(Minghui.org) I would like to share my recent experiences in telling people the facts about Falun Gong and persuading tourists to quit the CCP at tourist spots in Taipei.
Getting Rid of Fear and Stepping Forward
Seven years ago when I had just started telling people the facts about Falun Gong and persuading people to quit the CCP, I had some strong fears. I was afraid of the Chinese tourists' strong accent, afraid of meeting people who speak loudly, afraid of being harassed and afraid of being asked questions that I couldn't answer. I was also afraid of not being able to explain the facts clearly and leading people to misunderstand Dafa practitioners.
After I studied the Fa for a period of time, I enlightened to one point: I am here to be a Dafa practitioner who assists Master [Li Hongzhi] in Fa-rectification. So, how could I have so much fear? Master Li said,
“The fact is, those who can’t step forward, regardless of the excuse, are concealing fear. Yet for cultivators, fear or lack thereof proves [one’s] humanity or divinity, and it is what differentiates cultivators from ordinary people. It is something that a cultivator must face, and the biggest human attachment that a cultivator must remove.” (“Study the Fa Well, and Getting Rid of Attachments is Not Hard,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress)
In that moment, I decided that I will no longer run away. I wanted to get rid of all my fear with my righteous thoughts and step forward. From time to time, Master has given me hints and encouraged me through the words of fellow practitioners. It's my prehistoric vow to assist Master with Fa-rectification, and it is the path I will walk upon during the Fa-rectification period.
Closing the Distance with Tourists and Telling Them the Facts about Falun Gong
Every Sunday I go to the Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall to tell tourists the facts about Falun Gong. Chinese tourists arrive one group after another to watch the popular Changing of the Guard ceremony. Once the tour guide finishes explaining the attention points before entry, I would say hello to the guide while distributing the Falun Dafa newspaper to the tourists.
I'd say, “Hello– you're working hard! I hope your tour group has a safe trip!”
I'd keep smiling while handing over the materials to the tourists: “You can read this newspaper when you have time, or come back to review these display boards after you watch the ceremony. You will see things here that you can't see in China.”
Some of them ignore me. Some of them say unpleasant things or give me hard looks. However, I keep telling myself to keep smiling and keep being compassionate, so as to leave these Chinese tourists with a good impression. Master said,
“Even when in your daily life you pass by people so quickly that you don't have a chance to talk to them, you should still leave them with your compassion and kindness.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2003 Atlanta Fa Conference, Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. IV)
I believe that I will always meet the tourists who have a predestined relationship with Dafa.
Helping a Man Quit the Young Pioneers
An elderly man came out early and waited outside for his group. He stood quietly and in front of our display boards, looking things over. He was very focused on our boards, so I went over and talked to him: “Aren't you going with your group to watch the ceremony?”
He said he wasn't. I smiled and said, “You are very wise.”
Then I started telling him the facts about Falun Gong: “The CCP persecuted Falun Gong because Falun Gong practitioners outnumbered the CCP members and the former CCP regime leader was jealous of Falun Gong. Just think, if it is truly not good, how could Falun Gong have spread all over the world?”
I also explained to him the details of the April 25 Incident, which happened in 1999 when Falun Gong practitioners went to appeal to the government peacefully. However, the CCP crafted rumors saying that practitioners had surrounded and attacked Zhongnanhai, the CCP's central headquarters.
“We are clarifying the truth,” I said. “The persecution is still going on. The CCP is still removing organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. Dafa practitioners from more than 100 countries around the world are using our spare time and holidays to tell people the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution.”
At the end of my explanation, I asked him, “Uncle, have you heard of 'quitting the CCP'? It's a movement that started in 2004; are you a CCP member?”
He said he was not a CCP member, then I followed up, “Have you ever joined the Youth League?”
He said he didn't join the Youth League, but that he joined the Young Pioneers. I persuaded him to quit it.
“Both the Youth League and Young Pioneers are the CCP's affiliated organizations. People who joined them swore to give their lives to fight for communism, so they have to shoulder the responsibility together with the CCP for all its evil deeds. We hope that kind people can be safe in their lifetimes. Let me help you quit the Young Pioneers by using the nickname 'Zhong Ming' (using the characters for sincere and wise).”
He responded positively, “All right!”
I reminded him, “Please keep in mind today's date and your nickname used for quitting the Young Pioneers. If any other volunteer persuades you to quit the CCP, just tell him or her that you've quit already.”
He said he would keep it in mind.
Helping a Group of Tourists Quit the CCP
Once, there were five Chinese tourists who came out early and waited for their group. Two ladies saw me and looked me up and down. I smiled at them and said, “I hope you have a good time!”
Later, a group of them gathered around me to listen to the facts about Falun Gong. It's the first time that so many tourists had listened to me together. I thought that this was really a good opportunity. One of them said to me, “You look so nice.”
I said, “The nature of human beings is good. If the person is not kind, I believe it's mostly because they were exposed to an unfavorable environment. I believe that you also have a kind heart.”
She asked me, “Are you a Falun Gong practitioner?”
I looked at them with a happy expression and said, “Yes! Look at the display board behind me: it's the truth about the staged self-immolation at Tiananmen Square.”
I pointed to one picture on the board and explained, “Just think, if a person really catches on fire, can he sit quietly there and wait for others to extinguish the fire? People would jump up in pain even if their hand alone was burned. Obviously, the footage is fake!”
They nodded and started reading the display boards attentively. In the meantime, I continued on with my explanation, “Falun Gong has no political motive. We just want to let you know the facts about us and we will continue trying to do so as long as the persecution is still going on. Every one of you joined the Young Pioneers at an early age because you had no choice in that environment. Now, since you've learned the truth, you've got to make a choice for your own futures! Just use a nickname to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations so that your life won't be adversely affected.”
Usually at this point if anyone showed signs of hesitation, I would say, “I do not know you, but only hope that this opportunity could bring you peace.”
However, the two ladies who talked to me first accepted the nicknames that I gave them and agreed to quit the CCP. One of them said, “I know that Falun Gong practitioners are good people.”
Three men came to inquire about what nicknames I would give them. These people all quit the CCP one after another.
Explaining the Facts about Falun Gong to a Tour Guide
Sometimes the tour guide would come out early and wait for their group. This is a good opportunity for me to explain the facts about Falun Gong to the guide. One time, I met a tourist guide and asked him, “Is this your second day guiding this group?”
The tourist guide replied, “No, I am going to take them to the airport soon.”
Then, I asked him, “So you've toured to the south and come all the way here?”
He said, “Oh, yes!”
Then I asked him if he knew the truth about Falun Gong. He nodded with a smile.
“Now you've learned the facts, please support the side of justice. We are clarifying the truth not only to Chinese people but also to those who are unclear about the truth. The persecution of Falun Gong is still going on and the CCP continues removing organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. The practitioners who were persecuted and I are practicing the same Dafa, so we will not ignore the persecution just because we are living in this democratic and free environment.”
I then continued, “Moreover, I am practicing the principles of ‘Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance’ and our Teacher taught us to consider others in all respects. Organs used for transplants should be donated from volunteers, but the CCP is using the most evil method of removing organs from living Falun Gong practitioners! We are telling people this so that they would not become accomplices or victims.”
The tour guide had a more thorough understanding now about what we were doing, and said, “I've never stopped them from taking your newspaper and materials.”
I gave him a thumbs up, “You're doing the right thing!”
Talking about Falun Gong to Taiwanese and Foreigners
Many tourists without groups visit Ximending in Taipei. I often say to them, “Let's support justice and protest against the persecution together. This movement is looking forward to your participation in signing this petition. Each signature means more hope in saving people.”
If anyone stops to listen to me, I would explain the situation in detail so that they could understand what's going on and sign the petition.
At night, Taipei 101 attracts many tourists from Korea, Japan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, and other countries. Many people like taking pictures in front of the building. A smile is the common language of the world, so I smile and greet them first, and then hand over flyers in different languages.
One time I met two young men. One of them was obviously Korean, and the other looked Taiwanese. They were taking pictures. I gave a Korean a flyer in Korean and then asked the Taiwanese person to explain to him how to take a panoramic view of the building.
I told them that everyone had the right to know the truth. As soon as I finished saying this, the Korean said in Mandarin with an accent, “I know about it. I know!”
Wow, he understood Mandarin! Then I explained to them the facts about Falun Gong and the persecution in China. It seemed like the Taiwanese man wanted to leave, but the Korean kept talking to me and said it was reported in Korea. I asked him why he spoke Mandarin so well. He told me he went to school in China in his childhood and went back to Korea when he grew up. I immediately told him why he should quit the Young Pioneers. He understood and agreed to quit it.
I knew that this encounter was arranged by Master. As long as we want to step forward, we will meet people who have predestined relationships with Dafa.
Catching up with the Progress of Fa-rectification
I go to work during weekdays, so I make time to study the Fa and clarify the truth when I am off from work. All my time slots have been fully scheduled. As time goes by, I've accumulated much experience and know more and more about how to handle situations. At the same time, I am facing more challenges and continuously higher standards.
At the tourist spots, some practitioners choose not to disturb the tourists while they are looking at the display board; some practitioners don't want to miss any opportunity, so they choose to tell people the facts immediately and persuade people to quit the CCP. Some practitioners would correct me and say, “Do not approach them while they are reading the display boards.”
I cooperated with fellow practitioners at the point, but I didn't let go of my attachment. I thought that this was the only natural way to talk to people.
In actuality, it was a test for me to identify whether I have an attachment to validate myself. Master said,
“If you are validating the Fa, no matter what another person says about you, you won't be affected inside. If someone counters your opinion and you get riled up and don't like it, if when other people raise an opinion opposite yours based on some problem you have or disagree with your opinion and you don't like it, and you stand up to oppose it and argue on your own behalf, and when this leads to your going off topic and not listening to others, [in all such cases] you are--even if you are defending and explaining yourself with the best of intentions--still just validating yourself. (Applause) That is because you didn't put Dafa first, and at that time the thing that you couldn't let go of most was self.” (Teaching the Fa at the 2004 International Fa Conference in New York)
Sometimes I do the Falun Gong exercises at the tourist spots. One time, I was not in a good cultivation state. Fellow practitioners pointed out my mistakes and corrected my movements. I knew that I had an attachment of not being able to accept criticism and an attachment to saving face.
Thank you, Master, for all the arrangements. Thank you, fellow practitioners, for correcting my errors. Because of this, I was able to identify my problems and adjust myself quickly so that I can do the three things required of practitioners more diligently.
