(Minghui.org) I am a retired soldier. Near the end of 1995, I was still serving in the army and my parents came to visit me from my hometown. They told me about a very good qigong practice and brought two books for me to read about it. I was never interested in qigong before, but because of a love of reading from childhood, I began to read one of the books: Zhuan Falun. I gave the other book, Falun Gong, to my wife. I was captivated by what I found inside this book and stayed up all night reading!
After reading Zhuan Falun, I was shocked. I had never heard of such a book before! It presented truth so profound that it shook my soul. I said to my wife, “Zhuan Falun is a book unlike any other. No one has ever before explained something so profound that it can lead people to heaven. Please begin to practice diligently and I will support you. I will start to practice soon as well."
However, I did not start to practice right away as planned. One reason I postponed practicing centered around feeling that my xinxing standard was far from the requirements of Dafa. Secondly, I felt the book contained high level principles but I was not yet convinced that this was something that could lead one in daily cultivation practice. Also, I realized that the principles of Dafa were so absolutely different from Communist Party's philosophy, and I became concerned whether it would be tolerated by the Party.
Although I did not start to practice Dafa for several years, I felt more and more that the principles in Zhuan Falun were true. I knew in my heart that Falun Dafa was genuine and could save people. I believed that a god has come to save the people.
The Party's propganda mouthpieces began to publish articles defaming Falun Dafa, and to spread lies about Falun Dafa practitioners. My boss knew that my wife and her parents were Dafa practitioners, and so he asked me if I also practiced Dafa. I answered, “I am not qualified.”
On July 20, 1999, the CCP began to crack down on Falun Dafa in earnest. The media continued to slander Dafa and I knew the Party had begun to persecute practitioners. I asked myself why the CCP persecuted Dafa. What is the nature of this repression? What will be the result?
After reflection, I concluded that Falun Dafa is saving people so they can return to heaven. The CCP is just a political party in human society. Jiang Zemin took advantage of his power in the persecution of Dafa, and the CCP is fighting against god and humanity. The more severely the CCP persecutes Dafa, the faster it will collapse. The evil will never win over the righteous. This is a principle which never changes.
Although I did not know why Dafa practitioners were encountering such severe persecution, or how they would get out of this tribulation, I believed the CCP would collapse. I realized that if I walked into Dafa, I would be faced with the same tribulations. My heart told me that I had to make a choice between good and evil; I had to walk into Dafa. Then, with Master's help, I started to practice Dafa on August 15, 1999. I became a real Dafa disciple on that day.
Cultivation has brought about a lot of changes in my life. I avoided engaging in bad habits/behaviors, and was able to quit smoking. My face became more youthful in appearance. My boss found out that I was practicing Dafa and proposed to me that I should “retire”. I discussed this prospect with my wife. In 2005, authorities discovered we were producing Falun Gong truth clarification materials and our home was searched by the police. My wife was sentenced to five years in prison, and I was taken away by the army. My child, who was studying out of town, had no source of livelihood.
My fellow soldiers knew that I practiced Dafa, but they had no evidence. They asked me, but I neither admitted nor denied. They knew I would not fall into their trap, so they forced me to write a so-called “understanding” of Falun Dafa. Instead, I wrote the truth about Dafa, not the propaganda that they wanted me to write. I explained the healing and other wondrous effects of Falun Dafa, and I wrote the truth about the Tiananmen self-immolation hoax. After I submitted my “understanding paper”, my boss was so mad that he asked me to rewrite it. I told him, “You asked me to write my understanding. Do you want me to write the truth or lies?” They didn't know what to say. They locked me up in a small room, and forced me to write words of slander against Falun Dafa.
Since I did not give in, I was taken to a local brainwashing center where I was watched by three “personal monitors” 24 hours a day. I was forced to watch slanderous videos every day and write my understanding. They were trying to reform me to betray Dafa, but I was firmly denying to do so.
Once, they dragged me down the stairs to a room for brainwashing. I threw myself over the rail of the staircase and fell to the ground. I denied such persecution and believed Master would watch me and protect me. It was very quiet in the first few minutes after I fell and then I heard the brainwashing center director shouting, "Pick him up quickly." The director got on the phone and reported it to his boss. He then said to me, "I will not force you to go listen to the lecture today." He helped me get up. My body had no discomfort or injury. I know my compassionate Master helped me.
After a month or two, they began to bother me again, and I kept reciting the Fa and sending righteous thoughts. I think I am a Fa-rectification period Dafa disciple, it is not my place to stay. I should save sentient beings.
Master encouraged me to deny the persecution. I started thinking how to get out of this brainwashing center. They feared that I would expose the persecution, which would lead to other practitioners doing the same. So, at mealtime, while all practitioners and personal monitors began to eat, I suddenly stood up and loudly exposed the persecution. They locked other practitioners in their rooms and later, thugs came to beat me. Two days later, I was taken to a hospital. After inspection, I was found to have internal bleeding and needed surgery immediately. The director in the brainwashing center was afraid to take responsibility, so they sent me to my military hospital for treatment. Ten days later, I was sent back to the troops and locked in a small dark room. I was watched at all times, and the leaders put pressure on me. They threatened me and said I must write a “guarantee statement” within a few days. Otherwise, I would be expelled from the Party; they would confiscate my wages and my house; my child would have to leave school; and I would be sent to jail. I knew that the CCP could, of course, do all of this. I was concerned for my child. He was not independent and he needed parents to take care of him. I realized this concern was an attachment. My relatives could take care of him. My child was also a Dafa practitioner. Master would make arrangements for him.
My righteous thoughts were strong and I began to plan how to get out of this place. After several days, I prepared a letter to my boss. I indicated all kinds of torture methods used on me in those several months. I explained that I only wanted to be a good person and that there was no reason to torture me. I handed over my letter and all the leaders read it. Under Master's help, I was rid of the evil place in seven months!
Eight years have passed. Master keeps watch over us and protects us. We can only appreciate Master's help by cultivating diligently and taking the righteous path arranged by Master.
If there are any inappropriate, please kindly point them out.