[The 12 Kinmen islands are located off the southeastern coast of mainland China's Fujien Province]
(Clearwisdom.net) It was in the height of the hot summer in late June and early July in Kinmen. The news about "Falun Dafa Summer School in Kinmen" was widely spread through different channels in Kinmen as if a pure stream were slowly flowing. "Where are you going to go in the hot summer? Relax your mind and body and get cool!" This was the message on the flyer about the summer school. It was said, "A peaceful heart naturally makes one feel cool." We wanted to allow Kinmen residents to experience the real physical and mental benefits that come through learning and practicing Falun Dafa.
In order to help Kinmen residents to learn about Dafa, before the summer session Taiwanese practitioners came to support the event. They publicized the event through TV advertisements, spreading flyers, and publishing a news release. In addition, practitioners visited the Director of the Education Department of Kinmen County, Secretary of the Kinmen County government, several school principals, and a number of other institutions. They explained to them the significance of the event and widely sent out invitations to local residents.
The Director of the Kinmen County Education Department highly applauded this event. The procurator from the Supreme Court of Fujian Province (in Taiwan) expressed his support to the Kinmen Falun Dafa summer school and thanked Falun Gong practitioners who traveled a long distance to be there. The procurator expressed that he would carefully learn about Falun Gong and requested a copy of Zhuan Falun to read. The only newspaper in Kinmen, "Kinmen Daily" announced the event on its news page one day before the event. At the opening ceremony, a reporter from the newspaper came to cover the event. The reporter expressed that this kind of event is loved by people and hoped that through the news report, more people could take part.
Outside the conference hall, posters introducing Falun Gong are displayed. Hand-made paper lotus flowers convey the beauty of Falun Dafa to the people.
On July 2, Falun Dafa summer school was opened in the Kinmen County Social Welfare Hall. Mr. Weng Chiming, Secretary of the Fujian Provincial government and Mr. Chen Tianshun, Director of the Kinmen County Department of Health, were invited to speak.
Mr. Weng stated that from information he obtained, Falun Gong follows Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance and is rooted in ancient Chinese culture. The Chinese communist government's suppression of Falun Gong only shows that Mainland's human rights status lags several decades behind. He advocated to have "concern about Falun Gong" and to "support Falun Gong".
Mr. Chen said that he'd already read Zhuan Falun. He believed that Falun Gong is a practice that helps improve health. It is good for improving one's health and healing one's chronic illnesses. He thought that Falun Gong should be promoted and is a good practice for both mind and body. He said that he was glad to participate in Falun Gong activities.
Left: While young practitioners demonstrate the Falun Gong exercises, the former Director of the Department of Health also follows them to learn the movements.
During the five-day summer school, we played Master Li Hongzhi's lecture video series and exercise instruction video. We also had experience sharing in between. Several practitioners who are renowned scholars and specialists were so supportive that as soon as they learned about the Kinmen Summer School, they booked air tickets and flew there, which manifested the cultivators' selflessness.
Medical doctor Ao Man-guan, from the Department of Orthopedics of Cheng Hsing Hospital, gave a speech on "healthy living". Dr. Ao pointed out that during his career as a medical doctor, he had seen so many examples indicating the transience of life and the non-cultivator's cycle of birth, old age, illness and death. After witnessing numerous Falun Gong practitioners breaking free from their confusion about life, Dr. Ao recommended Falun Dafa to people as a virtuous practice that one is fortunate to find in millions of years.
Professor Chong Gulan from the Department of Economics at Donghai University shared her specialty in "economics and morality". She mentioned that people often said, "nine of ten merchants cheat." In reality, this is not due having a career in business, but rather to people's morality. In ancient times, economics had such a close relationship with morality that the two could not be separated. The economist Adam Smith's first book talked about morality.
Prof. Chong still has a childlike innocence. When she was a young girl, she had a special wish to "be an immortal". However, just like today's university students who cannot understand how economics has a close relationship with morality, as she grew up, she once saw things that she could not see or touch in this physical world as being superstitious. After she experienced many difficulties and hardships, Prof. Chong began cultivating Falun Gong. Now, her view of the world has changed. Under the guidance of the Fa, the old saying, "It is easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person's nature" does not apply to her. Now, she is free from illnesses and she has become gentler in nature.
  Mr. Chen (middle), who was invited to videotape the event, stops his work and learns the second set of the exercises |
  Mr. Weng, secretary of Fujian Provincial government, (right) learns "holding the wheel in front of the lower abdomen" |
Chang Ching-his, professor of economics from Taiwan University, said that when he read Zhuan Falun for the first time, he felt that Master Li spoke in a grand manner. After thinking it through, he felt that learning Falun Gong would at the very least allow a person to be a good person. Therefore, Prof. Chang began his cultivation in Falun Dafa. After practicing, he found that Falun Dafa is indeed broad and profound.
The scholars' sharing helps attendees realize that Falun Gong provides real education about life and thus enhances their confidence in practicing cultivation.
Ms. Hsu Hsiue-ying, Principal of the National Chenggong Elementary School in Changhua County, shared her understandings about "the purpose of life and education is to find one's true self". She said, "Every person thinks about what life is." Such concepts as "virtue and karma", "reincarnation" and that "one's primordial spirit will not be annihilated" have been verified scientifically. Some world famous philosophers and scientists, including Socrates, Newton, Halley, and Einstein all came to believe in God after their life-long research. In contrast to the ancient Chinese belief in divine beings, in Mainland China ruled by the atheistic communist regime, people do not believe in God or Buddha and therefore do not believe in the principle that "good and evil will receive due returns." Consequently, people indulge in pursuing fame and fortune. After she read the popular book, Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, Ms. Hsu said, "Atheism does not value people's lives; however life is so precious!"
Falun Gong practitioners' experience sharing moves people's hearts.
Professor Yang Shuo-ying from Chongshan University and Mr. Chang Fu-Chang, columnist of the Epoch Times, also shared their experiences and understandings. Their stories and unique points of view brought something fresh and new to Kinmen residents who live on the Mainland across the strait.
At the symposium after the summer school, attendees shared their understandings and feelings.
A newly married woman from Mainland China stated, "Falun Gong is very good! What Master Li taught is really good. He taught us how to upgrade our xinxing and his teachings are in total contrast to the authorities' opinions toward Falun Gong in China." After the five-day summer school, she asked whether there would be a follow up class after the five-day summer school. We felt happy for this woman, who has learned the truth. Unfortunately, in Mainland China, how many people are still deceived by the lies?
Mr. Chen, the Director of the Health Department in Kinmen, expressed his feeling of obtaining the Fa with the words, "I regret not being able to have found Dafa sooner". Mr. Chen said that he has lived in Kinmen as a medical doctor and later became the director of the health department for 23 years. He said that if he learned about Dafa earlier, he would have been able to help more people. When he read Zhuan Falun, it was so interesting and so easy to learn. He felt strong energy flowing in his body while performing the five Falun Gong exercises. He said that this is really a good practice for both mind and body.
"Such a good cultivation practice, I would certainly listen to the lectures from the beginning to the end!" said Mr. Chen, who helped to videotape the event. Initially, Mr. Chen was invited to videotape only when the eight invited scholars gave speeches. When Mr. Chen read the summer school schedule, he decided to attend the entire event and said that it would be a shame if he only chose to listen to the eight scholars and missed the chance to learn about the principles of the Fa.
Mrs. You had the deepest feelings about the five-day summer school. Her husband was suddenly burned and injured during his work. Her younger son and daughter kept vomiting for several days. After going through so much hardship, she still attended the entire summer school. Each time when Mrs. You carried her baby son on her back and came to attend the summer school, she was soaked in sweat. Her restless daughter made the originally short-tempered Mrs. You feel even more anxious and fretful. At one time, after she took her daughter to the restroom and scolded her to teach her a lesson, she went back to the lecture room and in the video program, Master was just talking about issues of educating children. Master's words deeply touched Mrs. You. She thought, "Isn't Master talking about me?" Mrs. You also said that the pain in her feet that she suffered for several years suddenly disappeared shortly after she learned Falun Dafa. Cultivation in Dafa directly targets one's heart. When encountering conflicts, Master Li's teachings often unfold in front of her and guide her to cultivate herself.
After addressing the opening ceremony, the Secretary of the Fujian Provincial Government often made time to attend the summer school. On the last day, he came again and saw the teaching of the fifth Falun Gong exercise. Later, he asked about the situation regarding the introduction of Falun Gong in Kinmen. He said, "We cannot miss the chance to learn about Falun Gong because of the Kinmen residents' fear of persecution." Mr. Weng sincerely wished that he could offer his support to promote Falun Dafa in Kinmen.
Mr. Chen is already 75 years old. He has participated in the morning exercises for more than one year but did not yet begin his cultivation. After learning about the summer school, he suddenly had a desire to ride his bike to look for the site of the summer school. Unfortunately, he missed it. After the summer school ended on July 7, Mr. Chen could not wait any longer to start his cultivation. As a retired veteran, Mr. Chen is frank and honest. After he happily attained the Fa, he started practicing Falun Gong wholeheartedly. After he read through Zhuan Falun and practiced the exercises for six days, his high blood pressure, which he had suffered from for several years, suddenly dropped considerably. I felt that only through one's own practice can one really experience the beauty of Falun Dafa.
The five-day Falun Dafa summer school allowed practitioners to have a miraculous journey. The summer school concluded on July 6. However, this was not the end but a new beginning.
This group of new practitioners also joined the morning practice and evening Fa study after the summer school. We believe that in the near future, Falun Dafa will be widely spread in Kinmen and guide all people with predestined relationships to embark on the journey of returning their original, true self.
Category: April 25 Events
