News and Activities around the World

• Shen Yun Performance Mesmerizes Audience at NTDTV International Chinese Vocal Competition (Photos)
• The Highest Realm of Singing Stems from a Noble Character (Photos)

Accounts of Persecution

• For the Past Decade, the Residential Committees in China Have Actively Carried Out the CCP's Persecution Policies at the Grassroots Level
• Mr. Fu Ziming Died as a Result of Persecution (Photo)
• Woman in Her 60s Cruelly Tortured in a Forced Labor Camp Because She Refused to Give Up Her Belief (Mudanjiang City)
• Persecution Forces a Seven Year Old to Live Without His Mom (Qingdao City, Shandong Province)
• My Personal Experience with a Media Farce
• Many Practitioners Arrested in Hengshui City, Anping County, Hebei Province
• Ms. Wang Liping Imprisoned at Baimalong Women's Forced Labor Camp
• Ms. Wang Renxiang Arrested and Persecuted Four Times in Shanghai
• Ms. Li Yaohua and Her Daughter Taken Away By 610 Office Agents in Shanghai
• Additional Persecution News from China - July 21, 2009 (35 Reports)
• 114 People Declare their Intention to Resume Practicing Falun Gong

Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences

• On Fame, Gain and Emotion
• Saving People Diligently and with Perseverance
• Whenever There Is Trouble, Looking Inward Is the Key
• My Cultivation Path During Fa-Rectification
• Follow Master's Teachings And Walk Righteously On the Cultivation Path
• Returning to Cultivation and Being More Diligent

People's Hearts Determine Their Futures

• Procuratorate and Other Officials in Dalian City, Liaoning Province Suffer a High Rate of Disease, Worrying their Co-Workers

Traditional Chinese Culture

• Culture and Spirit During the Apex of the Tang Dynasty

Clearwisdom Material

• Clearwisdom Weekly Persecution News - July 27 ~ August 2, 2009

(Clearwisdom.net) Invited by the Third NTDTV International Chinese Vocal Competition, world-famous Shen Yun Performing Arts performed on August 2, 2009 at the State University of New York (SUNY) Purchase College Performing Arts Center in Westchester, New York, the same night of the final round of the vocal competition. The pure compassion and beauty of the performance deeply impressed the audience. They responded with a long round of applauses and enjoyed the show wholeheartedly.

Shen Yun performs to a fully packed house at Westchester Performing Arts Center in Purchase College, New York

It's the Pride of the Chinese people

Mr. Hu, who works in financial circles, and his mother

Mr. Hu especially invited his mother, who came from China to attend the Shen Yun performance. After the show, both mother and son were excited. Mr. Hu said that he was delighted to come to the show. The performance was amazing, especially the piece "Drummers of the Tang Court," which he said was majestic and vigorous. He said that the performance would promote the dissemination of traditional culture. "The traditional arts are well worth cherishing, and also very important to carry forward. The performers made a great effort and did a wonderful job."

Mr. Hu's mother said, "Each and every performance was wonderful. I'll introduce it to my relatives and friends when I return China. It's the pride of the Chinese people."

Ms. Lois T. Bronz, legislator of Westchester County

Ms. Lois T. Bronz is one of the legislators of Westchester County. She came to see the Shen Yun performance with her friends. They were mesmerized by the magnificence of the show. Ms. Bronz commended the show as outstanding, and the performers as professional. She said, "The message of spirituality conveyed in the show is wonderful and shows hope. Shen Yun brought such a brilliant message to Westchester, there was special meaning." She sincerely thanked the Shen Yun Performing Arts.

Gary, who works in a large rental company, enjoyed the Shen Yun performance

Gary enthusiastically applauded at the end of each and every program, and kept releasing sighs of admiration. He had high praise and said, "The show was fantastic, it reflected culture and tradition. I enjoyed it very much, as it was very enlightening and spectacular. I hope the Chinese people will enjoy freedom as they hope without the regime that oppresses them. The colors abounded, and were pleasing to eyes. The programs were tightly arranged, and the performers were well-coordinated. I could feel that good messages were radiated to the audience through them."

Gary's favorite performances in the first half were "Heaven Awaits Us Despite Persecution," and "Drummers of the Tang Court."

Geng Haolan, Gold Award winner of the female division of the Third International Chinese Vocal Competition said at intermission that this was the second time she attended the Shen Yun performance. "The show was fantastic, I cried each time I saw it."

Yu-Ju Lee, Silver Award winner of the female division participated in the vocal competition for the second time, and also saw the Shen Yun performance for the second time. She said, "The show was really beautiful, the music and dance were coordinated perfectly, and the costumes were gorgeous."

Regarding the programs in the first half of the show, Ms. Lee said that the dance "Drummers of the Tang Court" was very unique, with male dancers combining strength and flexibility. The use of fans in the dance "Welcoming Spring" was special and full of changes. The fans could even change into a round shape. The piece "Chopsticks Zest" had a great sense of rhythm. She said that she enjoyed everything.

Yun-ju Chen, Honorable Mention recipient in the female division repeated three times, "The show was beautiful, really graceful!" She said that Chinese dance indeed is very unique, with many things in it that cannot be learned in Western Art. She wanted to go to learn Chinese dance after attending the show.

Coco Chen, Bronze Award winner, praised the show as excellent. The colors had Chinese characteristics. She was familiar with the Chinese ethnic dances and drums, as well as some ancient stories such as Yue Fei, Sun Wukong and so on. The dance that left the deepest impression on her was "Welcoming Spring" She said that the two handkerchiefs revolved together, which was very difficult to do. The first piece "Creation," was also very impressive.

Alvin Tan, Honorable Mention recipient in the male division said that the show was absolutely stunning. The music was amazing and very traditional. This was the first time that he heard western instruments playing eastern music. It was so pleasant to the ear, and the combination was perfect. He was very pleased. The performance was beautiful, too. His favorite piece was "Heaven Awaits Us Despite the Persecution." In particular, when seeing the scene in which the good person ascended to heaven after being killed in the persecution, he felt very moved.

Mr. Tan said that he had learned a lot from the show, including about Chinese traditional culture. Born in Singapore, he was not totally familiar with the Chinese culture. He said that he wanted to further study the Chinese culture after having seen the show.

Kai Yi Min, another Honorable Mention recipient, found the show to be powerful. "In particular, seeing so many people work together to carry forward things bestowed upon us by gods, I was moved." She said that from the large-scale Shen Yun performance, she could see that all the staff had made great efforts, the performers have solid foundations, and the entire show was inspirational.

Shen Yun will be performing two shows in Birmingham, Alabama, on August 21 and 22 at the Concert Hall, Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. Then, five shows will be performed at Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center Opera House from August 26 to 30. For more information please visit http://www.shenyunperformingarts.org/

(Clearwisdom.net) The Third Chinese International Vocal Competition hosted by NTDTV drew a close at 12:30 a.m. on August 2, 2009. Geng Haolan and Yuan Qu won the Women's Gold Award and Men's Gold Award respectively.

Award ceremony for the Third Chinese International Vocal Competition

Tenor Yuan Qu, Gold Award winner in the male division of the 2009 NTDTV Chinese International Vocal Competition

Soprano Geng Haolan is crowned the gold award recipient for the 2009 NTDTV Chinese International Vocal Competition

After two days of intense competition, the finalists, including ten female contestants and six male contestants, performed outstandingly and won warm applause from the live audience.

The Judges' Committee Chairman, Guan Guimin said, "The competition gets better and better each year as contestants come to a better understand our mission. The competition aims to promote authentic Chinese vocal art, without Party culture factors. Now the people who come to compete know that we are searching for real artists. This year's contestants are of high caliber, and the finalists are highly gifted."

Mr. Guan said that the foremost requirement for a "real artist" is good character. The final score of a contestant will be judged according to his or her overall performance during the three-day competition.

Mr. Guan concluded that participation is the most important. NTDTV's Chinese International Vocal Competition set up a stage for Chinese people around the world to exhibit their talents, initiating a great event for Chinese authentic vocal art. Winning an award is not the most important thing; most important is to discuss and learn from contestants from around the world. In this environment, one will definitely upgrade his or her realm.

Ji Li from Columbia College in Missouri had studied bel canto style singing in China. She continued majoring in vocal art after going abroad and studying at Columbia College. She was glad to have such an opportunity to take part in the competition. She was moved upon seeing so many Chinese fans of vocal art from around the world get together. She was also encouraged when seeing other contestants' maturity in skills and techniques.

Ji Li appreciated that NTDTV's vocal competition requires contestants to sing in bel canto style. She said that the "bel canto" is a refined art. The trained voices are velvet like, brilliant and charming, and this can also protect vocalists from damaging their voices. Singing Chinese songs in bel canto style pushes the Chinese culture onto the world stage, which has great significance. Her vocal art teacher once told her that skills can only help one reach a certain level. If vocalists want to rise to a high level, they must have great character and a high moral standard. Only noble character can shape a truly great vocalist. The highest realm of singing is determined by one's character.

Jeff, manager of a large chain store is a classical music fan. He was moved by the contestants' brilliant performance. He said that these contestants are of high caliber, and their songs touch people's hearts. He enjoyed their singing. In particular, No. 536 contestant Yuan Qu's singing voice has penetrating power, involving many emotions, and is very special.

Kate (left)and her mother Svetlana (right) praise the contestants of the Chinese International Vocal Competition for their talents

Among the audience were Kate Klebanova, a former pianist, and her mother Svetlana Klebanova, a 40-year vocal coach at the Ukrainian Kharkov Conservatory in Ukraine, who was on a visit in New York. Like Jeff, they were a bit surprised to see that there were so many talented and gifted Chinese singers in the competition.

Svetlana said that these contestants had professional training, and some of them have great potential. Singer Kai Yi Min is mature in her skills. Yuan Qu's singing is very special.

Svetlana, who teaches many Chinese students, said that she is planning to encourage her students to participate in next year's vocal competition.

Kate thought that the Chinese Vocal Competition hosted by NTDTV is of great significance. It expressed the Chinese culture through a western style of singing, and introduced it to New York and the world's stage.

Winners of the final round were announced after the Shen Yun performance at SUNY Purchase Performing Arts Center in New York, and all the winners came onto the stage to receive their awards and accept the audience's enthusiastic congratulations.

(Clearwisdom.net) Since the onset of the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, the residential committees in China have received "assignments" and have assisted in carrying out the persecution.

In the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, residential committees in China have severely violated people's legal rights. They use different ways to oppress practitioners in their areas and leave them no recourse but to leave their homes. Even the practitioners' families have been harassed. These committees have become the CCP's grassroots persecutors. Looking at tens of thousands of cases, a few examples from different areas make it easy to gauge the depth of the persecution. The commentary painfully points out that, "The victim of this persecution is everyone in this society." Staff members of the Guangming Street Residential Committee in the Luyang District of Hefei City in Anhui Province actively carry out the regime's persecution policy. They spare no effort in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in their district.

Local practitioner Ms. Wu Jingqing was arrested at the end of October 2002. To implicate her, police planted some Falun Gong CDs in her home while ransacking it. Gongdatang Community Party Secretary Liu Kegui of Guangming Street Residential Committee signed the search list. Ms. Wu was detained in a hotel and a detention center for about seven months. Due to torture, she passed blood in her stool and urine. The detention center guard said openly, "If you are dying, we will send you to the hospital, but we will have nothing to do with your death--even if you die five minutes after you are dropped off." Extremely thin, Ms. Wu Jingqing left the detention center in May 2003, with dignity. It took her several months to recover through studying the Fa and practicing the exercises.

However, residential committee staff asked neighbors about her place of employment so they could continue to harass Ms. Wu. Liu Kegui and Chen Chuanming from the residential committee found out in 2006 that she worked for the Coal-mine Design Institute. They broke into her office and took her to a brainwashing center set up in the Xinhua Hotel in the Luyang District. Her work contract was terminated in 2007, due to constant harassment.

Xu from the Guangming Street Residential Committee found out that Ms. Wu had lost her job and harassed her even more frequently. Xu even threatened her parents, trying to get information about her new work place. During the Olympics Games, Liu Kegui and others monitored Wu Jingqing daily. In June 2009, they frequently threatened her parents, saying she had to give up her practice by October 1. They declared, "If we can't make her give up, we will get the locals to do it; then we will have the people in the Political and Legal Committee do it..."

Early in June 2007, practitioner Ms. Ying Yu from the Putuo District in Shanghai took a train with her mother to visit her sister in Guangzhou City. Local police arrested them when their train reached Guangzhou, and they were brought back to Shanghai. Their home was ransacked. They were detained in a brainwashing center for three months. Once again at home, local residential committee personnel and the local police harassed them many times at home. Ms. Ying was looking for job possibilities. Sometimes, just after she just got a new job, Putuo District 610 Office agents called her new company and told them that Ying Yu was a Falun Gong practitioner and then threatened the company. The company would then send her on her way. Finally, Ms. Ying found a good job and went to work the morning of July 16, 2008. Police officer Li Weidong, accompanied by local residential committee personnel, arrested her as she stepped out of the residential building. She has not returned home since.

Ms. Ren Qiuling, a single, older woman from Qingjianer Village, Putuo District, Shanghai, was awakened by knocks on her door at 7:30 a.m. on May 25, 2009. When she opened the door, residential committee security head Fu Renzhen, local police officer Jiang Jianzhong, and a group of agents from the 610 Office barged into her home, dragged her downstairs from the second floor, and put her into a police vehicle. They then ransacked her home. They interrogated her from morning to night and did not release her until the next afternoon. They deprived her of sleep for the entire time. The 78-year-old woman was exhausted. It almost led to a life-threatening situation.

Ms. Guo Qong is in her thirties and used to work for the Hefei City Construction Bank. Prior to practicing Falun Gong she suffered from insomnia. After embracing the practice, her illnesses disappeared quickly. After the onset of the persecution in July 1999, Guangming Street Residential Committee personnel took her to a brainwashing center. She lost her job. Even after she moved she was still harassed frequently. In 2004, Guangming Street Party Committee Head Zheng Rongchun, along with another woman from the residence committee, deceived Ms. Guo into leaving her office. Then they pulled her into a car and took her to the Luyang District Brainwashing Center in the Xinhua Hotel. Guo Qiong's father suffered from cancer at the time. Her daughter was only one year old. Once she left the brainwashing center, Guangming Street Residential Committee staff members still kept harassing her and caused her to lose her job. Ms. Guo moved to elsewhere in the same town. The Residential Committee personnel figured out her new location and still harassed her and made life difficult for her.

Ms. Luo Qingshu is a retired engineer from the Geological Survey Institute of the Lanzhou City Geological and Mineral Bureau. After the persecution started, personnel from the Chengguan District Police Department, the Tuanjie Residential Quarter Police Station, the Tuanjiexin Quarter Residential Committee, and her workplace harassed her. Geological Survey Institute Party secretary Bei Saiqing called her every hour to monitor her at home. Ms. Luo chose to leave home to avoid further harassment. Her elderly mother lived in fear, missed her daughter excessively and sobbed so much every day that she could no longer see. The mother suffered from leg and back pain, and was bedridden. She passed away in 2003.

Ms. Luo was at home in August 2001, Zhang Yu from the residential committee reported her. Police officers Zhang Zhenhai, Yu Wenhai, Xiao Zhuzi, and Liu, Head of Xiaoguan Police Station in the Chaoyang District, arrested her. They stated, "You practice Falun Gong, you will get arrested." Policeman Chen Chao then took her to the 610 Office for brainwashing. Her 10-year-old child was left at home alone.

The above examples are only a drop in the ocean. "Practitioner Guo Jufeng's hometown is Shuangyazi City, Heilongjiang Province. He started practicing Falun Gong in 1995. He now lives in Germany. Speaking from personal experience he said, "Since the CCP started the persecution of Falun Gong, it has always saddened me each time I hear about practitioners dying as a result of the persecution. Why do such good people have to die? Why is it so difficult to uphold the truth? Experiencing the persecution in person is completely different from understanding the persecution from reading what is written about it. It makes you feel the persecution is happening right next to you. Experiencing this persecution in person makes you realize what it means to be coldblooded and what heinous is."

Guo Jufeng said, "I am a scholar. When I appealed for Falun Gong in Beijing, I ate leftover food in the street and slept on the street. I was arrested four times. The last time, I was transferred several times and sent to three detention centers. The last arrest happened after the 'Tiananmen Self-immolation Incident.' The CCP was insane in arresting Falun Gong practitioners. Police officer Chen Jin from the Nanshidao Street, Dalian City, Liaoning Province, even traveled from Dalian to Heilongjiang Province to arrest me."

A practitioner from Jiamusi City shared his personal experience of being persecuted in an article. He wrote, "Due to the CCP's implication policy, the supervisors of Falun Gong practitioners that appealed were either criticized or were not given promotional opportunities, and the workplace would not get any deserved recognition. Therefore, some workplaces would send people to Beijing immediately after they heard that any practitioners that worked for them were appealing in Beijing. It is a waste of human resources, materials, and money. One day I was taken back to Jiamusi, and after the necessary information was recored, I was taken directly to the Jiamusi Detention Center. Within a week I was fired from my job. While I was in the detention center, both my parents were struck down by illnesses. Not too long after that, my mother passed away. My father still has not recovered. This is the debt the CCP owes my family.

"In the past six years, people from the residential committee and the administration office monitored my home. My phone was tapped. We had no choice but to move several times. I'm a college graduate and used to work for the government. The persecution made me leave my home. To make a living, I had a stall selling things on the street, I walked through streets and alleys to sell goods, I worked as a waiter in restaurants, and I sold vegetables in the morning market. But the hardship did not break me, because in my innermost being I have the belief in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I used to live a comfortable life. But because of the persecution I cannot even afford an apartment. My shoes and clothes are hand-me-downs. I had to borrow money to send my child to school. My family is not the only one in circumstances such as this. Many kindhearted people have been persecuted and have lost their families, merely because they believe in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. There are many orphans of Falun Gong practitioners living on the streets. And yet the persecution still continues."

Evil will eventually meet with evil returns. We would like to cite just one example. Gongdatang Community Party Secretary Liu Kegui actively participates in the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Her husband died of liver cancer in 2005. She suffers from diabetes. Her only daughter has skin cancer.

The CCP is approaching its total destruction due to its persecution of Falun Gong. Life is precious, but if one does not cherish it and still commits evil deeds without restraint, total destruction awaits.

(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Fu Ziming was a 34-year-old Falun Gong practitioner from Jianli County, Hubei Province. While traveling in the scenic district of Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province on April 17, 2009, he posted the message, "Falun Dafa is good" in several places. Wuyi Mountain Police Department/Scenic District Police Station agents arrested him. Jianli County 610 Office deputy director Jiang Changhong arrived on April 20, 2009 to take Fu Ziming back to Hubei Province on a train. Mr. Fu died before his return to Jianli County. Details are below:

Mr. Fu Ziming

On April 22, Fu Ziming's family received a notice from the Jianli County 610 Office stating that Fu Ziming died in police custody when passing through Jiangxi Province. They were on their way to Hubei Province, where the family lives. Fu Ziming's wife, father and brother-in-law were compelled to travel to Jiangxi Province. While there, the authorities tried to force the family to sign paperwork that alleged that Mr. Fu died from jumping off the train. The intent was that the body could be cremated right away. The family did not believe the lie and refused to sign.

Later, other family members went to Jiangxi Province and signed for the body to be cremated, in consideration of the Chinese tradition that the dead should be put to rest as soon as possible. However, the family had to stay several meters away from the cremation furnace and was forbidden to get close to Fu Ziming's body, whose head and other portions of the body were covered with a cloth. The only visible part was his stomach. It was learned later that the corner of his eyes were covered with tape. There were marks of beating and bruises on his back.

After the family returned to Jianli County, the personnel from the postal office dispatched to bring Fu Ziming back were held at Jianli County Communist Party School (several brainwashing sessions were held in this school) for a study class, to arrange for everybody involved to give the same story. More than ten Hubei Province 610 Office agents and officers from the local police stations were designated to monitor the whereabouts of local Falun Gong practitioners.

Background information:

Mr. Fu Ziming was born in 1975 into a poor peasant family in Chengji Township, Jianli County. He was weak since childhood, and suffered from pneumonia and chronic cough after having a high fever. Mr. Fu eventually became a college student at Zhongnan Financial and Economic University and started practicing Falun Gong there. He was assigned an accounting position at the Jianli County Postal Office in July 1997.

After two weeks on the job, on July 20, 1999 the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began the persecution of Falun Gong. Fu Ziming went to the Hubei Provincial CCP office to clarify the truth and appeal for Falun Gong. The Party's oppression of the practice escalated in October 1999. Fu Ziming went to Beijing to appeal for justice, was arrested and held in the Jianli County Detention Center for over 100 days.

Fu Yuecheng and Yu Yihua from the Domestic Security Division arrested Mr. Fu once more in March 2000 and held him in the County Detention Center. While there, Mr. Fu became witness to the torture of a practitioner, Ms. Hu Shunxian in an adjoining cell. The guards taped her nose and mouth, preventing her from breathing. When Fu Ziming heard about it, he shouted, "Falun Dafa is good! Stop beating people!" The guards had several armed policemen beat Fu Ziming and sent him to a solitary cell. Fu Ziming went on a 35-day hunger strike to protest and was brutally force-fed.

Detention center guards used a variety of methods to torture Fu Ziming. Seeing that he would not renounce Dafa, they released him. Several days later, policeman Cao Shengwen went to the postal office to bring Fu Ziming to the police station for "a conversation." Fu Ziming's parents went with him as well, but went home at noon for lunch. 610 Office agents took this opportunity to take Fu Ziming to the Shayang Forced Labor Camp for one year of forced labor.

Fu Ziming was tortured barbarically at that camp, where electric shocking is a commonly-used torture method. During the first three days the perpetrators shocked him twice with electric batons, discharging 800,000 volts. His head was swollen, leaving his eyes, face and mouth distorted. Several inmates once carried Fu Ziming to an office to be shocked with high voltage batons, lasting more than ten minutes each time.

Camp officials employed sleep deprivation as another common torture method. They also forced practitioners to recite notifications regarding Falun Dafa from the Ministry of Public Security and from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and the so-called judicial interpretation. Fu Ziming refused to do so, resulting in his being deprived of sleep for long periods of time.

After Fu Ziming's term at the labor camp was up, he was dismissed from his job by the Jianli County Postal Office. He eventually remained at the post office as a porter, without a stable income.

Fu Ziming traveled with his coworkers to the Scenic District of Wuyi Mountain on April 17, 2009. While touring the mountain, Fu Ziming "clarified the truth" to people there and posted truth-clarification messages in the hotel and surrounding areas. A hotel staff member reported him. Thus Mr. Fu was arrested by officers from the Scenic District Police Station and sent to Wuyi Detention Center.

Four agents from the Jianli County 610 Office including deputy head Jiang Changhong and one person from the Jianli County Postal Office went to Fujian Province on April 20, 2009, to take Mr. Fu Ziming back to Jianli County. Fu Ziming's wife demanded to go to Fujian Province with them, but Jiang Changhong refused. Then, as stated above, the Jianli 610 Office agents notified the family on April 22, 2009 that Fu Ziming died while traveling through Jiangxi Province.

On the evening of April 24, agents from the Jianli County 610 Office and from the post office notified the family to go fetch Fu Ziming's cremation urn. When Fu Ziming's mother, sisters and brothers-in-law went to the post office, they were taken away and confined in the Changjiang Holiday Inn without contact with the outside world. Jianli County 610 Office agents tried to persuade the family to state that Fu Ziming's death was due to his jumping off the train. These deceptive officials said initially that the post office would compensate the family with 30,000 to 40,000 yuan. After several rounds of negotiations, the final compensation was for 200,000 yuan, but the Jiangxi Railroad Department "deducted" 20,000 yuan. The family received 180,000 yuan.

Persons who participated in the persecution of Fu Ziming:

Jiang Changhong, Jianli County 610 Office deputy head
Rao Feiting, Jianli County Police Department deputy head, 13807016288
Xia Dongsheng, Jianli County National Security Bureau
Ju Shouyuan

(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Liu Guixiang, an employee of Farm 858 of Agriculture Management Bureau in Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province, would not give up the practice of Falun Dafa and went to Beijing to seek justice for Falun Dafa. As a result, she was arrested and sentenced to forced labor many times by Chinese Communist Party officials. She suffered indescribable tortures. The guards in the forced labor camp force-fed her, and ruthlessly twisted the tube in her esophagus and stomach with malicious intent.

Liu Guixiang is 63 years old. Before she practiced Falun Dafa, she suffered from many diseases including heart disease, bronchitis, prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disc, rheumatism, and uterine tumors. After she obtained the Fa on March 1998, she recovered from her diseases without any medical treatment.

On July 20, 1999, the Chinese Communist Party started to publicly persecute Falun Dafa. Ms. Liu went to Beijing on July 22, 1999, to appeal of behalf of Falun Dafa. Three months later, she was taken back by the police from the Public Security Bureau of Farm 858 and locked up for fifteen days.

On March 21, 2000, afraid that she would go to Beijing, the 610 Office and the Public Security Bureau of Farm 858 took her to a brainwashing session in the farm's reception center. She refused to give up her practice and was subjected to brainwashing for over 50 days. She was forced to pay 3,000 yuan for "room and board." After she got out of the brainwashing session, the farm sent Xue Jicheng, the deputy head of Group 12, to monitor her every day. To run any errand away from home, she had to report to Lu Yuxing, the head of the group, and be picked up and dropped off by Lu Yuxing in person. Ms. Liu felt that she had lost her freedom. She appealed to appropriate departments at the farm many times that it was not wrong to practice Falun Dafa. She asked that the people who were monitoring her and restricting her freedom be removed, otherwise she would continue to appeal. She was ignored.

On December 8, 2000, Liu Guixiang went to Beijing again. She was taken back by Wang Yuqin, deputy head of Farm 858; Han Zhaoheng from the Public Security Bureau of Farm 858, Wang Zhibin; and Wang Xuejun, party secretary of Group 12 of Farm 858, and locked up in the farm's Public Security Bureau. The same night, she was suspended against a wall for the whole night by Tang Jingtian, secretary of the farm's Committee for Disciplinary Inspection, and Song Lixue, the Propaganda Minister and the head of Office 610. On the third day, she was locked up in the Detention Center of the Agriculture Management Bureau in Mudanjiang City. They also took eight hundred yuan from her as a deposit. She has not yet come back.

The Public Security Bureau of Farm 858 sent her to Wanjia Forced Labor Camp for two years. She suffered tremendously there. She was even locked up in solitary confinement and tortured for over seven months by Zhang Bo, the head of Group 12. She was prevented from sleeping or using the toilet, beaten, kicked, and savagely force-fed. Once, many guards held her down, inserted a tube into her stomach, and twisted the tube over and over again. Her stomach was damaged and bled badly. She fainted while being force-fed. The guards violently struck her head and woke her up. After coming to, she saw blood all over her face and many tubes in her mouth. The guards pulled the tubes out of her mouth, then inserted them into her nose again and continued to force-feed and torture her. Many days after, she still had bloody stools and her head was still black and blue.

During the seven months she was locked in solitary confinement, she was kept on an iron chair, which is a kind of torture device. The person's hands and feet are restrained in the chair so that she cannot move a bit. After an extended time, the person's legs and feet will swell. The last time, she was forced to remain in the iron chair day and night for over a month, and her legs and feet turned completely red-purple.

Once, guard Li Min tied her up completely and then suspended her. He kicked her back and forth for almost an hour before putting her down. In another instance, when Ms. Liu was locked up in an iron chair. Li Min grabbed a moth flying inside the window and stuffed it into her mouth, and punched her breast twice. Li Lan, a practitioner who was locked up in the same room, said, "Don't beat Auntie Liu any longer. She is very old!" Li Min then came over and punched Li Lan twice in the head and said, "Is she your mother?"

Still another time, guard Liu Xingang took Ms. Liu out of solitary confinement and put her into a room nearby. He ordered two male criminals to try to force her to give up her cultivation practice, which Ms. Liu refused to do. The two men beat and kicked her for almost an hour. Liu Xingang said, "For those that won't give up their cultivation practice, we will cure you one by one tomorrow!" That night, a tragedy happened in Wanjia Forced Labor Camp--many Falun Dafa practitioners were tortured to death.

Later, Ms. Liu Guixiang was transferred to Group 7. She was forced to sit on a small stool for a long time and often shocked with electric batons. Once, four guards suspended her and shocked her with electric batons for about four hours. Later, the rope that suspended her broke, and she fell to the ground as if it were cut by a knife. The guards talked among themselves, "Strange. How could such a thick rope break?" After that, they did not dare to suspend her any longer.

After she had served her forced labor term, the Wanjia Forced Labor Camp kept her for another eighteen days. Then they released her. While Liu Guixiang was imprisoned in the forced labor camp, the Chinese Communist staff in Farm 858 withheld her retirement stipend for over two years, an amount of over 14,000 yuan, and also forced her family to pay 1,600 yuan to cover the fee that Farm 858 spent to trace and capture her when she went to Beijing to appeal. They still have not returned the money to her.

People who participated in the persecution of Liu Guixiang:
Du Jifu, the previous party secretary of Farm 858
Wang Yuqin, the previous deputy head of Farm 858
Tang Jingtian, the previous secretary of the Committee for Disciplinary Inspection of Farm 858
Song Lixue, the previous propaganda minister and the head of the Office 610 of Farm 858
Xie Jinhe, the previous head of the Public Security Bureau of Farm 858
Han Zhaoheng and Wang Zhibin, the policemen of the Public Security Bureau of Farm 858
Zhang Zhongxin, the head of the Labor and Capital Section of Farm 858
Lu Yuxing, the previous head of Group 12 of Farm 858
Xue Jicheng, the previous deputy head of Group 12 of Farm 858
Wang Xuejun, the party secretary of Group 12 of Farm 858
Shi Yingbai, the head of Wanjia Forced Labor Camp
Li Min and Liu Xingang, guards in Wangjia Forced Labor Camp

(Clearwisdom.net) This is a true story that occurred in Qingdao City. Xiaoshun originally had a happy family, but it broke apart when the Chinese Communist Party began persecuting Falun Gong. Xiaoshun suffered from great stress and pain that he should not have had to endure.

Tomorrow is Xiaoshun's seventh birthday. His mom has been in Dashan Detention Center in Qingdao City for over a year now. For fear that Xiaoshun might get upset or feel sad without his Mother there, his dad intentionally did not celebrate his sixth birthday. This time, a fellow Falun Gong practitioner, Aunt Zhang, reminded him to celebrate it. Actually, since the father has been busy, he has not had the energy to worry about it. With the appeal for his wife's case already moved to the higher court, he was running between the various organizations related to the case, telling them the greatness of Falun Gong, and that his wife is innocent.

Xiaoshun is in first grade. His mom and dad gained good health after they began to practice Falun Gong. They are well known as good people in the neighborhood. Xiaoshun felt this himself too. When he would occasionally do something wrong, his mom and dad always patiently explained the situation to him, making him truly understand what he did and the difference between right and wrong.

One day last June, he did not see his mom when he got home from school and found that the house was a mess. Later, his dad told him that his mom had been arrested. At night, he always dreamed of mom, and awoke in tears. But he never told dad about it because he did not want him to feel sad.

Xiaoshun's mom has been away for over a year. During this time, Xiaoshun has matured a lot. He felt that it was too much for his dad. He felt that he needed to do all the housekeeping that mom used to do. He also felt that he needed to take care of his dad, do his job, and the running around for his mom's case. His dad often said that he was truly sorry for those who do not know the truth about Falun Gong. If they hold hatred against Falun Gong, do not approve of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and keep helping the CCP to persecute practitioners, they will face a horrible future. Xiaoshun tells himself: "I want to tell people that Falun Gong is good. I hope everyone will have a good future."

In the past year with his mom not around, Xiaoshun did one thing that he was proud of. That is, he did not join the Young Pioneers League when the school teacher asked every one in the class to join. His teacher said that the Young Pioneers League is one of the CCP organizations. He disliked the CCP since its police arrested his Mother, who was a good person. He remembered that before he went to the school, his Grandma in the countryside had told him many legends. She said that God is watching. One will get rewarded if one does good deeds, and will be punished if he does bad things. She also told him not to pledge just to satisfy the school leaders, because a pledge is a pledge. He saw that on June 1 his classmates all had to join. He felt that he was right not to wear the red scarf of the Young Pioneers League. Everyone wore a red scarf except him. Other classmates assumed that either he did something wrong, or the teacher disliked him. Walking into the school, some students perform inspections at the gate and deduct points from the class of those who forget to wear the red scarf. Xiaoshun had to have a lengthy discussion with them when they inspected him. After a while, they all knew him and no longer inspected him. He did well academically in school, and was very nice to everyone. The teacher and classmates all liked him and no one discriminated against him any more.

Lately, Xiaoshun's dad was even busier than before because of his mom's appeal. Sometimes his dad did not have enough time to clean the house. Luckily, Aunt Zhang came to help. She would wash clothes and bring over some good food, or clean the house with with Xiaoshun's help. She also encouraged Xiaoshun to be a good child so that his dad and mom wouldn't have to worry. Sometimes he felt bad when people badmouthed him. Aunt Zhang would tell him that his mom is a wonderful person and that things she did were all for the good of others and were worthwhile. Even though his mother was mistreated, people would feel grateful to her in the future. This made him feel better.

Tomorrow, Aunt Zhang said that she is going to bring a big birthday cake over to celebrate his birthday with him. He thinks: "I will make a wish when I blow the candles tomorrow. No, it's three wishes. One is to wish that my mom will be back soon. Another is that those who do not know the truth about Falun Gong can learn about it as soon as possible and no more good people like mom will be jailed. The last one is that I am determined to become a young practitioner in Falun Gong. I want to be a good person as Teacher asks, and be a practitioner like my dad and mom.

(Clearwisdom.net) The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999, and I went to the Beijing State Appeals Office two days later to appeal for justice. At their request, I provided the office clerk my personal information and finished filling out a form. The person handling my form told me the office staff were actually police agents, waiting to arrest Falun Gong practitioners. Whenever they got enough to fill up a bus, they would take them to a forced labor camp. That evening, a few policemen from the Yantai City Police Department in Shandong Province came to the Appeals Office. Sitting between two policemen in the rear of a car, I was escorted to the Yantai City Liaison Office in Beijing and then taken back to Yantai.

The Head of the Zhifu District Communist Party Committee in Yantai City at the time was Wei Xiutian. He urged Zhifu District Procuratorate officials to imprison me in a small meeting room on the second floor in their building. Former co-workers from my place of employment monitored my every single movement 24 hours a day. They would not even let me close the bathroom door when I needed to use it.

The Procuratorate agents were violating the law by imprisoning me. The head of my work unit extorted money from my family. My family had to pay for my captors' food and expenses. Furthermore, the same person also asked my family members to renovate his house for him.

I had no freedom at all. Except when eating or in the toilet, I was barraged with TV programs, and had to read lie-filled newspapers and books. Several people took turns to talk to me to keep me from sleeping.

Zang Guozhang from the Anti-Corruption Bureau had several of his people take turns to talk to me in the evenings. They threatened me and insinuated that unless I wrote statements denouncing Falun Gong, my job and family would be affected. A few days later, feeling dizzy and tired, I was unable to think clearly.

The state media's propaganda slandering Falun Gong was everywhere, all the time. It felt as if the Cultural Revolution had returned. Not daring to blame the CCP, my family members could do nothing but shed tears for me in private.

Deception is a tactic that the CCP is very practiced at. CCP officials told Falun Gong practitioners to write false statements to denounce Falun Gong so that they could close the case. Once someone turns in a damaging statement, they will use it to deceive other practitioners, claiming, "Now that the others have been reformed, you are the only one left." They create false impressions, as if you were the only one in the world who still practiced Falun Gong, and 1.3 billion Chinese were suppressing you.

The constant threats from the CCP regime and their brainwashing momentarily confused me, and I wrote a guarantee statement to give up Falun Gong. After that, I played with words and wrote a "statement of repentance" and "statement of exposure," hoping they would let me get away after I signed such statements.

When a cultivator is lacking righteous thoughts, the evil forces are stronger and more aggressive. After I signed the statements, I was still detained. Chief Procurator Zhang Xueen told me that I had affected his possible future promotion opportunities, and that I should talk to the media to restore my work unit's reputation. Thinking that I could clarify the truth to the journalists, I agreed.

Journalists from the following media came to interview me: Yantai Daily, Yantai Evening News, Modern Scientific Living, the Yantai TV Station, Dazhong Daily and the Yantai Radio Station. I told them truthfully that I became a good person because I practice Falun Gong; that Dafa is good, but the regime forbids people to practice Dafa. I also repeatedly told them that I hoped they would honestly report what I told them. None of them gave me copies of their reports afterwards.

Zhang Xueen told my family that they should make a banner for him to show their appreciation for him if they wanted me to be released early. My work place also sent journalists from Modern Scientific Living to take pictures when my family members were presenting Zhang Xueen with the banner. They lied to the public viewers and said that Zhang had "rescued" Falun Gong practitioners, and that was why practitioners' family members presented him with banners to show their appreciation.

Then journalists from the Dazhong Daily and The People's Daily came to interview me. The People's Daily journalist asked me questions as if he were interrogating a criminal.

He slandered Master Li and ordered me repeatedly to agree. I would just say, "No! My Master is not that kind of person." He repeatedly used profanity and demanded that I give him the answers he wanted. Realizing that he did not want to listen to the facts about Falun Gong, I firmly refused and told him, "If you're here to interview me, then listen to me. However, if you simply intend to repeat government propaganda and then force me to agree with it, you are not interviewing me at all. This shows that you do not want to know the truth. Then why don't you go home and fabricate the interview without me? Why do you have to say so-and-so said this? Do you still have professional ethics? Does this fit with the mission of a government media representative?" When he heard this, he became extremely irritated. After pounding the table and yelling at me, he left.

Zhang Xueen reprimanded me afterwards. He had meant to have that journalist write an article for him and publish it in The People's Daily, and said that I had ruined his wish. From then on I refused to talk to any journalists.

One of my colleagues came to the office where I was detained and told me that I was in the newspaper. He showed me the article in Modern Scientific Living that said how the regime had reformed me, etc. It also said that I "attacked" Falun Gong. The truth was, when they interviewed me, I kept telling them that Master told us to follow Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and that I was a beneficiary, not a victim. The article was a complete fabrication, and the truth was distorted. Other newspaper articles, including the one on Yantai Daily, were also fabricated. I was not surprised to learn that the Yantai TV Station and radio station programs were no better.

Infuriated, I asked Zhang Xueen to correct the false local media reports. He said, "It is a political requirement. It's impossible to do that." I then realized I had been used.

I was released in August 1999, after 20 days of detention. At home I was told that the local officials and media had widely disseminated false information about me. Because of that I resigned from my job.

After that I repeatedly wrote to the local media, demanding that they correct the lies. In October 1999, I was once again detained for more than 10 days. In May 2000, I went to Beijing to appeal one more time.

In the years that followed, I have been detained a total five times.

Even though this happened several years ago, I feel guilty about what I did. This article intends to warn those who have helped fabricate lies: Everything we do has a consequence and is being recorded. If you are willing to learn the facts about Falun Gong and correct your mistakes, you can still have a good future.

The persecution of Falun Gong has made a victim of every ordinary Chinese citizen, as the CCP is quite skilled at making people fight each other. I hope that those who are still confused can see the evil nature of the CCP and withdraw from it and its affiliated organizations.

Written on July 16, 2009

(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of June 18, 2009, Pang Shijun, the Director of the Police Department in Hengshui City, Du Jianting, a member of the Fourth Domestic Security Division, He Fenglin, the Director of Anping County Police Department, Deputy Director, Zhao Wenxin, and Sun Yihe, the Commander of Anping Domestic Security Division, together with more than seventy other police officers in twenty police cars arrested 27 Dafa practitioners and ransacked their homes. They also confiscated a lot of goods and cash.

That same evening, Dafa practitioners were gathering in Zhang Mancang's home in Xiguan Village to study the Fa. The Hengshui Police Department in Anping county had tapped the phone of practitioners Wang Lushen and Xiao Yu, and had them under surveillance. Hence, they knew about the meeting and arrested 20 practitioners there. They are: Zhang Mancang, Sun Xiaoling, Liu Lanping, Xiao Yu, Xi Yan, Wang Xingfen, Li Lingxiao, Zhu Jianhui, Zhang Jinzhong, Wang Zihui, Liu Sufen, Xu Xiaoying, Shu Ya, Xiao Pin, Xiao Ge, Xiao Zun, Shu Qin, Xiao Mei, Meng Jianxin, Deng Yanfeng. When they ransacked Zhang Mancang's home, they took a computer, a laser engraving machine, a recorder, cell phones and many Dafa books. They also took a box of cash, also ate all the watermelon and other food in the refrigerator. They also seized bicycles and tricycles.

Wang Lushen was arrested while walking on the street. He was forced to go home where they took 126,000 yuan from him, several recorders, and Dafa books. A motor driven tricycle belonging to his daughter was also taken. Many of Wang's goods including over 5000 CD's in a storage room were also taken. It was also reported that Wang was tortured while being detained.

When the police officers ransacked Xiao Yu's home, they took a sedan, a hundred and thirty thousand yuan in bank cards, a computer, a copier, a printer and many boxes of Dafa books. When her family member visited with her, they saw her swollen face. Clearly, she was beaten very badly. When they talked to the Deputy Director of Anping County Police Department, Zhao Wenxin, the reply was. "Generally, it would take twenty thousand yuan to get someone released, but for her it may require forty to fifty thousand yuan."

The wife of the Deputy Head of Daziwen town, Xiao Ya was arrested in her home. They took both of her computers, two recorders, a printer and boxes of CD's and many Dafa books.

Yang Huilin is a Dafa practitioner in Shen County. He made his living collecting rent from tenants. He and four other Dafa practitioners, Dong Zhanying, Zhang Xiaofu, Yang Xiaoqiang, Er Gui, and a non-practitioner living in his rental property were arrested. Yang Huilin was depressed while in the detention center and had no appetite. They force-fed him and both food and drugs. He vomited, unable to take it. After twelve days without food, they thought he was going to die and sent him home on June 30, 2009. At the time of his arrest, three other families' homes were also ransacked. He lost more than 500 yuan and the other families lost a television, two CD players, one computer, one printer, three cell phones, one laser engraving machine, more than six thousand yuan, a mattress, a watermelon and many Dafa books. Dong Zhanying and Yang Xiaoqiang were beaten with an electric baton. The fellow who was not a practitioner was required to prove it by saying bad things about Master Li. It took more than a day before they let him go.

Dafa practitioner Zhang Lianjun, who was in the computer maintenance business, was arrested on June 18, 2009 when the police officers came to his shop. They took a laptop and other goods that belonged to customers. Zhang's wife enlisted the assistance of her husband's teacher to demand that Sun Yihe release Mr. Zhang because they were classmates together, but to no avail. Mr. Sun insisted on a payment of thirty thousand yuan and one month of imprisonment for Zhang. Furthermore, he and another member of his Domestic Security Division applied a "criminal detainee charge" to Zhang, falsely stating that Zhang had interfered with the conduct of law.

The homes of three other Dafa practitioners, Liu Lanping, Li Lingxiao, Xu Xiaoying, were also ransacked. Books and materials related to Falun Dafa were taken.

By July 18, 2009 the following 9 practitioners were released after making payments of 19,000 yuan: Xiao Pin, Xiao Ge, Liu Lanping, Xi Yan, Li Lingxiao, Liu Sufen, Sun Xiaoling, Xiao Ya, Wang Zihui.

12 practitioners are still detained: Zhang Mancang, Wang Lushen, Deng Yanfeng, Zhu Jianhui, Yang Xiaoqiang, Zhang Jinzhong, Zhang Lianjun, Wang Xingfen, Xu Xiaoying, Xiao Yu, Xiao Mei, Shu Ya.

Perpetrators:

Sun Yihe, 38, Commander of Anping County Police Department, Domestic Security Division. He has been in this position for three years and involved in extortion for money. 86-13831808999(Cell) 86-318-7513802(Home)

Zhao Wenxin, Deputy Director of Anping County Police Department, 86-13383683668(Cell),86-13831819588(Cell) 86-318-7535658(Home)

Pang Shijun, Deputy Director of the Hengshui city Police Department, 86-15003180008(Cell) 86-318-2346069/6069(Office)
Du Jianting, a member of he Fourth Domestic Security Division, 86-15003180234(Cell), 86-13383388320(Cell), 86-318-2228612/8612(Office)

Yang Shushan, Commander, Fourth Domestic Security Division, 86-15003180258(Cell), 86-13383388315(Cell), 86-318-2228612/8612(Office)

(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Wang Liping from Yueyang City, Hunan Province was arrested on June 10, 2009, and is now imprisoned at the Baimalong Woman's Forced Labor Camp in Zhuzhou City, Hunan Province. Her family's requests for visitation were denied.

Between 5 p.m and 6 p.m on June 10^th, Tang Jianmin, Xiong Gangyong, and several dozen officers from the Domestic Security Division of the Lou District Police Department and the Sanyanqiao Police Station arrested Ms. Wang at her store. The officers searched both her store and home looking for evidence. They seized several dozen blank CDs, which she sells at her store, and seized her store's accounting ledger which was returned to her husband the next day. Ms. Wang was detained at the Hubin Detention Center that night, then transferred to the Yueyang Detention Center the next day. On July 10^th, she was taken to the Baimalong Women's Forced Labor Camp, where she remains imprisoned.

The Domestic Security Section director, Jiang Chao, told Ms. Wang's husband that she was reported by the Yueyang National People's Congress assistant commissioner, Yi Lizhen, and a bureau's assistant director. They said that they found Falun Dafa fliers in the government residence compound where they lived. Ms. Wang became a suspect because she was a practitioner.

Ms. Wang's family's visitation requests have been repeatedly denied. Recently, the family attended a July 14^th appointment with both the Domestic Security Division and the Baimalong Women's Forced Labor Camp. When they arrived at the camp, the camp administration said that they did not have a written approval from the 610 Office and denied their visit. The administration refused to forward clothing to Ms. Wang, citing "virus prevention."

Huang Yongliang, Baimalong Women's Forced Labor Camp CCP secretary: 86-13908439030(Cell)
Zhao Guibao, Baimalong Women's Forced Labor Camp deputy director: 86-13607332316(Cell)
Ding Cailan (female), Baimalong Women's Forced Labor Camp deputy director (former Falun Gong section director): 86-138-73335286(Cell)

July 19, 2009

(Clearwisdom.net) Practitioner Ms. Wang Renxiang, in her sixties, was arrested by the police from the Putuo Police District Department and the Changshou Road Police Station, and held at the Putuo District Detention Center (at 55, Lane 555, Liuyuan Road). She has been sentenced to one year of forced labor.

In the past, Ms. Wang Renxiang had surgery for a tumor in her ear and had many chronic illnesses. Luckily, she began to practice Falun Dafa and her health gradually improved. She followed the teachings of Dafa. Everyone thought she was a wonderful person.

Since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began its suppression of Falun Gong in 1999, Ms. Wang has been arrested and persecuted four times. This latest time she was persecuted for no apparent reason, and both her husband and daughter suffered a great deal as a result.

The first time Ms. Wang was persecuted was in June 2000. She was given two years of forced labor. Soon after her release, she was sent again for another two years of forced labor in September 2003, and was brutally tortured in the Shanghai Women's Forced Labor Camp. Because she refused to give up her belief in Falun Dafa, she was forced to stand with her face against a wall. The punishment went from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m., during which even restroom visits were restricted. The police ordered other inmates to verbally abuse Ms. Wang. Officer Jiang Yiqiong took the words from Falun Gong principles out of context in order to distort their meaning, and to try and force practitioners to give up their beliefs. Jiang sometimes combined this with physical torture. Whatever their ages, all practitioners were forced to work 15 to 16 hours a day. Many practitioners were badly traumatized both physically and psychologically, with some persecuted to death.

When she was released in 2005, Ms. Wang weighed only 80 lbs. Both her vision and hearing were badly deteriorated.

In August 2008, the CCP issued orders to arrest Falun Gong practitioners en masse using the excuse of "safeguarding" the security of the Olympics. Officers from the Changshou Road Police Station arrested Ms. Wang and detained her for a month in order to meet their quota. They dispatched several police cars and seven to eight officers to break into her house.

(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of June 4, 2009, Falun Gong practitioner Li Yaohua and her daughter Zhang Yibo were at their home on Huaihai Road when officers from the Xuhui 610 Office and Tianlin Police Station suddenly broke in and took them away. They were subsequently both illegally arrested.

Li Yaohua's 91 year-old father had just returned to Shanghai after thirty years living in Taiwan, hoping to have his daughter around to take care of him, but never imagined he would have to worry for his daughter and granddaughter's safety and run around for help. Now the elderly man has no one to take care of him, and is grief-stricken.

Li Yaohua's son Zhang Yiyuan is living in the U.S. and working for California State University. He is very worried about his mother and sister, as well as his grandfather's well being. As a doctor, he personally witnessed the great health benefits experienced by his mother and sister after practicing Falun Dafa. He said, "I am a doctor. Modern science could not cure my mother's disease. It was Falun Dafa that cured her disease instead. This shows that Falun Dafa is supernormal. The international community should not tolerate the fact that both my mother and sister were detained because of their belief in Falun Dafa."

Ms. Li Yaohua, 65, who is also a Hong Kong resident, usually lives on the third floor, No. 22, Lane 833, Huaihaizhong Road, Luwan District, Shanghai. She previously worked for Shanghai Numbering Machine Factory. Her neighbors saw her as a good person. She was physically weak when she was younger because she suffered from constipation, insomnia, poor appetite, and her back was bent in an "S" shape. She even wanted to end her life when the sicknesses were serious. In 1996, not long after she started practicing Falun Dafa, all the illnesses disappeared. Her complexion also changed from dark grey to a healthy bright color. Because she personally experienced the sacredness and miraculous power of Dafa, she continued her cultivation of Falun Dafa.

Daughter Zhang Yibo, 29, graduated from the university, and was a business manager in a foreign enterprise. Because she was bright and talented, her boss thought highly of her and often praised her. She experienced poor health when she was young and had suffered from severe stomach disease and menstrual problems. She saw how her mother recovered from her illnesses after practicing Falun Dafa over the past ten years, and even her bent back was greatly improved. She marveled about the miraculous power of Dafa and started practicing Falun Dafa last year. Her health rapidly improved and her temper became much better. Her colleagues and subordinates commented that she had changed, and seemed like a different person. She used to fuss about things, have a poor attitude, and she often frowned, but she is now always pleasant. Unfortunately, this tribulation came soon after she began practicing, as she had practiced Dafa for only several months.

Li Yaohua and Zhang Yibo have been detained at Xuhui District Detention Center for over a month. The responsible parties include Xuhui Sub-bureau 610 Office, Xuhui District Tianlin New Village Police Station and Luwan District Rui'jin'er Road Police Station.

Relevant Departments:
Shanghai Public Security Bureau: 86-21-24013456
Xuhui Sub-bureau of Shanghai Public Security Bureau:
Director - Xu Tangzhang: 86-21-64868911 Ext.37148
Deputy directors - Jia Zongqi, Cheng Jingxin, Cao Shengwei
Xuhui Sub-bureau of the 610 Office State Security: 86-21-64868911
State Security Department: Cui Tiejun, Wang Weixing
Head of Political Department: He Chennan
Political commissar: Hang Bangrui

Head of the Command Department: Qu Songquan
Tianlin New Village Police Station: Liu Zhihui: 86-13386267523 (Cell)
Xuhui District Detention Center: 86-21-64868911

(Clearwisdom.net) Today's News from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 25 cities or counties in 12 provinces. In this report, 30 Falun Gong practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention, and at least 32 practitioners were illegally arrested.

At 11 a.m. on July 16, 2009, personnel from the Wuxing Neighborhood Committee of Yubei District, along with five local policemen, went to the home of Ms. Wang Jimei (about 50 years old) and took her away. They also ransacked her home and took away Dafa books and other property.

On July 11, 2009, Ms. Cai Yongdi from Dongcheng Community, Lianhua Town, Lushan District, Jiujiang City was arrested by patrol guards of Jiujiang College. Currently she is being detained in the Jiujiang Detention Center.

On July 14, 2009, Ms. Wang Huijie from Songlou Village, Tongcheng Town, Donga County was arrested. Later on, Bi Jieshan, Head of the County National Security Section, led three people to ransack her home. Right now she is being detained in the Donga County Detention Center.

Ti Zhaomin, who is in charge of persecuting Falun Gong in Donga County: 86-635-3288007, 86-13906359265
Li Fahui, Head of the Yaozhai Police Station: 86-635-3415555, 86-635-3288091, 86-13336356899

On July 15, 2009, Ms. Guo Caixia and Mr. He Libin from Wenfeng, Longxi County were arrested and their homes were ransacked. They are being detained in the Weiyuan Detention Center. Their family members went to visit them, but the detention center did not permit a visit.

Since the Beijing Olympic Games last year, Ms. Guo Huaniu has been detained in the Changge Detention Center for almost one year. As a result of persecution, she became emaciated and her blood pressure reached 180. She is very weak and often faints. She has now been sentenced to four years in prison. Her family asked for bail for medical treatment, but their request was rejected.

At 8 p.m. on July 4, 2009, Ms. Tan Shuhua from Taipingguan Village, Laiyuan County was taken to the Laiyuan Police Department and interrogated for more than two hours. She was released at 11 p.m. that night. On the next day, the County National Security Team went to interrogate her again. Wei Jinkui, Head of the National Security Team, extorted 200 yuan from her.

At 4 p.m. on July 18, 2009, police from the Xindu District 610 Office and National Security Team went to ransack the home of Ms. Ye Shuhua at Gaodui Village, Dafeng Town. They took away four computers, four printers, two CD burners and other property. The police also arrested Ms. Ye Shuhua (67 years old) and Ms. Luo Shuqing (77 years old). Now the two practitioners' whereabouts are unknown.

On the afternoon of July 17, 2009, Ms. Xu Hanming (65 years old) was taken away from her home by the Changning police. The police also took away many fliers and a computer.

On August 20, 2000, Ms. Xu Hanming went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. She was escorted back to Shanghai by police and was detained in a detention center for 24 hours.

On April 18, 2001, she was sent to a brainwashing center and was detained there for more than three years.

In September 2005, she was reported to police because she clarified the truth. She was punished with 15 days of detention. Then she was sent to a brainwashing center and was detained there for two months.

On June 12, 2006, she was sent to a forced labor camp and detained there for one year.

Ms. Yu Peiying was born on April 10, 1936. In May 2001, she was sent a forced labor camp for a two year term. In April 2004, she was sentenced to three years in prison because she produced and distributed fliers about Falun Gong. Between 2000 and 2009, she was arrested and detained several times.

In 2006, Ms. Yu Peiying was released on bail for medical treatment. In 2003, her oldest daughter, Ms. Li Weihong, was tortured to death. Her youngest daughter Ms. Li Weiling was also arrested and detained several times. In 2000, Ms. Li Weiling was sentenced to 8 years in prison. She was released recently but is still under surveillance.

Ms. Zhang Jinling, 58 years old, lives in Yuanjiadian Village, Xiaosigou Town, Pingquan County. At 11 a.m. on July 18, 2009, four policemen from the Pingquan County National Security Team and the Xiaosigou Town Police Station went to ransack her home and arrest her.

Ms. Zhang Yun was a prison guard in Shijiazhuang. Now she is being detained in the Shijiazhuang Women's Forced Labor Camp.

Ms. Yang Liyun, Ms. Fang Hua, Ms. Wang Hongmei and Ms. Xiumei are being detained in the Shijiazhuang Women's Forced Labor Camp. Besides other persecution, they have not been allowed to take showers for more than 8 months.

At 8 p.m. on July 18, 2009, police from the Dehui Police Department arrested Mr. Shao Fangdong and his wife Ms. Wang Ping. The police took the two practitioners to a clinic run by Mr. Shao and ransacked it. Then, they went to search their home. In Mr. Shao's home, Ms. Zhang Chunjie was tutoring Mr. Shao Fangdong's child. The police arrested Ms. Zhang and then ransacked her home.

Currently, Mr. Shao Fangdong, Ms. Wang Ping and Ms. Zhang Chunjie, Mr. Xu Fuli and his wife, Mr. Wang Chengli and two other practitioners are being detained in the Dehui Detention Center.

Zhang Qingchun, Leader of the Dehui National Security Team: 86-431-87292053, 86-431-87264567, 86-13756399333
Sun Chengshan, Deputy Leader of the Dehui National Security Team: 86-431-87298616, 86-13364638325

Mr. Chi Jingke is an employee of the Qilu Petrochemical Company. On June 3, 2009, he was arrested and his home was searched. The police took away a computer, a printer and other property. On July 9, 2009, an arrest warrant was issued after the fact. The court will open a session two months later. Right now he is being detained in the Fuji Detention Center in Zibo City.

At 5 p.m. on July 18, 2009, more than ten policemen from the police department and the 610 office in Qinzhou City rushed into the store run by Ms. Jiang Weiling. They arrested Ms. Jiang Weiling, Ms. Chen Guiqiong, Ms. He Yanping and another practitioner who were in the store. Then they brought Ms. Chen Guiqiong along and went to arrest another practitioner whose surname is Zou. That night, the police went to ransack the homes of Ms. Jiang and Ms. Chen and took away Ms. Jiang's husband Si Gang, as well as Ms. Chen's two-year-old son. At 4 a.m. the next morning, Mr. Si Gang, Zou, Ms. Chen Guiqiong and her son were released. However, other practitioners are still being detained.

On July 14, 2009, Mr. Liang Yuhua was arrested while he was out. About a dozen policemen went to ransack his home, and forcibly took away fliers about Falun Gong and a computer. The police also tried to take away the laptop of his son, who is not a practitioner, and their family car. They did not take everything due to his wife's strong protests. However, they took her to the police station and interrogated her. She was released a couple of hours later. Right now Mr. Liang is being detained in the Futian Detention Center.

Shenzhen 610 Office: 86-755-83799381, 86-755-83799610
Chu Wenbo, Director of the Futian 610 Office: 86-755-84461598, 86-755-84461599, 86-13902939916

On July 18, 2009, the Chaoyang District Police Department in Beijing arrested many Falun Dafa practitioners. Ms. Yao Jie and Ms. Zhou Liyan were taken away from their homes.

Ms. Zhang Xinyi from Changsha City was recently arrested and sent to the Shifeng Police Department in Zhuzhou City. Currently she is being detained in the Zhuzhou Second Detention Center.

Ms. Zhang Xinyi, about 50 years old, was protected by the UN Refugee Agency. In August 2002, she was taken back to China by the Chinese government. Simply because she insisted on practicing Falun Gong, she was sentenced to three years in prison and was detained in the Hunan Women's Prison. In April 2008, she was released.

At about 5 p.m. on July 18, 2009, officers from the Xindu District 610 Office and National Security Team from the Dafeng Town Police Station went to the home of Ms. Ye Suhua at Gaodui Village, Dafeng Town. They took away a computer, a printer, a CD burner and other property. They arrested Ms. Ye Suhua and Ms. Luo Shurong. Their whereabouts are unknown.

On the night of July 17, 2009, Ms. Ding Honglian was taken away from her home by National Security agents. The agents also took away her laptop and some personal property. Right now she is being detained in the Xicheng Detention Center.

Mr. Li Shitou is a teacher at the Hebei Industrial University. On July 24, 2009, when he went to visit a friend, he was arrested by the police who were monitoring his friend's home. Without informing his family, the police directly sent him to the Fifth Division of Shijiazhuang Forced Labor Camp for a two-year term. Now he has been persecuted in a small cell for over two months.

As early as 2000, Mr. Li Shitou was detained at the Shuangkou Forced Labor Camp in Tianjin City, where he was tortured in both body and mind. In 2004, he was transferred to the Jianxin Forced Labor Camp in Tianjin.

Li Aiguo, Head of the Shijiazhuang Forced Labor Camp: 86-311-87707238, 86-311-87796666-65871, 86-13930122751, 86-311-87786216
Wang Shangjun, Director the 610 Office: 86-13930101000

At 3 p.m. on July 18, 2009, Ms. Guo Lirong went to work. She was arrested by police who were waiting at the work unit's entrance.

On May 28, 2009, Ms. Peng Jufen was arrested by police from the 610 Office of the Nanjiao Police Department while she was clarifying the truth in a southern suburb of Datong City. She is being detained in the detention center in the mine area. Right now she is on a hunger strike.

On the morning of June 29, 2009, Wu Huili, Chief of the Linying County National Security Team, led police to arrest Mr. Wang Jianwei. When they arrived at his home, they did not see him, so they went to the Linying Bus Station and arrested Mr. Wang. Without any legal procedure, Mr. Wang was sent to the Xuchang Forced Labor Camp for an 18-month term. The camp refused to accept him because of his physical condition. Now Mr. Wang has gone home.

Wu Huili, Chief of the Linying County National Security Team: 86-13839583826, 86-395-8880738

Dou Jianli, Director of the Linying 610 Office: 86-13703858111

Song Xuedi, Associate Director of the Linying 610 Office: 86-13569673266

At 6 p.m. on July 14, 2009, Mr. Li and his wife from Zhucang Township, Linmu County were taken from their home to the Linmu Detention Center. Their whereabouts are still unknown. .

At 5 a.m. on July 19, 2009, Yu Xiaoqiang, Chief of the Huadian National Security Team, Yang Baolin, Director of the 610 Office, along with other policemen, went to knock the door to Ms. Mao Chun's home. Ms. Mao refused to open the door. The police climbed onto the balcony using a ladder, smashed the window and entered the room. They forcibly took away Ms. Mao and her husband. At the same time, Ms. Zhao Haiying was arrested and her home was ransacked. Mr. Wang Song was also taken away from his home and his home was ransacked.

Yang Baolin, Director of the Huadian 610 Office: 86-432-6220610, 86-13704348883, 86-432-6278191
Yu Xiaoqiang, Chief of the Huadian National Security Team: 86-13804448080, 86-432-6229190, 86-13704446200

On the afternoon of July 15, 2009, Ms. Jiang Huachun and Ms. Jiang Zhihui from Xinbin County were arrested by the Xinbin Police Station because they distributed fliers about Falun Gong. Their homes were also ransacked. The police took away Dafa books, a mini DVD player, 5000 yuan in cash and other property. Right now they are being detained in the Xinbin Detention Center.

Xinbin Police Station: 86-413-5022891
Wang Haiwei, Chief of the police station; Zhang Yun, Associate Chief of the police station
Xinbin Detention Center: 86-413-5026516

On July 12, 2009, Ms. Li Chunfang, Ms. Yang Bihua and another practitioner were reported on and arrested while they were talking to people about Falun Gong. Now they are being held in a detention center.

Mr. Zhang Deming from Xiaoying, Baigou Town, Baoding City was sentenced to six years in prison. On July 1, 2009, he was sent to the Jidong Prison. The prison refused to accept him due to his physical condition. When his health got better, he was sent to the Jidong Prison again on July 15, 2009.

Ma Yan and other policemen from the Xintai National Security Team went to Dongdu and arrested Mr. Wu Jizhou. He was taken to the Beishi Detention Center.

Several days ago, Ms. Zheng Shuqiong was arrested and her home was ransacked. Now she is being detained in the Zhongshan Police Station.

On July 20, 2009, the Qianan legal departments opened a session again Ms. Li Yankui, Mr. Li Qingsong, Ms. Cui Qingru, Mr. Zhao Minghua and Mr. Zhang Hewen.

Ms. Yin Youlian, 32 years old, is an employee of the Echeng Steel Company of Wuhan Steel Group. In January 2009, she was sentenced to 15 months in a forced labor camp.

On January 11, 2009, Ms. Yin Youlian and two other practitioners distributed truth-clarifying materials at the Changgang Farm in Echeng District, Ezhou City and advised others to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. At 1 p.m., Chen Zhiqiang and other policemen from the Changgang Farm Police Station arrested them. On January 12, 2009, they were sentenced to 15 months in a forced labor camp.

Ms. Zhang Mingfang was born in April 1980. On April 24, 2008, she was arrested by the Wolong District Police Department in Nanyang City and was detained in the Nanyang Police Dog Training Base. She was handcuffed and shackled for two days and two nights, and not allowed to sleep. Later on, she was sent to the Nanyang First Detention Center. After being detained for one month, she was released on bail. She is still under surveillance.

Mr. Zhang Anjie was born in February 1951. On December 24, 1999, he went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Dafa. He was detained in the Nanyang Oil Field Police Department for 10 days. Later on, he was fired from his post.

On February 22, 2001, Mr. Zhang Anjie was arrested by the Nanyang Oil Field 610 Office. He was sent to a "transformation study class" in the oil field school and was detained there for 99 days. He was released on May 3, 2001.

On the afternoon of July 16, 2009, Mr. Li Guoqing was studying the Fa with four or five other practitioners at his home. Several policemen rushed in his home and took the practitioners to the Beiyuan Police Station. Currently, it is only known that the arrested practitioners also include Ms. Feng Qingdong and Ms. Xin (67 years old). Other practitioners' situations are unknown.

On the afternoon of July 17, 2009, Ms. Yang Haishan and Ms. He Wenping were arrested at work by the Huangchaling Police Station in Hengyang City. Mr. Yang Liangkun, Ms. Yang Haishan's father, was taken away from his home. The police also took away a computer and Dafa books from his home. Right now the three practitioners are being detained in the Baishazhou Detention Center in Hengyang City.

(Clearwisdom.net) A "Solemn Declaration" is a person's public statement 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. These statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wish to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Now, they hereby declare their intention to resume practicing Falun Dafa.

Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:

• Dafa Practitioners' Solemn Statements [6/12/2009]
• Solemn Declarations by Young Dafa Practitioners [4/11/2009]

Please click here for more Solemn Declarations

(Clearwisdom.net) Here is a story about Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. Qianlong once traveled incognito to the lower Yangtze valley. One day, he stood on a hill with an eminent Buddhist monk, and overlooked the numerous rowboats on the river heading south or north. Emperor Qianlong suddenly asked the monk, "How many boats are there on the river?" The monk thought about it for a moment, and replied, "Only two boats." "Why two boats?" Qianlong asked. The eminent monk responded, "One is called fame. The other one is called personal gain."

Emperor Qianlong might have wanted to challenge the monk with such a difficult question. However, the monk was a cultivator with supreme wisdom. He was not perplexed. Instead he ingeniously revealed the most essential issue in the human world - fame and gain. He hinted to Qianlong that every day people were lost in fame and fortune, including the emperor. As a cultivator, the monk took the fame and gain lightly. He had a clear understanding of everyday society, and was able to respond brilliantly.

Dafa practitioners cultivate in ordinary society. We are different from cultivators in the past who had to become monks or nuns. We do not distance ourselves from everyday society. In other words, we are surrounded by fame, gain and emotion every day. However, we have to gradually let go of the attachments to fame, gain and emotion until they are completely abandoned. It is not easy. That's why we are able to cultivate solidly, and improve rapidly. As Dafa practitioners, we should not be moved by ordinary society even though we live in the ordinary world. Our minds shall not be moved by emotion. Of course, it is easier said than done. Without a heart-wrenching, agonizing process of removing attachments, without such a painful process, how can we possibly break away from the human shell that has formed over thousands of years? It's not possible!

In the last moment of cultivation, I've noticed that many practitioners are still attached to fame, gain and emotion and cannot pull themselves out. Some tenaciously cling to human attachments and human notions. Some are busy buying houses, cars, and expensive furniture and electronics. They regard the illusions in the human world as something real. Some work hard to accumulate wealth for their children and grandchildren, to fulfill their obligations and hope to be taken care of when getting old. In one word, they do not want to let go of their human attachments. They even find excuses for themselves with Master's Fa, claiming to maximally conform to the ways of everyday people's society.

Well, looking inside, I am also like that, to various degrees at various times. As cultivators, when we calm down, we all know that nothing in the human world can be taken to the heaven. We all understand that we can only reach Consummation after we have abandoned all of our attachments and none of them remain. We all understand that everything we acquire postnatally that is not of our original nature must be removed before we can return to the heavenly kingdom. However, we get lost when we are back to the reality of everyday life. We become confused, get carried away, or even knowingly commit wrongdoings.

The cultivation of Dafa practitioners during the Fa-rectification period is different from any cultivation form in history. In the past, if one could not cultivate to Consummation in one lifetime, he would continue to cultivate in his next lifetime. Dafa practitioners have only this lifetime to cultivate. The Fa-rectification is moving forward rapidly, and there is little time and opportunity left for us. Every minute or second wasted is an irresponsibility and a crime committed to sentient beings.

Take measure of ourselves: how many human attachments and notions remain in us? How well have we fulfilled our prehistoric vows? What is the level of our xinxing (character)? How far are we away from the standard of Consummation? The answers can be quite astonishing to many of us, including myself.

My dear fellow practitioners, fame, gain, and emotion have been imposed on us in the thousands of years of reincarnation after we have descended to the three realms. They are substances for human beings. They do not belong to us, as we are Dafa disciples on the path to the divine. They are the biggest obstacles on our path to return to our true selves. We can only return after we eliminate them. Master teaches us,

"Fame, gain, emotion--cultivate each away,
And ascend to the Firmament at Consummation,
See the human world with eyes of compassion,
Then are you freed from the spell of delusion."

("Success at Consummation" in Hong Yin)

July 10, 2009

(Clearwisdom.net) I am a seventy-five year old Dafa practitioner who began the practice on October 8, 1997. Prior to the practice I had many illnesses: heart problems, hypertension, and lower back and leg pain.

When I first began to do the sitting meditation, my legs were always held up high. I would sweat profusely from the pain. I treated the practice as, "Let joy be found in hardship." (Hong Yin) A year later, I was able to sit in the lotus position and remain in it for an hour. I could feel that Master was purifying my body. I vomited repeatedly, and I felt healthy after my body was purified. I am grateful that Master has given me a second life, which I will use to help Master to rectify the Fa.

In 2001, a fellow practitioner handed me a hundred copies of truth clarification materials that explained the goodness of Falun Gong and exposed the persecution by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). I distributed them to people, and they were glad to accept them and were thankful. Master told us,

"Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy..." ("Rationality" from Essentials for Further Advancement II)

From that moment on, I made up my mind that I would not depend on others to offer more people salvation. If I got Dafa materials from others, I used them; if I did not have the materials, I would make them. I got some old posters, cut them into small postcards and wrote the following sentences on them: "Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good; the world needs Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance; and the Tiananmen Self-immolation Incident is a hoax." I posted them every night.

Master once told us,

"The only thing you have a role in is saving people," ("Teaching the Fa in the City of Chicago," 2005)

I listened to Master and insisted on carrying out this task every day, regardless of the conditions. I could walk on the icy wintry roads during the snow, ride my tricycle in the rain and still felt endless energy. I did not find it hard to do. I sewed additional pockets into my clothes to hold more Dafa materials. I would occasionally go out four or five times a night to distribute The Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party.

I would do anything and think of all the possible approaches at my disposal, to offer people salvation. When I went shopping during the day, I would pay with currency on which I had written a positive statement about Falun Gong. I offered each visitor I encountered salvation. I told them of the goodness of Falun Gong, the worldwide spread of Dafa, and quitting the CCP.

I made use of any opportunity to offer people salvation. Other practitioners quipped that I might have handed out a truck-load of Dafa materials. I smiled and felt that I could do more, and I was still far from what Master requires of a Dafa practitioner.

From time to time during my cultivation and Fa-rectification process, I have experienced the power of Dafa and Master's protection. I have had my tricycle since 1997 and treated it as an important instrument to verify the Fa. Due to frequent use and a lack of maintenance, the parts that connect the trunk and wheels rusted, became lose and made noise when I was driving. One day, I discovered that the screws on both sides had fallen out, but the trunk still remained connected. I was moved and realized that Master had kept the tricycle in one piece for me, to complete the Dafa work.

Occasionally I fell off the tricycle, especially on a rainy day, but remained unhurt. For the years of cultivation when I did something good for Dafa, I would receive Master's encouragement. For example, words would jump off the book when I read Zhuan Falun. I held no attachment of joy or showing off, and continued doing the three things as a Dafa practitioner in the process of Fa- rectification.

Sometimes I failed to control my attachments and let the old forces take advantage of me, and developed illness symptoms. I would suddenly suffer leg pain when I was outside for Fa-validation or visited a Dafa practitioner. I could not ride the tricycle. I ended up walking several hours to get home. I knew then that I had a problem. During face-to-face truth clarification, someone did not listen to me or would not accept the facts. Nevertheless, I remembered that a Dafa disciple should look inward and discover the attachment. I studied the Fa and sent righteous thoughts to deny the old forces' arrangements. The leg pain disappeared and I was back to normal after I rested for a while. I was not afraid when the symptoms recurred. I firmly believed in Master and Dafa, and had Dafa to control my thoughts. I persisted in doing the "three things", regardless of any interference that I encountered.

Master has confirmed the importance of distributing Dafa materials to offer more people salvation, and I should not fall behind. Thinking about Master's great expectations for us, I will continue to do this until the Fa-rectification is complete.

Due to Master's great compassion and protection, while in my 70's, I am still full of energy and can do almost everything. I have spent the most meaningful life with Dafa, will not let Master down, and save more people. My fellow practitioners: let us cultivate the Fa diligently, and remember our missions to save sentient beings during the process of Fa-rectification.

(Clearwisdom.net) Once I needed to go out of town for a few days on a business trip. Due to some unexpected issues, I had to return after only one day. When I got home, I was stunned--my husband was with another woman.

My husband and the other woman were very nervous and scared. I said, "Don't be afraid. I'm different from others. I practice Falun Gong." My generosity and compassion deeply moved the woman. I told her that a woman should be responsible for herself, and for her family and children. I told her that Falun Dafa is good and that she should quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations in order to save her own life. She finally understood the truth and quit the CCP and its related organizations. I didn't think too much about what I had discovered, even after she left.

Later, I began to look inward. I didn't have any human notions during this whole process, but at this time during Fa-rectification cultivation, why would I encounter an incident like this? Everything in this world is driven by our mentalities, so the old forces must have taken advantage of one of my notions. What was it?

Suddenly I realized that I had an emotion that was very difficult to eliminate. When I was a student, I fell in love with a boy, but we weren't able to become a couple. All these years, I've missed him, and because of this, I've accumulated lots of thought karma. Once, I went to visit one of my former classmates to advise him to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. He mentioned some unfortunate things that had happened to the boy I had loved. This news moved my heart. I began to blame myself and thought that it was my fault and that I owed him a debt. After that, I always thought about finding him to explain things and to reminisce with him. During that time, many things that had happened between us came to my mind. There were so many thoughts about him that they were difficult to eliminate or to subdue, and I was distressed. Over the course of a year, my emotion gradually weakened, but was not completely eliminated.

When I identified this notion, I understood that it was not the real me, that it had been placed in me by the old forces, which wanted to make me to go astray and destroy me. I sent righteous thoughts to eliminate it. Since that moment, I no longer have this notion, nor do I have any thought karma from this tribulation.

I also believe that I should help my husband and the woman. I sent forth righteous thoughts to disintegrate all the unrighteous elements behind them. I talked to my husband and explained that it was not right for him to do something like that. If they couldn't live without each other, I would help them. We could divorce, allowing him to legally marry her. If he wanted to live with me, he could not do such a thing anymore. I left the decision to him, and my husband understood. Now, everything has returned to normal.

Looking inward whenever there is trouble is the key!

(Clearwisdom.net) I am thankful for Teacher's arrangements and the Minghui/Clearwisdom website for providing an opportunity for practitioners to share experiences. Here I would like to share how my cultivation has improved during the last two years.

I was filmed while distributing truth-clarification materials. My company director ordered two colleagues to monitor me closely and threatened that if I still practiced Dafa, I would be forced to go to a brainwashing center.

During those days, I frequently repeated Teacher's poem "What's to Fear":

"Should you have fear,
it will seize upon you
If thoughts are righteous,
evil will collapse
The cultivator's mind
is loaded with Fa
Send righteous thoughts,
and rotten demons explode
Gods walk the earth,
validating the Fa" (Hong Yin Volume II, translation version A)

My righteous thoughts were strong. When they talked to me, I did not allow them to say Teacher's name directly. Only if they added the title Mr., would I allow them to talk to me. They asked me how I could believe in Dafa, being such a refined person. I replied that since I cultivated Falun Gong, I realized that being refined was the result of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

An article from the Minghui website that discussed the importance of sending forth righteous thoughts and eliminating persecution helped me a lot. I reread Teacher's Fa regarding sending forth righteous thoughts. I repeated it again and again. Through reading every day, I gained a real understand of sending forth righteous thoughts.

After that, when I sent righteous thoughts, I could hear a windy "huuuu" sound. Maybe Teacher had already given me a mighty Fa tool. Dafa harmonized everything for me. Even my workplace's strict monitoring could not have an effect on me. Someone recently asked, "In the end, who washed whose brain?"

I was honored by my colleagues and neighbors as being a good, righteous, honest, diligent and fair person. But then one night the tables turned and I was the one blamed and who "needed help." I was not allowed to do any important work. Also, I was threatened that I would negatively influence the future of my husband and children [due to my practicing Dafa]. My family and friends who knew the truth were very worried.

In recollecting my thoughts and actions over the recent weeks, I realized that something was wrong. I had been at my workplace for thirty years. I like people and people like me. If I look down on someone, they say I am so refined. If I hate someone, they never communicate to me that this is incorrect. Is that harmonizing Dafa? Teacher said, "Zhen-Shan-Ren is the sole criterion to discern good and bad people." (Zhuan Falun) As Dafa practitioners, we can only use this standard to judge people. I discovered that once my concept changed, things improved. It felt that everything around me, even the flowers, smiled at me.

One month later, someone brought me a Guarantee Statement and asked me to sign it so that I could continue to work. In the paper, there was wording to the effect, "I will not do anything to threaten our country." I said, "I am a Falun Gong practitioner! Everyone knows I do well on my work projects. But I am not allowed to continue a certain project because I practice Falun Gong. That does not make sense. I will not sign it." They said, "If you sign it, you will be alright." My director said to me seriously, "If you don't sign it, you will deserve whatever happens to you." I replied, "Please remember that I will still cultivate Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. I will still practice Falun Gong even if you put a knife to my throat." He was shocked. Actually, I was surprised too.

I only clarified the truth to a few colleagues before the tribulation. In the end, I always said that I had to bear it patiently. Thus, I was not easily angered. Shouldn't I cultivate Forbearance well?

One day I reviewed Master's "Teaching the Fa in the City of Los Angeles" and noticed a question by a practitioner:

"Disciple asks: Having interacted more with Western practitioners and Taiwanese practitioners, I really feel that the mainland China students who grew up in the wicked Party's culture have been corrupted quite a bit. From our habits of thought to what we say and how we carry ourselves, there is so much that we should search deep within over."

This shocked me quite a bit. I liked the Western practitioners' pure and peaceful heart toward Dafa. I could see the differences between the sharing of Western practitioners and Taiwanese practitioners from that of mainland Chinese practitioners. But I didn't look inside. This disciple's question helped me to check myself. I thought that I had already given up the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) culture. But I hadn't realized that I accepted some of the CCP's culture as natural. I looked inside and realized that I have failed to look inward when I had conflict with others. I blamed others first and looked externally. Sometimes, even when I felt I handled the conflict, I whispered to myself, "I must cultivate now. Otherwise..."

Since then, I added a righteous thought to eliminate the CCP's culture when I send righteous thoughts. After I get rid of those deviant concepts and attachments, I really can do well. "To bear without any hatred or grievances at all is the Ren of a practitioner." ("What is Forbearance (Ren)?" from Essentials for Further Advancement). I look inward to find out how to go forward and get rid of each ordinary thought, and I use the Fa to measure my behavior.

I am clear on the Fa and I am identifying my loopholes. I am responsible to those colleagues who were actually forced to write guarantee statements and join the activities [against Dafa]. This duty made me not complain about them but rather find opportunities to clarify the truth to them.

I understand that clarifying the truth is a good way to deny the evil before the evil arrangement is thoroughly eliminated in mainland China. I should disclose the persecution wherever I am. No matter what kind of environment I am in, I should clarify the truth well. There are so many different ways to clarify the truth. The most important thing to remember is to have righteous actions along with righteous thoughts.

Now, I am not disturbed at all by those with the evil CCP's distorted interpretations that try to argue with me. I am patient with them as I clear up their confusion. I pay attention to them during work and in daily life. There are some to whom I have already clarified the truth, and they have withdrawn from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I continue to share with them my path of cultivation, Dafa's power and expose the CCP's crimes.

I still have lots of attachments that should be gotten rid of. My faith in Dafa is very steadfast. I appreciate Teacher's arrangements and protection.

July 1, 2009

(Clearwisdom.net) Ten years have passed since the persecution of Falun Dafa began on July 20, 1999. When I look back, the events that happened after July 20 are still very clear in my mind. I'd like to share them with you.

The weather on July 20, 1999 was extremely hot and suffocating. I had lost my job not too long before the event. All the television channels were broadcasting lies fabricated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), in order to deceive people. In order to eliminate Falun Gong, the CCP used the media to spread its propaganda and instigate people's hatred toward Falun Gong. Nevertheless, every attempt made by the CCP to persecute Falun Gong eventually helped the spread of Falun Gong.

On the days following July 20^th, local policemen and public security personnel searched practitioners' homes without search warrants, and confiscated Dafa books, videos, and tapes. On July 22, two policemen came to my home. They confiscated a copy of Zhuan Falun, an audiotape of the Guangzhou lecture, and two portraits of Teacher. They searched everywhere in the house, even under the mattress. When they opened the cabinet door of the wall unit in the living room, my daughter, a junior high school student, kicked the door closed and scolded them, "You have no right to search our house!" Startled, the two policemen stopped the search. At the same moment, my phone rang and I picked up the receiver. I heard a voice saying, "Think of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and Falun Gong will prevail." At first I thought that it was a practitioner, so I held the receiver close to my ear so that the policemen standing next to me could not hear the conversation. The voice kept repeating the phrase, but I could not recognize the person. I continued to nod, said "Yes" and asked, "Who are you?" I heard the reply clearly, "Me - ? - You - will - never - know - who - I - am -," and kept repeating the phrase "Think of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and Falun Gong will prevail." I agreed, then hung up the phone; the policemen left without a word.

Afterwards, I asked two practitioners who knew my phone number if they had called me. They both said they had not. I knew then that it was Teacher's law body who was protecting me.

I felt excited and dejected at the same time. I knew that I did not do well and could not even safeguard Dafa books. I was afraid at the moment, but my daughter, who did not practice Falun Gong, stopped the illegal acts by the policemen. I felt very ashamed that I did not protect Dafa with righteousness, and tolerated their ruthless behavior. I was so naive to think that if they got what they wanted they would stop bothering us. For several days, I kept thinking about Teacher's words, and was disgusted with myself for not doing well. I also knew that Teacher tried to encourage me. Even if I fell, I would never give up practicing Falun Gong. Teacher said "No one knows who I am." ("Touring North America To Teach the Fa") This is true. Even if we consummate, it would be at the level of our fruit status. We could never reach Teacher's level, because this Fa is created by Teacher.

Later on, I was taken to the brainwashing center, and later became homeless to avoid further persecution. In April 2003, I was illegally arrested by the police and sentenced to three years in prison. None of this made me give up cultivation or change my belief in Dafa. Although I have fallen many times--sometimes I did well, and other times I did poorly--yet I still firmly believe that Falun Dafa is the most righteous Fa in the universe. It all depends on whether or not one can do it. One gains according to however much one cultivates.

Since my release from prison in 2006, I have worked here and there, diligently doing the three things that are required of practitioners. Even though I have encountered many hardships and xinxing conflicts, as long as I take the Fa as Teacher, there is no obstacle or mountain that I cannot overcome on the road of Fa-rectification. That is why I'm sharing my experience, to encourage fellow practitioners.

July 22, 2009

(Clearwisdom.net) I started to learn Falun Dafa before July 20, 1999 when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) started persecuting Falun Gong. However, I only had a basic understanding at that time. I felt that it was a good exercise system, as it teaches people to be good and helps people heal illness and get fit. Before I could finish learning the five sets of exercises, the CCP began its brutal persecution of Dafa. I listened to the CCP's lies. My elder sister continued her practice despite the persecution. She advised me several times to take up practicing Dafa again, but I refused to listen to her and struggled on amidst the mud of the human world.

In 2007, I felt that Master had not given up on me, but instead had hinted to me that I should come back to Dafa. One day, I went with a fellow villager Xiufang ( pseudonym) to a temple to worship some "god" to heal our illnesses. On our way home, all of sudden I had a thought in my mind, "Only Dafa can save us." At that moment, I had a strong thought that I would practice Falun Dafa again. We went straight to a practitioner's home and asked her to teach us the exercises.

From that day on, Xiufang and I did the exercises whenever we had time. Shortly after that we joined a nearby Fa-study group. We often studied the Fa, shared experiences, and did the exercises together with the practitioners there. I increasingly realized the wonderful and miraculous nature of Dafa. All of my illnesses were gone without my even noticing when they disappeared.

Through studying the Fa every day and reading Minghui Weekly often, I realized that self-cultivation needs to be connected with Fa validation. Assisting Teacher to rectify the Fa and saving sentient beings are the sacred mission and responsibility of Dafa disciples. So we started clarifying the truth about Falun Gong, and tried to do the three things well. We first clarified the truth to our neighbors and relatives, then gradually we talked to strangers. We adjusted our truth-clarification to the level that the listener could understand and talked from the angle that he was interested in. Gradually, we did truth-clarification more and more smoothly, and people were more and more receptive to us.

To help more people in our village practice cultivation, we thought of many ways and tried very hard. After more than a year's effort, there are 17 people in our village practicing Falun Dafa now. We have established a Fa-study group in our village and get together once or twice a week to study the Fa, do the exercises, and share our experiences and understanding, so that we can improve as one body. Though they are new practitioners, they have very good xinxing. Not only do they study the Fa and do the exercises every day and look inward whenever there is a tribulation, but they are also willing to go out to clarify the truth and validate the Fa.

(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.

Two officials at the Ganjinzi District Procuratorate in Dalian City have recently suffered from leukemia. In this institute with only about one hundred employees, two people have leukemia. Diseases run really high and the workers there experience anxiety. Some people do not even dare to dye their hair as they are afraid of getting leukemia.

One official said that wickedness does not altogether go unrequited; while another one said that it is strange that someone has so many car accidents.

Since the CCP started to suppress Falun Gong, officials from the Ganjinzi Security Department, the Domestic Security, the 610 Office and government officials from the Ganjinzi Court, and Dalian City Politics and Law Committee, collaborated with each other and sentenced many Falun Gong practitioners to prison, some were even sentenced for many years.

As the officials at the Ganjinzi Procuratorate don't pay much attention to executing the law seriously and turn a blind eye to the persecution of Falun Gong, the officials from the Ganjinzi Security Department, Domestic Security, persecute Falun Gong very cruelly.

According to an official, they have lots of means to learn the truth about Falun Gong and many of them have learned the benefits of quitting the CCP, but they just don't care.

On October 25, 2006, Zhao Zhenjin, the political head at the Dalian Huanghai Road Police Station, quarreled with his wife and died of a heat attack in his office at age 55. The Communist regime fooled people by saying that he died while on duty and posthumously admitted him as a "first class model hero."

Fang Yonggang, professor at the Dalian Naval Vessels Institute, libeled Falun Gong whenever he made a speech in order to gain some benefits. In the end, he died of colon cancer. During the last period of his life, he was struggling with huge pain. The regime awarded him with many honor titles such as "national moral model," "character touching the whole nation" and more. Fang Yonggang often appeared on CCTV, but died from cancer at age 45.

(Clearwisdom.net) The Tang Dynasty is considered a golden age in Chinese history, a time when China was the largest and strongest nation in the world. The apex of the Tang Dynasty refers to the time between the "Reign of Zhen Guan" (i.e., the reign of Emperor Taizong of Tang) and the "Reign of Kai Yuan" (i.e. the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.) During this period, China enjoyed a moral political system and flourished in all aspects including the economy, society, as well as literature and the arts.

Why was this so? It was because Emperor Taizong of Tang and his successors had caring and loving hearts for the people. They appointed virtuous and capable people to important positions, and were able to accept suggestions and even criticism from their appointees. Although supreme as an emperor, Taizong was humble, respectful, and tolerant. He even appointed those who had opposed him to important positions. Taizong had always been diligent and had lofty goals. Thus, he was not only the founder of the Tang Dynasty, but also a role model for future emperors.

The unique character of Tang can be summarized as "having an open and broad mind, combining the very best of all." It is precisely this spirit that forged this culturally diverse and splendid period in Chinese history.

"The Complete Tang Poems," compiled during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty, is a collection of more than 48,000 poems written by over 2,200 poets. The number of accomplished poets and the diversity of their poetry was a shining star in the history of Chinese literature. The poems written during the Tang Dynasty were not only great in number, but were also high in artistic value.

The opening piece of "The Complete Tang Poems" was Taizong's ten poems of "The Imperial Capital." "My heart rose with the sun in clear sky; my aspiration as pure as the autumn chrysanthemum." (From "Re-visiting the Battlefield where I Defeated Xue Ju") Xue Ju was a warlord at the end of the Sui Dynasty. These pieces had an imposing spirit, which allowed the readers to experience the author's lofty realm and high ambitions.

The ensuing poems by the officials in Taizong's royal court also manifested open and broad vision. For example, high-ranking official Yang Shidao wrote in his poem "Waiting to See His Majesty in Early Autumn:" "In the clean air and clear sky, I felt my mind was broadened while reciting a poem." The upright, pure, and simple character of poems during the Reign of Zhen Guan had quite an impact on future generations.

The golden time of the Tang Dynasty produced countless renowned poets: "God of Poetry" Li Bai, "Saint of Poetry" Du Fu, Meng Haoran and Wang Wei who were both famous for poems describing natural scenery, Gao Shi and Cen Shen whose poems were mostly about life in border areas, "the Poetry of Confucius" Wang Changling, and so on. In the later years, Bai Juyi was typical of many poets in the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty. Their poems are profound, imposing, and far-reaching; they transcend the mundane and embody the spirit of the Tang Dynasty. "(My heart is so) inspired by lofty aspirations, as if we were about to fly to the blue sky to pluck the moon." This poem, written by Li Bai, is just one example of their skill with words.

In addition to poetry, Tang style essays, novels, and tales of marvels also reached a very high artistic level. Scholars of the Tang Dynasty wrote about people's lives and exposed the dark side of society, demonstrated acute insight, courage, sense of responsibility, great foresight, and broad vision. Between the lines we are able to see their high ambition of "saving the multitudes of people, and maintaining the peace and prosperity of society."

Taizong paid great attention to calligraphy. He established Hongwen Palace and appointed renowned calligraphers to teach students. He issued an order that all officials whose rank was over the fifth grade must go to Hongwen Palace to study calligraphy. Taizong praised the calligraphy of Wang Xizhi, one of the greatest calligraphers, as "perfect in terms of both virtue and art," and advocated Wang's style of calligraphy. Calligraphy was thus on an orthodox path. Under the influence of Taizong, the later emperors such as Gaozong and Zhongzong also loved and advocated good calligraphy. As a result, calligraphy reached its peak during the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty also produced the largest number of calligraphers among all of the dynasties. For example, Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, Yan Zhenqing, and Liu Gongquan just to name a few. Their works still serve as prime examples for calligraphy lovers to emulate.

The painting circle was very active during the Tang Dynasty, and the range of subjects was broadened like never before.

"A True Portrait of Taizong" and "The Twenty-Four Officials of Great Merit" by painter Yan Liben looked true to life and vividly represented the images and expressions of Taizong and his officials, whose great feats laid the foundation for the prosperity of Tang. Yan was therefore acclaimed "a god-like painter."

Another painter Wu Daozi made over 400 Buddhist and Taoist mural paintings in temples at Chang'an and Luoyang. Each Buddhist and Taoist figure was different from the other; moreover, his paintings fully displayed the mighty dignity of Buddhas and deities, and the splendor of paradises. He was able to finish a painting with one flourish of the brush, and his paintings awed the entire Chang'an city.

Later generations respected him as the "Saint of Painting" and described his work as follows: "Waving the brush as a swirl of wind, as if a god is helping him." Painters and sculptors worshipped him as the "Founding Master." He was and remains quite influential.

Mural painting and sculpture also made great progress during the Tang Dynasty. They had outstanding composition and rich colors, sumptuous yet elegant, bright yet calm. They were truly magnificent and graceful. For example, "The Western Pure Land," one of the paintings in the Mogao Caves of Dunhuang, displayed the magnificent scene of a heavenly paradise with a multitude of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and sentient beings, each with a radiant look and vivid expression; it is truly awe-inspiring and enchanting.

Tang era music and dance used the best movements of previous generations, and adopted the best from the many minorities as well as foreign nationalities in the west. The music and dance are a true reflection of a peaceful and prosperous society with hundreds of nations and a variety of nationalities in perfect harmony.

Tang music and dance are grand and magnificent. Poetry and prose are compiled into songs and odes; the instruments were very diverse including the zither, Chinese harp, and drums; the dances were graceful and smooth; the costumes were colorful and diverse. Among the Tang music and dance there was "Qingshang Music," which included traditional music starting from as far back as the Han Dynasty; there was also "Northwest Land Music" and "Goryeo Music," which were named after the places they originated. The original pieces compiled during the Tang Dynasty were a combination of music, dance, and poetry, often in the form of large-scale, multi-section presentations. One of the most famous productions created during the Tang Dynasty was "Li Shimin Defeating Liu Wuzhou," a grand and majestic showcase of music and dance that described and praised Taizong's virtuous feat of eliminating a vicious enemy, unifying the nation, and bringing peace to the people. The music became very popular, and was even widely spread in countries outside of China.

Tang Dynasty is a period when Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism continued to develop to their peak in popularity. The teachings of these three schools helped to regulate people's ideology and conduct, and permeated all aspects of society. As a result, the entire society was able to maintain a high moral standard. The Tang Dynasty thus reached a glorious level.

Taizong not only respected Confucianism, but also supported Taoism and Buddhism. During the Tang Dynasty, there was a complete system of worshipping heaven and earth, as well as worshiping deities. People respected heaven and believed in God. Scholars respected Taoism and promoted virtuous conduct, taking the well-being of the people and prosperity of society as their responsibility. Confucianism teaches peoples: "A Benevolent Person Loves Others;" the Taoist school teaches "Enlighten to Tao and Validate the Truth;" the Buddhist school teaches "Offering salvation with Compassion." These orthodox beliefs helped people understand the doctrines of life, so as to maintain their pure and benevolent nature. People of that time strived to seek truth and firmly maintain a virtuous heart.

Taizong issued an order to have some scholars compile the book "Five Classics of Confucianism," which became the standard textbook for students to study in preparation for the imperial examination. It remained a standard textbook for later generations as well. Confucianism then became the basic principles to discipline people's minds and conduct.

Taoist teaching was also widely promoted during the Tang Dynasty. Many scholars, such as He Zhizhang and Li Bai, sought the Tao. In fine arts, there was a special study dedicated to Taoist and Buddhist figures. Musicians compiled grand Taoist music pieces. The renowned Chinese Medicine doctor Sun Simiao was a Taoist cultivator whose lifetime endeavor was the cultivation of Tao and providing medical treatment for people. He saved the lives of countless people. Later generations worshipped him as "Taoist True Man Sun" and "the King of Medicine."

The Buddhist doctrine was also widely promoted. Large numbers of Buddhist scriptures were being translated and spread during this time. People believed in Buddha Dharma, and believed in karmic relationships. They cultivated the heart and strived to be compassionate. Society was in great peace and people's minds were pure and kind.

Accomplished monk Xuanzang, with his compassionate heart for all, was determined to go to India to obtain some Buddhist scriptures. He spent 17 years making a long and arduous journey to India and back, and returned with 657 scriptures. Upon his return, he translated all of the scriptures into Chinese at Ci'en Temple in Chang'an. Taizong greatly acclaimed the monk's feat and gave him tremendous support. Moreover, Taizong personally wrote the foreword for Xuanzang's translation collections. It began with an exposition on heaven and earth, yin and yang, transformation of the four seasons, the visible and the intangible, macroscopic and microscopic, then transitioned to the power of Buddhist teachings, and praised the incredible feat of seeking the Buddhist scriptures. The foreword was majestic in its momentum, yet elegant in its literary style.

Taizong proposed and adopted a friendly foreign policy: "Gently Embracing Thousands of Nations." The Reign of Zhen Guan was greatly admired by neighboring countries; over 300 countries and tribes regularly sent diplomatic envoys to China. The royal Tang court therefore set up numerous organizations to host foreign visitors and take care of bilateral relationships. Many countries in Asia and Africa sent envoys to China. Other countries adopted many of the policies of the Tang Dynasty. Among those who went to the capital Chang'an from abroad to learn from Tang culture were members of royal families, envoys, students, artists, and monks. Chang'an became the largest international capital of the world at that time. The Guozijian (Central Academy of Feudalist China) was the most acclaimed academy in the world. Japan had sent only 19 groups of envoys to China, totaling over 5,000 people. Students from overseas were admitted to Tang's highest educational institution Guozijian. After several years of study, the students might stay to work in an official capacity in China, or go back to their home countries to spread Han culture to their countrymen. Monks from other countries resided in temples, and worked hard to study the Buddhist scriptures. Some countries invited accomplished persons in China to teach in their countries. For example, Monk Jianzhen went to Japan six times, bringing Buddha statues and Buddhist scriptures to Japan and promoting Buddhism as well as Tang culture to Japan. He thereby made a significant contribution to the cultural exchange between Japan and China.

The Tang culture has glorious achievements that will shine forever in China's civilization. It has also become a treasure for the entire world with its profound substance and great influence on neighboring countries. It is a most splendid scroll in the annals of history. It will forever remain Chinese people's pride and glory. The prosperous, heaven-like kingdom and Taizong's upright, benevolent, and broad heart will never fade from people's memories.

In today's China, the Chinese communist party has distorted traditional moral values and traditional culture. The "Party Culture" has infiltrated people's minds and is characterized by "deceit, evil, and violence," thus taking people to a dangerous state of complete moral collapse.

There is a way out. Those who firmly believe in truth and uphold moral values and justice, are the hope of our nation.

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Jul. 27

• Ms. Shen Yueping Dies As a Result of Abuse in Prison

Ms. Shen Yueping passed away on July 16, 2009, one month after she was released when she was dying.

Jul. 28

• Teacher in Her 50s Arrested Again after Years of Humiliation and Torture (Photos)

Ms. Li Xiuzhen has been arrested nineteen times since July 1999. She was sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment and force labor, cruelly force-fed over 600 times, tortured and humiliated with over a dozen of different methods. The photos indicate several of tortures.

Jul. 29

• Mr. Fan Yichang Dies in Da'an City Detention Center in Jilin Province

Mr. Fan Yichang, 69, died on July 22, 2009, and his body was cremated against his family's will.

• Autopsy Shows Mr. Lu Zhen Suffered Severe Physical Trauma Prior to Death (Photo)

Mr. Lu Zhen was healthy prior to his imprisonment with no prior record of heart disease, the 'official' cause of death.

Jul. 30

• Mr. Li Rushan Abducted by Township Police in Lingyuan City, Liaoning Province

Over 30 police officers abducted Mr. Li Rushan at his home and tore his family.

• Hebei Province Women's Forced Labor Camp Holds Falun Gong Practitioners Beyond Their Terms

Family members are not informed until after traveling to the camp.

Jul. 31

• Additional Details of Mr. Yang Guiquan's Death While in Custody in Fuxin City (Photo)

Mr. Yang was force-fed after beginning a hunger strike.

Aug. 1

• Mr. Zhu Hongbin Dies Six Months after Being Injected With an Unknown Drug in Daqing Prison (Photo)

When Mr. Zhu was released from the prison on December 29, 2008, he was too weak to walk out of the prison by himself, but the guards wouldn't let his family inside the prison. An inmate who was also just released put Mr. Zhu on his back and carried him out of the prison. Mr. Zhu died six months after his release.

• Three Falun Gong Practitioners in Wuhan Secretly Given Harsh Sentences

When a defense attorney submitted evidence of fabricated evidence being used against his client, the CCP simply suspended the license of the defense lawyer.

• Court Hides Time and Location of Trial

Yet another highly illegal mock 'trial' of Falun Gong practitioners in Jiamusi City.

Aug. 2

• Shanghai World Expo - Another Pretext to Escalate the Persecution

One year before the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, the head of the CCP's judiciary system claimed to "open a People's War for the security of the World Expo" and crackdown on any perceived or potential dissents.

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.