Mr. Cao Yuqiang
Facts of the Persecution
People's Hearts Determine Their Future
Open Forum
Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences
News and Activities from Around the World
News from China
Scientific Findings
(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Li Haiyan was a Falun Dafa practitioner from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous District. Because she was a determined Falun Dafa practitioner who clarified the truth to people, she was arrested and tortured several times. She contracted tuberculosis during her incarceration. She was released on medical parole in September 2004, and she died at 4 AM on January 13, 2005.
Ms. Li Haiyan was 30 years old, and a Falun Dafa practitioner from Dayangshu Town, Elunchun Autonomous Flag, Inner-Mongolia Autonomous District. In November 2000, she was tortured by police from Dayangshu Town, and contracted pleural tuberculosis. She was released in June, 2001 after being extorted nearly 10 thousand yuan. She quickly recovered at home, and all symptoms disappeared.
On May 19, 2002, a Falun Dafa material production center in Dageqi City, Heilongjiang Province was raided and destroyed by police. Ms. Li was arrested there, and was sentenced to thirteen years in the Harbin Women's Prison. She was inhumanly tortured there, and contracted pulmonary tuberculosis. She was released on medical parole on September 2, 2004, and died at 4 AM on January 13, 2005. By 9 AM of the same day, policewoman Zhang Xiling and the neighborhood administration chair hurriedly took her body to be cremated. Four Falun Dafa practitioners were present.
Ms. Li Haiyan's mother, Yu Xiulan was in her sixties, and was also a Falun Dafa practitioner from the same city. She was tortured to death on December 22, 2002, because she practiced Falun Dafa.
Policewoman Zhang Xiling's cell phone number is 86-1390-4708832.
(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Wang Hong and her mother were both Falun Dafa practitioners from Dalian City, Liaoning Province. She died from persecution in September 2002. Prior to this, at the end of November 1999, her mother, Wang Shuhua, died in an accident as she was returning home from visiting her other daughter, also a practitioner, who was detained in a drug rehabilitation center. Xie Yuzhen, Wang Hong's daughter, could not endure the persecution against her family and committed suicide at the end of August 2002.
Ms. Wang Hong, 54 years old, lived on Shidao Street in the Xigang District of Dalian City, Liaoning Province. She suffered from neurasthenia, arthritis and other illnesses. She started practicing Falun Gong in 1994 and her health was quickly restored. She became energetic again. She was taken into custody for going to Beijing to peacefully appeal for Falun Dafa after July 20, 1999, and later released.
Wang Shuhua, Wang Hong's 71-year-old mother, was a practitioner. Her other daughter Wan Yan, also a practitioner, was in custody at the Dalian Drug Rehabilitation Center for going to Beijing to appeal for Falun Dafa. On her way home after visiting Wan Yan, she became distracted and was run over by a train on November 24, 1999
Wu Yingnan and other local police officers arrested Ms. Wang Hong around the Spring Festival in 2001. She was tortured and sent to the Dalian Forced Labor Camp for two years. While she was in the labor camp, she was further tortured. For example, she was forced to bend over with her head held close to her thighs, she was slapped in the face, and she was deprived of sleep. The labor camp meals were so poor that she lost over 33 pounds in less than three months.
She was taken to the Dalian Center Hospital for an examination due to chronic coughing. She was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. The doctor asked the police officers, "How come you brought her in so late? Her lungs are full of holes."
The labor camp authorities sent her home within four hours in order to avoid any responsibility for her. Even in such a circumstance, the police still demanded cash, but her family sternly refused. Ms. Wang Hong passed away on September 1, 2002.
Xie Yuzhen, Ms. Wang Hong's 26-year-old daughter, had been living with her mother, and they supported one another. Her mother's impending death and the thought of being alone in the future, in addition to the harassment and intimidation from various officials, finally drove her to the edge. She committed suicide seven days before her mother passed away. These are indeed the most tragic events of our times!
December 18, 2004
(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of December 27, 2004, agents of the 610 Office in Xiamen City, Fujian Province and local police officers arrested many Falun Dafa practitioners and tortured a senior female practitioner to death.
Around 9:00 p.m., under orders from the 610 Office, the directors of the district police departments in Huli, Siming, Xiangan and other districts, personally led seven groups of police officers, totaling several hundred, and arrested several dozen practitioners in Xiamen City. They also confiscated practitioners' Falun Dafa books and truth-clarification materials, home computers, printers and recording machines. The police injured many practitioners when they seized them. A 60-year-old female practitioner, whose last name was Gu, was tortured to death that night; the details are still being investigated. The arrests went on for three days. Since Jiang's regime began the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999, this was the 610 Office's largest mass arrest in Xiamen City.
So far, we have confirmed that the following practitioners are detained at the No. 1 Detention Center in Xiamen City:
Ms. Ye Mi, approximately 40 years old, a teacher at Xiamen University
Mr. Wu Shengxian, in his twenties, a student at Xiamen University
Mr. Chen Ronghui, age 30
(Clearwisdom.net) My name is Zhou Meilin. Shortly after starting practicing Falun Dafa in 1997, the health problems that had plagued me for more than ten years, such as rhinitis, pharyngitis, acne, and even my gynecological problems all disappeared. My outlook and moral values also improved. In July 1999, however, Jiang's regime started the persecution of Falun Dafa and it's followers. Being practitioners, our whole family suffered from the persecution. The following are our stories.
Jailed and Brainwashed for Appealing for Falun Gong
On July 20, 1999, after hearing that many assistance center coordinators had been arrested, my husband, our child and I went to the provincial government to appeal for an end to the persecution. Across from the Provincial Government Building, anti-riot police officers wearing helmets and security vests, and holding electric batons forced all the Falun Gong practitioners who had come to appeal onto several waiting buses. We were dropped off on the outskirts of the city and were left stranded there. Since the provincial government could not solve our problem, my husband and I and some other practitioners decided to go to Beijing. On the way there, plainclothes police on the train abducted us. We were detained and sent back to Zhuhai City.
After our return, my husband and I were illegally sent to brainwashing centers at our respective workplaces for three weeks. This situation forced us to be separated from our preschool-aged daughter, and she had to stay with a colleague of mine. My husband had a well-paying job working as an interpreter for the government in Macao, but since he practiced Falun Dafa, his employer confiscated his two Public Affairs passports and he was not allowed to go to Macao any longer. Before the persecution, I was in charge of my company's sales accounts, but now I was deprived of that job, and the 610 Office required my employer to keep me under surveillance.
Out of fear, my boss complied with their requirements. In the end, he said to me, "I have no problem with your abilities and work ethic, but because you can't be here all the time, our work is affected. I had to give your job to somebody else."
In December 1999, I decided to go to Beijing to tell the whole world that "Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good, and that Falun Dafa is good." When I got to Beijing, I found that the police were guarding the gate of the National Appeals Bureau. Practitioners who attempted to enter were immediately arrested and taken away in a police car, so I decided to go to Tiananmen Square to do the exercises instead. On December 28, as soon as we started to do the exercises, we were arrested by police and detained at the Tiananmen Square Police Station. I was sent back to my hometown and detained in the Zhuhai City Number 2 Detention Center, charged with "disrupting the social order."
While I was illegally detained, I did the exercises. Because of this, I was tied to the "Death Bed" for more than 78 hours by a female guard named Wang Ying. I could not breathe and I felt sick. My arms were not long enough and they were forcibly pulled until my tendons were injured. I lost bladder and bowel control, and I developed a rash on my backside. It was itchy and the skin was peeling off. For six months, I could not use my right arm at all. My fellow practitioners Chen Yanjuan, Li Bantian, Chen Li, and Ouyang Jian also underwent this torture.
In February 2000, two practitioners went to stay in a dormitory operated by my husband's company. One practitioner went out to practice and was arrested. Officials from the Zhuhai City Public Security Bureau and the Ningxi Police Station then ransacked my home and took away my computer, software, and stereo etc. When we demanded them back in March 2003, we were told that Falun Gong practitioners don't get their property back.
Eight-Year-Old Daughter Wakes Up to Find Her Parents Missing
In June 2000, I went to a fellow practitioner's home and was abducted by police and taken to the Dognfeng Police Station. For 48 hours, I was not allowed to sleep and they took turns interrogating me. In the meantime, local police from Xiangzhou Public Security Bureau, Dongfeng Police Station, along with the Shishan Neighborhood Office of the Huwan Neighborhood Committee, ransacked my home at 3:00 a.m. in the morning. Criminal officials called my husband and lied to him to get him to come down and open the gate for them. When my husband went down, he realized that they had come to search our home, so he refused to open the door. They took him by force to the Dongfeng Police Station and locked him up behind bars for 10 days, accusing him of "obstructing public affairs."
On the night when the police took my husband and me away, my 8-year-old daughter woke up and found us gone. She was so scared that she went to her school at 6:00 a.m. and waited there for two hours before she went in. Police officer Li Feng from the Dongfeng Police Station tricked my daughter into giving him the key to "clean up my house." They ransacked my home and confiscated our Falun Dafa books and Teacher's pictures. I requested that my friend look after my daughter. They refused me, citing the fact that my friend also practices Falun Gong. Finally, my daughter was put in a neighborhood committee member's home. When the police finally brought my daughter to see me, she didn't believe that she would be allowed to see me. She was mumbling, "I don't believe you." When I picked her up, I could see the dried tracks of her tears on her face. My fellow practitioner and I were both sentenced to 7-15 days. Wang Yulan and Lin Yongxu were sentenced to two years.
Since July 1999, when the persecution began, all my telephone and cell phone conversations were monitored. Every year, around April 25, July 20, and October 1, the so-called sensitive days, we were rounded up and taken to our workplace, or a place designated by the 610 Office to be detained. Around the first anniversary of Macao's handover to China, all Falun Dafa practitioners were rounded up and detained like criminals. During the year 2000, whenever we left home, we were followed, and we were under tremendous pressure. Many of our fellow practitioners were illegally imprisoned. Given no choice, for the well being of our child and in order to do a better job in accomplishing our mission, we left our daughter with my parents.
Husband and Wife Sent to the Forced Labor Camp
On December 17, 2000, the police followed a practitioner who came to visit us. Officers from the Guangzhou City Public Security Bureau broke through our iron gate to abduct us. In addition, the Number 1 Department of the police took away my private belongings, including my computer, cell phone, antiques, appliances, and clothing, which were worth 200,000 yuan. 30,000 yuan in cash was also taken. They said our video camera and camera were to be held for safe keeping by the city's Public Security Bureau. They returned them to us later, but the camera was missing it's lenses and the video camera had no battery charger. There was no documentation at all. I was sent to the Guangzhou City Chatou Forced Labor Camp for two years. Lu Pingyi was sent to the Number 1 Forced Labor Camp in Huadu City, Guangzhou, for three years. In the Guangzhou Huanghua Detention Center, we were forced to labor for about 15 hours a day. Sometimes we had to work through the night. Lu Pingyi continued to read Dafa books, so they put shackles on his feet for more than a week to punish him.
In November 2001, while I was sending forth righteous thoughts at the Chatou Forced Labor Camp, a guard named Hua Shaoxia ordered her subordinate to shackle my hands to the iron window. When we went on a group hunger strike to protest the treatment, we were force fed by Zhang Haiyan and Hua Shaoxia. Inmates watched us around the clock. They sat right in front of me, no more than a meter away. I was locked in a room for a long time. I only had a few minutes in the morning to use the washroom, and 10-15 minutes to take a shower in the evening, amidst the yelling of the people watching me. Every day I was forced to sit on a plastic stool for more than twelve hours and made to watch VCDs that defame Falun Dafa.
In August 2002, Hua Shaoxia, a female guard at the detention center, took a group to the Beijing Forced Labor Camp to learn how to persecute Falun Dafa practitioners. When they came back, they set up several dark rooms and selected a group of cruel inmates from among the drug addicts as monitors to watch us. They covered the windows with newspapers and for two weeks they deprived practitioners of sleep. We were made to stand for extended periods of time. Then our hands and one of our legs were tied and we were hung so that all our weight was on the tip of one foot. Practitioners Zhong Zhihui, Lu Yirong, Xie Kunxiang, and Xue Jun also underwent this torture.
Torture: Tying Limbs with Rope
On October 1, 2002, three so-called brainwashing specialists from Beijing were invited to torture me. They told me their names were Xu Shaoqi, Zhang Lifang, and Tian Ping. The three surrounded me and screamed at me from about a foot away. They screamed and yelled at me, feeding me nonsense. When I did not accept it, they locked me up in a solitary room and Xu sat on my head, squeezing my head with his thighs. Zhang Lifang and Tian Ping tied my arms behind my back and put my legs in the cross-legged position and tied them. I was tied in this position for 40 hours. During that time, I could not use the washroom, I was not allowed to sleep, nor even close my eyes. They slapped me in the face and screamed at the same time. The purpose of this torture was to make me give up the practice. When I was released, my feet were dark purple with blisters everywhere. My feet were misshapen and I had lost feeling in them. I was disabled. I could not even turn over on my bed.
While I suffered from physical pain, I had no resentment for other people. I don't hate anyone because of the brutality inflicted on me. I feel lucky that I am a Falun Dafa practitioner. While I was lying in the solitary room, I did not feel any sadness. I was peaceful, compassionate, and held no resentment. I could feel the power of compassion when a being is assimilating to Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. I felt that Master was beside me, looking after me and strengthening me. Falun Dafa has changed me from a narrow-minded, bitter person into someone who can face brutality and vice with compassion. I enlightened to the understanding that Falun Dafa is the most righteous law in the universe. It can change people from the root, ridding them of their demon natures and increasing their Buddha natures, so they can return to their original, true selves.
Other practitioners at the Chatou Forced Labor Camp who underwent similar tortures by rope tying were Tang Yiwen, Chen Hua, Si Bing, Xu Juhua, Xie Yan, Luo Jiangying, and Chen Hua. They were tortured by Yue Huiling (from Masanjia Forced Labor Camp) and Zhang Yijun. Sources said that Xu Shaoqi, Zhang Lifang and her husband Ren Renjie, and Tian Ping made a living using torture to transform Falun Dafa practitioners, as commissioners sent by the central 610 Office. Other perpetrators are Liang Huiping, Associate Head of the camp, Lu Dongmei, Section Chief of Management, Hua Shaoxia, Head of the Special Management Group, Xiang Fan, and captains Zhang Weixin and Chen Yunlian, associate captains.
Not Allowed to Live in Beijing
In January 2003, having been imprisoned for more than two years during a four year period, I went home. In February, I went to Beijing to see my parents, who had suffered so much for me. While I was in Beijing, Wang Guangshan of the Zhuhai City Xiangzhou District 610 Office took me back home because it was during the time when the People's Congress and the Chinese Communist Party's plenary met in Beijing, therefore, I was not allowed to live in Beijing. I was deprived of my right to visit my parents simply because I practice Falun Gong.
After we were released, we were in a plight. My husband knows a foreign language, so he applied to leave the country with different employers, but the Public Security Bureau did not approve his application. The department head told us, "You guys are all well-educated. As soon as you go abroad, we are afraid that you will be used by Falun Gong organizations outside China."
On July 14, 2004, as soon as my husband left home, the local Shishan Neighborhood Office Manager, Chen Fu, and Nanxiang Neighborhood Committee member, Zhang, along with police officers Chen Bin and Li Jianjun of the Dongfeng Police station, as well as several unidentified persons and security officers from Zhuguang Garden abducted him and took him to a brainwashing center set up at the Minfu Hotel by the Zhuhai City 610 Office. My daughter and I were placed under constant surveillance.
I called Chen Fu, the Office Manager of Neighborhood Committee. Our conversation went as follows:
I said: "My husband went missing yesterday. Do you know where he is?"
Chen said: "Several Transformation Specialists came from the province. The city authorities wanted him to go with them. I know you are not going to go on your own. So we used some measures to send him there. I am part of this."
I said: "What you did was against the law. You didn't follow any legal procedures."
Chen said: "Stop talking about laws with me. Be practical. The Public Security Bureau has evidence that you guys did something."
I said: "Please show me the evidence."
Chen said: "If we had evidence, then we'd do more than just take him to the brainwashing center."
From this conversation, we can see that the authorities are not acting within the law concerning Falun Gong practitioners. They go by the policies, "Ruin their reputation, bankrupt them financially, and destroy them physically," and "Death from beatings will be counted as suicides and bodies will be automatically cremated." Some leaders from the National Security Bureau said to me, "China is not a society ruled by law. Often, policies are more powerful than the law."
Strictly speaking, what Falun Dafa practitioners are doing is simply exercising their rights to speak and to defend themselves. Using the most stringent laws as a guide, we haven't done anything wrong. As a witness and a victim of the darkest period in Chinese history, I write this to wake up the conscience of people, to uphold justice, and to resist the persecution that tramples human rights and conscience.
January 3, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) Falun Dafa practitioner Mr. Cao Yuqiang, lived in Shanqian Village, Xudatun Town, Pulandian City, Liaoning Province. He suffered cruel persecution in the Huludao City Labor Camp. He died on February 19, 2004, leaving behind his 10-year-old son, Cao Xiaodong.
Mr. Cao Yuqiang
The young Cao Xiaodong currently lives in Shanqian Village, Xudatun Town, Pulandian City, Liaoning Province, and is a student at Xudatun Town Central Elementary School. His mother, Ms. Yu Xiling, has been detained and persecuted several times. She divorced his father, Mr. Cao Yuqiang during a period in which she was being severely persecuted. An elderly grandparent is raising Cao Xiaodong.
Mr. Cao Yuqiang was in his forties and lived in Shanqian Village, Xudatun Town, Pulandian City, Liaoning Province. He suffered cruel treatment after July 20, 1999, when Jiang's group began persecuting Falun Gong. Authorities detained and savagely tortured Mr. Cao numerous times. On January 26, 2003, police officers from the Pulandian City Railroad Police Station arrested and took him to the Fengsong Police Station and later to a detention center. Cao Yuqiang firmly resisted the persecution at the detention center. He held a 95-day hunger strike and was unconditionally released. Sadly, he was severely injured by torture. He passed away at home at 6:00 p.m. on April 8, 2004.
Mr. Cao Yuqiang revealed the following facts before he died:
"In 2001, the Xingtai Police Station officials suspected I had distributed truth clarification flyers and had hung up banners nearby. Late in the evening on April 29, police officer Duo Buyang, security officers Xu Gongwen and Li Wenwen, and security head Yi Demin broke into my home. It was raining at the time and I was out working. They pounded on the door. My wife opened the window and asked them what they were doing. She was wearing a thin shirt and sweatpants. They grabbed my wife by her hair, pulled her out through the window, and pushed her into a police car. My seven-year-old son was terrified and started crying. My mother confronted them and they knocked her to the ground in a puddle of water. Instead of upholding the law, they violated the law, broke into a citizen's residence, and deprived people of their personal freedom and safety."
For more information about the persecution of Mr. Cao Yuqiang and his family, please refer to these articles:
Practitioner Mr. Cao Yuqiang Dies as a Result of Persecution
http://www.minghui.org/mh/articles/2004/4/12/72168.html
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2004/4/22/47255.html
January 4, 2005
(Clearwisdom.net) Wardens in the Jinzhou Forced Labor institute have used a lot of torture methods to force Falun Dafa practitioners to renounce their belief. They also tie a hard hat onto a practitioner's head for long periods of time in an attempt to induce a mental collapse.
(Here are a few simple illustrative drawings.)
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(Clearwisdom.net)
County Official in Hebei Province Rewarded for His Kind Treatment of Falun Dafa
The wife of a county government official in Hebei Province had suffered paralysis of one side of her body and could not take care of herself. Her condition did not improve, even after being examined by famous doctors and taking expensive medicines. Each day, the official had to do all the house-work after coming home, fulfilling multiple roles of breadwinner, housekeeper and caretaker. Burnout from the workload and worry over the uncertain prospects of his wife's recovery had put him under tremendous pressure. He could think of nothing else to do for her but seek expensive medical treatment, and those efforts had been ineffective.
When the Jiang regime began the suppression of Falun Gong, the official became chronically exhausted from the additional workload caused by the campaign against Falun Gong practitioners within his organization. He was suddenly overwhelmed with meetings, surveillance, monitoring, arrests and transformation sessions conducted under the guise of helping to raise political awareness, but which in fact was nothing less than the systematic brainwashing of Falun Gong practitioners. At the end of each day, he found that he had run out of time without completing all his required duties. As the days progressed and the suppression escalated, he began to view these things from a calmer perspective and realized that that the activities of the Falun Gong practitioners were neither anti-social, anti-humanity, anti-government nor anti-science, as they had been depicted on television. After doing their Falun Gong exercises in the mornings before work, the practitioners would always show up to work on time, were good workers on the job, and did their exercises again in the evenings after work. None of them had anything whatsoever to do with corruption, theft or robbery. On the contrary, the behavior of practitioners was commendable no matter where they were or what they were doing. Taking another look at his new duties, it became clear to this official that all those meetings and all the surveillance, monitoring, abduction and coercive brainwashing disguised as political education were not only against the law, but in violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by citizenship.
Gradually he began to realize that Falun Gong was innocent and that it had been framed. He also understood that this hostile treatment of innocent people would result in the loss of one's virtue, so whenever he received crackdown orders from higher officials, he was able to handle the situation properly. Whenever arrests of Falun Gong practitioners were to be carried out, he always assumed personal risks to judiciously offer whatever protection he could to the practitioners.
His kind actions toward practitioners generated benevolent personal recompense. At about the same time, his wife's illness took a turn toward recovery. To his surprise, he noticed that his wife's condition was improving day by day. She was regaining control of her arms and legs and generally becoming more and more energetic. She has completely recovered now and is able to do all the household chores by herself. According to experts, when sufferers of this type of illness approach sixty years of age like this official's wife, the illness becomes very difficult to stabilize. In light of that fact, her complete recovery is nothing less than a miracle.
Their sons and daughters are also doing well in their work; their incomes have increased and their business operations have also grown significantly. Four generations of this official's family all live under one roof now, enjoying family unity and harmony with a positive outlook.
A Relative is Promoted Two Ranks Higher after Rescuing Falun Dafa Practitioner
A Falun Dafa practitioner in Wei County, Hebei Province, was taken into police custody for distributing Falun Gong truth-clarifying materials. When one of his relatives learned of the situation, he rescued the practitioner from police custody. Soon afterward, this relative was promoted two ranks higher. It is indeed true that one thought of kindness leads to acts of kindness, which accumulate one's personal virtue. The double promotion was a material reflection of that increase in virtue.
December 9, 2004
(Clearwisdom.net) Around the end of December 2004, an internal document was circulated within various branch offices and institutions of the Beijing Government. Sources said that the documents circulated in some offices did not even have the official stamp, as though they were afraid to leave behind incriminating evidence. The title of the document was "Organizational Plan and Resolution on Preventing 'Falun Gong' related [Activities]," and it ordered government branches to prevent Falun Gong practitioners from carrying out large-scale activities exposing the persecution.
For example, a document received at a certain township level Communist Party Committee stated, "Based on the spirit of the meeting at the township Party Committee, to better coordinate with the current state of the battle (against Falun Gong), and to fulfill the Committee's instructions to crush 'Falun Gong' carrying out their plans for a 'final great battle between good and evil' in Beijing, and to conform to the headquarters' directives, local branches are to implement the following plan." Sources stated also stated that the locally distributed documents were copied from top-level directives.
The plan referenced above was described in three parts: Establishing a leadership group out of Party infrastructure, distributing the workload downstream to local branches, and reinforcing the authority of the 610 Office. It especially emphasized that all inspection and surveillance work implemented by the local Party Committee must be done through the direction of the 610 Office.
The leadership group is to have the local Party Secretary as the leader, and the group members are made up of department heads. This strategy emphasizes two things - the Party's firm control of executing the plans, and the involvement of each department.
Jiang's and the 610 Office's assessment of the current situation claimed that Falun Gong practitioners outside of China would organize practitioners from Beijing and outlying areas to come to vital locations such as Tiananmen Square and Zhongnanhai (the Central Government compound) for large scale truth clarification activities. Television facilities in the Beijing area are to be heavily guarded to prevent video signal interception by Falun Gong programs.
Sources said that in order to raise awareness, a certain "leader" from the Central Party Committee again raised concerns of stability, the one slogan that can best bring a sense of crisis to Party members, in his speech given in early December 2004. Documents circulated within the local Party systems included fabricated charges of "planning to inflict serious political repercussions at the Capital, interfering with, disrupting and damaging political stability at the Capital, even the entire nation." This made-up threat was aimed squarely at Falun Gong.
Based on these unsubstantiated, imagined threats, the local branches of government have been given the following directives:
One common opinion is that since the persecution was imposed by Jiang, if the persecution stops, his political career, as well as the wealth he has accumulated as a result of his power, will come to an end. That is the true reason for this whole affair.
(Clearwisdom.net) Greetings venerable Master! Greetings fellow practitioners!
I am a professional soldier. Currently I serve as a lieutenant at the Taiwanese Army Special Forces. I obtained Falun Dafa in March 2003 and want to share my experiences with you.
Prior to obtaining Falun Dafa
I grew up in an environment where many of my family members, relatives and friends were religious. I went to temples with my grandmother and I also went to churches. Nevertheless, I was an atheist and regarded belief in higher beings as superstition. I thought faith in gods was the creation of dictators who wanted to control people's minds. I graduated from high school during the time when war broke out in Kosovo, Yugoslavia. I saw a newspaper picture of a father comforting his daughter who was frightened in this war. I thought, "The only truth is power!" I gave up the opportunity to go to a university and instead went to a military school. After four years of military education, my pre-existing notions were strengthened.
Once, I watched a Falun Dafa truth clarification VCD at my cousin's home. I didn't believe what I saw in the VCD and thought foreign powers were behind the making of it, and they were trying to defame China. I refused to listen to my cousin who tried to tell me the facts about Falun Gong. However, I took a copy of the book Zhuan Falun from him and read it with a strong, critical mentality. I still did not believe that Falun Gong was grand and instead only had more questions. I argued with my cousin.
After I returned to school, after some thinking I calmed down and read Zhuan Falun again, without any preconceived notions. This time I truly saw the Fa. My notions were instantly destroyed. Just as Master said in "Drive Out Interference," Essentials for Further Advancement II, "The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts."
Actively assimilating into Dafa
I started to look for Dafa information on the Internet and I found a practice site. I contacted the assistant at that site and I joined other practitioners in studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts. I still had questions, though, "Why is such sacred Dafa being persecuted so severely in Mainland China? Does Master permit such persecution to take place?" I thought I needed to attend experience-sharing conferences and communicate with other practitioners. After searching online I learned a conference was to be held at the Military Hero Hall in Kaohsiung. I went to the conference on my own.
During the meeting, perhaps because I had obtained the Fa only two weeks earlier, I mostly asked questions and didn't share a lot of my experiences and understandings. When I asked some important questions other practitioners told me, "You'll have the answer to those questions if you study the Fa lectures after July 20, 1999." Seeing that I still had questions, they patiently explained things to me. I gradually realized that the time at which we obtain the Fa and the differences in our levels are not isolating factors, because we should harmonize and supplement each other's efforts. As Master said,
"When there are different opinions, instead of looking at things positively and calmly, they throw out a few cold words and just shove aside what other people have to offer. Bringing out good ideas and cooperating with each other with care is the right thing to do. And especially when it comes to doing certain things as a whole you should cooperate with each other even better." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Midwest-U.S. Fa Conference")
It was not until then that I felt Dafa was the only pure land left in the world! When I studied "Fa-Lecture during the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference,"
"Back then, as I was saving you, a lot of you were cursing at me. There were people who were cursing at me even while at my classes. I don't mind. I just want to save you."
I cried and thought, "No matter how long it will take or what will happen to me, I will always follow the Fa principles."
Practicing Dafa in the military
I encountered lots of tribulations in the military. I was interrupted when sending forth righteous thoughts; some cursed at me, some played loud music; some mumbled black incantations, and some people tried to pick a fight with me. Some even teamed up and surrounded me, trying to see if I really would not hit back when attacked or talk back when people insulted me. A classmate even printed Dafa-attacking articles and threw them in my lap. I ignored them and regarded them as personal tribulations. I didn't take fellow practitioners' suggestions seriously when they advised me to send forth righteous thoughts more frequently and to clarify the truth. I thought there would be lots of time when I have cultivated myself well. With this mentality the tribulations grew: first, an instructor publicly attacked Dafa during a lecture; he took parts of Dafa writings and twisted them around; he supported the destruction of Dafa books and the persecution of Dafa. I argued with him and tried to change his opinion, but the outcome was not good and a battle of words ensued.
From then on, I was asked to sit in the seat for the chairperson during classes and all my classmates attacked me. Because I didn't study the Fa well, when they asked me questions involving Fa principles I brushed them over or I said, "I'll tell you after I have studied the Fa well." On the other hand, I had too many thoughts to protect myself and I was too attached to my own opinions and my feelings. I didn't really pay attention to their words and didn't speak from their perspective with their attachment in mind. I irresponsibly spoke of high-level Fa principles and as a result the conflict was not resolved but worsened. Even when I ate lunch people sat next to me asking me questions.
I also took on the most exhausting position, internship adviser. I had to reduce the amount of time I spent studying the Fa. Whenever I made a small mistake someone would say to me, "Falun Gong is doing so and so again..." Someone even said to me, "I didn't have any opinion of Falun Gong, but now I have negative opinions, all because of you! You have committed such a terrible crime!" I was exhausted almost all day long, and asked myself, "Is this what I want? I am practicing Dafa, but I have not read all the Dafa books. I can't sit with my legs double-crossed and have to sit with one leg on top of the other." I looked for the root cause and realized that I was trying to change others but not myself!
Through constant Fa study I gradually realized that although the environment in the military is complex, I could use it as a great opportunity to validate Dafa!
I took more time to study the Fa, which helped to build a solid foundation for validating Dafa. About one month later I had read all the Dafa books in a systematic manner. During the process I constantly clarified the truth. During class I talked with classmates with a calm and kind mindset. I avoided talking about Fa principles when people with various religious beliefs questioned me about Dafa. I stuck with human rights, "No belief system deserves to be brutally persecuted like this." I didn't argue with classmates who tried to start an argument with me and said, "I want to share good things with my friends. Since we have been classmates and friends for four years, of course I want to share this wonderful practice with you." I sent forth righteous thoughts to a person who refused to listen and simply cursed, and he could not say anything. I also spoke with the instructor who publicly attacked Dafa. I discovered that he had been practicing qigong for over 20 years, and he was quite proud of this. I discussed qigong with him with the wisdom Dafa endowed me with, and I spoke to him with compassion and from my heart. I also kept powerful righteous thoughts. In the end he acknowledged Dafa.
During organizational activities I clarified the truth to all the members as the head of the organization, and I distributed truth clarification materials in different divisions since I was the internship adviser. Some people didn't understand and said I should not spread Falun Gong in the military. I remembered that Master said everything a practitioner encounters in his cultivation is good, so I didn't regard it as a barrier; instead, I discussed Falun Gong during a political training class as the internship adviser, and I talked about how cultivation can fundamentally change one's xinxing instead of making people obey superficially. Falun Gong brings only benefits and no harm to the military and the country. They agreed with me, and some offered to help.
In my personal life I gave up Internet games that I had been mired in for a long time. I also threw out all the pornographic magazines. I conducted myself according to Dafa's requirements in words and in actions, and I voluntarily made sacrifices for classmates. Gradually, the environment around me changed. People started to support Dafa and some people said, "Falun Dafa is great!" when they saw me. The head of the class said to me, "I've been with people with all kinds of beliefs, but I've never seen anyone like you. That's why I think Falun Gong is good." I know: because I have changed, things around me have also changed.
I also bought the Falun Gong exercise instruction VCD. I got up at midnight to do the exercises. I also asked classmates from the soccer team to train me in the muscle-stretching exercises. Two months later, I was able to sit cross-legged during the fifth set of meditation exercise.
Cultivation and Work
Recently, due to my job position, I have had to spend a lot of time doing public service. I have endless things to do everyday as soon as I get up. I need to manage and take care of the students who are in lower grades and finish the tasks assigned by the supervisor. I need to resolve conflicts among classmates, and supervise my subordinates. I also have my own work and courses. Moreover, due to the SARS epidemic, my workload was several times heavier. It is hard to describe with language how many xinxing tribulation and tests I had.
Then I had a final exam. Since I did not do well in balancing the relationship between cultivation and work, I did not prepare for the final well and had to take the course over. Thus, my classmates formed negative opinions about me again. They think that I have kept running into trouble ever since I started cultivating, so they had some negative thoughts about Dafa. Tests that I thought I had already passed showed up again.
I realized that my xinxing level needed to be improved further, for the standard was higher now. After looking inward, I found that deep in my heart I was still holding onto the things that I did not want others to touch. What I had gotten rid of were just surface level things, and I had not fully put myself into Dafa to cultivate away the attachments. Then I started trying to balance the relationship between cultivation and work well. I found that the factors of cultivation are everywhere when doing work. I also realized that as a cultivator, one will automatically try to do well at one's job and whether it is done well or not is not only the surface level issue of human achievement, but also a reflection of one's xinxing level. When re-taking that course, I clarified the truth to the students in the make-up class, and they all had a positive understanding of Dafa. After the class, they also talked to their own friends and classmates, which saved some people who had had negative thoughts about Dafa. Two students from the make-up class obtained the Fa because of this.
I passed the test of the course I re-took, but there was still one big final exam, which was directly related to whether I could stay in school or not. However, my workload didn't lighten up at all, and I really could not find any extra time to study for it. I had thought about quitting some of the public service work, and resuming after this busy time. But this is not a cultivator's behavior, for it only considers one's own interest, and ignores others. So I tried to rectify my heart and mind, still doing the work an internship leader should do, and finding small pieces of time to study. During the exam, I tried my best to write down as much as I knew, but I still found my grade would be just a bit above the edge of failing. Then, one of my classmates passed his answers to me. I knew I would definitely pass the test if I cheated and copied his answers. At that time, all the thought karma and worries (such as not getting my diploma, having to pay back all the cost of training in the school, losing my job and the disappointment from family and friends) fought with the righteous side of my mind. Finally, I made the decision: Even if I would be kicked out of school, I would not abandon "Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance." So I resisted the temptation to cheat, turned in the exam, and unexpectedly I felt very peaceful and content in my heart.
A few days later, the results of the exam were out and I passed it. When I was studying the Fa and looking at Master's picture, tears streamed down my face for the first time. Since that moment, 3 months after obtaining Fa, I stepped out of the status of personal cultivation and started doing some truth-clarification activities such as mailing, faxing and making phone calls. I also started guiding the students in lower grades to do things with a righteous mind, which fundamentally resolved some of the long-term problems in the workplace. The environment in the military school improved a lot as well and nobody distracts me when I am sending forth righteous thoughts or doing the exercises anymore.
Looking back, I truly realized that one can cultivate better in a complex environment. However, this must be based on solid Fa study. It would have been impossible for me to struggle through such an environment if I did not study the Fa persistently.
Conclusion
After graduating from the military school, I entered the army and was appointed First Lieutenant. I had to undertake many difficult tasks during the one-year training, and after the training, I was assigned a lot of important work in the army, and so I have always been balancing the relationship between cultivation and work. Cultivation is serious indeed and the standard one needs to reach is absolute. One cannot lower the standard and deceive oneself when getting rid of the attachments and one must pass the tests that one failed before. Before, my thought was always like: I need to validate Dafa, I want to cultivate, I want to improve. What I placed first was being a Dafa disciple during the Fa-rectification period instead of Dafa. This thought could make one cultivate diligently at the beginning of the cultivation, but will be an obstacle if one continues on like this. In "Let Go of Human Attachments and Save the World's People," Master said:
"For a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, personal liberation is not the goal of cultivation: when you came, saving sentient beings was your great aspiration, and that is the responsibility and mission history has bestowed upon you in Fa-rectification. Thus great numbers of beings are to be saved by you."
I tried to give people a positive understanding of Dafa and save them by showing them my own benefits from Dafa such as improved health, improved grades and better achievement at work, but actually, there was a hidden selfish heart under it which is using Dafa to pursue wonderful things in the human world. My motivation was not purely to save people, not placing Dafa as first and essentially it contained the heart of selfishness. The xinxing standard was not reached; therefore I had to endure tribulations in work and school again and again.
After having those cultivation experiences in the army, although I had improved in many ways, I eventually developed a heart of pride. After doing something to validate Dafa or going to a Fa conference, I felt that I was terrific and that I had a better understanding of the Fa than some practitioners who had been cultivating for a long time. I felt pleased with myself after doing some Dafa work, and thought that my status had become solid, and that I was insured, for my future has been already determined. Also, I gradually developed a mindset of differentiating. I liked to get close to those who cultivated well and for those who did not cultivate well, I always wanted to teach and guide them. Thoughts of differentiating, admiring others and relying on others are habits developed unconsciously in the army. I remember at the beginning of my cultivation, after listening to Master's Fa, I admired Master in the way soldiers admire their leaders. However, this is not rational but sentimental, and it is treating Master and the Fa with a human heart.
At last, please allow me to share Master's teaching in Fa-Lecture During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference with everybody.
"Also, don't think, 'Fa-rectification has come this far, so it looks like it'll be over soon and we should start making plans for the future.' I can tell you that any attachment will bring on tremendous tribulations. You absolutely must not form any attachments! You should cultivate in an upright and dignified way, and handle well everything in front of you that you should do. If you're to Consummate tomorrow, you still have to do well what you're supposed to do today and in an orderly way. That's because everything Dafa disciples are doing today is to be left for the people of the future, and this is the path of cultivation for the people of the future. This is extremely important. Do not walk a crooked path. Dafa is the best at every level, and at this human level Dafa disciples should only make it even more complete and perfect, and not bring any losses to it."
Thank you everyone!
(Clearwisdom.net) All Falun Dafa practitioners should follow Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. One practitioner stated that she did not like a certain practitioner who spoke untruthfully and behaved as an ordinary person, and while mentioning mistakes made several years ago by others, she would still be very emotional. The practitioners who were criticized might sometimes react the same way. Thus, in certain areas, practitioners have become divided into various subgroups and are not interacting with each other.
In "Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York (Questions & Answers Section, Part III)" Teacher said,
"It is back to my old saying: Although in a certain aspect he seems to be really way off, actually in many areas not shown he has cultivated very well. You can't compare him with ordinary people. You should not take this kind of conflict among them as just a simple conflict, as it is an opportunity for them to elevate themselves." (Provisional translation)
In my cultivation practice, I have realized an important point that I would like to share with fellow practitioners outside China. I have come to understand that because we have not yet reached consummation, we all still have attachments. Thus, we are confronted with the difficulty of working together with our attachments. Expanding our own capacity for tolerance of others may be more important than deciding who is the "most capable" or who has the "best ideas." After all, this is cultivation practice, not everyday people doing things. We may all have experienced the headache of fighting among ourselves. An idea may not seem so "brilliant" at the start, but because we work together harmoniously, things go quite well. But, if each practitioner insists on his or her own idea and keeps debating or arguing endlessly, nothing will get accomplished even after a year of good planning.
In "Teaching the Fa at the 1999 Fa Conference in Australia," Teacher said,
"... when conflicts arise between two people and it's seen by a third person, even the third person should think to himself, "Oh, they're having a conflict. Why is it that I was there to see it? Is it because I have certain attachments? Is it because I have that kind of problem as well?" Since you're cultivating, you need to be truly responsible to yourself and need to look at yourself." (Draft translation)
If our heart is dedicated to cultivation practice, besides searching inward during conflicts we must also look for the good side of others. You will then see that others are also sincere toward Dafa and that every fellow practitioner has goodness.
It is up to all of us to form a good cultivation environment. When the cultivation environment is good, the work environment will get better. With an excellent environment, our efforts to clarify the truth will become more effective and fruitful.
(Clearwisdom.net) The "Yuan Shan Temple" sits on the side of a busy street, Chung Shan Road South, in Yongkang City. The head nun is Shi Ru Xuan. Because of a predestined relationship, her relatives obtained Falun Dafa. She saw how much they benefited, so she stared to learn Falun Dafa and eventually became a Falun Dafa practitioner. She said that an ancient Buddhism scripture already predicted that a righteous law would save human beings during the "Dharma Ending Period." After she saw Master's photo in Zhuan Falun and after she came to understand the principles taught in the book, she said, "The real righteous law has come to save sentient beings." The head nun also tells other nuns in the temple and scholars cultivating Buddhism at home that "Falun Dafa is good" and actively helps them to learn Falun Dafa and teach them the exercises.
Recently, there was a 9-day-lecture in the temple. Several nuns and scholars listened to Master's lectures together. Not long after that, the temple started a practice site nearby and formed a weekly Fa-study session at the temple. Now, there are two banners hanging at the gate of the temple, which read, "Falun Dafa is good," and "Falun Dafa is righteous Law." You probably will remember that Master wrote in the poem, "Visit Xuankong Temple" that the Fa would be taught in temples in the future.
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(Clearwisdom.net)
Promoting Falun Dafa at Petronas Twin Towers
Starting on May 23, 2004, Malaysian Falun Gong practitioners began to promote Falun Dafa at Petronas Twin Towers. Every Sunday, several practitioners have come here to demonstrate the exercises, clarify the truth by setting up information display sites, and answer questions from the tourists.
Clarifying the truth at Petronas Twin Towers
Petronas Twin Towers is one of the most famous tourist sites in Malaysia. Its architectural style is unique and the buildings are among the highest of the world. Almost all tourists who come to Malaysia visit this place.
The recipients of our truth-clarification information are mostly Chinese, mainly from Mainland China, followed by people from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. There are too many stories to tell about our truth-clarification efforts to recount them all, so we will just list a few here.
Once, a tour bus stopped and a group of Chinese people disembarked. When they passed the Fa-promotion site, the practitioners warmly handed them truth-clarification flyers and said, "These are Falun Gong truth-clarification materials, please read them." "What? Falun Gong! I want one." The group of about twenty or so people surrounded the practitioner and asked for flyers. "I want one," "Please give me one"... Later, the practitioners learned that these tourists were from Ipoh City.
Another time, a bus of tourists from Mainland China arrived. When they were returning to the bus, the practitioners smiled at them and said, "Here is the truth about Falun Gong. It is a rare chance for you to come abroad, so please read these true stories that you are not allowed to know in China." Some of them didn't dare to accept the materials. The last one was an elderly lady. She pressed her hands together and took the materials excitedly and thanked us again and again. It was as if she had waited all her life and finally heard the good news. The practitioners all felt happy for her.
Sundays at Sungei Wang Plaza
June 11, 2004 was just a normal day. But to the Malaysian Falun Gong practitioners, it was the memorable day that they started promoting Falun Dafa in the center of Kuala Lumpur on Sundays. During the noon hour when it is most crowded, practitioners come to clarify the truth at Sungei Wang Plaza. Some of them demonstrate the exercises, some distribute flyers, and some answer inquiries from the public.
Clarifying the truth at Sungei Wang Plaza, Kuala Lumpur
Sungei Wang Plaza is located in the center of Kuala Lumpur. It is a place for shopping and dining. Thus, it attracts a lot of foreign tourists and local residents who come to shop and enjoy the urban culture here.
On weekends, Dafa practitioners come here to clarify the truth, no matter whether it is windy or rainy. They tell people about the wonderful effects of Falun Gong in improving people's health, and talk about the brutal persecution of Falun Gong in China. People's attitudes change from surprise and misunderstanding to sympathy. They accept the informational materials and express a desire to learn the exercises. Especially, many overseas Chinese students and Chinese tourists go from a surprised, "Ah, there is Falun Gong here!" to, "Please give me some materials" or, "Let me read your book." Of course, there are some people who don't readily understand our efforts, so the practitioners patiently continue to explain the facts to them. The practitioners feel that they must clarify the truth more diligently in order to save sentient beings.
One year has passed quickly. Our Fa-promotion has never stopped. Whenever one more person has learned the truth, practitioners will encourage and share with each other, so the whole the group can diligently continue with Fa-rectification cultivation.
(Clearwisdom.net) On the morning of January 8th 2005, at Sun Porch Square in the downtown area of Madrid, Spanish Falun Gong practitioners staged an anti-torture exhibition to inform the public that Jiang's group is brutally torturing Falun Gong practitioners in jails and labor camps all over China.
On January 9th, "The State" newspaper published a photo report about this anti-torture exhibition demonstrated by Falun Gong practitioners. The report revealed that the practitioners displayed and exposed the various torture methods inflicted on their fellow practitioners in China. According to their introduction, thousands of Falun Gong practitioners have died of torture in Chinese prisons and labor camps.
By 1999, there were already more than one hundred million people practicing Falun Gong. Carlos Iglesias, a lawyer and Falun Gong practitioner for two years, has initiated legal procedures to charge the former Chinese state chairman Jiang Zemin for using torture to persecute practitioners in China.
Falun Dafa is a meditation exercise similar to Yoga or Tai Chi. Practitioners practice the exercises together in the park every Sunday and teach the exercises for free.
Source http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200501/24432.html
(Clearwisdom.net) London's Chinatown is not just a must-see attraction for Chinese tourists, but also a place where British Chinese visit most frequently, because there are various Chinese restaurants and traditional cultural stores. For Chinese who live in the UK, it's a good place for them to get back to their roots.
On the afternoon of January the 15th 2005, there was something different in the crowded London Chinatown. Falun Gong practitioners from various places in Europe took advantage of the weekend to go to Chinatown to expose the facts of persecution of Falun Gong by the Jiang regime and the Chinese Communist Party to overseas Chinese and tourists from all over the world.
Since July 1999, Jiang's Regime has continuously persecuted Falun Dafa practitioners who steadfastly believe in the universal principles of "Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance." To date, it is confirmed that over one thousand Falun Gong practitioners have died in this campaign of genocide. In addition, Jiang's regime has utilized all kinds of mass media to spread evil propaganda defaming Falun Gong to the people inside and outside of China. Many Chinese people harbor a negative impression of Falun Gong after such a poisonous influence. To provide more opportunities for Chinese people to learn the facts about Falun Gong and the Jiang regime's evil nature, European Falun Gong practitioners thus went to Chinatown.
Hundreds of practitioners have aroused people's awareness in every corner of Chinatown. After accepting flyers, many people wanted to know more about the facts. Some took the initiative to ask for flyers from practitioners, while some rejected the offer politely saying that they had got the flyer earlier.
Since Jiang's regime launched this persecution, Falun Gong practitioners all over the world, including those in Europe, have endeavored to clarify the facts and expose the brutalities of this persecution. Many people have thus become aware of the Jiang regime's evil nature. Falun Gong practitioners insist that as long as the human rights violations exist, they will keep exposing the perpetrators and their crimes.
source http://www.clearharmony.net/articles/200501/24436.html
(Clearwisdom.net)
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 Signing the petition to support opposing the persecution |
 Children learning the exercises |
A man with a sense of justice
When a street corner singer saw a truth clarification photo on a practitioner's backpack, particularly the photo of Gao Rongrong, whose face was disfigured by the police's electric baton, he was very upset. When the practitioner told him that Jiang persecutes Falun Gong out of jealousy, he asked for Jiang's address to ask him why he persecutes Falun Gong. He said to the practitioner, "This persecution looks a lot like Hitler's persecution of the Jews." The practitioner told him that he could deliver his letter to the Chinese Consulate and told him the address of the consulate.
A story in the subway
One night, as I was handing out materials to people around me in the subway as usual, a young man read about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Then he pointed to two photographs in the paper and asked me, "Are these both the same person?" I said, "Yes, and this innocent woman has been tortured to death." He was surprised and said, "Is it true?" I told him, "Yes, and the persecution in China is still happening." He shivered a bit after listening to my explanation. I took a postcard about rescuing orphans of the persecuted Falun Gong practitioners out of my bag and suggested that he sign and mail it to the White House. He accepted it seriously.
Everyone nearby listened to our conversation. A young woman came over and asked, "Can I have a postcard?" I immediately passed one to her and thanked her. She said, "I've stayed in Shenzhen for three months, and I like China and the people there very much. I still keep in contact with several friends in China." I told her, "Do you know that the Chinese Communist Party and Jiang's regime have deceived the Chinese people about many things? I hope you can tell your Chinese friends about the truth of Falun Gong." She told me, "I will tell my Chinese friends!"
"I've remembered, 'Falun Dafa is Great.'"
An elderly woman practitioner who cannot speak English distributed materials every morning at an entrance to the subway station called Ground Zero. One day she saw some Chinese people in western suits. She walked over and repeatedly said, "Please remember, 'Falun Dafa is Great.'" Suddenly, one of the Chinese people turned and told the practitioner, "I've remembered. 'Falun Dafa is great.'"
A Westerner in a business suit walked over and requested some truth clarification materials. The practitioner gave him one copy. He thought for a while and then held up two fingers. The practitioner gave him another copy. When he held up three fingers, the practitioner smiled and gave him a third copy. Then he left, obviously pleased.
(Clearwisdom.net) On January 17, 2005, the 19th Dallas Martin Luther King Day Parade, hosted by Elite News, was held at Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. About 300 groups, including the Dallas Falun Gong group, participated in this parade. Practitioners received repeated ovations from spectators for their beautiful yellow exercise suits and in particular the exceptional spirit of peace they demonstrated.
Falun Gong practitioners' procession
It is fairly cold in Dallas at this time of year. Many people who came out to watch the parade were wearing thick clothing. Some even had blankets wrapped around their bodies. Nevertheless, everyone was very friendly and shared their warmest smile with parade participants. As the Falun Gong group was the only Asian group, many people paid special attention to them. A lot of people were attracted by practitioners' banners, which read "Falun Dafa" and "Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance" and also by practitioners' exercise demonstrations. As there was a large demand for fliers, the practitioners who were distributing them lagged far behind the procession. Those people who obtained the fliers started to read them right away.
A practitioner distributing fliers, and people reading the Falun Gong information
When the practitioners finished half of the parade route, they had already run out of all English materials. Facing the silent request: "Do you still have fliers? How can we obtain your contact information?" practitioners started to distribute fliers in Spanish while telling people that the fliers had local contact information in English. Though many people don't know Spanish, they still accepted the fliers, saying that they would seek help from their neighbors or friends for the translation. A lady came out from her car to ask for Falun Gong information, and she said that she would soon contact practitioners, as this was what she had been looking for.
Though the parade route was very long, young practitioners did a great job during the parade. Some of them distributed fliers along the parade route while some demonstrated the exercises.
Young practitioners also participate in the parade
About 50 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King, a pastor, started his missionary work in ethnically segregated southern states. Dr. King is widely respected for his leadership in the non-violent civil rights movement, which advanced equal rights for all Americans. A practitioner said: "Our participation in this activity has special meaning: When people with a good sense of justice learn about the persecution in China and the uncompromising spirit of practitioners, they will be deeply touched and the evil nature of the perpetrators will be exposed to the public."
(Clearwisdom.net)
1. [Nanning City, Guangxi Province] Ms. Liang Biyan Stages Hunger Strike and is Now in Critical Condition
Ms. Liang Biyan, a Falun Gong practitioner in her forties from Nanning City of Guangxi Province, was arrested and abducted from her home by police from the Nanning City National Security Bureau and has since been detained in Nanning City's No. 1 Detention Center. She has been on a hunger strike for nearly two months. She is currently in critical condition and has been sent to Nanning City's Maoqiao Hospital.
2. [Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province] Police from the Jiamusi Forced Labor Camp Continue to Torture Falun Gong practitioners
During the routine "walking training," more than ten Falun Gong practitioners, most of whom are elderly and physically weak, are forced to form a line and walk in a regimented manner for eight circuits around the labor camp's track in the cold. Such "training" lasts for nearly an hour. On the morning of December 14, 2004, Ms. Bao Lixia could only walk slowly due to the harsh conditions and the continual torture, which had caused her feet to swell, bringing about great pain. Upon seeing this, one of the guards named Liu Yadong took hold of her collar and yanked her forward while kicking her. Another guard, Li Yongbo, accused Ms. Bao of just pretending to be unable to walk quickly and cursed her loudly. Another Falun Gong practitioner, Ms. Zhao Xiuyun, was also unable to keep up with these orders. Guard Li Xiujin thus pulled her out of the line, slapped her face and then forced her into a deserted machine workshop where he proceeded to beat and kick her violently. Although Ms. Zhao was wearing cotton-padded pants with a pair of thick inner pants, a chunk of flesh came off her leg due to the brutal beating.
Phone numbers of Jiamusi Forced Labor Camp:
Director's office: 86-454-8891958
Captain's office for the women's brigade: 86-454-8891638
Captain's office for the second brigade: 86-454-8891924
Captain's office for the third brigade: 86-454-8891926
3. [Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Qi Xiulan Relentlessly Persecuted, Causing Her Family Immense Suffering
Ms. Qi Xiulan, a Falun Gong practitioner from the Academy of Agricultural Science of Heilongjiang Province went to the appeals office to speak out against the persecution of Falun Gong on July 20, 1999. As a result, she was forbidden by the academy to carry on with her work and was denied any salary. Afterward, she was arrested several times, causing great distress to her family.
In 2002, the police from both the Nanwei Police Station and the Eastern Branch of Jiamusi Police Department surrounded Ms. Qi's home. They broke the lock and threatened to abduct Ms. Qi's child. They even used the fire department's fire engine and equipment. Ms. Qi was forced to flee her home to avoid further persecution. Under these severe conditions, her child studied hard to pass the entrance examination and was accepted into the No. 1 High School of Jiamusi City.
In 2003, under orders from Chen Yongde from the Eastern Branch of Jiamusi Police Department, Captain Xu together with some other police officers arrested Ms. Qi Xiulan and sentenced her to three years of forced labor. Her husband passed away shortly afterwards due to the fear and depression he held in his heart over the persecution against his wife. Her child was left unattended and could not attend school for an entire year. Currently, her parents and father-in-law take turns taking care of her child. They do not have any source of income and struggle to get by with the financial assistance from relatives.
Phone numbers of the direct perpetrator:
National Security Team, Jiamusi City Police Department:
Captain Chen Yongde, 86-454-8314666 (Home), 86-13945480333 (Cell).
4. [Mudanjiang City, Heilongjiang Province] Li Fengquan Brutally Tortured by the Guards of Jianshanzi Prison and Hospitalized for Emergency Treatment
Officials of the intense training team of Mudanjiang City's Jianshanzi Prison force Falun Gong practitioners to undergo intensive brainwashing for as long as eight months. These practitioners are kept together in the intense training team, instead of being sent to different prison sections. The guards from all prison sections and those in charge of the solitary cells are assigned to torture Falun Gong practitioners by various methods, including shocking them with electric batons, handcuffing them to the floor, force-feeding them with highly concentrated salt water, etc. Yang Xiaoguang, a resident of Mishan, has been tortured and held in solitary confinement since September 2, 2004. Yang was given this harsh treatment simply for requesting that Falun Gong practitioners be allowed to openly read Falun Gong books and practice the Falun Gong exercises.
The forced transformation campaign started in the fifth prison section on December 2, 2004. The Falun Gong practitioners who resisted the transformation and refused to give up their practice of Falun Gong were subjected to all kinds of inhuman tortures. Sun Dianshan, a lecturer of philosophy from Northeastern Normal University in Jiamusi City, was placed in solitary confinement. Li Fengquan, Wang Xueshi and Liu Xiaolong were deprived of sleep for five continuous days, during which they were forced to perform manual labor. Li Fengquan could not stand the torture and could no longer carry out the heavy work. He was thus summoned to the "education" room where one of the deputy captains Zhao Xihe cursed and humiliated him. When Zhao beat him with an electric baton, Li Fengquan cried out for help. In order to hide his shameful actions, Zhao pulled him to another "education" room that was soundproof and beat him with the assistance of another guard. Li Fengquan was cut and bruised all over his body. His eyes were severely injured and he could not see anything, which in turn meant that he could not continue to undertake any manual labor; yet the guards still viciously pulled him along and put him to work as usual. At the end of the workday on the evening of December 14, Li Fengquan passed out with nobody else present. He fell down the stairs on the third floor and injured his head, causing hemorrhaging. That same night, he was sent to Mudanjiang City Police Department Hospital for emergency treatment. His current situation is unknown.
Name list of the officials in the fifth section of the Jianshanzi Prison of Mudanjiang City:
Captain: Wu Xudong
Political instructor: Xu Qingyu
Deputy captains: Guo Fusheng, Lei Yong
Subsection captains: Xi Jiazhu, Liu Wuyang
Clerks: Lin Fuqiang, Yu You, Wang Shouqiang
Police guards: Yang Jian, Xing Xiaolin, Yang Junhui, Dong Jun, Fang Guangping, Zhao Yongjun, Zhang Qing, Zheng Bin, Wang Junqing, Tao Baowei, Zhang Zhanqiang
5. [Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province] Tian Ronghe Sentenced to Five Years of Imprisonment
Tian Ronghe from Harbin City was sentenced to a five-year jail term and is currently being detained in the Mudanjiang City Railway Detention Center in Heilongjiang Province. Tian Ronghe is in the process of appealing his case to higher authorities. His wife, Yan Caixia, was given a two-year sentence and is currently detained in the Harbin Women's Prison.
December 23rd, 2004
(Clearwisdom.net) A "solemn declaration" is a person's public statement declaring to the world that whatever he or she has done or said under duress or deception that was against Falun Dafa is null and void. Most of these statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wished to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they had signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Also, as more and more people in China learn the truth about how they have been deceived and lied to by the Jiang regime, many non-practitioners are also submitting "solemn declarations."
Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Solemn Declaration
I am 35 years old and I was abducted and incarcerated in January 2002. I was illegally sentenced to three years of forced labor and have been released. During the time I was held at the labor camp I was detained in solitary confinement for a long time, where I was forced to sit or stand all day long--sometimes all day and all night. The perpetrators wrote words cursing Master and me on paper slips and taped them all over the wall and my body.
For a long time they forced me to drink bowls of water but didn't allow me to use the toilet when needed. When I refused to drink, they pinned me to the ground and force-fed me. My upper body was often soaked with water and my lower body soaked with urine. They repeated the force-feeding when my clothes dried up. Once, they stripped off all my pants and threw me outside in the freezing cold. At times they starved me and at other times they deliberately over-fed me. They also threatened, beat and cursed me. I had Master and Dafa in mind, so I was never afraid. Although I was thin, I was energetic and never ill. However, about two years into the detention, they tied me up with a rope. After a period of torture, I became muddle-headed and wrote a Repentance Statement. I soon realized and remembered my mistake and didn't look for excuses to cover it up. I recited Master's words and kept strengthening my righteous thoughts. About one month before my release I finally broke through my attachments and publicly said these words from my heart, "Master is grand! Falun Dafa is great!" I am deeply ashamed of letting Dafa down. Hereby I solemnly announce that all of my words and actions against Dafa and Master while being held at the labor camp are completely void. Master is benevolent, solemn and magnificent. Master imparted us Dafa, the truth of the universe. I will follow Master and do well in the three things required of Dafa practitioners and complete my historic mission.
Fu Liqun
December 23, 2004
(From http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/1/11/93242.html)
Solemn Declaration
While I was held in a prison, the guards tortured me physically but failed to make me give up my belief. Then they persecuted my family. Because I didn't give up my attachment to my family, I let Master and Dafa down and wrote a guarantee statement, which pleased the evil. With attachments, I misinterpreted Master's words "the righteous Enlightenment of selflessness and altruism" ("Non-omission in Buddha Nature" from Essentials for Further Advancement) as thinking from the perspective of ordinary people and sacrificing for them. I didn't look at things from the perspective of Fa rectification. After I wrote the statements I had a nervous breakdown and was deeply ashamed. I clearly knew that I had betrayed Master and Dafa at a critical moment. I had brought shame upon and disrupted Dafa. Master's benevolence gave me hope, and fellow practitioners' articles on Minghui Net cleared away my remaining doubts. After digging out my fundamental attachments, I have returned to Fa rectification period cultivation. Hereby I announce that all of my words and actions at the prison are void. I will completely negate the old forces' arrangements, do well the three things with righteous thoughts and actions, and keep up with Fa rectification.
Wu Shixiu
October 25, 2004
(From http://www.minghui.ca/mh/articles/2005/1/16/93614.html)
(Clearwisdom.Net)
Facts of the Persecution
1. Falun Gong Practitioner Zhang Yunxia Persecuted in Masanjia Forced Labor Camp, Shenyang City, Liaoning Province
My name is Zhang Yunxia, and I am 67 years old. In 1999, I went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Dafa. After I returned home, people from the Hongfang Neighborhood Administration Office of Diaobingshang Town confiscated my ID and my house title, and extorted 1000 yuan, which has not been returned as of date. In July 2000, I was imprisoned for 15 days by Tiefa City Police Department for participating in a signature drive [for Falun Dafa]. In March 2001, I was again detained for 45 days by Tiefa City Police Department for what they called "disturbing social order." On October 29, 2001, I was illegally sent to the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp in Shenyang City for a three-year term. In the Masanjia Forced Labor Camp, because I persisted in practicing Falun Gong, I was separated from other Falun Gong practitioners and was put under a long-term constraint. I was handcuffed at all times, deprived of sleep, and was given only corn bread to eat. I suffered inhumane torture for more than five months. In 2002, the labor camp began a rigorous campaign to have Falun Gong practitioners renounce Falun Gong. In May 2003, a police team head named Huang locked me up in a small cell (1) with my hands and feet cuffed, and he assigned someone to watch and deprive me of sleep. Through years of torture at the labor camp, I developed, among other diseases, glaucoma and coronary disease. In February 2004, to avoid having to accept responsibility for my health problems, the labor camp authority released me.
2. Falun Gong Practitioners of Yanshi City, Henan Province Persecuted by Local Police Department and Detention Center
Ms. Zhu Xianzhi, a Falun Gong practitioner from Tangsengsi Village, Goushi Township, Yanshi City, Henan Province, went to Beijing on June 28, 2000 to appeal for Falun Gong. She was then detained in the Yanshi City Detention Center for 35 days. On September 28, 2004, in Baimiao Community of Zhengzhou City, Ms. Zhu was followed on the street by some plain clothed policemen. They later arrested her in a phone booth in Baimiao Village and took her to a local detention center. In the detention center, guard Wang Zhixuan and instructor Xu Yaobiao beat Ms. Zhu and cuffed her with heavy handcuffs and large foot shackles that weighed over a dozen pounds. They made her sleep scantly dressed in a cold cell and did not give her any quilts or blankets. Ms. Zhu went on a hunger strike, refusing food or water, to protest the torture. One day, instructor Xu whipped Ms. Zhu 10 times with a leather whip twined with iron wire, and 4 times the next day. She was treated in this manner four times while in the detention center; she was almost beaten to death. In an attempt to force-feed her, some detention officers dislocated her jaw.
Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Li Qiaohong lives in Yanshi City Chemical Fertilizer Factory. On February 21, 2004 she and Ms. Cao Mengcai, another practitioner, drove to Silibei Village, Yanshi City to distribute Falun Gong truth clarification flyers. They were reported to the police. On February 25, Yanshi Police Department National Security Section officers Wang Weiwei and Zhang Liwei took Ms. Li and her car to the police station. Zhang Liwei and officer Chang Bing interrogated Ms. Li through brutal torture, and obtained Cao Mengcai's name. Ms. Li Qiaohong was thus under criminal detention by the police on February 28, and officially arrested on March 30. She was sentenced to three years in prison for what they called "producing Falun Gong material."
Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Cao Mengcai, female, 37 years old, is a teacher in the No. 2 Elementary School in Yanshi City. Around 10 am on February 27, 2004, Yanshi Police Department National Security Section officers Zhang Ruijun, Zhang Liwei, Yang Xiaomin, and Chang Bing arrested and took her to the Yanshi City Police Department. Zhang Liwei and Chang Bing interrogated her through brutal torture. They slapped her face, and pulled out much of her hair. After the torture, Ms. Cao lost feeling in her hands and could not take care of her bodily needs.
On May 11 and June 15, police Zhang Ruijun and Zhang Liwei brought twice unsubstantiated charges against Ms. Cao. On July 7, Procuratorate staff Pan Fengqiao and Zhan Xianghong initiated a public trial against Ms. Cao. Not surprisingly, the final judgment doesn't indicate an opinion or even the name of the counsel for the defence.
3. Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Zhao Xiaoli and Ms. Zhao Suzhen Held Under Ruthless Persecution in the Shibalihe Forced Labor Camp in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province
Ms. Zhao Xiaoli and her aunt, Ms. Zhao Suzhen, are Falun Dafa practitioners from Xinxiang City, Henan Province. They are currently held in Shibalihe Forced Labor Camp in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. They went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Therefore, they suffered even greater torture. Now both women are very weak and emaciated - Zhao Suzhen can barely walk, and young Zhao Xiaoli has high blood pressure and was once close to death. Prisoners Wang Xiaohua and Li Hong slapped their faces, and forced them to take cold water showers, etc. Falun Dafa practitioners please send forth righteous thoughts to clean evil factors and rescue our fellow practitioners.
4. Beijing City Falun Gong Practitioner Wu Jun's Statement
My name is Wu Jun. On April 25, 2000, while detained in the Fengtai District Detention Center in Beijing, I went on a hunger strike. I refused food or water to protest my illegal detention. Seven days later, I was force-fed in a manner that made it hard to breathe. I was sent to a hospital to receive intravenous injection and returned to the detention center a week later. On June 1 the same year, I was unlawfully sentenced to so-called "Labor Reeducation," and taken to the Beijing Labor Reeducation Dispatching Office. Every male Falun Gong practitioner was shocked with electric batons on arrival. The slightest indication of disobedience could result in electric shock on any body part. On July 7, I was sent to the Tuanhe Forced Labor Camp, which was even viler. New arrivals who refused to renounce Falun Dafa were forced to squat down (namely squat down with a leg in the front of another and both hands on the knees) for long hours.
5. Several Falun Gong Practitioners Are Being Persecuted in Jiangxi Province
Ms. Tang Xuemei, female, in her 60's, lives in the Provincial Government Residential Compound in Nanchang City, Jiangxi Province. In October, Tang Xuemei was caught distributing Falun Gong flyers and detained. She has not been released yet.
Nanchang City female Falun Gong practitioner Ms. Liu Huilian was arrested a couple of months ago because of distributing Falun Gong flyers. She most likely is detained in a detention center at this time.
According to information, on October 24, many Falun Gong practitioners who practiced at home in Fuzhu City were arrested. Falun Dafa practitioner Ms. Zhang Xiaohong, female, born in 1959, lives with her 16-year old daughter. She was sentenced to a year in a forced labor camp; her daughter is without a guardian or income.
Note:
(1) Locked up in a small cell -- The detainee is locked up in a solitary cell, which contains a basin and a pair of handcuffs. The basin is used both for face washing and relieving the urine and bowels. One end of the handcuffs fastens the wrist and the other end attaches to the door railing. The handcuffs can be fastened onto the door railing at three different heights. In the highest position, the detainee has to extend his/her arm upward. The middle position is at waist level. In the lowest position, the detainee can sit on the ground.
Decades ago, it was physicist Enrico Fermi who pondered the issue of extraterrestrial
civilizations with fellow theorists over lunch, generating the famous quip:
"Where are they?" That question later became central to debates about
the cosmological census count of other star folk and possible extraterrestrial
(ET) visitors from afar.
Fermi's brooding on the topic was later labeled "Fermi's paradox." It is a well-traveled tale from the 1950's when the scientist broached the subject in discussions with colleagues in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Thoughts regarding the probability of earthlike planets, the rise of highly advanced civilizations "out there," and interstellar travel -- these remain fodder for trying to respond to Fermi's paradox even today.
Now a team of American scientists note that recent astrophysical discoveries suggest that we should find ourselves in the midst of one or more extraterrestrial civilizations. Moreover, they argue it is a mistake to reject all UFO reports since some evidence for the theoretically-predicted extraterrestrial visitors might just be found there.
The researchers make their proposal in the January/February 2005 issue of the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society (JBIS).
Curious situation
Pick up any good science magazine and you're sure to see the latest in head-scratching ideas about Superstring Theory, wormholes, or the stretching of space-time itself. Meanwhile, extra-solar planetary detection is on the verge of becoming mundane.
"We are in the curious situation today that our best modern physics and astrophysics theories predict that we should be experiencing extraterrestrial visitation, yet any possible evidence of such lurking in the UFO phenomenon is scoffed at within our scientific community," contends astrophysicist Bernard Haisch.
Haisch, along with physicists James Deardorff, Bruce Maccabee and Harold Puthoff, make their case in the JBIS article "Inflation-Theory Implications for Extraterrestrial Visitation."
The scientists point to two key discoveries made by Australian astronomers and reported last year that there is a "galactic habitable zone" in our Milky Way Galaxy--and more importantly that Earth's own star, the Sun, is relatively young in comparison to the average star in this zone -- by as much as a billion years.
Therefore, the researchers explain in their JBIS article that an average alien civilization would be far more advanced and have long since discovered Earth. Additionally, other research work on the supposition underlying the Big Bang -- known as the theory of inflation -- shores up the prospect, they advise, that our world is immersed in a much larger extraterrestrial civilization.
Point-to-point distances
Given billion-year advanced physics, might not buzzing around the galaxy be possible?
Even today Superstring Theory hypothesizes other dimensions, which could be habitable Universes adjacent to our own, the researchers speculate. It might even be possible to get around the speed of light limit by moving in and out of these dimensions.
"What we have done is somewhat of a breakthrough," Haisch told SPACE.com. "We have pulled together various recent discoveries and theoretical issues that collectively point to the strong probability that we should be in the midst of one or more huge extraterrestrial civilizations," he said.
Haisch said that superstring dimensions and wormhole and space-time stretching possibilities address the "can't get here from there" objection often argued in view of the interstellar, point-to-point distances involved. Also, diffusion models predict that even a single civilization could spread across the Galaxy in a tiny fraction of the age of the Galaxy - even at sub-light speeds, he said.
ET signature in the data
Can the scientific community bring itself to consider any evidence coming from mysterious sightings of strange things by the public?
In large measure, the scientific community seemingly has eyed ET visitation as far from being serious stuff to cogitate over. Why so?
"The dismissal has several causes, all reinforcing each other," Haisch responded. "Most of the observations are probably misinterpretations, delusions and hoaxes. I have seen people get confused by Venus or even Sirius when it is flashing colors low in the sky under the right conditions. Having been turned off by this, most scientists never bother to look any further and so are simply blissfully ignorant that there may be more to it," he said.
Deardorff, the lead author of the JBIS article, points out in a press statement: "It would take some humility for the scientific community to suspend its judgment and take at least some of the high quality reports seriously enough to investigate...but I hope we can bring ourselves to do that."
According to Haisch, there is a motivation not just for scientific tolerance of the UFO issue, but a strong scientific prediction that there ought to be some genuine ET signature in the data.
"This potentially changes the relationship of the UFO phenomenon to science in a significant way. It takes away the 'not invented here' prejudice, pointing out that a 'yes' to ET visitation is exactly what side our current physics and astrophysics theories would come down on as the most likely situation," Haisch concluded.
Source: http://www.space.com/searchforlife/et_betterodds_050114.html
By Leonard David
Senior Space Writer
14 January 2005
A new striking image from the infrared telescope shows a vibrant cloud called the Trifid Nebula dotted with glowing stellar "incubators." Tucked deep inside these incubators are rapidly growing embryonic stars, whose warmth Spitzer was able to see for the first time with its powerful heat-seeking eyes.
This image composite compares the well-known visible-light picture of the glowing Trifid Nebula (left panel) with infrared views from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope (remaining three panels). The Trifid Nebula is a giant star-forming cloud of gas and dust located 5,400 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Rho (SSC/Caltech)
The Trifid Nebula is a giant star-forming cloud of gas and dust located 5,400 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius. The Trifid Nebula is unique in that it is dominated by one massive central star, 300,000 years old. Radiation and winds emanating from the star have sculpted the Trifid cloud into its current cavernous shape.
Spitzer discovered 30 embryonic stars in the Trifid Nebula's four cores and dark clouds. Multiple embryos were found inside two massive cores, while a sole embryo was seen in each of the other two. This is one of the first times that clusters of embryos have been observed in single cores at this early stage of stellar development.
Spitzer also uncovered about 120 small baby stars buried inside the outer clouds of the nebula. These newborns were probably formed around the same time as the main massive star and are its smaller siblings.
Astronomers thought the ones in the Trifid Nebula were not yet ripe for stars. But, when Spitzer set its infrared eyes on all four cores, it found that they had already begun to develop warm stellar embryos.
Source: http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0501/12incubators/
