Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular
Facts of the Persecution
News and Events Around the World
Articles from Experience Sharing Conferences
Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences
Health Benefits
People's Hearts Determine Their Futures
Traditional Art and Culture
Clearwisdom Material
(Clearwisdom.net) Divine Performing Arts (DPA) finished twenty-two shows in Taiwan and started its five-show tour in Korea with the first stop at Sueseong Artpia, Daegu. Representatives from many circles of society in Daegu sent greetings to DPA as early as March 18, 2008.
Daegu Councilor Geum Tae Nam
Daegu Councilor Mr. Geum Tae Nam said, "Culture and art were not created by one individual, but inherited from a long history and tradition. Pioneers paid hardship for it. I am very happy that Divine Performing Arts found its way to Daegu despite interference from the Chinese Communist Party! I wish Divine Performing Arts great prosperity and a great reputation around world!"
Ms. Bak, President of Daegu Dance Association
Ms. Bak, President of the Daegu Dance Association, said in her greeting that she was looking forward to the DPA show. "Divine Performing Arts has made a perfect restoration of the lost traditional art. It is thrilling for an artist who loves traditional art. I sincerely hope that the show will bring Daegu residents a great memory and a moving experience."
Mr. Bae, President of Daegu Doctors Association
Mr. Bae, President of the Daegu Doctors Association, said in his greeting, "I sincerely congratulate Divine Performing Arts' upcoming show in Daegu! As Daegu is growing into a performing arts center in Korea, I hope all will enjoy the good fortune of watching a world class show!
"The show will introduce the ancient traditional spirit. I study traditional Chinese medicine. It is a great opportunity for me to learn more about traditional culture. Thanks to those who have given us this opportunity to watch such a superb show. I hope it will bring great excitement to all and many wonderful memories!"
Ph.D. of Art, President of Daegu Scholars Association Mr. Mun Mu Hak
Ph.D. of Art, President of Daegu Scholars Association Mr. Mun Mu Hak said, "Congratulations upon the event of the Divine Performing Arts show in Daegu! We have to say it is a great honor to have the show in Daegu, knowing that Divine Performing Arts is a company of dance and music rooted in classic Chinese culture, which has toured more than seventy cities in the world!
"Today's world has become a global village. The spread of information can be done via art, across language barriers, so that the people around the world can become one. It is significant that Divine Performing Arts communicates with the world through art.
"The show in Daegu will become the pride of Daegu citizens and a great opportunity for them to learn about Chinese art and culture. I wish the show a great success!"
(Clearwisdom.net) After presenting 29 performance of the Chinese Spectacular in nine European countries including Germany, France and the U.K., the Divine Performing Arts Company (DPA) gave its first show in Stockholm, Sweden on March 20. The audience included people from all walks of life. They expressed their appreciation of DPA's professional performance. At the same time, many also expressed their indignation at the Chinese Communist Party's interference with the show and its persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
Global Company Board Director Drove Four Hours to Watch the Show
Before his retirement, Mr. Goren Sjostedt, who lives in northern Sweden, was a general manager of ABB, a well-known global company. Currently, he still serves on the board of directors of the company.
Goren Sjostedt and his wife
Last year Mr. and Mrs. Sjostedt had the opportunity to watch the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular in Berlin. They enjoyed it so much that they drove four hours from their home to Stockholm to enjoy the first show in Sweden this year. After the show they were pleased to be interviewed, to share their impressions of the performance.
Mr. Sjostedt liked the solo vocal performances the most. He said, "The lyrics of all the songs can be read on the digital background, which is really impressive. They lyrics also convey very beautiful messages regarding the relationship between the wisdom of life and principles of nature."
Mrs. Sjostedt commented, "The programs are very well done, warm and joyful. When you listen to the music, it's all very good messages. We can understand the messages delivered in the show. I like the dance program 'Water Sleeves.' I also like the little girl in 'The Power of Awareness.' The numbers with drums are also among my favorites."
She also said, "I liked 'The Power of Awaress' and its messages. I have heard about Falun Gong before."
She enjoyed Bai Xue's song very much, and Qi Xiaochun's Erhu solo almost moved her to tears.
Advertising Company Owner Enjoys the Show and Disapproves of CCP Interference with the DPA's Performances
Mr. Jan Astrom is the owner of the advertising company BOXEN MEDIA in Stockholm. On March 20, he and his wife Marana Makela came to see the first DPA show in Stockholm.
Advertising company owner Jan Astrom and his wife Marana Makela
Mr. Jan Astrom felt it was great that the hosts of the show gave a brief introduction to each performance before it began. This way, the audience was able to appreciate the inner meaning of each number.
His wife Ms. Makela is an interior designer who has a special appreciation of color. She said, "The color and costumes are fabulous. The coordination of combinations of colors are great. This is a truly magnificent performance. Both of us enjoyed it very much."
When asked what impressed him most about the Spectacular, Mr. Astrom said, "The beautiful color. My wife has a professional eye for color. As she said, the combination of color is wonderful and bright. I also liked 'The Mongolian Bowl Dance' and 'Snowy Mountain White Lotus'."
Ms. Makela smiled at her husband's comment, "I'm surprised. I haven't discussed the show with my husband yet. But I feel the same way. I also enjoyed 'The Mongolian Bowl Dance' and 'Snowy Mountain White Lotus'. The color is very special."
Mr. Astrom continued, saying that he was very sad to learn of the attempts by the Chinese government to block DPA performances. He considered DPA to be an exemplar of a very beautiful culture that must be preserved. He couldn't understand why the Chinese Communist Party would interfere with DPA.
Ms. Makela agreed with her husband, "We can't understand this. Nor can we believe this." She said it would not be allowed in Sweden to treat its own citizens the way people are treated in Communist China.
Mr. Astrom said, "In Europe we have several hundred years of history, which we all feel very proud of. However, the Chinese government wants to remove its traditional culture from the world. This is really unbelievable."
When asked if they would be interested in seeing the show again if DPA comes to visit Sweden next year, they smiled, "Absolutely. We will come watch it again next year."
Accountant: DPA Represents Truth-Compassion-Tolerance and Delivers Courage
Accoutant Anita Lofblom
Accountant Anita Lofblom felt that Divine Performing Arts is not only relevant to herself, but also to the whole society. She especially mentioned the message "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance" conveyed by the show. She thought that was a very wonderful message.
Ms. Lofblom enjoyed the drum performance the most because it delivered a sense of courage and tremendous energy.
Anita's paternal grandparents are all Chinese. After seeing the dance, "The Risen Lotus Flower" and "The Power of Awareness," she was worried for the performers. She feared that they might encounter trouble when they go back to China. Later, when she learned that all the performers live outside of China, she expressed relief.
Ms. Lofblom said, "When I leave the theater, I will take away many positive things. I have more tolerance and I will not lose courage. I will persist when faced with pressure and tribulations. I believe these messages also apply to Chinese people."
Divine Performing Arts will present four more shows of the Chinese Spectacular in Sweden. It is expected that nearly 10,000 Swedish people will be able to enjoy the authentic traditional Chinese culture brought by DPA.
(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts (DPA) has become increasingly popular among people from all walks of life in southern Taiwan.
Arthur Iap, president of a Taiwan sugar corporation and former director of a government information office, said, "From an artistic point of view, the DPA is truly outstanding. They did a great job with their costumes, dancing, and choreography. However, the Chinese Spectacular is not simply dancing and singing. It incorporates values of belief in God and goodness. Everything in the show naturally goes together and completely draws people in."
Arthur Iap, president of a Taiwan sugar corporation.
Mr. Iap said the DPA delivers a message of kindness through art performance, "hence the show focused on how to bring out the best of human kindness through art."
Mr. Chen Chin-Le, General Manager of the Li-Chang Company, and his wife attended the show. Mr. Chen was most moved by the "Drummers of the Tang Court," "I see the masculinity of Chinese men from ancient times." Mr. Chen was also moved by the song "Truth Alone Sets You Free." He commented on the background projection saying that it is "in harmony with the story and gave us a whole different sensation."
Mr. and Mrs. Chen Chin-Le.
"A friend of mine encouraged us to come. Many of my colleagues came as well. We hope to see the show again next year," said Mr. Chen.
Ms. Chang Hua-Ling, Chen's wife who also works in the Li-Chang Company as an engineer, said, "The "Drummers of the Tang Court" really moved me. The rhythm is synchronized and the dancing is graceful. The baritone's voice in the song "Truth Alone Sets You Free" was very nice and solid."
Mr. Pan Chiu-Lin, Factory Director of the Yieh-Phui Enterprise Co. Ltd., saw the show last year and came back again with great expectation. He seemed pleased and said, "The show wasn't the same as last year's. The programs were totally different. The stage looked great and the performance was magnificent and sophisticated. The artists are skillful and the content of the show was delicate. It's powerful to see dances that depict stories. It was very clear to me what they were expressing. They put in a lot of effort in telling important details in the stories. I understood them easily. The programs are very unique while maintaining traditional standards."
"This is totally different from other shows I have seen," Mr. Pan continued, "It's very profound."
Chen Ming-Lang, president of the Pingtung County Interior Design Union
Chen Ming-Lang, president of the Pingtung County Interior Design Union, said, "The show is excellent. It's the best performing arts show I have seen. 'Descent of the Celestial Kings' was my favorite program; it looked like heaven on earth--absolutely stunning."
(Clearwisdom.net) Legislator Twu Shiing-jer and his wife Ms. Cheng Yu-chuan watched the last performance of the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular in Taipei on March 18, 2008. The couple expressed appreciation for the dance, "The Power of Awareness." Dr. Twu said that the silence of good people actually aids evil.
Dr. and Mrs. Twu Shiing-jer with friends
Dr. Twu said that from an artistic perspective, every dance was excellent. "The Power of Awareness" in particular left a deep impression on him. He said, "On the one hand, the performance was wonderful. On the other hand, the audience sympathized with the pursuit of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. Everyone knows that Falun Gong has been persecuted." When the three characters ["Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance"] appeared on the screen projection, many people applauded, including Dr. Twu.
Dr. Twu said that he was most touched because Falun Gong practitioners are using the performing arts to expose the persecution in China. He said that using such a gentle art form was an excellent way to show the public the truth about persecution. Dr. Twu said, "Sometimes good people can't just be silent. They need to step forward and help those in need. Otherwise their silence will aid the evil." Dr. Twu said he really enjoyed the performance and wished the Divine Performing Arts success the world over.
Mrs. Twu also said she enjoyed the evening's performance and thought highly of every aspect of the show, including the background, costumes, color, dances, singing, choreography, and the erhu performance. She said she found the show very special and the performers dedicated.
Mrs. Twu said that the dances in the Spectacular "feel different from everyday dances." She thought maybe some of the dancers were Falun Gong practitioners; the noble spirits of cultivators gave the dances special meaning, beyond what can be accomplished by ordinary dancers.
Renowned Filmmaker: I Felt the Meaning of Salvation of Sentient Beings
Internationally renowned wildlife documentary filmmaker Chen Chin-fa attended the last performance of the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular in Taipei. Mr. Chen has devoted the last 18 years to making wildlife documentaries and won the Platinum Remi Award in the nature and wildlife category at the 40th Worldfest-Houston International Film Festival in 2007. He said that the Divine Performing Arts' performance had deep inner meanings, inspired kindness, and broadened the audience's horizon and minds. Their professional performance showed a high level of coordination, which is admirable. He called Divine Performing Arts a group of cultural depth and a great success.
Internationally renowned documentary filmmaker Chen Chin-fa
Mr. Chen said, "[The performance] showed the audience the power of human existence. This show inspired a lot of people to think about how to co-exist and share their lives with others. During the performance, I felt the deep meaning of salvation of sentient beings."
Mr. Chen said that the show also conveyed a sense of hope. "During the performance, I could see many uplifting moments that could take our future to a better place. The whole world can feel compassion from Divine Performing Arts' contribution to humanity. I think this is the right path for mankind."
From a professional perspective, Mr. Chen was especially appreciative of the costumes. He complimented the overall coordination, the background, music composition and editing, as well as the dancers' performance skills.
Mr. Chen said that the show caused people to think more deeply, which also contributed to the show's success.
He wanted to congratulate Divine Performing Arts after the show. He said that the lively and graceful dance movements inspired the audience to think about the meaning of life, explored new visual dimensions, and demonstrated the cultural depth of the group.
Hospitality and Tourism College Chairman: Divine Performing Arts Enriches the Arts of Mankind
Chairman Chai Sung-lin of Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism College brought his family to the last performance of Divine Performing Arts in Taipei. After the show, Mr. Chai said that the company not only promoted traditional Chinese culture, but also enriched the arts of mankind. He said that the entire world should be grateful for this performance group.
Mr. Chai Sung-lin, Chairman of Taiwan Hospitality and Tourism College
Mr. Chai lamented that due to changes in society, such a performance that demonstrates traditional Chinese culture has become rare.
He said the entire performance was outstanding. He was especially fond of the dances "The Loyalty of Yue Fei" and "Lady of the Moon," both of which were based on traditional Chinese legends. He said a show such as this could evoke the traditional Chinese value of shouldering a historic mission. For example, "The Loyalty of Yue Fei" tells people that when the nation is in trouble, everyone should try to contribute whatever they can to save the nation from crisis. He was pleased to see that in society today, when traditional ethics are declining, this show has preserved traditional Chinese culture through the performing arts. He considered this the greatest accomplishment of the Divine Performing Arts.
Mr. Chai was excited to hear about the Divine Performing Arts' tour and its extensive geographic coverage. He expressed the hope that these young dancers could continue to revive traditional Chinese culture even though they don't live in China. He hopes the whole world can see the essence of Chinese culture. While bringing classical Chinese dance and music to the world, Divine Performing Arts also enriches the arts of the entire human race. Mr. Chai said, "Everyone in the world should be grateful for this performing group, because it enriches the arts of mankind."
(Clearwisdom.net)
On March 10, 2008, the curtain for the third show of the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular in Taichung Taiwan lowered to rumbling drum beats and warm applause, leaving the audience deeply touched and with beautiful recollections. Several broadcasters shared their impressions:
Radio Host: Everyone Should Listen to More Such Music
Taiyang Radio host Kong Liangyun talked about her feelings about the performances during intermission. She said that the Divine Performing Arts dancing contains much culture. She believes that the media is currently full of western things, and there is plenty of room for content related to the 5000 year old Chinese culture. She delightedly said, "After you see dancing by the Divine Performing Arts, you just feel it contains so much culture within every hand movement and step--it's completely different from the west."
Keng Liang-Yun hopes that more of such music can be broadcast by the media.
Ms. Keng felt that the music of the Chinese Spectacular made her feel tranquil, not anxious, and caused her to ponder while she enjoyed the show. She sincerely said, "Regarding our current mass media, I think everyone should listen to more such music, and this music should be broadcast, and we should recommend it to our audience and to friends."
Radio Station Manager: Taiwan Should Revive the Wonderful Traditional Culture
"I have not seen such wonderful ethnic dance programs for a very long time in Taiwan! Such wonderful traditional Chinese culture, Taiwan gave up long ago, and they should revive it." Chen Heng-Chin, manager of Sound of Joy radio and current lecturer at the Department of Radio and Television at National Taiwan University of Arts has conducted thorough research on Taiwan's folk customs and culture. He pointed out that Taiwan also had rich ethnic dance performances in the 1950's and 1960's, but few since that time.
Sound of Joy Radio Manager Chen Heng-Chin said, "I have not seen such wonderful ethnic dancing programs for a very long time in Taiwan!"
Chen has worked as a radio broadcaster for 35 years. He said that in today's modern society, in addition to long-term political turmoil, people indulge in material things more and more, and forget about good inherited traditions. "Middle-aged people feel that the moral concepts of young people today seem to be much worse. Parents no longer pay attention to traditional things."
He emphasized, "The good side of tradition includes culture, ethics and moral connotations. The people of Taiwan today urgently need to revive them."
He used an example, "There are few children in Taiwan now who can write calligraphy, and probably many people do not even know how to hold a brush." Chen said, "Many children in Taiwan now study in order to get into a good school, but I think studying should include practicing morality, developing good character, and establishing a foundation to appreciate art. Having art in ones life may deeply enrich one's innermost life."
Famous Host: Combination of Compassion and Aesthetics
Sound of Joy host Kao Lili watched the show with full attention, and made many notes. She happily accepted an interview and said, "Today's program is very good. It combines kind things with aesthetic things." She previously felt that tolerance was very hard to achieve in ordinary society, but thinks it is very good to display tolerance in this form of truth, compassion and beauty. She said that the culture of compassion very easily strikes a root in people's hearts.
She also mentioned that from the angle of aesthetics, the costumes matched the backdrops extremely well, and created unusual stereoscopic effects, as well as the feeling of not being in the human world. Like the rain in "The Fruits of Goodness," which was very stereoscopic. In regards to the justice and courage displayed in the show, Kao said that they are needed to maintain harmony in society.
I Have Never Seen Such Colorful Costumes and Fine Movements
Deputy General Manager of a Broadcast Network Su Li-Chang received his Masters degree in mass communication in the US. He clearly analyzed his feelings, while watching the Chinese Spectacular, from a professional angle. He said, "The performers' costumes and figures were extremely elegant. I have never seen such colorful costumes."
He also praised the backdrops and said that they matched so well with the performers. "Every movement was so fine. This is hard to see in other shows, especially some special effects or animation on the backdrop, which sometimes gives you the feeling of watching a movie. This is not an easy technique."
He also praised how the programs matched, and said, "The matching of the programs is dynamic and tranquil, linked tightly. It is worth recommending this show to everyone."
(Clearwisdom.net) On March 16, 2008, Divine Performing Arts gave its fourth performance of the Chinese Spectacular in Taipei. Many well-known people from the literature and art circle came to watch the performance because of its spreading fame. Beijing Opera authority, head of the Beijing Opera troupe of Taiwan Drama Junior College, Cao Fusheng was among them. He had high praise for the performance. He believes that the show preserves Chinese classical culture, reveals the most upright human values, and had a stabilizing effect on all people.
In an interview after the show, Mr. Cao told a reporter, "In the first half of the performance, I saw the progression of culture. It conveyed the message of how modern people can walk out of distress. While in the second half, the Spectacular presented the vigor of life that makes you feel energetic and makes you realize that society needs to be educated and have a sound sense of the best of human nature to exist."
Beijing Opera authority, head of the Beijing Opera troupe at Taiwan Drama Junior College, Cao Fusheng
The Performance Awakens People
Cao Yongfu was visibly moved when he said, "The first piece, 'Descent of the Celestial Kings,' awakened some sensitive feelings within me. It is hard to describe what it is. I feel that my heart is connected with it and it seems that I knew it before."
He said that when watching the dance, "The Power of Awareness," he experienced an ineffable feeling. He feels that this is what modern people should pay attention to. That is how one should face the "real world." When we experience and realize the "truth" of modern society, we should bravely stand up and face the problems instead of retreating. Mr. Cao believed that those who watched today's performance would be awakened. He said that the whole process [of experiencing the Spectacular] is the process of awakening and being called upon.
Finding Direction Out of Confusion
Cao Fusheng continued, "The whole performance is a combination of tradition, mixed with aspects of the modern age. The dance 'The Fruits of Goodness,' combined with the dynamic backdrops, looked particularly nice. Just like the young people in the dance, they indulge in [modern society] but they still have a little kindness; a cap, a jacket, an action, and a motion can be accepted by gods. Gods will reclaim and remind you. When you get the Buddha book, you may know how to adjust yourself. As modern people have been lost somehow, the performance gives you a definite message regarding how to find your direction."
Their Basic Technique is Quite Good
Cao Yongfu said in admiration, "Their basic technique is quite good. I myself got it from the Beijing Opera and I was trained about these things before. Their technique is very solid, very suitable and looked very comfortable. This is real evidence of their pursuit of perfection. They are carrying on, making progress, presenting the vigor, youth, and the power of life. That's great."
He continued, "The vocalist Hong Ming sings very well. I just told my friend that you cannot find a voice like his in Taiwan. That's great and I feel very satisfied. I also enjoyed the Erhu greatly. She played wonderfully. The composition, the charm, the sound lets you feel many inner meanings. That's marvelous."
I Experienced Something I Had Never Experienced Before
Cao Fusheng continued with his praise of the Spectacular. "'Chopstick Zest' is a piece I have never seen before. All the dancers are young male dancers. It is rare to see so many male dancers. They danced in such an orderly way, with so much vigor and verve. It is tremendous. I hope that the performance will have an impact on advancing social morals. Whenever you see the performance, you will be moved."
(Clearwisdom.net) The Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular will premiere at Konsert & Kongress in Linkoping, a beautiful city in southeast Sweden, on March 27, 2008. Tickets were almost sold out one week ahead of the show.
Linkoping is the 5th largest City in Sweden, known as one of the famous "college towns" and historical cultural centers. The residents of Linkoping are very interested in different cultures and the arts. Therefore, the arts community here has been anticipating the performance of Divine Performance Arts for a long time, which introduces the best elements of traditional Chinese culture to the general public.
Jim Benjamin, a former opera singer said, "With the size of our city and the interest people here have in the arts, we could easily support more than one performance!"
Although he has lived in Linkoping for many years, Jim Benjamin has always kept a low profile. He used to work with one of four well known male tenors in the world, Placido Domingo. Because of his great admiration for the Divine Performance Arts Chinese Spectacular, he agreed to a rare interview with the media. He explained, "I bought the tickets as soon as I heard of it. I bought 4 instead of 1! My family will come also. I heard about the performance from friends and really expect that it will be an excellent show! Chinese music is very special since it includes special tempos, tunes, and music instruments."
He said, "It's very sad that Divine Performance Arts will only have one show in Linkoping. There are 120 to 140 thousand residents in Linkoping City. With the size of our city and the interest people here have in the arts, we could easily support more than one performance!"
Joan and her daughter anticipating the arrival of Divine Performance Arts
Mrs. Joan Hovesten has been anticipating the arrival of Divine Performance Arts for a long time. An artist herself who enjoys painting, she finds the traditional Chinese culture, wisdom, and paintings very interesting. She said, "I am definitely looking forward to watching the performance! I am extremely interested in legend stories! Therefore, I am very enthused!"
Joan's daughter, Johanna, said, "I am glad (my parents will take us to watch the show). It is a wonderful show!"
Some artists in Linkoping City told the reporter, "One show is not near enough! We expect that all the tickets will be sold out. We believe that the performance will be marvelous!"
Why is the Divine Performance Arts so popular in Linkoping? A famous person explained the reason in a humorous way,"I think that Divine Performance Arts have performed in nine European countries and have become relatively famous. More importantly, the exposure of the Chinese Embassy's interference makes a lot of people interested in the performance."
(Clearwisdom.net) On the afternoon of March 16, 2008, despite the rain, people came to see the final show of the Divine Performing Arts (DPA) at the Berlin International Congress Center. German Parliamentarian Ms. Behm, Berlin's Charlotte District Council Member Mr. Krueger and his family, the general manager of the Berlin Hilton Hotel, the Assistant to the Minister of the German Department of the Environment, and other celebrities enjoyed the show.
The Berlin audience
The show started at 4:00 p.m. The first performance, "Descent of the Celestial Kings," moved the audience to immediate, warm applause.
German Parliamentarian: This show can help people distinguish between good and evil. It is a very touching performance.
German Parliamentarian Ms. Behm
Ms. Behm, German parliamentarian, came to enjoy the show with her family. She complimented the performance, "I am so impressed. I did not know beforehand what this show would mean to me. It was very appealing and elegant. The costumes are so beautiful."
"The main theme is very clear. This show can help people distinguish between good and evil. It is very unique and touching."
She thought that "The Risen Lotus Flower" was especially good. (It is a story about three female Falun Gong practitioners being tortured by guards in jail. One of them is tortured to death and goes to a magnificent heaven, which gives the practitioners still alive hope and confidence to continue their determination to cultivate.) She said, "This performance particularly illustrated the main theme. The entire show is very good. It gives people hope. It tells people to never give up hope and that eventually there will be a good ending."
Berlin District Council Member: I like the theme of humanity
Berlin Charlotte District Council Member Mr. Joachim Krueger and his wife
Berlin Charlotte District Council Member Mr. Joachim Krueger said to the reporter, "I did not know too much about Chinese culture. I am very glad that I have had this opportunity today to understand Chinese culture."
"The basic theme of the show is to demonstrate humanity, non-violence, and peace. I think these are all very important. These elements are contained in both Eastern and Western cultures." Mr. Krueger said, "I liked the Mongolian Bowl Dance, the drum dance, and the fine instrument, the Erhu, the elegant colors, and the theme of humanity. I will recommend this show to everybody."
Mrs. Krueger very much admired the show and told the reporter that she was going home filled with compassion.
Chairman of The Victims of Stalin Memorial Library Foundation: I cannot find any better words to describe it
Ms. Popiolek, Chairman of The Victims of Stalin Memorial Library Foundation, said enthusiastically after the show, "I have rarely seen a show as perfect as this in both content and format. It contains traditional meaning and sincerity. It provides such a beautiful and enjoyable experience. I cannot find any better words to describe it."
Ms. Popiolek thought what was particularly important was the show's message about being against the persecution by a dictatorship. She said, "I believe everybody could understand it. People understand the meaning of the dance 'The Power of Awareness.' The three words on the banner held by the little girl were clearly showing 'Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance." The meaning is very clear."
"I was deeply impressed by this show. I will absolutely recommend it to others."
(Clearwisdom.net) On March 20, the Divine Performing Arts performed its last show in Chiayi, Taiwan. After watching the show, Liao Feng-bin, CEO of Happy Radio, was deeply impressed. He felt that every movement and every note really touched his heart. He was very moved and deeply felt the presence of the Chinese five-thousand-year culture contained in the show.
Audience give rounds of applause for the wonderful performance
Audience watches the show attentively
At the beginning of the interview, Liao Feng-bin described his feelings with a few words. He said, "It is marvelous, very touching and harmonizing. The performance has special charm. The music lingers long in the air."
Touching waves strengthen each other
Liao Feng-bin has a unique appreciation for music. He said, "The music in the show harmonizes the dance, deeply touching people's hearts."
Regrading the dancers' costumes, Liao Feng-bin thought that they gave the audience a very large space for imagination,whether it was with their texture, design or arrangements of colors. He said, "We just saw the dance of long sleeves. The color and elegance gave us much space to imagine."
All cells were resonating
After seeing the dance, "Drummers of the Tang Court," he said, "I almost followed them to dance. I felt that all of my cells were resonating. I was deeply touched."
Liao Feng-bin regretted that he did not bring his son to see the show. He said, "This is my first time watching such a large-scale show. I just saw in the dance 'Lady of the Moon' that Houyi shot arrows. Since that moment, I thought I should have brought my son to see the show."
The show really touched people's hearts
Liao Feng-bin indicated that he was content with the Divine Performing Arts show both in auditory and visual sensations; the show has the power to touch people's hearts, not only because the company is professional but also because the show contains the temperament that touches people's hearts.
He explained, "I think this temperament is closely related to our five thousands year old culture. From every movement I just saw, I can feel this cultural content. "
Divine Performing Arts shows directed at the hearts of humanity
Liao Feng-bin was deeply impressed with many programs such as "Loyalty of Yue Fei", "The Risen Lotus Flower", "The Fruits of Goodness" and "The Power of Awareness", which impart values of
filial piety, moral integrity, righteousness, justice and goodness. He said, "I was deeply impressed by these programs because they deeply touched people' hearts and are directed at the hearts of humanity. I think all goodness and badness come from the heart."
He sighed with emotion: "I have worked in the media for almost 20 years. I worked in newspaper media for about 12 years and also in radio media for about 12 years. We have always been very anxious. Facing the chaos in the current world, how do we direct the hearts of humanity, how do we get them back by making use of Chinese traditional culture?"
Spread it widely and let everyone know
Mr. Liao Feng-bin is a senior media professional. Happy Radio, where he works, is a radio station in Chiayi. It broadcasts around the clock and covers the whole province. He believes that promoting goodness and stopping evil is a mission of the media. After watching the Divine Performing Arts show, he even firmed up his thoughts of helping to raise people's moral values.
Finally, Liao Feng-bin feels that it would be better to let more people know about the Divine Performing Arts shows. He said, "We should share good things with good friends. We should spread the message and let more people know about the Divine Performing Arts show. In this year, there are few things which can touch people and bring people so many gains as the Divine Performing Arts shows have. Therefore, we should try our best to let more people know about them."
(Clearwisdom.net) After outstanding performances in the cities of Tainan, Taichung, and Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) played to a full house at the Taipei International Conference Center in Taipei on March 15, 2008. The performance was enthusiastically received by the audience.
Ninety-two-year-old Ms. Lin said, "If possible, I would like to see the show every year."
Ms. Lin is 92 years old. She told the reporter during intermission that, due to her hearing problem, she could not hear clearly what the hosts had said, but she was still able to understand the content of all the performances.
Ms. Lin said, "I listened and watched with my heart. I could understand it all. I could understand the content of every dance drama! They were marvelous. I was deeply moved! The synchronized sound of the drums and the dancing steps, the graceful and elegant female dancers and the strong and steady male dancers presented traditional Chinese culture perfectly. The main idea of this show is to educate people and help improve human morality!"
The reporter asked, "Would you like to come back to the show next year?" She smiled looking at the stage and answered, "If possible, I would like to see the show every year."
A Doctor: I was most impressed with "The Risen Lotus Flower"
During intermission, Dr. Deng from Taipei said that he enjoyed all the performances so far. He was most impressed with "The Risen Lotus Flower," which depicted Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in jail by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) because they are determined in their belief. One of them is tortured to death for trying to stop the guards from torturing fellow practitioners. The practitioner that died goes to heaven with Buddha and gods. The practitioners still alive are thereby encouraged to continue to stand against the persecution with strong a belief. Dr. Deng was most impressed with this performance.
Dr. Deng follows the news regarding Falun Gong. He saw the information about the DPA shows on epochtimes.com and decided to come to the show with his wife. He felt the show was worth the trip.
(Translated from http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2008/3/16/174458.html)
Director of Engineering Project: A supreme cultural and artistic feast
Mr. Huang Zhenchang, Director of Engineering Projects at CTCI Corporation, and his friend, Mr. Tao, General Manager of Huake Company, came to enjoy the show with their families. Afterward, Mr. Huang said, "Every performance touched my heart. The show portrayed people from different dynasties and nationalities pursuing truthfulness, beauty and compassion. My heart was moved. The music and the structure of the show gave me peace with no distractions from the human world."
Mr. Huang Zhenchang, Director of Engineering Projects at CTCI Corporation, and his friend Mr. Tao, General Manager of Huake Company (second from left)
Mr. Huang added, "The Chinese shows I have seen before seldom demonstrated traditional Chinese culture. Seeing a supreme cultural and artistic feast like the DPA's performance is a great experience. My friends and I often visit Mainland China and go to shows there. Those are merely scenery and dances. The performance today showed me that every actor/actress was performing with their hearts. What they demonstrated was truthfulness, compassion, and beauty."
(Clearwisdom.net) On March 12, 2008, Divine Performing Arts (DPA) of New York presented its final performance of the Chinese Spectacular at National Chung Hsing University in Tai-Chung Taiwan. Ms. Su Chi-Fen, head of Yunlin County, found time in her busy schedule to see the show. She said, "I had never thought that dance, combined with classical music could produce such a divine result. The DPA did a good job."
Ms. Su Chi-Fen, head of Yunlin County
Su focused primarily on the dancing in the Spectacular. She said, "This is my first time to see the show. I thought the performance was truly high-class. They have danced into the Chinese people's hearts, which is not easy to do. The DPA presented a joyful world through dancing, choreography, and stories. Watching such a performance calms people down, which is hard do in today's world."
Su said she believed that everything is complicated in the real world but becomes simple and relaxing in the world of dance. "The artists are very professional. From their dances, I felt that the world was splendid because people help and care about each other, which is a goal people in the real world must work hard on to achieve. The dances were very beautiful, and make people want to pursue another realm."
Su talked about the "Water Sleeves" piece, saying, "A group of people dancing by the pond gives me a warm feeling and brings me into a world of joy. The most important thing is the artists' facial expressions that allow you to feel their joy."
She said she felt that the DPA blended the music and dance well. "The music was terrific and the dancers followed the music naturally and harmoniously."
Su Chi-Fen said that coming from Yulin all the way to Taichung was worthwhile. "The interaction between the audience and the artists is very unique. The DPA projected a divine feeling to the audience and made them feel that they were also on the stage."
She said she felt as she was bathed in an atmosphere of joy during the show. "I can see another realm from the DPA's music and artistic performance. A realm that comforts people's hearts. The show gives people in the real world a cure-all pill for obtaining peace of mind. Once you are experiencing the show, you simply become happy."
(Clearwisdom.net) Zhejiang Province Women's Prison is touted as a ministry-level "civilized" prison. This superficial label conceals the fact that Falun Gong practitioners are cruelly tortured in this facility. Since 2000, prison authorities have been participating in the persecution of Falun Gong. Ms. Gao, the former key contact person in the Jinhua area, Ms. Jin Meihua, the former assistant contact person in the Hangzhou area, and other female practitioners sentenced in Zhejiang Province are all detained in this prison.
1. Forced Brainwashing and Use of Inmates to Torture Practitioners
Deputy Wardens Jiang, Fang Yuhong, and Lin Fang and education division members Wu and Zhao Wenxuan are all members of the so-called "Transformation" Leadership Team. The team also includes Wu Ying, Wang Hong, Shen Lai, Zhang Jinyun, and Xu Xianghong. If practitioners refused to give in, they were confined in the solitary cells, provided less than enough food, forced to undergo brainwashing, not allowed to buy extra food, forbidden to read books/newspapers, and not allowed family visits. If practitioners refused to write "criminal" on their letters to the outside, their letters were discarded and never mailed.
When these tactics did not succeed, near the end of 2003 the prison authorities transferred those practitioners who refused to give up their practice of Falun Gong to another ward to isolate them. They also carried out a so-called "Spring Thunder Conquering" plan that consisted of four to five inmates taking turns attacking the practitioners and also forcing them to watch videos slandering Falun Gong with vicious lies and propaganda. However, those methods of torture and ill treatment still could not sway those steadfast practitioners.
To further persecute the steadfast practitioners, the prison authorities imitated other women's prisons. Starting in June 2004, the prison authorities emptied the whole first floor of a building to detain eight practitioners who refused to give in. Videos slandering Falun Gong were shown 24 hours a day. If the practitioners shut their eyes and refused to watch the videos, the prison guards would pry open their eyelids and pinch their eye sockets. Practitioners were also forced to write reports on their "experience and learning" after the forced video watching. If they refused to write such reports, they were deprived of sleep for over 20 days.
In those prison cells, all the windows and doors were locked and all the curtains were drawn, so the practitioners never knew the time. They were not allowed to use the toilets outside the cells. Instead, there was a toilet bowl in the middle of the prison cell. Every day each practitioner was provided a small amount of water to use. Practitioners who still refused to give in after several days were denied any water and could not wash themselves.
During the 20-day period, the prison guards faked compassion to deceive practitioners into giving in. When defeated, the guards then turned vicious and violent. On the walls of the cells, the guards put up large posters with slogans slandering Falun Gong and practitioners. They also ordered the strongest inmates to beat practitioners. If a practitioner ever showed any resistance, the inmates would say, "What? You want to hit me or something?" Then they would beat the practitioner even more severely, saying they felt threatened by the practitioner's unacceptable "behavior." Meanwhile, due to long sleep deprivation, practitioners would become dizzy and disoriented. Taking advantage of this, the guards would hold a practitioner's hand to sign a forged statement giving up practicing Falun Gong.
Many practitioners were tortured until they were no longer recognizable. Ms. Zhu Yuanzhu was tortured over three weeks without any sleep. The once beautiful young lady in her 30s looked like much older person in her 50s.
Since their campaign against those eight practitioners began in June 2004, the prison authorities have escalated their persecution of all detained practitioners. The prison authorities have remarked, "Falun Gong practitioners have special skills to adapt to the environment. Once they are used to the prison environment, it will be impossible to transform them." All newly detained practitioners were directly sent to the isolated prison cell to undergo violent brainwashing until they gave in. In March 2006, Ms. Yang Jie was confined and tortured like this for several months. However, Ms. Yang was still steadfast in her practice of Falun Gong, which meant that the prison guards had failed at all their attempts and methods of torture.
It should be noted that the prison authorities have been using criminal inmates the entire time to carry out all their vicious persecution of practitioners. For instance, an inmate with a financial criminal record, Wang Hong from Hangzhou City, was released not long after serving only half of her original 12-month term simply because she had made an effort to "transform" the practitioners. In October 2006, she was invited back to the prison to teach other inmates her skills in "transforming" the practitioners. The prison authorities compiled her vicious methods of torture into a book and gave it to all inmates to study.
One such technique illustrated in the book stated that two special persons should be involved in brainwashing a practitioner. The first person should act nice while the other should play tough with the practitioner. The first person should pretend to treat the practitioner with compassion and appear caring so that the practitioner would open up her mind and heart to the first person. Then the other person should find weak points in the practitioner's words and then launch attacks specifically targeted at those weaknesses, thus achieving their goal of torturing and "transforming" the Falun Gong practitioners.
2. Civilized Appearances Cover up the Persecution
The prison occasionally has visits from high ranking provincial and ministry officials and foreign organizations. The inmates have to get up even earlier than usual to clean up in preparation for those visits. Since decreasing the time designated for forced labor is not allowed, the inmates' rest time is reduced. Those inmates who dare to speak up against this (including inmates who claim they are innocent, those that dare to expose the evil in the prison, or practitioners refusing to give up practicing Falun Gong) are hidden by the authorities in an attempt to cover up their preparations and touch-up work.
The prison authorities claim that they stick to the policy of eight hours of work a day and six work days a week. But overtime work is a common practice. Sometimes the overtime even cuts into the inmates' dining time. The prisoners get a day off once a month, sometimes only once in six months. However, the prison guards forbid any entertainment activities and force the inmates to study political propaganda. Eventually, the inmates would rather do hard labor than study politics, which serves the prison authorities' hidden agenda quite effectively.
On May 1, 2006, a younger inmate in her early 20s committed suicide by hanging herself. This girl had only two years to go before completing her prison term. She could no longer stand the relentless beatings, curses, and insults at the hands of the cell head and prison officials. She had appealed to the prison authorities to switch to another prison section and labor group, but the authorities could have cared less and so she killed herself in desperation. Due to this incident, the prison guards' bonuses were canceled and the prison's "Civilized Prison" designation was also in danger of being revoked. From then on the prison authorities established a policy of routine, large-scale cell searches and would not allow possession of prohibited materials, even a plastic bag, that could be used to commit suicide.
In June 2007, Ms. Jin Meihua from Hangzhou City was arrested once again. Her lawyer presented her defense and argued for her innocence. However, the Hangzhou City's Xiacheng District Court followed the order of the local 610 Office and sentenced her to five years of imprisonment. Now Ms. Jin Meihua has been sent to Zhejiang Province Women's Prison again.
Everyone with a sense of justice, please be concerned about these practitioners who are tortured in this CCP prison and help stop the persecution of Falun Gong.
March 3, 2008
(Clearwisdom.net) Note: The following is a shortened version of a longer and more detailed article that appeared on the Minghui.org website (Chinese version of Clearwisdom.net).
Ms. Liang Huilan is a Falun Gong practitioner from Wukongsi Village in Songgezhuang Town, Laishui County, Hebei Province. Her sister Ms. Liang Huiqin, is a practitioner from Wanggezhuang Village in Songgezhuang Town. On July 21 1999, a day after the persecution officially began, 49-year-old Ms. Liang Huilan and her 31-year-old sister, Ms. Liang Huiqin went to Beijing to clarify the truth. They were arrested and detained at a police station.
On the second day, they were taken to the Beijing Chaoyang District Women's Prison. The prison detained Ms. Liang Huilan, Ms. Liang Huiqin and another Falun Gong practitioner, Ms. Wei Fenglan, without any legal documents. After being held at the prison for nine days, policemen from Laishui County Police Department came and took them back. The deputy chief Liu Yaohua (male) violently beat them, then handcuffed and stuffed them into the police van.
Once they arrived at the Laishui County Police Department, officers ordered them to kneel down on rods with spikes on them. Twelve strong young policemen wearing boots then punched and kicked them. After the brutal beating, they took the practitioners to the local detention center. That same night, the County Party Secretary brought a journalist to interrogate them. They didn't cooperate with the plan to defame Dafa, so Liu Yaohua then became angry and slapped them.
On the second day, Songgezhuang County Governmental officers, including Fang Yongwu (male) and a few others kicked Ms. Liang, her sister and Ms. Wei Fenglan to the ground and continued brutally beating them. They used their heavy boots to kick Ms. Liang Huilan in the face, and her left eye started bleeding instantly. These vicious people continued slapping her face despite all the blood. Ms. Liang Huiqin was beaten until blood was spraying out from her nose and mouth. The scene was horrendous.
Afterwards, Songgezhuang Town Party Secretary Ji Jianzhong(male), and the Township Mayor Wan Yuguo (male) called them to a room, and asked them, "Are you still going to practice Falun Gong?" When they replied "Yes," the two officials then whipped them violently with electrical wires that were woven into ropes. Their backs, buttocks and thighs became very swollen.
Ms. Liang Huilan's condition was very serious. Her face and eye looked terrible, and was blue and purple. Ms. Wei Fenglan's face was also distorted. The policemen and town officials involved were afraid people would find out about the brutal beating, so they detained the practitioners for another 15 days.
While they were being illegally held and tortured, their families were forced to pay hefty fines. Everyone was forced to pay three thousand yuan, and six hundred in detention fees. After they were released from the detention center, they were taken to the Town Government for another 15 days of detention. It has been more than two months since they had seen their homes.
In early April 2001, town officials came to illegally arrest Liang Huiqin and take her to the County Party School for brainwashing. Her family was worried about more brutal persecution, so they paid three thousand yuan and were allowed to take her home.
(Clearwisdom.net) The Men's Second Forced Labor Camp of Shandong Province, formerly known as Wang Village Forced Labor Camp, was moved to Guanzhuang Township in the Zhangqiu District, Jinan City, on October 28, 2007. Shortly after the relocation, officials from the Jinan Labor Camp and others at the provincial level were invited by the Labor System of the Chinese Communist Party to inspect the site.
The day of the visit was very gloomy. The wind was whipping and dust was flying. One could barely open one's eyes or stand upright. The clothes hung out to dry were blown away by the wind. After the inspection was over, the wind stopped. Since the relocation of the labor camp, the air has been very turbid and the visibility low. Sometimes there is a sharp odor in the air. The sky was full of bright, flashing dust under the whitish sun. People in the area found it very strange. Before the relocation, the weather was always good. The air was very clean and there was no pollution caused by chimneys. What is going on?
Just behind the gate to the labor camp is the office building. Prisoners were confined to the compound behind the building. The compound is surrounded by five- to six-meter-high walls with electric wire fences. The so-called "Education Building" is located on the West Road to the compound. The first floor has a visitation room and solitary confinement cells. The Health Department, the Management Department, and the Education Department are located on the second floor. No one knows what is on the third floor. The fourth floor is the conference room. In addition, there are two other buildings and a canteen where prisoners and Falun Gong practitioners are detained. The building on the East Road, opposite the canteen, is the hard labor field. The exercise ground is located in front of the building.
There are eight brigades in the Men's Second Forced Labor Camp. Regular inmates are held in the first six brigades and about 230 Falun Gong practitioners are incarcerated in the Seventh and Eighth Brigades. The Eighth Brigade is on the second floor of the first building. Zheng Wanxin was the former head, Sun Fengjun the former instructor, and Wang Bohua and Liu Jichao were the deputy heads. The Seventh Brigade is on the second floor of the second building. Luo Guangrong was the head, Li Gongming was the instructor, and Wang Xinjiang was the police officer. The current director of the Men's Second Labor Camp is Hao Donggui, and Xin Xiuzhong is the political commissioner.
There were just over 10 very firm practitioners who didn't give in to "transformation." Because of their steadfastness, they were isolated and locked with non-practitioner inmates in the cells. Some practitioners were put into special "classes" under surveillance. They were forced to stand facing the wall in the cell or the hallway. After practitioners clarified the truth to them, the inmates learned about the persecution of Falun Gong and the principle of karmic retribution. They then treated practitioners very kindly. Some of them even expressed their interest in wanting to learn the practice. The guards were worried that more inmates would learn about the truth of the persecution, so they secretly told them to keep a distance from practitioners and they were not allowed to accept any help from them.
Because of the intense pressure, some practitioners who just came in and couldn't endure the pain of the persecution wrote so-called repentance statements. Most of them have since written public solemn statements denouncing their so-called repentance statements. Some practitioners posted their statements on-line but were quickly punished by the guards by being beaten, hung up, or forced to stand facing the wall.
There were more than 10 collaborators, former practitioners who had renounced the practice under pressure and assisted the guards in attempting to "transform" other practitioners in the labor camp. The guards frequently used and encouraged other inmates to beat practitioners. These inmates were later rewarded.
In the past, the guards cursed and beat practitioners covertly. Now they do these things openly. Guard Liu Jichao was openly kicked Gong Pijing, over 50 years old, and dragged himacross the ground.
Practitioners often shouted, "Falun Dafa Hao" ["Falun Dafa is good!"] in the hallway. Dong, a practitioner from Changyi District, was kept in a solitary cell. He was handcuffed and not allowed to use the toilet.
Lu, a practitioner from Linqu County, was handcuffed for a day after writing a solemn statement denouncing the so-called repentance statement. Prisoners instigated by the guards beat another practitioner, Wang Shaohua.
Li Weizhong, a practitioner from the Zhangqui District, who was detained in the Seventh Brigade, went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. He was released for hospitalization when he was in critical condition. He was again later illegally arrested by the 610 Office police and brought to the Eighth Brigade. In the morning, two months later, Mr. Li shouted, "Falun Dafa Hao." He was then handcuffed and tortured in his bed. When he appeared to be dying, Mr. Li was taken to the hospital for examination and sent home.
When the police see that some practitioners who were previously "transformed" start practicing again when they are released, they again arrest these practitioners and take them to the labor camp. They are fully aware that "'transforming' people's thinking is futile." In fact, the head of the labor camp and the guards have seen that the end of the Chinese Communist Party is approaching. One time, they said in a conference, "It seems now that 'transforming' people's thinking is impossible. Doing 'transformation' work is just an absurd joke."
Enticed by promotions and bonuses, the guards in the Men's Second Forced Labor Camp vigorously pursued the camp's so-called "transformation" quota. Those practitioners who were not "transformed" were subjected to being handcuffed, beaten, forced to stand facing the wall, not allowed to see their families or make phone calls, etc., in order to violently coerce them to "transform."
(Clearwisdom.net) On March 12, 2008, Mr. Zeng Lingqin, a Falun Gong practitioner, took his wife to the Fourth People's Hospital for treatment. When he came out of the hospital, he was arrested by the local state security special agents who were waiting for him.
The police drove three cars. They forced Mr. Zeng into one of the cars and the other two went to his store and house. Because the business license was not his, the police didn't find anything they needed and left. From his house, they took away all Dafa books, CDs, tapes, truth-clarification materials, several-thousand dollars in cash, a computer, TV, DVD player, and the New Tang Dynasty TV receiving equipment. Mr. Zeng is now illegally detained in Tiziling Detention Center. No one takes care of his 80-plus-year-old father and wife, who suffers from illness.
On the afternoon of March 12, Hu Dongfu, Luo Xinqiu, Chen Liwen, Tang Xuelin and his wife-- about 14 Falun Gong practitioners in all--were arrested by the police from Beihu Police Station. They interrogated them until midnight. It was said that the 610 Office of Beihu District, Chenzhou City, was involved in the interrogation process. They didn't allow practitioners to eat dinner. These practitioners suffered from cold and hunger. Most of them were elderly citizens over 60 years old. That night, they were sent to the Chenzhou Detention Center.
The next day, only Hu Dongfu, Tang Xuelin and his wife, three elderly citizens over 70 years old, were released and allowed to return home.
(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Cui Dongfeng, 42 years old, lived in Pulebao Town, Huanren County, Benxi City, Liaoning Province. She began cultivating Falun Dafa in 1998, and benefited both mentally and physically. Ever since the persecution started on July 20, 1999, the local police station director Song Lijun (male), Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Director Liu Tianhong (male), and officer Xu Fayi (male), would often harass and threaten Ms. Cui and ransack her home. In June 2003, while Ms. Cui was talking with other people, Director Song Lijun and officer Cong Zhijiang arrested her and illegally detained her for 15 days. The police constantly harassed and threatened Cui Dongfeng and ransacked her home over and over. This harassment caused her tremendous stress which made her very ill, and she died at the end of 2005.
Ms. Ning Kun, 63 years old, lived in Pulebao Town, Huanren County, Benxi City, Liaoning Province. She began cultivating Falun Dafa in the spring of 1998. In less than six months, all her illnesses had disappeared. Since the persecution started on July 20, 1999, local police station director Song Lijun, CCP Director Liu Tianhong and officer Xu Fayi often harassed her at home, ransacked her home,and threatened her. On February 28, 2001, Ms. Ning was forcibly taken to a brainwashing center, which caused her such stress that an old sickness reoccurred She died in the Fall of 2004.
March 20, 2008
(Clearwisdom.net)
Today's report relates persecution incidents that involve 15 cities or counties in nine provinces. Fifteen Falun Gong practitioners were subjected to brutal treatment during detention, and at least ten practitioners were "illegally arrested".
1. [Luoyang City, Henan Province] Ms. Gao Xuerong Held in Xinxiang City Women's Prison
Personnel from the 610 Office in Luoyang City arrested 68-year-old Ms. Gao Xuerong from Gongnong Township, the Jianxi District in Luoyang City, in January 2005 for distributing Falun Gong truth-clarification materials. Ms. Gao was later sentenced to four years' incarceration in the Xinxiang City Women's Prison. She was very weak due to abuses under the persecution and eventually could not take care of herself. She was released on medical bail out to undergo surgery in October 2007. Prison guards visited Ms. Gao and extorted 3,500 yuan from her family in January 2008. They put her back in prison in February 2008, stating that Ms. Gao had to serve out her term.
2. [Beijing] Mr. Bai Shaohua Sentenced to Forced Labor; Location Unknown
Mr. Bai Shaohua was put in the Huairou District Detention Center on February 20, 2008. His mother hired a lawyer, but personnel from the district's police department refused to let the lawyer meet with Mr. Bai. His mother went to the detention center twice and was not allowed to see him. It is heard that Mr. Bai has been sentenced to forced labor, but for how long and where he is being held are unknown. It is also heard that Mr. Bai is receiving emergency treatment at a hospital.
Huairou District Police Department: 87-10-89687608
Wang Pan, Huairou District Police Department Pre-interrogation Section:
86-10-61697669
3. [Kaifeng City, Henan Province] Mr. Li Shuangxi Arrested
Police arrested Mr. Li Shuangxi and put him in the Gulou Police Division at 11:00 a.m. on March 3, 2008, for posting Falun Gong truth-clarification materials. Mr. Li is presently being held in Beijiao Detention Center.
4. [Panjin City, Liaoning Province] The Persecution of Mr. Wang Jianquan's Family
It is heard that Mr. Wang Jianquan's practitioner wife, Ms. Wang Chunling, and his non-practitioner son, Mr. Wang Biao, have been released after having 5,000 yuan extorted from them. They are living away from home to avoid illegal arrest. Mr. Wang is still being held in a detention center.
5. [Longjing City, Jilin Province] Ms. Zhang Xiufen Arrested on March 5, 2008
6. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Gan Lihua Died - 2005 Information
Ms. Gan Lihua from Wuhan City started to practice Falun Gong in 1998 and several former illnesses disappeared. She was arrested four times after the persecution began, and imprisoned three times, but was unable to adhere to her faith because of the abuse under the persecution during her last imprisonment. Ms. Gan gave up cultivation. Her illnesses returned, and she died on July 28, 2005.
7. [Yantai City, Shandong Province] Mr. Yang Guofu Arrested
Personnel from the Domestic Security Division arrested Mr. Yang Guofu from his home at 1:00 p.m. on March 7, 2008. The persecutors confiscated a computer, a printer, some truth-clarification materials, and a satellite dish. Where he is being held is unknown.
8. [Tianjin] Ms. Li Jianfen Detained, Mr. Luan Ruiqiang Sentenced to Forced Labor
Ms. Li Jianfen from the Caiyou Community in the Dagang Oil Field is being held at the Dagang District Police Department. Mr. Luan Ruiqiang was sentenced to one and a half years of forced labor.
9. [Zhanjiang City, Guangdong Province] Mr. Li Zhengjun Arrested and His Home Ransacked
Mr. Li Zhengjun is a track and field teacher in the Zhanjiang City Sports School. About 20 officers from the Mazhang District 610 Office, from the Domestic Security Division and from the Ruiyun Police Station arrested him at 4:00 p.m. on March 4, 2008. The arrest happened as Mr. Li was teaching a class. Police ransacked his home and confiscated a laptop computer and 1,000 yuan cash. Mr. Li is presently being held in the district's detention center.
Xu Min, Police Department Chief: 86-13702870638
Pang Shaorong, Party Deputy Secretary: 86-13902502101
10. [Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province] Ms. Peng Cuilian Has Been Held for Half a Year
Police secretly arrested Ms. Peng Cuilian half a year ago, but her present whereabouts are unknown.
11. [Baise City, Guangxi Autonomous Region] Mr. Huang Yuxuan Arrested on March 8, 2008
12. [Baoding City, Hebei Province] Ms. Wang Guilan and Mr. Zhang Jinyu Held at the Xushui County Detention Center
Personnel from the Gaolin Town Police Station arrested Ms. Wang Guilan and Mr. Zhang Jinyu from Xushui County, Baoding City, on March 7, 2008. They are presently being held in the county detention center.
13. [Heilongjiang Province] Three Practitioners Arrested
A villager reported three practitioners from the Daqing City Oil Field on March 6, 2008, when they explained the facts about Falun Gong to people in Dechang Township, Zhaodong City, that day. Personnel from the township's police station and from the Zhaodong City Police Department arrested them and put them in the city detention center. Police ransacked a practitioner's home and confiscated all Dafa books and a laptop computer. The three practitioners' families requested their release. This resulted in their release, but only after police extorted 2,500 yuan from every practitioner.
14. [Handan City, Hebei Province] Mr. Tong Ruiqing's Home Ransacked
Mr. Tong Ruiqing's two houses in Daming County, Handan City, were ransacked by the police on the afternoon of March 10, 2008. Police confiscated many items. Mr. Tong was not at home at that time. His daughter-in-law and granddaughter are being held as hostages.
15. [Jilin Province] Mr. Zhao Yugang Arrested
Personnel from the Linjiang City Police Department and from the Dongbeicha Town Police Station ransacked Mr. Zhao Yugang's home and arrested him, saying they had discovered some Dafa books and materials on March 4, 2008. Mr. Zhao was put in a detention center. He has a disability and leads a difficult life with his disabled mother.
Wu Yingjie, Linjiang City Police Department Deputy Chief: 86-13904490220
(Cell), 86-439-5253003 (Office), 86-439-5238288 (Home)
Chen Zhongqiang, Police Department Chief: 86-439-5229683 (Office),
86-439-7223075 (Home), 86-13904497243 (Cell)
16. [Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Qi Fei Has Been Released, But His Father Mr. Qi Fengming Still Being Held
Zhang Xumin, personally responsible for these arrests: 86-13304641100
17. [Tianjin] Ms. Li Jinhua Sentenced to Three Years in Prison
Personnel from the Domestic Security Division in Jizhou City, Hebei Province, arrested Ms. Li Jinhua and put her in the Renqiu City Detention Center on January 4, 2008. Her family was notified that Ms. Li had been sentenced to three years in prison and would be taken to prison on March 10, 2008.
18. [Shenyang City, Liaoning Province] Personnel from the Tiexi Domestic Security Division Recently Arrested a Practitioner Surnamed Chen
(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) On March 20, Falun Gong practitioners from Montreal held a rally in Chinatown to protest the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) issuing orders for large-scale arrests of Falun Gong practitioners before the Olympics. After the rally, practitioners held a parade to the downtown area, calling for more attention to the current situation in China in which Falun Gong practitioners are suffering intensified persecution by the CCP in "preparation" for the Olympics.
The rally
Talking to passersby about the persecution
At the rally, Mr. Guan Weidong, a Falun Gong practitioner, stated: "In the last three months, the CCP has used the Olympics as an excuse and conducted mass arrests of Falun Gong practitioners. From last December to now, we have confirmed 1,878 cases of arrest and we have seen an increase in death cases."
On February 19, 2008, the CCP's Central Committee of Political and Legislative Affairs issued a secret decree to 40 provincial committees of political and legislative affairs throughout the country. The decree ordered large-scale arrests and door-to-door searches of Falun Gong practitioners throughout China prior to the Olympics.
Mr. Shen Yue, a Chinese student and Falun Gong practitioner, said: "The Olympics are coming, but the CCP didn't keep its promise of improving human rights in China. Instead, the persecution of Falun Gong is getting worse."
Mr. Shen said: "In July 2007, policemen broke into my home in Chengde and arrested my mother, who is also a Falun Gong practitioner. In two days, 17 Falun Gong practitioners were arrested in Chengde City. Most of them are still imprisoned. My mother was sentenced to five years along with seven other practitioners."
Mr. Shen called for help to stop the persecution and release his mother from unlawful imprisonment.
Many people on the streets accepted information materials. Gerome Audet, a Falun Gong practitioner, said to the reporter, "A Westerner who is learning Chinese had a lot of misunderstandings about Falun Gong. I told him the facts about the CCP's crime of organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners. He was moved to tears when he heard this. I told him what Falun Gong is and gave him the addresses for websites about Falun Gong, and he thanked me."
(Clearwisdom.net) On March 19, Falun Gong practitioners in Perth gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate to protest the CCP's order for intensified persecution of Falun Gong during the months leading up to the Olympics.
Falun Gong practitioners' protest
In the last three months, the CCP used the security of the Olympics as an excuse and arrested hundreds of Falun Gong practitioners all over the country. From last December to now, 1,878 arrests have been confirmed, and there has been a noted increase in death cases.
The persecution of Falun Gong has lasted for nine years. According to Professor Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, 66% of torture and other cases of cruelty in China in 2006 were conducted against Falun Gong practitioners.
Falun Gong practitioners from Western Australia call upon the international community to help stop the persecution.
(Clearwisdom.net) On March 17, Falun Gong practitioners in Ohio and nearby states participated in the St Patrick's Day parade in Cleveland. The practitioners performed on traditional Chinese waist drums and demonstrated the Falun Gong exercises on a decorated float, receiving warm applause from spectators.
Falun Gong practitioners' waist drum troupe
Falun Gong float with posters of Chinese Spectacular
Pressing hands together: a spectator warmly greeted the Falun Gong procession
A spectator exclaims as Falun Gong procession passes by
Hello Respected Master, hello fellow practitioners.
With the progress of Fa-rectification occurring so rapidly, the requirement of cooperation among Dafa practitioners is getting higher and higher. In order to save more sentient beings, we not only need to put down our human attachments but to also study the Fa well and cultivate well.
Recently, I have found that complaints among practitioners are a big barrier that is preventing us from validating the Fa and saving more beings.
When we complain, we are only looking at other people and not ourselves. We see only the shortcomings in other people but not their merits; and we are not considering others. What accompanies the complaints is often anger, imbalance, worry, and other selfish feelings. It's a way of looking for excuses for ourselves and disparaging others. We show no tolerance when we complain.
Here is an example. When we were selling tickets to the New Year Splendor at Costco in New York, I was assigned to a site uptown, with practitioners from five different areas of two countries. The New York practitioner who was in charge of the site was very well organized and the site was kept very clean and tidy.
We were late on the first day because we were not familiar with how to find the location. They were supposed to turn the site over to us on the second day, but unfortunately, we were late again. The local New York practitioner was not happy and complained to the main office. In our group everyone had his/her opinion, which was often different from the opinions of the New York practitioner's. One of the practitioners in the group took off the queen costume without consulting the others, and she refused to put it back on because she said the costume was not clean. The New York practitioner could not stand it and called the main office to complain. I was not involved in the conflict. But Master told us even when we see others in conflict we should look inwards. I felt we did not cooperate well with the local practitioners, and I very much agreed with the New York practitioner and liked her method of being organized and following the rules and plan.
One time, when a customer came to pick up tickets that had been paid for, I couldn't find them. I immediately became upset and nervous, and blurted out: "Who took the tickets?" One person nearby said, "Must have been you." Meanwhile someone else said, "Don't panic. Take another look." I calmed myself down and searched carefully and found the tickets. After the customer left I really regretted my behavior. I hadn't maintained my xinxing. We all came from thousands of miles away and had the same purpose. Some people could only stay for a few days. How could we not cooperate well? How could we complain about each other?
Before I had chance to sort out my thoughts, I was reassigned to a ticket site in New Jersey. When I went to the site I felt that it was not well organized and the people were not following any procedure. I realized that if I insisted on doing things in the same way as they were done at the previous ticket site, then I would find that almost everything at this site was wrong: from the boxes that held the tickets to the desk, including the black tablecloth which would slip off the table a dozen times a day. So, I decided to adjust my thinking and do my best.
Although I decided to do my best, negative thoughts kept coming to me, such as, practitioners at this site are not working as well as the ones at the previous site, and I wondered if this was the reason for the low ticket sales at this site. Because this thought was in my mind, the New York practitioner called me several times. She asked me to come back to New York, and complained about a Canadian practitioner who was again late arriving.
That evening, a practitioner from New Jersey joined our group. She rushed to the site after work, and as soon as she arrived she engaged herself totally in selling tickets. She stayed for two hours until we closed. During those two hours I could feel the energy from her. It was pure and clean. She was not thinking of anything but selling tickets. I felt ashamed of myself and how I had been thinking some negative thoughts about my fellow practitioners. It was my attachments and bad thoughts that had caused those complaints to arise in my head. I did not trust others and did not have enough compassion. Master said in Zhuan Falun:
"The person measures Buddha's xinxing with an ordinary person's criteria. How can that comparison be made? How can it work if a person views high-level things with the standard of everyday people?"
If we look at things with a non-practitioner's viewpoint, we won't be able to see the true nature of the matter. A task can be completed in different ways. The result can be the same, even when the process and methods are different. When we work as one body, we should not insist on our own methods and habits. Instead, we should have compassion and tolerance towards others.
I would like to conclude with one of Master's poems from Hong Yin.
"Compassion can harmonize Heaven and Earth, ushering in spring
Righteous thoughts can save the people in this world" ("The Fa Rectifies the Cosmos")
Thank you Master,
Thank you all practitioners.
(Clearwisdom.net) I am both honored and humbled to stand before you, my fellow practitioners today, as I have been practicing Falun Dafa for just a year and a half. In this short time, my life is becoming utterly transformed. What I want to share about today is my experience, as I understand it, of returning to one's original true-self, something I feel has always been a deep wish.
Along with having a teaching which could clarify feelings and beliefs - I remember learning the story of Jacob in the Old Testament. He had a dream of a ladder ascending to Heaven. I knew that this dream was more real than anything in my human world.
What I could not have predicted is how difficult letting go of human attachments would be. I understood the basic principles and had already come to accept that this was the only way to really live in this chaotic world. I remember using the very phrase, being lost in a maze, as Zhuan Falun says , and was quite resolved in wanting out of the human delusion. Knowing all this surprisingly did not make it any easier.
When I first began to cultivate, I had tremendous fear and apprehension about letting go of certain attachments; I had so identified with 'sentimentality', like Master says, "They just live for emotion (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Six)". As an artist, it was the source of everything I did, all my work, thoughts and behavior. In order to free myself of this incorrect thinking, I would remind myself of Master's words, "If something is yours, nobody will take it away". If it's really mine, it can't be taken away from me; I understood that if I let everything go, what is really mine, my true essence, cannot be taken from me, as it is therefore only something I do not want!- and if it is not my true self, then I am happy to let it go, for the opportunity to know, and to live my true self.
I am constantly baffled by these contradictions, by the tenacity of my human attachments, especially to sentimentality. I know it is common to have one attachment which is greater than all others, for which the karma is most dense. As a single woman, I was filled with romantic aspirations and desire, and then a great deal of disappointment, hurt, loss and confusion almost always accompanying the experience of connecting to a man. The more I desired for this connection, the greater the karma. In Zhuan Falun, Master Li explains the desire for the third eye to open:
" And there are some people who really want to get their Third Eyes opened, but the more they practice, the less likely they are going to open. What's the reason? They're clueless about it. The main reason is that you can't seek the Third Eye--the more you seek it, the more you won't have it. The more you seek it, not only won't it open, but worse yet, something will actually flow out from inside your Third Eye, it's something you can't quite call black or white, and it'll cover up your Third Eye.)" ( Zhuan Falun, Lecture Two)
Thus, the more I was seeking it, the more lost in the maze I became - more hurt, confusion and now creating distorted notions about myself and the world. I formed beliefs about myself that were neither truthful nor compassionate, separating me further from the nature of the universe and my true self. As Master said in Zhaun Falun, " It forms a field around your body and envelops you, it cuts you off from the nature of the universe, to be True, Good, and Endure" (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Four).
I started to have deeper awareness about how this happens, the cycle, the constant painful reminder of how I elude and mask my original true self.
It reminds me of what Master Li delineates when he talks about, "demonic interference of ones mind- transformation follows mind intent." One's impure thoughts, of either grandeur or worthlessness, can create a mirrored reality which affirms the false premise.
He says,
" Everything in your dimensional field is controlled by the thoughts in your brain. In other words, when you look at things with your Third Eye, if you calmly observe with no thoughts added in, what you see is real. But as soon as you use your mind, even if it's just a little bit, everything you see will be false, and this is "breeding demons in your own mind," which is also called "transforming according to thoughts." It's because some practitioners aren't able to act as cultivators" (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Six)
I thank Master Li, who has taught me the principle of wuwei, (non-action) for this alone has revolutionized my life.
Almost a year ago, a fellow practitioner asked me if I wanted to write movie reviews for the Epoch Times. My first response was 'sure', but within a few hours I was laying in bed awake recounting all the reasons why I could not do this. I had never done journalism after all, I could not type, could not spell, did not have a computer, etc. And then it occurred to me that thinking "I can't" was also an attachment that I needed to get rid of. This new way of thinking, or thinking less perhaps, has profoundly changed me.
As one who perceived myself as unable succeed in many areas, because of learning disabilities as a child, I now was freed to know that the Fa can do anything, and can accomplish anything through me. My writing is improving all the time, as well as many other skills as I have many opportunities to learn and expand constantly.
Each new thing that presents itself, feels actually like an old skill or talent, or interest, that was never realized or developed because of some false notion I had--karma no doubt. In this sense, I feel that this is one manifestation of returning to my original self- innate abilities and tendencies which I had discarded, as I had loved to write as a child.
Additionally, writing for EET's Arts and Entertainment section, both nationally and locally, has meant interviewing various artists. I learned a new level of clarifying the truth.
A few months back I interviewed a director at a lunch meeting. He invited the leading actress of his newest film and play. They were a couple, but this was not public information. We were very congenial and I was able to tell them all about the Epoch Times, which they both thought was wonderful.
The following week, I met up with the actress to give her a copy of the article. I admitted that I hadn't used her best quotes as I was honoring her privacy about the relationship. She was stunned, "You know, no one does that," she said. "No one else would have done that." She paused and said, "But I guess that's what your paper is about, isn't it?"
I have discovered a real appreciation in making these personal and sometimes intimate connections, as I have always preferred one on one situations.
Again, I started to feel that these arrangements for me, though I could not have imagined it so, were perfectly suited to both my abilities and to where I still needed to improve myself.
Most recently, I was talking to an acquaintance, a filmmaker, who was reading a book about directing. When I inquired about the book, he asked "Are you interested in directing?" I said, yes, but no, but yes. He asked me to clarify my ambivalent response. I explained that in my practice, I don't pursue anything, yet if I am to be honest, the memory came rushing back, that 15 years prior, directing was a real secret desire of mine. But I had so many reasons why I could never do it. Now that I have given up this attachment, I guess I have to say that I am interested.
Right then and there, this friend offered to take me on as a student and mentor me. I felt immediately that this was Master Li's arrangements and that I should work hard.
As Master states in Zhuan Falun,
" So you cultivate in a state of nonaction and just focus on cultivating your character, then you'll be making breakthroughs in your level, and you'll definitely have whatever you should." (Zhuan Falun, Lecture Two)
This has been the most salient and profound part of cultivation for me, the continuous shedding of the layers. As I have been able to discard being led by selfish desires, and the tiresome existence of trying to figure everything out myself, or futilely trying, to do, make, and have, the things of this world, I get closer to these other parts of myself. Through adopting wuwei as a guiding principle, and deepening my ultimate trust in the Fa I have experienced so many of my old, or original, wishes being realized--wishes even I had forgotten.
I finally have found my true ladder to heaven.
(Clearwisdom.net) There is a practitioner in our local area who suffered from "sickness karma" for two years. On the surface, this practitioner became scared and suffered a lot physically. Twice she even had thoughts of committing suicide, due to the unbearable physical pain. Fellow practitioners cared about her. We studied the Fa with her, sent righteous thoughts for her and tried to analyze the cause of the suffering with her. But there were no obvious results.
When that practitioner shared with me, she said that things were usually fine if she could eliminate bad thoughts as soon as they appeared, but if she let her notions take the lead, right away, she would encounter interference. It was too late to send forth righteous thoughts after the interference began. That practitioner also said that sending forth righteous thoughts was helpful at the beginning. After righteous thoughts, things usually would be under control for some time. But later, sending righteous thoughts seemed not to work anymore.
My personal understanding is, when there are attachments, we need to look inward and eliminate them. It's too late to wait until things get beyond control. It is our goal to keep every single thought of ours righteous, but it is difficult to maintain righteous thoughts every minute. Our remedy is to look inward and eliminate and suffocate evil thoughts bred in our own minds. The looking inward we talk about is not limited to just one or two attachments, we must find the fundamental attachment causing the interference. Moreover, we cannot replace looking inward with sending righteous thoughts. When we send righteous thoughts, we eliminate external evil elements. Getting rid of attachments is most essential. Evil elements will take advantage of us if we are too dependent on sending righteous thoughts, without looking inward. In this case, we would be walking on the path arranged by the old forces without realizing it. During the Fa lecture, "Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners" Master Li mentioned that if a practitioner didn't do well, it's most likely he forgot the most fundamental thing - looking inwards. Master repeatedly stressed the importance of looking inward. I feel we must form a good habit of constantly looking inward according to the Fa, and establish such a mechanism. Let's not start to look inward only when there is interference.
Another practitioner who also suffered interference did not want other practitioners to find out about her status. Isn't this a strong attachment? Let's cast aside the considerations of saving face, or being laughed at by others. Protecting our human attachments is giving evil elements space to survive. That is the most frightening thing. In the past, I was introverted by nature. After I started cultivation, I found it hard to tell others about some of my attachments. But then I realized, since I started my journey as a cultivator, I had to let go off these dirty things. They became nothing after I exposed them.
During the process of helping fellow practitioners, I found many attachments of mine such as the attachments of jealousy, competitiveness, self-validation , anxiousness, complaining, having a lack of compassion, and sentimentality, etc. When I exposed these attachments with my fellow practitioner and expressed my sincere wish for her to be free from interference, Master gave me many new understandings on the Fa, helping me to see through the evil's tricks. As a result, we both improved together. I understood that as long as we help fellow practitioners with a pure and clean heart, even if we are not that capable, Master will give us the wisdom, as long as we have the heart to help. I learned from my own experiences the meaning of "Cultivation depends on one's own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one's master." (Zhuan Falun Translated by US Practitioners)
(Clearwisdom.net) In March 1997, dying from various diseases, I was fortunate to learn Falun Dafa amid my suffering. After I obtained Dafa, I completely changed into a new person. My life became sacred, which is what I had been looking for and trying hard to attain. My lost, pained, and tired heart finally found its way back home. My body recovered within a very short period of time, and entered the state of being physically light all over. At that time, I thought: I am so blessed to learn the Fa, and I should cultivate well so that I can go back to my true, original home. I shouldn't miss out on this one and only chance.
In the two years from 1997 to 1999, every day I felt I was beautifully ascending. Just as Master mentioned in Zhuan Falun, I started menstruating again. Master encouraged me by allowing me to see the beautiful Falun and some other scenes in other dimensions. But since I was attached to reaching consummation through my own enlightenment, I said, "I don't want to see it." Ever since, my celestial eye has been closed.
After the Chinese Communist Party started to persecute Falun Gong, I continued to clarify the truth about Falun Dafa to people. One time I went out of town on the train. As I faced my fellow passengers sitting all around me, with boundless compassion I wanted to clarify the truth to them. I told them, "Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance is good." I spoke further with two soldiers, one of whom was in his 40s, the other a military policeman in his 20s.
At that moment, I had no distracting thoughts in my mind and held one thought: To quickly clarify the truth to these people so that they wouldn't commit evil crimes in their ignorance and thus be destroyed because of the Chinese Communist Party. I started to chat with them, talking about the five thousand years of Chinese traditional culture and its belief in gods, to belief in the Buddha. I followed their train of thought to explain to them that the kind will eventually be rewarded with kindness and evil will be punished. I talked with them about the suffering of the Chinese common people and the evil crimes of corruption committed by high government officials. I went from human rights issues on to the facts about the persecution of Falun Gong. I spoke of my own personal changes and the benefits of practicing Falun Gong. They also talked about their own thoughts. We sincerely discussed a wide range of subjects from noon until 10:00 p.m.
Finally, the older solider talked to us about the poor life of the farmers in his hometown. The elementary school teachers in his village were paid a monthly salary of just over 30 yuan. The children have no money to buy books, pens, or paper. All the teachers can do is to use the money that they earn when they go out of town to do manual labor during the summer break to buy supplies for the children. As we talked about the huge difference between the rich and the poor in China, and the corruption of the government officials, we were almost condemning them.
The younger soldier said, "I monitor Falun Gong. I was not aware that this is the truth. Now that I understand, I will never do it again." At this moment, other people sitting nearby also came over to us, some of whom were Christians and others Buddhists. We were all sitting together as a large group, and we had a very lively discussion.
I felt warm all over and my face was rosy. One middle-aged woman who was sitting across from me had been staring at me before she finally could not help but ask, "Auntie, how old are you? How is it that your facial complexion and spirit are both so good?" I told her that I was almost 70 years old. She said she could not believe it. I knew it that it is Master who was strengthening and encouraging me. We went back to our own seats and slept only after the lights in the train were turned off.
The next day I arrived at my destination without incident. I had barely left the station when a little girl beside me told me that she had quit the Communist Youth League of the Chinese Communist Party. I was very happy for her. Later on, I found out that she was also a fellow practitioner. She said, "You are so courageous. Are you not the least bit afraid?" I replied, "We have Master protecting us. I am not afraid at all." For the past years of Fa-rectification, I have been righteously taking all the opportunities to clarify the truth.
Last year, I went to the United States and stayed with my daughter for six months. I brought all the Dafa books with me, since I had to read and study the Fa. When I was there, I joined group Fa-study, attended a Fa conference, and joined a parade. And every day, I went out to clarify the truth about Dafa, delivered truth-clarification materials, and persuaded people coming from mainland China to quit the Chinese Communist Party and/or its related organizations. Before I came back to China, I bought some photo albums, other materials, and some Dafa books. Some fellow practitioners suggested to me that I should stay and apply for asylum as a political refugee instead of going back to China. Eventually I decided to come back to China, since I believe that China is the main place for my cultivation environment and for me to save sentient beings.
Before I came back to China, I sent forth righteous thoughts sacredly, and I sent forth righteous thoughts all the way back: "I am a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, and I have my Master who takes care of me and arranges my path. I have the fundamental Great Way of the universe to direct me on my cultivation path, which has been greatly changed by Master. That is why it is completely different from any ordinary individual cultivation and the tests for reaching Consummation. The old forces are not entitled to test me. I won't recognize their existence and arrangements. Today I am denying the tests of the negative lives and the notion of the old universe that if there is no demon, there is no Buddha. I have the universal Fa of Zhuan Falun, I will walk the path arranged by Master. I come as a god to assist Master in rectifying the Fa, and no one is entitled or allowed to persecute or interfere with me. Whoever does so is committing crimes and will definitely be eliminated by the righteous Fa. No one is allowed to touch my things or my luggage. Leave yourself a chance to be saved. Master, please strengthen me, protect your disciple, and let me easily pass through customs with the Fa instruments that are to be used to save sentient beings. I am going back to China to save sentient beings." With all the righteous thoughts on my way, I came back home very smoothly.
This August, I received an invitation from my senior high school classmates to go to a class reunion. I made use of this opportunity to save the predestined sentient beings. It took me over ten hours by train to get to my old school. We hadn't seen each other for over 50 years. There were 30 to 40 people and my classmates still remembered me. At that moment, I had no human or distracting thoughts except for one thought only: "This opportunity is so rare, I should definitely clarify the truth of Dafa to them and save these predestined people." I began by talking about my own experiences during all the political movements that had swept through China, and led on to the benefits, the happiness, and the beauty of my practicing Falun Gong. I explained to them that Falun Dafa is good, that "Truthfulness, Compassion, Tolerance" is good, and went on to clarify the truth about the persecution. I told them not to be deceived by the lies of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and not to bring disasters upon themselves by committing bad deeds. As a result, they also shared their experiences and condemnations of the CCP. When we eventually parted, many classmates shook hands with me, and some of them told me, "I support you." I gave them materials, including the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party. Some of them even wanted to learn Falun Gong from me and also to buy the book Zhuan Falun. Some of them agreed to quit the Communist Party-related organizations. My younger sister was very afraid when she later found this out. She said, "Sister, you are too courageous. Facing so many people, were you not afraid that someone would report you?" I said, "I had thought about this. But I don't believe they will. They are my fellow classmates, and we all have a predestined relationship. I have only the thought to save them without thinking of anything else. I shouldn't miss this rare chance to save sentient beings."
Usually I make use of any opportunity to clarify the truth to whomever I get in touch with. No matter who they are, I believe our meeting is arranged by Master. I want to save all sentient beings. I never think of whether they will betray me or not. For the past eight years, no one has ever reported me, and no one has ever followed me, either. The people from the neighborhood committee and the police substation have not come to talk to me. Instead I very often go to clarify the truth to them and give them truth-clarification materials. They all treat me with kindness, and that is why I have been able to walk the Fa-rectification path steadily for the past eight years.
Recently I very often have in my mind each and every small experience, every thought and deed on the path of my cultivation. They are shown as clearly as a film, and nothing was left out, while everything came clearly into view. We should not relax our efforts, we should not be insensitive, sluggish, or afraid of this or that. We should quickly wake up and mature in order to better do the three things, so as to save more sentient beings.
(Clearwisdom.net)
I began to practice Falun Dafa at the end of 1997, but I failed to clearly understand the Fa. After July 20, 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to persecute Falun Dafa, the leaders and the Party Secretary of my work place often tried to pressure me and my husband to give up practicing Falun Dafa. Since I failed to study the Fa well and did not have strong righteous thoughts, I slacked off in my cultivation. Originally, I planned to clarify the truth on the Internet, but instead I used the computer to play games. I also could not extricate myself from qing (sentimentality). The old forces utilized these weaknesses to persecute me. Though I recognized the danger, I still failed to break through by understanding the Fa. On the contrary, I tried to rely on human thinking and actions. As a result, I sank deeper and deeper into trouble. I felt miserable and hated myself. At the time, I even thought that there was no reason for me to live, and hoped that I could contract some kind of deadly disease and die. At the beginning of 2007, I began to experience symptoms of sickness. I went to the hospital and was diagnosed with cancer, which had already progressed to the middle stages, and I underwent surgery. Only after my operation did I begin to think calmly and rationally. If I died, where would I go? At what level would I be positioned? Hadn't I come to this world to learn the Fa? Should I really forget about Dafa and miss this opportunity of all ages? Moreover, my friends and relatives knew that I had practiced Falun Dafa. How would I redeem their negative opinions concerning Falun Dafa that my state must have caused?
I began to study the Fa diligently and rectified my behavior and thinking. Teacher said,
"In such cases there are only two choices: You either go to the hospital and thus give up on trying to overcome the test, or you completely let go of everything, behave like an upstanding and noble Dafa disciple who has no resentment or attachments, and leave it to Master to arrange whether you stay or go. When you are able to do that, you are a god. " ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles")
I went to my knees in front of Teacher's portrait and said, "Teacher, I was wrong! Please give me another opportunity. I came to this world not to live an everyday person's life, but to assimilate to Dafa. I must not give up passing that test. If I do that again, it will mean that I have abandoned my cultivation. From this moment on, I want to give all I have to Teacher. Even if I only have one day left to live, I will listen to what Teacher has said and follow Teacher. This is my only choice. Teacher, I don't want to lose this opportunity of the ages and I want to return home with Teacher!" (At the time my xinxing was based on the word "I", which appeared in every sentence.)
After returning to the cultivation of Falun Dafa, I studied the Fa, did the exercises, sent forth righteous thoughts and did the three things with all my heart. My righteous thoughts got stronger with each passing day. I looked inward and found that my understanding of the Fa was still at the perceptual level. I failed to enlighten to the more profound, advanced principles and deeper meanings of Dafa, as well as to the seriousness of cultivation. If we cling to distorted notions and attachments, and don't want to let them go, we will be aligned with the arrangements of the old forces, which take advantage of our loopholes. Therefore, I must utilize Dafa to rectify every thought in my daily life. Only by doing this could I thoroughly negate the arrangements of the old forces. At the same time, I began to redeem the negative influences that I brought to Falun Dafa. I wrote a statement quitting the CCP and delivered it to the Party organization. My statement and conversations with acquaintances included many examples, including how I returned to physical health, how my moral standards were upgraded, and how my family became more harmonious after I began practicing Falun Gong. I was forced to quit the cultivation of Falun Gong due to various reasons after July 20, 1999. I had experienced the wonders of Falun Dafa in healing, and if I had persisted in practicing Falun Gong, I would not have contracted any illness.
One month after my operation, the doctors found that the cancer cells shifted, and they requested that I undergo courses of chemical and radiotherapy treatments. My husband asked me to go to the hospital to receive the treatments. He is not a practitioner, and under the extended persecution of Falun Dafa, he adopted the attitude that I could not mention Falun Dafa in front of him. In the past when I clarified the facts to him or spoke about the "three withdrawals" (withdrawing from the CCP, the Youth League and the Young Pioneers), he refused to listen and became highly agitated. Now I understand that this reaction was due to my not being righteous and unable to rectify my own energy field. How could I expect to save sentient beings like that? Right now we are in the Fa-rectification period, and practitioners are trying hard to save sentient beings. My husband is one of those sentient beings, so he also needs to be saved. Whether or not things around me can be rectified depends upon the level of my xinxing. Only by firmly believing in Teacher and the Fa, gradually improving myself in understanding the Fa, and having righteous thoughts and righteous actions, can I rectify everything around me. I certainly can do it.
I did not refuse my husband's request to go to the hospital, but I kept strong righteous thoughts. That day in the hospital, my husband went to see the doctor while I sat in the car waiting. I thought that I had not lived up to the expectations of Teacher's compassionate salvation, nor to those of the sentient beings of my own world. I felt extremely sad, and tears kept falling down my face. Just then my husband came back, but he didn't say a word upon witnessing the scene. Afterwards he said to me, "Since you contracted the illness, I've never seen you cry, not even one tear. You are always happy when dealing with anyone around you, as if nothing has happened to you. You do the household chores as usual. You look so strong, and the doctors, nurses, patients as well as our relatives and your colleagues all admire you. Now, at a time when you are undergoing treatment, you shed tears. I am very much shocked."
Our cultivation depends upon our own efforts while the transformation of gong is done by Teacher. Dafa's power manifested itself on me. My examination showed that my hemogram failed to reach the standards required for chemical and radio therapies. My relatives opposed these therapies, and my husband's relatives also raised the same issue, asking him to respect my decision. I explained to my husband on the level that he could understand, the real source of illness, and the mechanism of cultivation in healing the illness. He listened attentively. That day, my husband suddenly held me, choked with tears. He said, "I am scared. I regret very much that at that time I did not support your practice of Falun Gong. You were in very good health. I believe that Falun Gong will help you to cure your illness. Now if anyone says that Falun Gong is not good, I will not accept it."
Thereafter, my husband seemed to have changed into a new person, and provided me with the best possible environment for my cultivation. He often reminds me to send forth righteous thoughts, and also began to help me with housework. When I clarified the truth to him, he would listen calmly. Sometimes he would ask me about my cultivation, and questions that puzzled him. He often browsed websites banned inside China to learn the truth, using software that can bypass China's information screening firewall. He quit the CCP and cooperated with me to help a relative who had been seriously corrupted by the CCP to quit the party.
My mother is 80 years old. After July 20, 1999, she also slacked off in her cultivation and indulged in playing Mahjong and taking health products. She was also keen on promoting the health products for her relatives. She acted like an everyday person rather than a practitioner. I gave her a stern warning, citing cases of practitioners who had not done well. We now study the Fa, practice the exercises, send forth righteous thoughts and clarify the truth together. My mother is quite diligent now. Some fellow practitioners said, "It must not be easy for people at your age to go out to clarify the truth everyday." My mother replied, "Does age really matter on the path of cultivation?"
I saw the power of the Fa and Teacher's compassionate salvation. Now, especially after watching the "Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners" DVD, I understood the importance of looking inward. In clarifying the truth, my fear, attachments of competing and showing off, as well as self-verification all came to the surface. I haven't had any breakthroughs in clarifying the truth to strangers and still have a lot of attachments to remove. Although I feel that I do not have enough time and sleep very little, I still feel calm, fulfilled, and experience the joy of cultivation.
In passing this test of sickness karma, I understood that I must firmly believe in Teacher and the Fa. During the Fa-rectification period, the cultivation of practitioners is mainly directed towards saving sentient beings. Any serious sickness karma or tests which occur during this period are not arranged by Teacher, but are the result of those things we failed to do well and exploited by the old forces. We can completely negate the arrangements of the old forces only by steadfastly believing in Teacher and the Fa, earnestly studying the Fa, identifying our fundamental attachments and being determined to let go of them. I also understood that to cherish Dafa is to cherish our lives. This is only a description using human language, even though the comparison is not respectful to Dafa. How can a human life be compared with the Fa? We are so small, while Dafa is the fundamental source of all lives in the cosmos and firmaments. All the practitioners must respect Teacher and the Fa, resolutely safeguard the Fa, validate the Fa and not damage the Fa. Some practitioners have experienced serious sickness karma and did not pay enough attention to their actions. This caused misunderstandings or even resentment of Dafa among their relatives and colleagues. As a result, these people are now more difficult to save. Some practitioners who experienced severe sickness karma did not know to cherish the Fa; they scattered Falun Dafa books and articles and even mixed them with other household items. These practitioners do not know that they need to look inward in order to let go of their attachments, which resulted in bringing about negative effects. Some practitioners at the surface level were still clarifying the truth, but everyday people could not understand what they were saying. This is in essence damaging Dafa unintentionally, and it is distressing to see this. From the Minghui/Clearwisdom website, I learned that some everyday people know to cherish the Fa and not to discredit Dafa, let alone practitioners.
I read sharing articles from fellow practitioners daily, and I feel that they are doing well. They are doing a good job with their understanding of the Fa principles. They indeed have righteous thoughts and righteous actions. Articles like these help me immensely. During the process of writing this article, some of my attachments that need to be removed came to the surface. This included a sensitivity to my reputation, being afraid to deal with attachments I felt ashamed of, and being afraid that fellow practitioners might look down at me. I am determined to let go of all these attachments.
Please kindly help me to understand any shortcomings that I may have.
(Clearwisdom.net) I started to practice Falun Dafa in 2004 and I feel really honored. I would like to share with fellow practitioners the several occasions that I personally experienced Falun Dafa's supernatural power during my cultivation.
Before I practiced Falun Dafa, my health was very poor. I often needed injections and took medication and I felt I was living a hard and tiring life. One day, my husband's colleague came to our home and introduced us to the beauty of Falun Dafa, which could eliminate illnesses, elevate one's character, and make one a good person.
At the time I thought I could do anything as long as my sickness was cured. My husband's colleague gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun. I read it again and again, and I have never stop studying it since. With the help of the coordinator, we formed a study group in my house. Later we built a family station for making truth clarifying materials. Through continuous study of Falun Dafa and self practice, I gradually came to understand some principals and knew that Master came to offer salvation instead of healing sickness. After having this clear understanding, I completely let go of my attachment to having my illness cured and all my diseases disappeared. Not only that, but I also came to understand many principals about life, such as why humans come to this world.
One day, I went to an area near the morning market to distribute truth clarifying materials. Just after I had finished, two policeman blocked my way. They took away my bag and intended to search me. They said that somebody had reported me and they demanded that I go with them to the police station. I had no fear at that time and I simply sent righteous thoughts. The courage came to me when I remembered that Master said, "If you have fear, they will grab you. Once your thought is righteous, evil will collapse." ("What's There to Fear", Hong Yin Volume II)
I then asked them what office they worked for. They said that they were policemen. I asked, "Aren't policeman supposed to maintain social order? Why are you stealing my bag? You are the people's police, but you do not serve people and even commit bad deeds. Do you treat the people who pay taxes and support you fairly ?"
There were many bystanders, so I explained how the officers had stolen my bag. Everyone started to talk at once. Seeing so many people, the policemen became afraid and begged me, "Auntie, please stop talking. Go home." I then understood that the evil is afraid of being exposed.
Last winter it was snowing heavily and there were not many people on the roads. I thought that this was a good chance for people to read truth clarifying materials at home. I left home, carrying different kinds of truth clarifying materials. Walking down snow-covered stairs after distributing some of the materials in a building, I tripped and stumbled badly. My right foot was twisted backwards.
I thought, "You must turn it back in the right position because you have not finished distributing materials yet." I took off my shoe, turned my foot back to the right position, put on my shoe, and immediately walked off. I did not feel any pain and I finished distributing all my materials. Returning home, my foot was a little swollen, but nothing was delayed. Through this incident, I genuinely understood the meaning of "a difference of one thought" making all the difference in how a matter turns out. Master has stressed again and again that we should study the Fa a lot. That is to make us be able to remember in critical moments what Master says.
In a discussion with a fellow practitioner he said that we had already distributed enough copies of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and that almost every corridor had gotten one. What he said reminded me, so I went to the buildings to check. I found that many leaflets had been left in the buildings with no anti-theft door, but not many copies were left in buildings that had an anti-theft door or a guard. After that, my husband and I particularly targeted the buildings with anti-theft doors or guards to distribute truth clarifying materials. There is one building near where I live that I could not enter by any means. I then thought, "Master, I could not open the door, please help me."
Then I heard a clacking sound and the door opened. I looked inside and outside of the door and did not see anybody. Tears fell down my face. It was Master who opened the door for me. It is truly "cultivation depends on one's own efforts while the transformation of gong is done by the master"(Zhuan Falun). I had only the thought. Master did everything.
This is my understanding at my level. Fellow practitioners are respectfully invited to correct me with your compassion. Heshi!
March 12, 2008
(Clearwisdom.net) I started practicing Falun Gong in 1999. The following is a story that took place between my mother (not yet a practitioner) and me.
My mother is now 65 years old. She has been frail since she was young. Even to this day, she takes medicine all year round. I told my mother to recite, "Falun Gong is good" and "Truth-Compassion-Tolerance is good" frequently and sincerely. After having seen my excellent health since I started practicing Falun Gong, she knows that Falun Gong is good.
On December 10, 2007, mother suddenly came down with a strange illness. When the illness acted up, she would talk nonsense and would not stop talking. Moreover, she would not eat or drink. After two days in the hospital getting medical treatment, mother didn't improve. In fact, she took a turn for the worse. Then she was transferred to Xuanwu Hospital in Beijing and diagnosed with encephalitis and stroke. I was told that the recovery rate was known to be very low.
While at the hospital, mother was never sane. Day and night, she repeatedly talked nonsense and grabbed things. She often spoke of friends and relatives who had passed away and claimed that they were going to take her away with them. Later she began to cry and become fussy. It was as though she had become mentally deranged. She did not quiet down until the doctor gave her a tranquillizing shot.
Later the doctor told my younger brother to prepare for her funeral because there is no cure for my mother. I was shocked when I heard the news. But then I calmed down and thought, "We Falun Gong practitioners have Teacher and the Fa. Everything will be all right."
I whispered in my mother's ear, "Mom, listen. Do not listen to anyone who asks you to go with him. Haven't you told me before that you will believe in whatever your daughter believes in? Say silently in your heart right now, 'Falun Gong is good' and 'Truth-Compassion-Tolerance is good.' Teacher will surely watch over you." My mom nodded and started reciting those words.
The next morning, mother woke up and stopped all the irrational behavior. She finally came to her senses. She told us, "Last night I saw in my dream that your Teacher came, treating my illness. Your Teacher is very tall and very kind. He told me to heed your (Falun Gong practitioner) advice and added that you are most righteous. When I return home, I will start reading Falun Gong's books." I was delighted to hear her story. In fact, I too saw clearly in my dream how Teacher treated my mother.
When the doctors checked on my mother's ward, all the doctors, nurses and patients in the same ward were frozen in shock. It was truly a miracle! Mother had made a speedy recovery overnight! "What miracle pill did she take last night?" everyone asked. After the doctors and nurses left, I took the opportunity to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to other patients in the ward and persuaded three patients to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and/or two of the CCP's student leagues. With Teacher's help, I have managed to have the doctors and nurses there understand the truth about Falun Gong to some extent. Believing in the goodness of Dafa, they have chosen a bright future for their lives.
In just a few days, mother checked out of the hospital. Our relatives and friends who called on her were amazed by the miracle. Because of what happened to mother, my second aunt, who had always refused to withdraw from the CCP, agreed to withdraw from the CCP and/or its two affiliated leagues.
Thanks to Teacher and the Fa, an unfortunate event that frightened and worried me turned into something good.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Editors' note: In both Western and Chinese cultures, the principle of karmic retribution, that is, being held ultimately accountable for one's own actions, is widely accepted. The fundamental teaching of Falun Gong is the characteristic of the universe, "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance." The universe will reward acts that are in harmony with this principle, while doing things such as beating, torturing and murdering people will incur karmic retribution. Stated another way, good deeds will be rewarded with good, while evildoings will meet due retribution. Articles such as this one are meant as a compassionate reminder of this principle to those who would commit wrongdoing. While many of those who persecute Falun Gong are merely "following orders," the universal law requires that they, too, be held responsible for their actions, and that only by reversing their course of wrongdoing may they escape retribution.
Bi Wukui, a policeman in Taonan Municipal Police Station, Jilin Province, died young
At the beginning of 2007, Bi Wukui, a policeman in Taonan Municipal Police Station, Jilin Province, had a sore throat. He was diagnosed with throat cancer. For three months he suffered greatly and then died. When he died he was very thin. He was just over 40 years old.
Bi Wukui was a 110 Office [similar to 911 in the US] policeman at Taonan Municipal Police Station. In August 2006, someone reported a Falun Gong practitioner grocery shopping at a market. Bi Wukui received the call, drove to the market, jumped out of the vehicle, and grabbed the practitioner's wrist, saying, "Are you a Falun Gong practitioner? Follow me to the police station." Without waiting for a response, he pushed her into the police car. She made efforts to push open the vehicle door and shouted to people in the area, "I was grocery shopping. The police arrest good people in broad daylight." Bi Wukui flew into a rage. He and another policeman dragged and pushed the practitioner into the police station. Then, national security chief Zhang Zhiqiang, Wei Yanfeng, and others made up accusations against her. She was illegally sentenced to forced labor for one and a half years, which left her five-year-old granddaughter with no one to look after her.
Before Bi Wukui, Liu Jinwei, the chief of the political security section at Taonan Municipal Police Station, also died.
Du Xuecheng, a policeman at the Yongkang Police Station in Taonan City, Jilin Province, died suddenly
In 2000, Du Xuecheng, a policeman at the Yongkang Police Station in Taonan City, Jilin Province, followed the Chinese Communist Party to arrest Falun Gong practitioners. He died at home one evening before the 2007 Chinese New Year. When Du Xuecheng arrived home that day, he didn't feel well. His family called for an ambulance at once. By the time the ambulance came, he was already dead.
The inspection commission secretary from Yongwen Town, Kaiyang County, Guizhou Province, died at 34 years of age
Li Bin was the inspection commission secretary for Yongwen Town, Kaiyang County, Guizhou Province, and the president of the town labor union. After the persecution began, he actively followed Jiang's regime to persecute Falun Gong practitioners. In 2003, he was praised by the government for his role in the persecution of Falun Gong. On the evening of February 6, 2008 (Chinese New Year's eve), he suddenly had a cerebral hemorrhage. He was taken to Jinyang Hospital, where they operated twice to try and save him, but their attempts failed. After 10:00 p.m. on February 10, Li died at the hospital. He was 34 years old when he died.
It is a heavenly principle that doing good is rewarded and doing evil is punished. We advise those who are still persecuting Falun Gong to quickly understand the truth of Dafa, reverse the losses you have caused to Dafa and Falun Gong practitioners, and quickly quit the CCP.
March 15, 2008
(Clearwisdom.net)
Residential Committee Head Liu Juchuan receives due Retribution and Dies
Liu Juchuan was head of a residential committee in the Northern Suburb of Ye County, Henan Province. He closely followed Jiang's regime to persecute Falun Gong, and once traveled to Beijing to arrest local practitioners who went there to appeal. In 2006, Liu fell into a river while riding a bicycle and his clavicle was fractured. Local practitioners clarified the truth to him and gave him the "Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party" to read, but he refused to listen to the truth or read it. One day in February 2007, Liu had a stomachache after a meal, went to the hospital, and was diagnosed as cancer of the esophagus. Liu died in pain in the same month.
It is a heavenly law that persecuting Falun Gong will receive due retribution, and is not what Dafa practitioners want to see happen. That is why we are risking our lives to clarify the truth to people. Here we would like to remind those vicious people who continue to persecute Falun Gong: Let this be a warning to you to stop persecuting Falun Gong. Please wake up and make up for the losses you have made.
Zheng Qin Dies of Bone Cancer
Zheng Qin was in his 60s, and lived in Qiji Village of Zhengding County, Hebei Province. He never had a real job, but liked to follow political campaigns closely. When the CCP started to persecute Falun Gong in July 1999, he was very active and even said, "If I become a village official, the first thing I will do is go after Falun Gong practitioners!" In the past several years, Zheng reported many practitioners--people who believe in the principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance"--to the police. He also defamed Falun Gong's founder, and without remorse. In 2007, Zheng was diagnosed with bone cancer. After suffering for about a year, Zheng died in January 2008.
In 2001, since Zheng was very capable in currying favors, he landed himself a low level position. Since then, in order to receive the 500 yuan prize, he was extremely active and asked around day and night for people who practiced Falun Gong. After he reported some practitioners to the police, Zhengding County 610 Office and Xinan Town CCP officials worked together and arrested many more practitioners. The practitioners were sent to Shijiazhuang Brainwashing Center, Zhengding County Brainwashing Center or Zhengding County Detention Center. Among them, Ms. Yu Ruilan was persecuted to death.
Several unusual incidents happened in Qiji Village in recent years, but there are reasons behind that. Kind people only have to give it some thought, and they will reach this conclusion: it is a heavenly law that good and evil shall receive due retribution; it's only a matter of time.
March 7, 2008
(Clearwisdom.net)
It is documented in the book The Great History Writings Zi Zhi Tong Jian - the Tang Dynasty that during the rule of the Emperor Taizhong, white birds built a nest above the palace. The nest was small in the middle and large at either end, as if two nests had been pushed together, similar to a waist drum. All his officials complimented the birds, saying, "Ordinary things in this world don't like to be combined because they cannot tolerate each other. Now two bird nests have merged to become one with a special shape. It is truly remarkable--a reflection of the harmony existing between heaven and earth, and the virtue of Your Majesty, our Emperor. We really need to celebrate this event."
Taizhong said, "I often laughed at the Sui Emperor, who did not pay attention to talented officials but liked auspicious omens. As a result, his country perished. In my opinion, what is truly auspicious is having talented officials managing our country well, and having our people be happy and content. As for the rare birds and wonderful beasts, they are only slightly different from ordinary things. How can we celebrate this?" He then ordered the nest to be destroyed and the birds to be returned to the wild.
March 10 2008
Falun Gong practitioners Mr. Ma Guobiao and his elderly parents were illegally arrested when they were watching TV on the evening of February 22, 2008. Ma Guobiao and his father are currently detained at Jiading District Police Station.
On March 4, the police in Daqing City arrested several Falun Gong practitioners. They are detained in different detention centers.
It has been confirmed that prior to and during February 2008, ten Falun Gong practitioners died from torture. Three were women, and eight over 50 years old. Three were tortured to death between August and December 2007, and seven died during February.
A partial list of recently arrested Falun Gong practitioners is published in this article. Starting in August 2007, the police have been monitoring and following them. The reason for the arrests is "a concern that they will reveal facts about the persecution during the Olympic Games."
As the Beijing Olympics approach, illegal arrests, torture-related deaths and even executions are on the rise. This is said to be directly related to secret orders issued by the CCP on February 19, 2008. This article includes a summary of six recent practitioner deaths.
Mr Yu Zhou was reported dead on February 9, 2008, eleven days after being detained in Tongzhou District Detention Center. His family's request for an autopsy has been denied. His wife is being held in Beijing City Detention Center.
Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Gu Jianmin was arrested on March 1, 2008 by Yangjing Police Station in Pudong New District. They tortured her until she died on March 13, 2008. Her husband was notified to come in to apply for a 'medical parole' when she was already dying, in order to avoid responsibility for her death.
Falun Gong practitioners are being detained around China because of Communist Party fears they might gather to make a peaceful appeal to the world community during the Olympics.
Ms. Zhou Huimin was arrested in Chengdu in September 2007. On February 1, 2008, she was taken to the Nanmusi Women's Forced Labor Camp in Sichuan Province. Ms. Zhou Huimin has been on hunger strike to protest her arrest and the persecution of Falun Gong. She was taken to Qingyang District Hospital on February 5, and is now in a coma.
A family tries to investigate a death in police custody but cannot get any real information.
An elderly village doctor is arrested apparently for telling some patients about Falun Gong.
Ms. Zhou Humin was arrested by CCP police in September 26, 2007. The police issued an "arrest warrant" five months later, and then transferred her to a hospital while she went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Ms. Zhou died on March 2008 after authorities refused to release her.
Mr. Zhang Zhijun's family found he was tortured to death after checking his body in Xi'an Prison. They tried to find a lawyer to seek for justice, but no one dare to accept the case due to the threat by the Chinese Communist Party authorities.
From March 3 through 13, 2008, about Forty Falun Gong practitioners were illegally arrested in Qitaihe City, Heilongjiang Province. Seventeen of them went a hunger strike to protest the persecution.
Clearwisdom.net and its Chinese-language sister-website (minghui.ca) provide first-hand reports about the horrors of the persecution of Falun Gong in China. Dozens of reports are received every day from the victims of torture, the wrongfully imprisoned, and families crippled by the senseless hardship and grief for their loved ones imposed by the persecution. In contrast, the websites also report positive news and events from the more than 80 countries around the world where Falun Gong is practiced, and serve as an online forum for practitioners to share stories of the good things Falun Gong has brought to their lives. For more information, please contact editor@clearwisdom.net.