[Celebrating World Falun Dafa Day] A Former Bully Becomes Kind and Honest

(Minghui.org) I live in the countryside and I’m 67 years old this year. I began practicing Falun Dafa more than 20 years ago. Dafa has given me a healthy body and eliminated my addictions to cigarettes and alcohol. Furthermore, Dafa has purified my mind and shown me how to be a considerate, kind and hardworking person.

Tormented by Illness

Before I began practicing Falun Dafa my legs were always cold. For nine months every year, I had to wear cotton-padded pants, a thicker pair in winter, and a thinner pair in springtime. My legs still felt cold during summer. As soon as the weather became chilly in the fall, I had to wear cotton-padded pants. On warm days if I bathed in the sun, my legs were comfortable, but my upper body would be sweating. When I sat in the shade, my upper body felt cool and comfortable but my legs were cold.

In the fall of 1996, my cousin was getting married. During the banquet, one of my uncles (a cousin of one of my parents) was there. He was puzzled by my cotton-padded pants which did not go well with the nice shirt I was wearing. I told him that my legs were always cold and there was no treatment for this rare condition. He said, “Well, you should practice Falun Dafa which is most effective in getting rid of illnesses. Many people are practicing nowadays. I practice as well.” As he talked I noticed how healthy he looked. I asked him, “How can I learn to practice?” He said, “Come to my home, I will give you a copy of Zhuan Falun.”

On the 23rd day of the 8th month per the Chinese lunar calendar in 1996, I went to my uncle’s home and brought back a precious copy of Zhuan Falun. I read the book thoroughly. From that day on I made up my mind to practice Falun Dafa, and do as Master taught in the book.

Quitting Old Habits and Living a Harmonious Life

Talking about drinking alcohol, I had to have four drinks with each meal in winter, and three in the summer. Regarding smoking, I lit a cigarette the moment I got out of bed in the morning. My wife was sick of the haze of cigarette smoke in the room.

In addition, I was a bully at home. Even if the pot of rice was right in front of me, my wife had to fill the bowl and serve it to me. I told her exactly which level she should fill the bowl to, no more, no less. When she cooked dumplings I always picked the plump ones, which tasted the best fresh off the stove. She had to cook several times to come up with enough fresh, plump ones. When it came to noodles, each bowl had to be cooked separately, and I ate only freshly cooked noodles and she had to fill my bowl to the level I marked for her each time. My wife was overly burdened, yet she dare not complain. I had beaten her so much that she was timid and compliant. After I began practicing and recalled how I bullied her, I felt ashamed of myself.

I quit smoking and drinking the first day I finished reading Zhuan Falun. At mealtime, my wife asked me, “You’re not drinking?” I told her, “I started practicing Falun Dafa today, and quit smoking and drinking.” When she was about to fill my bowl and serve me I stopped her. I filled the bowl myself. Watching me across the table, my wife said to our daughter in a low voice, “Your dad can get by and not drink?” Our daughter didn’t believe it. I told them, “To practice Falun Dafa, I have to be a good person.” From that day on, I helped clean the table, wash dishes, and do other household chores. I learned to cook, and took care of things both at home and in the field.

I also stopped beating my wife and yelling at our daughter. Our family became happy and harmonious. Days went by and I no longer thought about the chilliness in my legs. That fall I helped the other villagers harvest soybeans. Tons of work! I began sweating, so I took off my shirt and the thinly cotton-padded pants. It was not until we called it a day, when I put my clothes back on, that I realized I had taken my cotton-padded pants off. Wow, my legs were sweating too, which was the first time in my memory. How wonderful Dafa is! Master took away the cold in my legs! Thank you, Master!

My wife and our daughter witnessed the magnificence of Dafa, and they also started practicing. The other villagers noticed that I quit smoking and drinking and my hot temper was gone. I recovered from illness and our family lived in harmony. They were anxious to learn Falun Dafa as well. There were about 100 families in our village. At its peak, about 50 to 60 people practiced Falun Dafa. So many people practiced that there weren’t enough people to play card games. Those who started practicing Falun Dafa said, “We do the exercises and read the Fa now. We don’t have time to play cards or mah-jong.” It was Falun Dafa that changed our village for the better.

Becoming an Honest Man

Before I began practicing Falun Dafa, I had other bad habits, like being lazy and slacking off at work, telling lies, arguing with others when buying or selling things and I had a strong attachment to gain and loss. After studying the Fa and doing the exercises, I changed. Dafa has taught me to be an honest, kind person. When I went out to do odd jobs I did them as conscientiously as I would for myself. My employers were impressed by my diligence.

In the fall of 2021, I got a job at a construction site a couple of miles from home. On the first day, the head contractor, myself and two others were loading cement slates into a truck. After we were done, the head contractor said, “You’re strong, capable. Stay on my team from now on.” One day, I finished loading cement slates by noon. The others were not yet finished. The head contractor asked me to continue working on the team after the new year. He raised my wage to 300 yuan a day, while a dozen others on the construction site were making 200 yuan a day. He took me to lunch and bought me drinks and dumplings filled with meat.

The head contractor knew I never slacked off. He let me work flexible hours, and I got paid for the amount of work I completed. I arrived at the site at 7 a.m., took 30 minutes off for lunch, and would leave as early as 3 p.m. after completing my share of work. I got paid over 400 yuan. My coworkers were amazed. They asked, “You’re not young. Don’t you feel tired?” I asked, “Do I look like I feel tired?” They said that none of them could keep up with my pace. I told them, “I practice Falun Dafa. My health is good. Master purified my body. Even though I’m 60 years old, I have the strength of a young man.”

By interacting with me the head contractor and coworkers came to know the facts about Falun Dafa, and they all agreed that Falun Dafa is great. They told me, “You are a kind man.” I said, “It was my Master who told me to be considerate and kind all the time, in all circumstances.”

The head contractor was impressed with my work. He kept me until the job was completed to wind things down after all others had left. He asked for my number when we said goodbye to each other.

Selling Vegetables

I started growing and selling vegetables in 2014. I treated customers honestly and fairly and built up a steady clientele. While weighing vegetables, I always settled it to the advantage of the customers, and let them keep the small change. As time went by, they came to know that I practiced Falun Dafa. The other sellers in the farm market also know that I’m a Falun Dafa practitioner.

One day, a mother and her daughter came to my stand. They liked my vegetables and picked a few. They left after paying me, but I didn’t count the money carefully. After rearranging my vegetables, I found that they overpaid me. They had walked quite some distance. I called out to them. They thought they might not have paid me enough, and were pleasantly surprised when I handed back the amount they overpaid me.

Another time, someone left after buying vegetables. I saw cash in front of my stand and realized it was dropped by the man who just bought vegetables. I called him back and returned the money to him. Other vendors asked, “Why give it back to him? Don’t bother.” I explained, “We practitioners want to be kind. We are not to take money from others. We don’t take what is not ours.”

Another day, a lady, who was from the provincial capital, wanted to buy celery for her mother. Her mother was in her 90s. There was no celery on the market in the provincial capital. There was none in our farm market either. She was anxious. She came to my stand and asked if I had celery stems. I told her that I had them at home, but I just didn’t bring them. She said, “Bring them tomorrow, and you name the price. I will meet you here.” I said, “Sure.” She came the next day, and I gave her the celery. I asked, “Is this enough for you?” She said, “Yes, it’s enough. How much is it?” I told her that it was free, as she was so kind to buy it for her elderly mother. I was glad to be of help. I told her, “I practice Falun Dafa. Master asked us to be kind and considerate.” She was most grateful and gladly left. I was glad that I was able to help her.

There are so many stories like these. Looking back at my journey of over 20 years of cultivation, weathering tribulations, and growing more mature, I am most touched by Master’s protection. It is Master and Dafa that changed me, and guided me to be considerate of others all the time, and be a genuinely kind person.

Please allow me to express my gratitude to Master!