(Minghui.org) In early December, 1999 I met with misfortune, but was blessed in return. I learned Falun Gong in a detention center, and words cannot express the gratitude I have for Master.
I was the head technician in a garment factory. Driven by fame and personal gain, I set up my own small garment factory with money borrowed from friends and relatives. I paid them interest for the loans.
I was quite busy, and my business was considered good. However, at this time a tumor was discovered in my uterus, and I had developed heart disease. In spite of these troubles, my attachment to pursuing fame and gain continued to expand. I set my sights on processing garments for export. This meant that I would have to buy more machinery and employ more skilled workers. Production would need to expand too. A friend who knows the I Ching reminded me that I was not destined for great wealth and leadership over many people, and that I should not go against heaven's will. I did not listen to his words and was occupied with expanding my business.
One day in the Spring of 1996, an elderly lady came to see me. She noticed that I did not look well and told me she was practicing Falun Gong. She extolled the benefits of the practice, including improving health and fitness. She showed me the five sets of exercises, but I told her I had no time to learn them now, although they seemed good to me. I said I would learn the exercises from her when I had the time. Thus I lost the opportunity to learn Dafa.
In the second half of 1997, my factory was affected by the financial crisis in Asia. The factory was paying more in expenses than it could earn. Amidst misfortune, I recalled that the father of the head technician in my factory could read one's fortune, and I sought advice from him. He said: “Followers of the Buddhist school cannot reveal others' fortunes. But since you came, I will tell you something: You are not an ordinary person, you came from heaven. Let me give you a couplet.” I looked at the couplet and on it was written: “The Buddha light illuminates everywhere and rectifies all abnormalities.” I did not understand what it meant, but upon returning to the factory, I hung the couplet in my office.
The situation became worse, and those who loaned me money in the beginning came after me to repay the debts. Consequently, every day, I was looking for funds and could not manage the factory. At night, I was afraid to return home for fear of running into debtors and not being able to tell them when I could repay their debts.
One person resorted to hiring gangsters to kidnap me, hoping this would force me to repay the debt I owed him. I told the gangsters that the factory was still operating, and that once I earned money, I would repay him immediately. They released me. Upon returning home, I told my husband about the factory's true financial situation. I realized it would be very difficult to borrow money and decided to leave the factory operations in the care of an administrator, while I searched for alternatives. My husband and I came to a decision, and we went to Bingcheng.
I looked back at what happened and recalled the words of the friend who knew the I Ching. He said I had come from heaven. So why did I come to the human world? With many questions in my mind, I went to see a fortune teller. She said: “You have come to this world to accomplish something great. A lady working in the Court will help you.” Hearing her advice, I immediately returned to Shandong and arrived home the next morning. I lay on the sofa, exhausted, and saw a large spider. (We locals regarded this as an auspicious creature). It circled around a few times then ran towards the north. I believed it had come to give me good tidings. I saw that the direction it ran off in was where the factory was. Thus I picked up the phone and asked the office administrator to set up a staff meeting. He told me the Court had been looking for me. I decided to leave it to fate and went to the office. Everyone was there. I changed my usual authoritative attitude and sincerely spoke about the current situation of the factory. Halfway through the meeting, Court officials knocked on the door. I was not nervous and opened the door. They put handcuffs on me on the spot and brought me to the Court. I was handcuffed to a heater for one day and night in a small room in the Court. In the evening, they transferred me to a detention center.
I was thinking about the lady in the Court who would help me and wondered where she was. Just then, an elderly woman next to me said: “I was detained because I practice Falun Gong.” I said: “I know that Falun Gong is a good practice with extraordinary benefits in health and fitness, but Sister, don't go against the authorities.” She answered: “You don't understand, that's not what I mean.” She took out a book from under her pillow and started to read. I scrutinized her for a while, then I asked her in a low voice: “Sister, what book are you reading?” She replied: “Zhuan Falun” I said: “Can I see it please?” She handed me the book with both hands. I opened the book and the first thing I saw was “Lunyu”. After I read two-thirds of it, I could not help myself; I cried. The elder sister said: “You have a predestined relationship with Dafa. I only came in yesterday. Master has asked me to wait for you here!” We were like old friends reunited and talked about her experience of practicing Falun Gong. She asked me to start learning the practice right away, and I agreed. I thought this time I have time to do so.
The guards set a rule that practitioners could not sit cross legged on the bed. The head guard called me to his office and said to me: “If you find anyone doing the exercises, report to us.” I smiled and went back without saying anything.
I did not act as a spy for the guards, but instead acted as a guard for the practitioners. I stood at the door, eyes looking out for the guards while my ears listened to the practitioners reading the Fa. When they read about the issue of celestial eye, my forehead felt as Master described: the muscles felt like they were piling together. I saw the longevity deity and Laozi tossing his horsetail whisk. They said I had good inborn quality and encouraged me to study the Fa diligently.
My six months detention period was up, and I still had not learned the five exercises. Just as I was feeling anxious, my detention was extended for another 15 days. I was really glad about it, and the elder sister said this was Master's arrangement. Everyone was happy for me. I greatly treasured the days I spent with the practitioners. Every day I listened to them read the Fa, learned the exercises from them, and shared experiences as well as understandings. Illuminated by the Buddha light of Dafa, my thoughts were changing constantly. I truly regarded myself as a cultivator and believed Master was next to me. Although I was confined by metal gates and windows, I felt very comfortable and became very peaceful. My days in detention lessened day by day, while my doubts about life reduced gradually. These were all resolved by the book Zhuan Falun.
One morning, I woke up feeling uneasy. The guards came in and out, and the Falun Gong practitioners were summoned to the office, one by one. Some of them were taken to the office more than once. In the afternoon, the elder sister was notified of her prison sentence. I pulled her hand with tears in my eyes.
The next day before dawn, the practitioners were still doing their exercises when a guard opened the door. He took a broom used to sweep snow, and hit them with it. A practitioner who was a female attorney was still holding her hands in the jieyin position, and the guard slapped her in the face twice. Her mouth bled, and the guard shouted angrily: “If you continue to practice, we will lose our jobs.” An elderly practitioner was forced to stand in the snow for one day as punishment. Because they refused to give up their belief, some were sent to prison, while others were sent to a brainwashing center. Money was extorted from some of them.
Upon my release, I handed the factory over to debtors. I packed up my things into a suitcase, and with only 3,000 yuan, the three of us in my family stepped onto the path of cultivation and started working for others.
For 13 years, I experienced all the bitterness as well as the good things in the human world. Under the guidance of Dafa and looked after by Master, I no longer felt that it is better to die than to live. I regarded difficulty and repaying karma as a good thing and truly understood the meaning of life.
Please listen to the lyrics of the song by Shen Yun “Awaiting the Fa” (Hong Yin III). I hope this will open the lock in your hearts.|
Awaiting the Fa
Each rebirth and every lifetime, all in reincarnation
Flowers withering and blooming, one lifetime after another
In the blink of an eye, black hair turns grey
Striving and vying leaves one empty-handed
Fame, fortune, emotion and affection are all in vain
Yet everyone has fought over them since ancient times
Human life is like a drama
Foolish or mad, one lives out the acts as if real
Both you and I are beings from Heaven above
We descended to be human and await the Fa
Dafa disciples have been spreading the truth
And the truth can open the way to divinity
(From the Call for Submissions to Commemorate the Twentieth Anniversary of Falun Dafa’s Introduction.)
