(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Gong in February 1998. It brought me much joy, particularly so, as I had just experienced the lowest point in my life.
I had been plagued with many diseases that made me very short-tempered, and my poor health was a great burden for my family. They witnessed the positive improvements in my health and truly experienced Buddha's blessings, after I started practicing Falun Dafa. My husband and daughter are so grateful to Dafa, and they have fully supported me in my practice despite the Chinese regime's brutal persecution.
My Husband Fully Supports Me
Two months after I started practicing, I shared my cultivation experiences with the volunteer assistant in our area. He told me a few days later that an experience sharing conference was planned for all local practitioners, to share their cultivation experiences, and asked me if I would like to speak.
I refused, saying, “You have been cultivating for years, but I have only practiced for two months. I don't feel that I'm qualified.”
After I shared my concerns with my husband, he said, “You should join them. You're not there to show off, just to talk about your understanding of the extraordinariness of Dafa and the greatness of Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa. More importantly, you should express your appreciation to Dafa and Master Li on behalf of our entire family.”
My daughter and mother-in-law agreed, and I realized that I really should participate in the experience sharing conference.
I shared my experiences with more than 1,000 attendees at the conference, telling how Dafa had brought both peace and joy to my family. I also mentioned that I would follow Master Li to the end of my cultivation journey.
The newspapers Beijing Youth and Beijing Health published articles in 1998 that slandered Falun Gong, and I overheard contact persons talking about safeguarding Falun Gong and holding an appeal to do so.
I told my husband, “I also want to go, too, but I am worried that they won't let me.” My husband said, “You should tell them that you also want to help restore the reputation of Dafa. They will take you with them.”
Encouraged by my husband, I said to the contact person the next day, “I am new, but can I go with you to appeal for Dafa?” He replied, “Of course. But it might be dangerous. Are you afraid?” I was not. Just like that, with my husband's support, I went to appeal for Dafa.
Practitioners were arrested and beaten in Tianjin in 1999. Practitioners in Beijing decided to go to the Appeals Office to speak up for those who were imprisoned in Tianjin. I told my husband about it. He said, “You should go. You should speak up for Dafa and Master Li. Take enough cash and don't forget to bring some warm clothes, because you don't know when you'll be able to return home.” Therefore, I joined the April 25 Peaceful Appeal.
Approximately 10,000 practitioners gathered quietly in Beijing on April 25, 1999 to appeal to the central government for the right to practice Falun Gong. They came from all walks of life and regions of the country to ask the Chinese Communist regime to cease its escalating harassment, and to protect basic human rights.
The day after the appeal, a local official in my residential area approached me and asked me to sign a statement promising to no longer practice Falun Gong. I firmly refused. She said that she was acting under orders from the police department. I said, “Then let the police come see me.” My husband heard about this and said, “You've done the right thing. You shouldn't betray Master Li.”
The environment in Beijing at the beginning of the persecution was one of fear and oppression. Police officers were arresting practitioners every day and ransacking their homes. I cried every day, holding the book Zhuan Falun, and asking why. My husband tried to comfort me, “Don't worry No matter what happens, you should not give up Falun Gong.” I cried, “I will never give it up.”
I discovered one day that the young girl in charge of the elevator in my apartment building had been spying on me. I said to my husband that I needed to talk to the security guard in our building. My husband said, “Go ahead. Ask them what you did wrong and why they are spying on you.”
Encouraged by my husband, I started to clarify the truth about Falun Gong. I talked to the girl and the security guard for two hours. Later, the girl was the first one in the whole building to quit the communist party. During the next few years, I clarified the truth to three different security guards, and they all quit the Party later. My cultivation environment also improved.
Soon after the persecution started, I told my husband, “We can't let this interfere with our Fa study group. Can I invite the other local practitioners to our home for group study?” Without hesitation, he said, “Sure. Contact them now. As long as they are not afraid, nothing will happen to us. Master Li is protecting us.” I cried. It is relatively easy to have a group Fa study nowadays. But at the beginning of the persecution, it was very difficult, particularly if one lacked faith in Master Li and Dafa.
Our Fa study group began in the morning and concluded in the evening. My husband was very happy to assist us in every way he could. For many years he picked up an elderly practitioner, brought her to the Fa study group, and dropped her back home when we finished. He also cooked lunch for us. When he was not cooking, he stayed outside and kept watch, protecting the practitioners inside.
We formed this Fa study group in 1999, but it ended in 2007. During that time we combined our efforts to improve ourselves and spent a precious period of time together.
In 2007, the whole family of practitioners living in my apartment building were arrested. For safety reasons, the group Fa study was moved to a different location. My husband was sad, and said, “The Fa study group has moved. I feel empty now.”
Local practitioners never forgot him and my family. During the holidays, they always send us greetings. My husband respects and cares about all practitioners. When a practitioner in my apartment building was arrested, my husband often reminded me to visit his family. On Chinese New Year's Eve one year, my husband invited a practitioner's family to join us for dinner.
From 2004 to 2006, I attended three different Fa study groups every week, and I delivered Master's new articles and truth-clarification materials that exposed the persecution of Falun Gong every week to three practitioners who lived in remote areas. My husband did all the housework for me without complaint. He always supported me in my validating the Fa, and informing more people about the persecution of Falun Gong.
One day in 2005 when I returned from a group Fa study, he said, “It's 102°F (39°C) outside. Why are you returning so late?” I told him excitedly, “Both myself and some other practitioners distributed copies of Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party on the street." He was amazed, “You guys are so brave. You are amazing. Master Li would be happy for you.”
I said, “I was impressed by the other practitioners being brave enough to distribute the materials in public. I stopped being so afraid after seeing them. All I had in my mind was clarifying the facts to people about the persecution. So I joined them.”
This happened during the third online Fa conference for mainland Chinese Dafa practitioners. My husband said, “Write an article about it, and let people see how courageous Falun Gong practitioners are. Also, by doing so you'll be informing Master Li of your efforts.” My daughter said, “Mom, be brave. We support you.” I wrote an article about it, and it was published on the Minghui website. My family was pleased to read it.
I deeply understand that my improvement is impossible without Master, and that my family's unconditional support was of great significance, too.
My Daughter Often Reminds Me to Think and Act in Accordance with Dafa
When I first started cultivation, my daughter supported me and admired Master Li. But after the persecution started, she was petrified. She was always worried about me, especially after she saw the photos of practitioners who were tortured to death.
During the communist party's 16 th national congress in 2002, I wrote 16 letters to the City Police Department, City Government, National Security Bureau, and Beijing TV station, appealing for Falun Gong. I spent a whole night writing. At 5:00 a.m., my daughter saw me putting stamps on the envelopes. She cried, “Mom, don't do that. You're leaving your fingerprints on the envelopes and stamps. They will find out who wrote the letters.”
I got mad and yelled at her, “Stop crying! I will take full responsibility for whatever I've done—it has nothing to do with you. Master Li gave you a happy family and saved your mother's life. I won't regret it even if I have to sacrifice myself for Dafa.”
I had never yelled at my daughter since I had started cultivation. I thought that I should not emphasize forbearance. My husband came out and asked what all the fuss was about. My daughter said, “It is not that I don't support Mom. I am worried about her safety.” My husband said, “Don't worry. It's just a letter. Let me write and send them. They can't track me down. Even if they can, I am not afraid. Your mom is doing the right thing. Don't be afraid.”
A few minutes later, my daughter saw me and my husband writing addresses on the envelopes. She joined us and said, “Mom, let me help too.” I said, “If you're afraid, you don't have to, but you should not stop me from doing the right thing.” She then started helping me.
After my daughter left for work, my husband said, “You should not have behaved like that. She is still a child. The TV stations report the arrests of practitioners every day. Of course she's going to be afraid for you. Let's be patient with her. She will understand that Master Li will protect us as long as we don't have fear.” I looked inward and agreed with him. After that, I often studied Master Li's teachings regarding fear with my daughter, and often took her out to distribute truth-clarification materials. She gradually ceased being afraid.
There were very few truth-clarification materials production sites when the persecution began, and I often asked my daughter to photocopy Master Li's new articles for other practitioners. My husband and I encouraged her, “You are a secretary, so you are familiar with the equipment. We won't have any worries if you do this work. It is a sacred task, so Master Li will protect you.”
When she first started she was a bit afraid. Later, she found that her boss often came in right after she finished the work, so she realized that Master Li was truly protecting her.
One day she came home with a bag of craft items. She said, “Mom, another practitioner is going to clarify the truth in the countryside. She can give these to the farmers as gifts.” That practitioner was touched and wanted to pay her. My daughter said that she wanted to make a contribution to Dafa, too. My daughter and husband often contributed financially to the materials production site.
In 2009, a young practitioner told me on the phone that her mother, also a practitioner, had been released from a forced labor camp. When I asked if I could visit her, she said quickly, “No, you don't have to,” and hung up. I realized that her phone must be tapped, and that she didn't want to bring me any trouble.
I told this to my daughter and husband. My daughter said, “Let me go. We are both young people. The police won't pay any attention to us.” This made me happy. One day she came home late. I thought that she had been at work, but she said, “Mom, I met that young practitioner and bought some gifts for her mother. The young practitioner was happy and said that her mother often mentions you. But it's unsafe to visit her now.” I was touched by my daughter's kindness.
One day I ran into several practitioners with whom I had lost contact many years prior. We were very excited and decided to have a small-scale experience sharing conference at one practitioner's house. My daughter heard about it and said, “I am worried that she can't prepare enough food for so many people. Why don't we buy some and take it to her house?” I was pleased that my daughter was more considerate than I. The other practitioners were happy for me because I had such a considerate daughter.
Both my husband and daughter remind me to think and act in accordance with the Fa. For example, I was unhappy when I overheard a few practitioners gossiping about me. I complained to my husband and daughter, “I can accept the other things they said about me, but I cannot accept them saying me that I have fear. In the last 15 years, I was never afraid of the evil, and the evil never dared to hurt me. Every time a practitioner was released from a forced labor camp or detention center, I have always been the first one to visit them and give them Master's new articles.”
My husband said, “As a Falun Dafa practitioner, you should look inward.” My daughter also said, “Didn't Master Li ask us not to look outward? Let's recite Master Li's poems 'Don't Argue' and 'Who's Right, Who's Wrong.'”
I was shocked—as a practitioner, why was my understanding even lower than two non-practitioners'? My daughter said, “You always ask me to keep Master Li's words in mind'
“He's right, And I'm wrong,” What's to dispute?' ("Who's Right, Who's Wrong" from Hong Yin III)
Why did you forget to do so yourself?”
I was speechless and calmed down, starting to look inward. My family often helps me in cultivation this way.
Benevolent Master Has Been Watching My Family
My family has made some contributions to Dafa, and Master Li has truly blessed them. During the past 15 years, they've never had to go to the hospital. They may have become ill a few times, but they always recovered without the use of drugs or treatment.
My daughter is doing well in her career. She has been promoted from a low-ranking secretary to a high-ranking manager. She often says that everything she has in her career was arranged by Master Li.
My husband was involved in a few car accidents, but Master Li always protected him. He was once in a collision on his motorcycle,. The motorcycle was totaled, but he wasn't hurt at all. Another time, his motorcycle crashed into a big truck. Again, he wasn't hurt at all. Everyone at the site was shocked.
My entire family is very grateful to Master Li. If it wasn't for Master Li, our family wouldn't be what it is today. On Master Li's birthday, we always prepare a large bouquet in front of Master Li's portrait, and we bow in respect. On every Chinese New Year's Eve, we light fireworks and shout to the sky, “Happy New Year, Master Li!” We believe that Master hears us.
Let me end this article by sharing a miracle. Five years ago, another practitioner showed me two tree leaves on which some Udumbara flowers were growing. Legends hold that Udumbara flowers blossom only once every 3,000 years. The practitioner gave me those two leaves. I kept them in a metal box and tied it with yellow silk ribbons. I bring the box with me to clarify the truth at weddings and in different cities and in remote areas.
Five years have passed. The leaves have faded and dried out. But the Udumbara flowers are still there at the centers of the leaves. People are amazed when they see the flowers in full bloom, without water or air in the box.
The miraculous part is that when I started to write this article, two Udumbara flowers that had wilted blossomed again. I knew this is was encouragement.
We are most appreciative of Master Li and will do even better in our cultivation and truth clarification efforts.
Please point out anything inappropriate. Thank you.
