is the goal of investigating things, extending knowledge, being sincere, and rectifying the heart. Only when one's character is perfected, which is the highest standard in The Great Learning, is a person able to manage their family, rule the country, and bring peace to the world.
What does cultivation of oneself include? In conversations with Count Lu Ai, Confucius listed fifteen points.
Mencius summarized the character of a moral person as, "unable to be lewd or corrupted by money or power, not swayed because of poverty and harsh conditions, and not bent by power or force."
Besides having kindness, cultivating the self also includes doing things with appropriateness. Confucius taught his students, "Don't look, listen, speak, or take action unless it is appropriate." He required his students to act appropriately and courteously. The sincerity, trustworthiness, diligence, frugality, self-discipline, and kindness of ancient Chinese people were all closely related to their education in appropriateness and courteousness.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Visiting an Old Friend in His Farmhouse
By Meng Haoran
An old friend prepared a meal of chicken and rice,
And invited me to join him at his farmhouse.
The village is surrounded by green trees
And the pale blue of outlying mountains.
The window opens to the garden and field,
While holding wine in our hands, we talked of mulberry and hemp.
We are looking forward to the Autumn Festival,
when I will return to visit the chrysanthemum bloom.
About Meng Haoran
Meng Haoran (689-740 A.D.) was one of the most famous poets of the Tang Dynasty.
He and Wang Wei, another famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, were often referred to
together as Wang Meng. Meng Haoran's poems are mostly descriptions of his
pastoral life of leisure, or poems written to friends. He has a talent of
writing refreshing, natural and very inspiring poetry in a unique style.
The Author's Interpretation
This poem was written in very plain language and a simple style. Literary critics have tried to find the secret of Meng Haoran's timeless popularity by studying the language or techniques of his writing. I personally consider that a waste of time. While techniques and language might enhance a poem, what truly makes this poem great is Meng Haoran's pure, innocent mind. He is true to his heart and feelings, which is naturally reflected in his poems.
This poem might seem like a fairly common poem describing a visit to an old friend. The language is so simple that even people without much education can understand it. It might give some people an impression that anyone can write a poem like this, but why is this "simple" and "common" poem known as a masterpiece of the Tang Dynasty? It is the truthfulness and sincerity in his heart, which gives the poem an ethereal and inspiring feeling. This is the same reason why a Chinese literary giant like Su Dongbo admired Tao Yuanming's poems the most. This is such a simple principle, but numerous poets throughout the ages have looked in the wrong direction!
First published in English at: http://www.pureinsight.org/pi/articles/2005/8/1/3186.html
News and Events from around the World
The Facts of the Persecution of Falun Gong
News and Events from around the World
The Facts of the Persecution of Falun Gong