(Clearwisdom.net) My name is Wang Yizong. I am a 63-year-old economist. I retired in November 1993 because I suffered from hypertension, coronary disease, and other health problems.

I started practicing Falun Gong on February 18, 1998. After less than a month, my hypertension, coronary disease, stiff shoulders, vitiligo and other health problems vanished completely.

On July 20, 1999 Jiang Zemin's regime started a comprehensive, large-scale persecution of Falun Dafa and Dafa practitioners.

On October 1, 2000 (National Day), I went with a few other practitioners to Tiananmen Square in Beijing to appeal on behalf of Falun Dafa. A little after 9 o'clock in the morning, armed police in plain clothes arrested me and locked me in a vehicle. It was probably the ninth vehicle to be fully loaded with Falun Gong practitioners that morning. All 105 practitioners in these vehicles shouted loudly together, "Falun Dafa is good!" "Falun Dafa is upright!"

The vehicle drove us to the Miyun County Detention Center in Beijing. On October 5, 2000, I was taken back to the local police station and held in the detention center. On the afternoon of October 20, 2000, I was sentenced to three years in prison without any legal procedure, for the so-called crime of distributing Falun Gong flyers. Later, the forced labor camp refused to admit me because a physical examination showed that I had hypertension (with a blood pressure reading of 280/120mm Hg). The local police tried to get me admitted to the labor camp seven times. Finally, using intimidation, and with the excuse of taking care of me, they told my family they would release me for 10,000 yuan, and sent me to a brainwashing center. After five days in the center, my family gave the money to the officials because they feared for my health, and I was released.

During the past few years, along with other practitioners, I've been persecuted as a result of Jiang's vow to "destroy their reputations, cut them off financially, and eradicate them physically." The following are some of my experiences during the persecution.

On the afternoon of October 3, 2000, two men named Zhao and Zeng, from the police station, along with the director of the local 610 Office, came to Miyun County Detention Center to take me back to my hometown. They handcuffed me in the vehicle. During the trip, which lasted for two days, they didn't give me any food or water. At night they handcuffed me to the restroom door in the hotel. They didn't allow me to sleep or to use the restroom.

Because I didn't want to give up the practice of Falun Gong, they punched and kicked me. They threatened that they were going to deal with me thoroughly after reaching home. They said, "As long as you practice Falun Gong, beating you to death is nothing, and no one will stand up for you."

At midday on October 5, 2000, we arrived at the local police station. They handcuffed me to a metal ring in an interrogation room. About ten minutes later, Zhao sent in five or six people. They spent about 20 minutes preparing an electric baton, and then they handcuffed my hands separately to a metal window frame, with my feet barely touching the floor. Two of them spoke under their breath, "Zhao is really ruthless, can an old man like Wang here take it? I think even if he survives, he'll be beaten nearly to death."

When they tested the electric baton on my hair, I shouted loudly, "Falun Dafa is good! Falun Dafa is upright!" Then I heard them say, "The electric baton short-circuited." Others asked if there was another baton, and the answer was, "All of them are broken." I knew it was Teacher protecting me.

After I was sentenced to a forced labor camp term, officials at the local police station attempted to take me there as soon as possible. They used a dedicated vehicle and attempted to take me there seven times, yet the forced labor camp refused to accept me.

After I was detained on the afternoon of October 20, 2000, officials at the detention center sentenced me to three years in prison because I practiced Falun Gong and distributed Falun Gong flyers.

After I was sentenced, a man named Sun at the local police station said, "In order to quickly take you to the labor camp, the local police station has arranged transportation for you three times, but each attempt has failed for different reasons." On Saturday, officers from the local police station took me directly to the health clinic at the forced labor camp. When they saw that the clinic was about to close, Sun said he'd already made prior arrangements for my admittance and asked why it was closing. He called someone on the forced labor camp committee, and was told that that the staff had the day off. So I was taken back to the detention center.

The next Monday, at around 8 o'clock in the morning, they again took me to the clinic for a physical examination. Before we even got in the room, the official in charge told Sun, "You belong to such and such a place, under supervision of such and such bureau. There were orders from the top saying that all examinations of Falun Gong practitioners must be done by hospitals above the county level after being referred by the district bureau. Our clinic is only responsible for physical re-examinations." I was therefore returned to the detention center again.

The next day, Tuesday the eleventh, the Falun Gong practitioners who were sentenced to prison terms were taken to a hospital in Jinan City. The hospital had seven examination rooms. The seventh room is for general exams and heart exams. When the results of eleven practitioners' examinations were sent to the seventh room, several doctors said in low voices, "Is it true that Falun Gong is supernormal? All eleven Falun Gong practitioners are in excellent health."

I was examined in the first room, and after they checked my blood pressure, which was 280/120mm Hg, the doctor asked me if I felt dizzy. I said no. Then he checked my heart and my eyes, and there were no apparent symptoms of high blood pressure. Three or four doctors discussed it before writing my blood pressure on the form. Officers from the local police station then took me directly to the health clinic at the forced labor camp. To be prudent they took my blood pressure twice, with each reading separated by thirty minutes. My blood pressure was very high both times. The official at the clinic reported this to the forced labor camp committee, saying, "We definitely can't accept people with such high blood pressure. This person must be released immediately. Don't keep him in custody. Should any problems arise, whoever has him will be held responsible."

Then Sun told me to stay outside while he contacted the district bureau. After I got in the car I was told that the decision had been made to take me back to the detention center and carry on with the observation as usual. After one week of observation, officers from the local police station again took me to the health clinic at the forced labor camp. This time they brought along a box of medicine used to lower blood pressure, and told me to take it during the ride to the clinic, but I refused. When we arrived at the clinic, even before we got in the door, the clinic staff members became angry and said, "We told you last time we won't accept people like this, even if his blood pressure has dropped we won't accept him." I was therefore once again returned to the detention center. Five or six days later, a man named Zhao from the local police station, along with 610 Office personnel, ordered my family to pay 10,000 yuan for "brainwashing fees" and then sent me to a brainwashing center.

My wages were stopped in November 2000. Since that time I haven't received even a stipend for living expenses.

After I was sent to the brainwashing center, my family members spent several thousand yuan to bail me out. For five days I was in the brainwashing center, and then I was released on bail. A little more than a month later, Zhao from the 610 Office and a man named Zhang from the town government came to my home and said that because I was so cooperative, they would discuss reinstating my wages. Afterwards, one of my family members went to the town office several times but got no results. This continued for nearly two years. In the spring of 2002, Zhao passed on to me the news that after the Town Branch of the Party Committee had discussed the situation, they not only agreed to pay my wages, they also agreed to pay my back wages. He asked me to write a statement attesting to when my wages were suspended and asked me to go to his office.

One Sunday evening I visited Zhao's home. I was surprised to see that Zhao was happy. He told me that he had benefited from me. He said that because I was cooperative, last year he had won the top award on dealing with Falun Gong cases, and the town supervisor was very happy. He said, "For you and also for us, the Town Party Committee branch had a discussion. Based on instructions from the top, they have written a report about you. It's a bit exaggerated, but it has received praise from district officials, the city, and the province. The report about you has been published in book form. Therefore, the top official has instructed us to consider video taping you being interviewed by reporters.

I was shocked! I asked, "Report what?"

He said, "First, indicate that you are the only Falun Gong instructor to have been successfully transformed, reported and praised in the daily paper. Through your studies and with help from the state, you have fundamentally changed, and the transformation is very good. You took the lead and set up a vegetable stand in your local area. The business is doing well and you are making a living. There are many kinds of vegetables shipped nationwide, and several kinds of vegetables are prepared for export. Certainly, the Town Party Committee knows that your village doesn't have even one stand, but I'll help you set up the vegetable stand. We will arrange everything, and after it's ready, we'll invite the reporters."

I interrupted him and said, "I practice 'Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.' You're asking me to lie, and I can't do that."

He saw that I was firm on this, so he outlined their second plan, "Then this is what we'll do. We won't set up the vegetable stand. Instead, we'll have a reporter interview you and make an audio recording, no video!"

When I again resolutely refused to participate, he became anxious, saying, "This was arranged by the Town Party Committee. What should I do? I can't handle your case."

I wasn't worried because they wouldn't pay my wages. I continued to practice Falun Gong. I knew that Teacher is beside me and he protects me. My family consists of three people, myself, my wife, and my 40-year-old younger brother, who is deaf. During this period of time my younger brother changed completely. His temper improved, and he helped my nephew with some construction work every day. My son bought a house and is doing business. My daughter joined the army and became a temporary accountant. My son and daughter treat us well and visit us frequently. They know our money is tight because we no longer receive our wages, and they often buy food for us. I've also been cultivating two Chinese acres of land, which produces a yearly income of about 1,500 yuan. I have everything I need, plus some extra.

In November 2003, when my three-year forced labor sentence would have expired, Zhao from the town 610 Office, led by Director Zhang from the District Office of the Political and Judiciary Committee, came to my home. Director Zhang said, "I've come here today to have a look, and prepare to solve this wage issue." Zhao also added that the officials had always cared about me. Director Zhang asked Zhao to solve the issue at the town government level, and asked if there would be a problem. Zhao said, "I can handle it directly." After some time passed, I went with a family member to see him on several different occasions. He always put us off with the excuse that it was "yet to be discussed." He has never once tried to contact me. To this day my wages remain unpaid.