(Minghui.org) During my childhood, my parents frequently told me to be kind, honest and treat others with respect. However, after attending college, I discovered things were not that simple. Many people competed for fame and material gain, and having integrity was often viewed as outdated or old-fashioned.
That was in the 1980s and many people in China shared the same views. China Youth once published an opinion article titled “Why does the path of life get narrower and narrower?”
About 40 years have passed and the situation in China has declined rapidly, but I am not puzzled anymore. Practicing Falun Dafa has provided me with clarity and guidance no matter where I am.
When my parents first introduced Falun Dafa to me, I did not take it seriously. However, as I began reading the main teachings in Zhuan Falun, I was impressed by the book’s profound meaning. Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, used plain language to explain everything, answering every question I had and revealing many things that were unknown to me.
These teachings reminded me of the wisdom that my parents shared during my childhood, and reconnected me with the several thousand years of history in traditional Chinese culture. Deep in my heart, I know the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance are the most important values I can hold. These are what I will always cherish no matter what happens.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could not tolerate the tremendous number of people taking up the practice of Falun Dafa, and began to suppress the practice in 1999. This was unfortunate, but not totally surprising. Based on Karl Marx’s theories, the CCP upholds core values such as class struggle, hatred, and lies. Given the regime’s history—including the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and the Tiananmen Square Massacre (1989), the persecution of Falun Dafa though tragic, is not unimaginable.
After all, choosing to be a good person is a personal choice. During the Zhou Dynasty, high official Cui Zhu murdered Duke Zhuang of the State of Qi. The grand historian recorded the crime, and Cui killed him in retaliation. The historian’s younger brother did the same, and Cui killed him as well. The second younger brother did it again, and met the same fate. Seeing all three elder brothers killed, the youngest brother did not waver and faithfully recorded the event. At that point, Cui saw their commitment and stopped there.
This story highlights the importance of integrity. Our ability to read history today exists because many people in the past documented it factually, even under great duress. If more and more people abandon their principles, our society will inevitably face serious consequences.
King You of the Zhou Dynasty had a concubine named Bao Si. Bao was renowned for her beauty, but she never smiled. He tried everything, and still he could not make Bao smile. Someone suggested lighting up the beacon fire that was reserved for wartime emergencies. The king followed his advice, and nobles from near and far rushed in with their soldiers, thinking a war had started. When Bao saw how the nobles and their armies were fooled, she was amused and finally smiled.
The king then repeatedly called for help through the beacon fire. Each time, the soldiers arrived, only to find there was no war. Eventually, they lost trust in him. When an invading army did come later and the king lit the beacon fire once more, no allies came to his aid. As a result, the king lost his empire, making him the last of that dynasty.
Another example was Zhao Gao, a high-ranking official in the Qin Dynasty. To test the loyalty of the officials of the royal court, Zhao referred to a deer as a horse. The Emperor did not believe him and asked other officials for their opinion. Some said it was a deer, while some said it was a horse out of fear of Zhao. Later, those who agreed it was a deer were expelled or killed. As a result, no one dared to speak honestly anymore. Ultimately, the Emperor (Qin Er Shi) became the last emperor of the Qin Dynasty.
Across cultures, there is always a theme of justice and righteousness prevailing. But the end result may not come easily, as it requires effort, dedication, and even sacrifice.
The Cherokee, a Native American tribe, have a story that has been passed down through the generations. In this tale, a grandfather tells his grandson about an internal struggle between two wolves: one evil and representing anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego: and the other good and representing joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
After giving it some thought, the boy asked,“Which wolf will win?”
“The one you feed,” replied the grandfather.
We all hope to live in a society in which people around us are honest and treat us well. But if each of us harbors and follows bad thoughts, our collective well-being will suffer. By taking a step back and thinking about what society needs—instead of feeding the bad wolf—we would head in the right direction.
That is why, despite the CCP’s 27 years of suppression of Falun Dafa, I remain steadfast in my faith. Based on what I have experienced and witnessed, I know that Falun Dafa is righteous and this persecution is just another political campaign targeting the innocent, similar to what the Party has done in the past. I believe that when dawn breaks, it will usher in change.
Currently, the CCP is spreading its propaganda overseas to attack Falun Dafa and Shen Yun, a performing arts group who practice Dafa and are dedicated to presenting thousands of years of traditional Chinese culture. Once again, this presents an opportunity for us to find the facts and share them with more people.
What happens in society may not be accidental. When the ancient sage Socrates was put on trial despite his innocence, he said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” By quieting our minds and listening to our conscience, we can discern right from wrong. This is important because our choices will shape a future that we belong to.