(Minghui.org) An accident or an illness can sometimes plunge a person into hardship, even costing them their life. Others, however, experience a fortunate encounter and find clarity amid despair. The following is the story about how Zhao Qiacheng’s family in Taiwan experienced a turning point in their lives after finding Falun Dafa.

Zhao Qiacheng (first from left) with his family. Falun Dafa has brought harmonious changes to Zhao's entire family, both inside and out.

Mr. Zhao Qiacheng, 62, works in the Traditional Chinese Medicine business. More than 20 years ago, although he had a stable job, he always hoped to make a fortune one day and provide his family with a better life. He admitted that to realize his dream of becoming rich, he tried everything, even becoming addicted to gambling and investing in futures. However, he often ended up losing what he had won.

During that period of pursuing fame and fortune, Mr. Zhao’s heart was always conflicted and unsettled. In the end, he not only lost a large amount of the family’s savings but also exhausted himself physically and mentally. In 2001, he began to experience chest tightness and shortness of breath. He suddenly lost a lot of weight, and began suffering from insomnia. In an effort to restore his health, Mr. Zhao visited major hospitals throughout Tainan (where the family lived) and underwent various medical examinations; however, the actual cause of his illness remained unknown.

Encountering Dafa at a Critical Moment

Zhao Qiacheng recalled, “The feeling of chest tightness and shortness of breath was really painful, and neither medications nor injections helped.” It was not until that point that he realized that once a person loses his health, no amount of money is meaningful.

When he was passing by the National Cheng Kung University campus on March 29, 2002, Mr. Zhao heard a melodious tune. He walked towards the sound and saw a group of people meditating with a banner next to them that read “Falun Dafa is good.” The scene was peaceful and pure, and it moved him deeply. He stopped in his tracks and watched quietly.

Just then, a Falun Gong practitioner approached him and invited him to practice the exercises with them. He also told him that a nine-day seminar would be held on April 1 to teach people the practice free of charge. Zhao immediately signed up.

During the nine-day class, Zhao Qicheng listened attentively to Master Li Hongzhi’s teachings every day. Recalling his feelings at the time, Zhao said, “Before the nine-day class, my life was at a crossroads. My health had suddenly deteriorated, and I deeply felt the fragility and unpredictability of life. I always felt that I was nearing the end. So when I first heard Master’s teachings, I was deeply moved.”

Mr. Zhao began to think that perhaps the meaning of life is not to make a fortune and enjoy oneself, but to embark on a path of cultivation to return to one’s true nature and find the true destination of life.

At that time, his weight had plummeted from over 70 kilograms (154 lbs.) to just over 60 kilograms (132 lbs.), and he had had insomnia for six months. However, after returning home the first evening of the nine-day seminar, Zhao miraculously fell asleep peacefully. The experience of sleeping soundly throughout the night left him both astonished and moved, as if he had awakened from a long nightmare. It also strengthened his resolve to continue his spiritual practice.

Practicing Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance in Daily Life

After Mr. Zhao began practicing Falun Gong, he became much less attached to money. He explained, “I understand that life is predestined. What is meant to be yours will come to you naturally, and if you try to force what you shouldn't have, you will lose virtue.” Zhao also tried to incorporate his insights from cultivation into his family life.

For example, conflicts are inevitable in a family, and Zhao Qicheng and his wife Yihui sometimes had arguments due to differences in their views. However, since practicing cultivation, he has always been smiling and calm when facing conflicts. He admitted, “I used to have conflicts with my wife, but after I started looking inward to find my own shortcomings, the conflicts between us gradually decreased.”

Zhao knew that as a father, his every word and action would have a subtle influence on his child, so he started with the little things in life and taught his daughter, Tingyu, to be a kind, sincere, and tolerant person.

Zhao Qiacheng (right) and his daughter Zhao Tingyu (left). After he started practicing Falun Gong, Zhao Qiacheng often reminded his daughter to face life's challenges with the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.

His daughter Tingyu said, “During my teenage years, I especially liked chatting with my father because his words often reminded me that as long as I faced things with sincerity, kindness, and tolerance, I would be able to overcome all difficulties smoothly.”

During a school exam, the teacher incorrectly gave Tingyu a higher score than she’d actually achieved. Her father reminded her to let the teacher know. Although her score would be lower, he emphasized that one must always be true to oneself.

Tingyu recalled, “Although I hadn’t started practicing at that time, I understood from my father’s words that no matter what happens, I should treat everything calmly and maintain kindness and honesty in the face of difficulties.”

Changing Notions After a Setback

For a long time, Zhao’s wife Yihui had been hesitant about practicing Falun Gong. One day, Zhao urged her again to practice with him, and she responded angrily, “If you keep pressuring me to practice Falun Gong, then we should get a divorce.” Her rejection and refusal left him heartbroken, but he chose to step back. “Perhaps the timing isn’t right yet,” he thought. “I’ll set aside my impatience and let things take their natural course.”

In 2014, one of Yihui’s close friends was diagnosed with cancer. This sudden bad news caused her to reflect deeply on the meaning of life. Yihui said, “After visiting my friend in the hospital, I couldn’t calm down for a long time. Then I suddenly thought of Zhuan Falun, so I took out the book and started rereading it.”

As she read page after page, Yihui felt deeply moved in a way she had never experienced before. “After finishing the book, I stood before Master’s portrait and said sincerely, ‘I really want to cultivate.’ It was remarkable. At that time, my health was not very good, but once the desire to cultivate arose in my heart, the discomfort I had been feeling gradually dissipated.”

Staying on Track

Their daughter Zhao Tingyu had been frail and sickly since childhood. She underwent surgery for a hernia and suffered from congenital asthma. Even slight physical activity or drinking cold beverages could trigger asthma attacks. Mr. Zhao said, “Tingyu has endured a lot of suffering since childhood, and we have always been very concerned because even the slightest mishap could lead to suffocation and death.”

When Tingyu was in the third grade, her father began practicing Falun Gong, and the atmosphere at home gradually changed. There was more laughter and fewer arguments, and the whole family became harmonious and energetic. These changes touched her deeply and filled her with admiration and faith in Falun Gong. Ten years later, at the age of 19, Zhao Tingyu participated in a nine-day Falun Gong seminar, and her mind and body underwent a miraculous transformation.

Her pale complexion became rosy, and her chronic illness disappeared without a trace. She said happily, “Now I can run and eat ice cream without any problem!”

The recovery of her health helped Tingyu appreciate the value of spiritual cultivation and she began to reflect on her relationship with her family. She said that her mother’s strict discipline in the past had caused her to harbor resentment, and when she realized this, she told herself that she must let go of these feelings.

She said, “It’s amazing that when I made up my mind to let go of my resentment, it seemed like more than 90 percent of those negative feelings disappeared instantly. From that moment on, my attitude towards my mother underwent a complete change. I became more willing to share my feelings with her. Our relationship as mother and daughter has improved.”

This experience allowed Tingyu to appreciate the wonder of cultivation and to strive to apply the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance in her work. She said, “Every day, we encounter countless different situations. Without faith, it is easy to encounter setbacks and lose direction. But through cultivation, no matter how difficult the situation, I can face things calmly, and many of life’s challenges have been easily resolved.”

Conclusion

Practicing Falun Gong has deeply benefited all three members of the Zhao family, and the entire household has undergone significant and heartwarming changes, both inside and out. They feel that Falun Gong is a priceless gift to every individual and every family.

Zhao Tingyu said, “I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to practice Falun Gong. Without Falun Gong, I might not have been able to maintain a righteous and pure heart. I know that many people initially saw Falun Gong as just another form of qigong, but after learning more about it, they realize that it is truly different. It can completely transform a person from the depths of their heart. I hope that everyone will practice it so they can personally experience its magnificence and beauty.”