(Minghui.org) Whenever I read Minghui articles about practitioners’ sharing their memories of Master Li Hongzhi (the founder) giving his first teaching seminars in China to introduce Falun Dafa, I’m moved to tears. I would like to share some of my stories of attending Master’s early lectures.
Recalling those precious memories, my heart is full of happiness and gratitude.
I was born in a remote mountain region in northwest China. My family was poor. When I was little we usually didn’t know when we'd have our next meal. I wore the same patched clothing year-round. Whenever there was a special event at school, I had to borrow clothes from the neighbors.
In 1985 I got married and we ran a small shop. After years of hard work, my health deteriorated. My maternal grandfather, a Chinese medicine doctor suggested I practice qigong to improve my health.
In 1992, I attended a qigong workshop out of town. The trip cost me about 1,000 yuan including several hundred yuan for tuition. My health did not improve, and I did not even get to meet the “master” of that qigong. Just like our Master said:
“In the end, these people have traveled back and forth, spending much money and effort for nothing.” (Lecture Eight, Zhuan Falun)
In June 1994, I planned to attend a workshop for the same qigong. While I was waiting to change trains in Beijing I called a friend who lived in the city. I explained why I was there. My friend immediately told me about Falun Dafa and said I just missed Master's seminar in Beijing. He rushed to the motel I was staying in and brought me a set of audiotapes of the lectures.
That evening, I listened to several of the recordings. What Master said was really good! I decided to stay in Beijing and learn how to practice Falun Dafa.
I went to a Falun Dafa practice site in Ditan Park. An assistant warmly greeted me and taught me the five sets of exercises for free. I also got a copy of the book Falun Gong.
I heard that Master would hold another seminar in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. I was very excited and counted the days.
On the evening of June 9, 1994, I boarded a train from Beijing to Zhengzhou. The next morning, I arrived at Zhengzhou. I found the registration place and registered myself. The registration fee was 40 yuan. A local practitioner recommended an inexpensive motel.
On the morning of June 11th, together with several other out-of-town people who came Zhengzhou for the seminar, we arrived at the place where the seminar would be held.
It was a simple indoor sports court. The roof was made of asbestos tiles and iron sheets. The floor was concrete, as well as the “seats” which were in fact concrete stairs. There was no glass on the windows. A table was in the center stage. At least 1,000 people gathered there.
The second day as Master spoke, a violent windstorm suddenly came, together with torrential rain and hail. Large drops of rain and hail rattled the iron roof. The electricity went out. Rain gusted in through the windows. There was a roof leak right next to the table where Master stood.
Master sat on the table. He did a set of large hand gestures and told a story about Shakyamuni. Everyone listened quietly.
Very soon the wind and rain stopped. A ray of sunshine came in through a window, and everyone applauded.
After that, the location was changed to a stadium in better condition.
Every day before the lecture, Master walked around the courtyard. In the beginning, many practitioners took photos of Master but stopped doing so at the end.
At that time, I did not understand what cultivation was. I just wanted my back to stop hurting.
One morning before the class, I met Master face to face in the courtyard. Master looked serious and kind. My mind went completely blank.
I gradually understood Master was teaching us to truly cultivate to high levels.
“There are not many opportunities for something like this, and I will not teach this way forever. I think that those who can listen to my lectures in person, I would say, honestly... you will realize in the future that this period of time is extremely precious. Of course, we believe in predestined relationships. Everyone sits here all because of a predestined relationship.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
When the seminar ended after eight days, all the new practitioners were given graduation certificates. We were asked to write experience reports. Master said he would read all of them.
Right after the Zhengzhou seminar, I decided to follow Master to Jinan City, Shandong Province and attend the next seminar there. I traveled with a group of people; one was a female practitioner from Beijing. She said she had already followed Master to several seminars in various locations.
We arrived at Jinan City. Since we were not new students, the registration fee was only 25 yuan. We went around the city to look for a motel but had difficulty finding one. In the end, we found the exact number of beds we needed in a motel right next to the Huangting Gymnasium where the seminar was to be held. Thinking back, I'm so grateful for Master’s arrangement, for each of us!
It was hot in Jinan City. During a lunch break, many practitioners wanted to have their photo taken with Master. Under the scorching sun, Master patiently stood and had his photo taken with one group after another. My group did not go because we already did in Zhengzhou and we did not wish to disturb Master further.
On the third day of the Jinan seminar, my entire body ached as if I had a heavy cold. The next morning all the symptoms were gone. I felt wonderful! My entire body was light. Since that day, I have never taken a single pill. Many people said I looked twelve years younger than my real age.
In October 1994, a friend told me some happy news - Master would hold a seminar in Guangzhou City in December! When I was discussing the trip with the friend at a public phone booth, the attendant, who overheard our conversation, said: “You are so lucky!”
In December, three days before the seminar started, I, my wife, and another relative bought a case of instant noodles and headed to the train station.
The night before we left, my five-year-old daughter had a fever. What should I do? I was worried about leaving the girl with my mother. On the other hand, I was determined to go to Guangzhou. In the end, we decided to take our daughter with us. By the time we arrived in Xi’an City to change trains, my daughter was bouncing around and completely fine. It must be Master’s arrangement - in this way to have my daughter attend the lectures!
More than 5,000 people came to the Guangzhou seminar. Several hundred people - including my group - did not secure tickets. A practitioner who was from Beijing managed to get us two tickets. I let my wife and my relative, who had never attended Master’s seminar before, to go in with the tickets, taking my daughter with them. I and other practitioners who did not have tickets were asked to go to a small hall to listen to Master’s lecture which would be broadcast over the radio. On the second day, the Beijing practitioner secured another ticket for me. I later learned that those tickets were given by some Beijing practitioners, who sacrificed their own chance to go in. I sincerely thank those Beijing practitioners!
Every morning, as soon as Master walked onto the stage, the gymnasium filled with several thousand people instantly became silent. No one was maintaining order. Everyone was focused on Master’s words. Master usually spoke for two hours straight without even drinking a sip of water. On one of the days, Master said he would cleanse practitioners’ bodies. Master told us to lift one hand and then stomp together. When we stomped, Master grabbed and threw something away. My wife saw sparks on the floor in front of Master. Those with their Celestial Eyes open could see more, of course.
We stayed at a hostel which belonged to the Guangzhou Military Region. Every day a bus came to pick us up. Many people who stayed there were veteran practitioners and they were attending the seminar again. Many of them were professors or senior technicians. Everyone glowed with health and happiness. We often discussed our experiences with each other.
My wife’s long-term tuberculosis was instantly resolved. As soon as we returned home, she threw away all her tuberculosis medicine.
Our shop became a practice site and we played the audio recordings of Master’s lectures for new practitioners. Our shop was very easy to find. Soon, Falun Dafa was spreading in the surrounding towns and cities.
When the video recordings of Master’s lecture became available, my color TV (at the time most people in the countryside only had black-white TVs) and videotape player became powerful tools for spreading Dafa. In addition to organizing nine-day workshops locally, I also frequently went to the countryside. Sometimes larger companies and businesses invited me there to play videos of Master’s lectures and of him demonstrating the exercises. I was always very happy to go - sometimes eight or nine days - while my wife took care of our shop on her own. Whenever this happened, our shop had extremely good business. Dafa brought us blessings!
Later, I coordinated with the Falun Dafa Association in my and nearby provinces. A good environment for learning Dafa and sharing experience was formed.
I wanted to share these happy memories with you - of how Falun Dafa spread in remote regions in northwest China in those early years.
After the Chinese Communist Party started to persecute Falun Dafa, I was persecuted as a “key” target. With Master’s protection and encouragement, I was able to make it through all the years of hardship.
