(Minghui.org) Since I was a child, I wondered why human beings were in this world, where we came from, and where we were going. Did we have to follow the path of being born, getting married, having children, getting old, having illnesses, and then dying? Who arranged for things to be that way? For whom does everything in this world exist? I didn't perceive the answers and no one else could give them to me either.
Though I was young, I felt life was meaningless. I cried over trivial things. I wasn't like the children of my age who were supposed to be carefree.
Finding Falun Dafa
Both of my parents passed away when I was 26. My husband worked in another city to make extra money to pay back our debts. I felt that everything was fragile and unstable. Life to me was hopeless; I cried constantly.
My son was in poor health and required medical treatments each month, and things were tight financially. I felt my life was miserable.
In order to increase our income, my family moved to the city in which my sister lived and set up a small business.
I saw a client holding a book wrapped in a scarf one day in early 1996. She was very careful with how she handled the book. I was curious and asked her what was the treasure she was holding. She said it was a book called Zhuan Falun. For some reason, I wanted to read that book.
My sister said her colleague had told her about this book and that it was very good. So we bought a copy from the local bookstore.
We decided to go to the Falun Dafa practice site the next day. I was so looking forward to it that I couldn't sleep that night. I was very excited and found the night very long. Later on, by reading the Fa I realized that we had gone through tremendous trials and tribulations life after life in order to find Dafa and be saved by Master Li (the founder).
After I started practicing Dafa, I lived a happier life. Early every morning, I practiced the exercises with other practitioners in the local square. Then I read and memorized the Fa by myself during the day and studied with other practitioners at night. Sometimes, I was reciting the Fa in my sleep.
We went to nearby counties and villages to let people know how wonderful Falun Dafa is and how they could benefit from practicing it.
All my questions about life were answered by Falun Dafa. I thank Master Li for choosing me, re-molding me, pointing out a life direction for me, and leading me to return to my original home.
Forced Labor Camps
I went out to tell people the facts about Falun Dafa after the onset of the persecution of Dafa practitioners on July 20, 1999. I was detained a few times and sent to forced labor camps twice.
In the labor camps, I was tortured in various ways. On one occasion I was not allowed to sleep, eat, drink, or use the toilet for nine days and eight nights. The guards pushed my head into a bucket full of water. They poured ice water over me. They put plastic bags over my head to suffocate me. They poured vinegar into my nostrils and burned my legs with lit mosquito coils. They handcuffed my arms to the heater tubs so that I was in a stooped position, unable to stand up or squat down. Then two guards repeatedly kicked the handcuffs on my wrists, which left permanent scars. They also often kicked me to the ground and then dragged me upright again and again.
I didn't cooperate with them, however, and did not give them any information about other practitioners that I knew. I also wrote articles about how I was being mistreated and managed to have them secretly taken from the prison and sent to the Minghui website for publication.
Local practitioners distributed my articles on a large scale where I lived. This shocked the local police officers who dared not persecute the practitioners so severely. No practitioners were sent to a forced labor camp from 2004 to 2006.
Returning Home and Talking to People about Dafa
When I returned home after being released from the labor camp, I saw that it was dirty and messy. So I gave it a good cleaning.
I also started to do the exercises daily. Within days I regained my health and could eat any food.
My husband looked older than his age due to the pressure of my incarceration and from working hard. His hair had turned gray. He had a lot of complaints toward me and it seemed he didn't care about me as he had before.
I said to him: “We can't live like this. I know life isn't easy for you. You work hard and have to bear a lot. You had to look after your parents who don't have any income by yourself while I was in the forced labor camp. I understand you have grudges. But you shouldn't resent Falun Dafa or our Master. We are innocent. I don't think you would like your wife to be untruthful or unkind. I have become a good wife, mother, and daughter-in-law after becoming a Falun Dafa practitioner. You know best how much I have changed since practicing Dafa.”
He cried. My son cried. And I shed tears as well. The evil elements influencing my husband were eliminated so he treated me well again. Our family's harmony was restored.
I found a job to help my family out and now tell people at work the facts about Dafa and the persecution.
I also set up an information material production center in my home and produce flyers for local practitioners to distribute. When I have time, I go out with them and talk to people about Falun Dafa.
Over the years, I have discovered a lot of my attachments, old notions, and negative thoughts. One of my worst attachments was looking outwards to resolve my problems. I was good at pointing out other practitioners' shortcomings instead of looking at myself. I also liked to be praised.
I missed many opportunities to cultivate myself. I apologized to Master because I hadn't cultivated well and vowed to do better.
Looking back at the past 20 years of cultivation, I realized that Master takes care of me and bears pain for me in my every step as I progress. My gratitude is beyond human expression. My life became meaningful because of Dafa.
I will continue to rectify any of my shortcomings, let go of human notions, and cultivate myself well.
