Shen Yun Performing Arts
Opinion
Accounts of Persecution
Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences
Health Benefits
Clearwisdom Materials
(Clearwisdom.net) Fei Tian Academy of the Arts announced today that applications are now being accepted for female students, from 13 to 15 years old and at least 5'4" (1.65m) in height, male students from 13 to 15 years of age and from 5'8" (1.75M) in height (exceptionally good candidates can extend to as young as 12 years old). Applicants must practice Falun Dafa or be from a family of practitioners and aspire to learn the practice. Each applicant must provide a resume, professional experience, family or personal cultivation experience, and the following:
1. Name, gender, date of birth, height, weight, home address, email address, phone number, and recent photos.
2. Photos must have been taken within the last month, and should include:
- Full length frontal, standing
- Full length side view, standing
- Full length back, standing
- Doing a split
- Doing a bridge
The applicant should be wearing dance or gymnastic attire, and the photographer should take the photographs in a kneeling position so as to accurately reflect the applicant's physical attributes.
All required materials must be submitted together for the application to be considered formally submitted. Preliminary qualifiers will generally be notified within two weeks of application receipt and given audition dates. If there are missing materials or the applicant has not passed the preliminary review, they will not receive an individual reply.
Please submit applications to dance@minghui.org. Inquiries may be directed to 646-761-6064 (Office).
Note: The size of each photo should not exceed 100K in size, and each email should not exceed 1MB in size, so as to prevent technical problems with the email.
Applicants can also submit materials to local Falun Dafa Associations, and arranged to have auditions when the Shen Yun Tour arrives nearby.
Fei Tian Academy of the Arts
January 11, 2010
(Clearwisdom.net) On the evening of January 8, the Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company presented its first show at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. The intricate dancing, the touching Erhu solo, the breathtaking backdrop and the gorgeous costumes captivated the audience. Tenor Hong Ming was brought out for two encores. At the end of the show, the Shen Yun cast received standing ovations during two curtain calls.
Audience at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
Former Mainland Chinese Dancer: Highly Recommend Shen Yun to Everyone
Sheila Guo was a professional dancer in Mainland China. She said that Shen Yun was a stunning experience for her, "The show was spectacular. The dancers are excellent and they performed authentic classical Chinese dance. The costumes were gorgeous and the backdrop was magnificent. The backdrop and costumes integrated together very well and it was very lively. I was a professional dancer for 8 years, and I am so glad to see the show. I highly recommend the show to everyone."
Soprano: The artists dance for love
Soprano Ms. Liang graduated from the Shanghai Academy of Music, and she said that the performers were excellent.
"We are very lucky to see such a beautiful show in the U.S. I am also an artist and I can tell that the performers spent a lot of time on training. More importantly, they perform for the love of it, not for fame or money. This is why Shen Yun is so beautiful," she commented.
"Without love, the world will be terrible. I saw love from Shen Yun, people showing love to each other and saying no to persecution. It is great that Shen Yun is spreading Chinese tradition. I will come back next year for sure."
Musician: Choreography and Blending of Instruments Were Masterful
Mr. Wu has degrees from music academies in both China and the U.S., and runs his own music studio and teaches violin classes.
Mr. Wu said that the show was very professional. "The choreography and how the instruments blended together were masterful. The backdrop was very beautiful and lively, and the dancing was of a very high level. From a professional perspective, Shen Yun was very well done."
Mainland Scientist: Shen Yun Cast Loves Chinese Traditional Culture
Professor Ge is from a top research institute in Mainland China and is currently a visiting scholar to the U.S. He said, "I heard before that Shen Yun was from New York. However, I didn't know that the company had such a large, high-caliber cast. The show gave a beautiful presentation of Chinese traditional culture and one can tell the cast loves it.
"Today, shows in Mainland Chinese get pretty vulgar. This show is so beautiful, from the choreography to the dancing, from the visual effects to the spiritual realm, everything is of high caliber. The show also reflects the Chinese tradition in spiritual belief. Though I don't have any spiritual belief myself, I respect religions, as they teach people to be self-disciplined and to do good deeds."
Engineer: Shen Yun Awakens People's Sense of Justice and Courage
Gary, a Silicon Valley engineer, said that Shen Yun awakens people's sense of justice and courage
Gary is a Silicon Valley engineer. He said, "I heard about the show and came because of its good reputation. The part which touched me the most was the act which portrayed Falun Gong practitioners being persecuted in China. I have to tell you that I shed tears during the show. Though my family didn't experience what Falun Gong did, we went through several waves of persecution also. That piece just touched the bottom of my heart. I love this theme, which emphasizes justice and courage."
Because of his job, Gary frequently travels to China and Taiwan. Consequently, he is exposed to many different perspectives. His suggestion to fellow Chinese people was to be more open, "Before you make a judgment, you should be open to information from all sources. Don't reject anything before you even know about it. Otherwise, no matter what degree you have, you cannot make the right judgment. You should watch shows like Shen Yun that can help you calm down and give a second thought to many issues. This show is very good, just exceptional."
Scientist: I believe that Shen Yun will soon go to China
Ms. Bi is a bio-scientist. During the intermission, she told a reporter, "The show is very good. Both my daughter and I are enjoying it. We missed the show last year, and we are glad that we made it this year. We will come back if Shen Yun returns."
Bi said that she started to learn dance when she was very young and her daughter is also learning classical Chinese dance and ballet. She said, "Shen Yun's dance is very beautiful, and the costumes are gorgeous. I loved every dance. I also liked the music and vocal solos, which were stunning. Besides Chinese tradition, the show also brings us the truth of many things happening in China. It helps us to widen our scope of knowledge.
"I don't think that Falun Gong should be persecuted. People can have their beliefs. I grew up in such a suppressive environment, so I am very happy to see my friends' children coming to the U.S. to study. I am happy for them because they can now make their own choices.
"I hope that Shen Yun can go to Mainland China, and I believe that [the time] is coming soon."
Beijing Immigrant: "I give Shen Yun five stars!"
Beijing immigrant Mr. Wang came to see the show with his wife and two children. When asked for his comments, he praised Shen Yun repeatedly, "Very good, very good! If I were to give a score, I would give Shen Yun five stars. This is the best show! I think that classical Chinese dance in Mainland China needs to learn from Shen Yun. I will recommend that all my friends see the show."
(Clearwisdom.net) Temperatures outside in Boston may have been freezing on Sunday afternoon for the last show by Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Opera House, but inside the theater, enthusiastic cheers and thunderous applause from the audience gave a warm send-off to the New York-based company on its World Tour.
Shen Yun is a family affair for Bostoners
Repeat attendees: Mr. Blankenau and his daughter who was born in China
Many families with children were in the audience for the 2 p.m. performance. Mr. Blankenau, an engineer from the Boston area, brought his little Chinese-born daughter. This year was their fourth year of attendance for the Shen Yun show in Boston. Mr. Blankenau said they enjoyed the orchestra very much and also commented on the dancing, saying: "I think the dances are fantastic. "
Stock Exchange Examiner: "The singers are phenomenal"
Mrs. Ryan attends Shen Yun after receiving tickets as a gift from her husband
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan were also in the audience. Mr. Ryan, who works in sales, purchased tickets as a holiday gift. He was not familiar with Chinese culture, but his wife said she had traveled through China and studied the language some time ago. Neither of them had seen Shen Yun before, and both enjoyed the show.
"It's unlike anything I've ever seen," said Mr. Ryan. "It's definitely different ... they're very talented, there's so much to take in."
Mrs. Ryan, an examiner for the stock exchange, said: "I'm enjoying it a lot. I love the dancing and the syncronization. I'm very impressed with the talent. And the singers are phenomenal."
Business Executive: 'It fills your heart'
Mr. Connetti lavishes much praise after seeing the show
Also in attendance at the matinee was Mr. Connetti, a business owner. He was impressed by the Shen Yun Performing Arts show, saying, "Extremely wonderful! It's just--words can't tell you the talent that's out there. It's just extremely wonderful. In other words, the main thing is that it fills your heart. It feels good and your whole body feels like you're part of it. It's wonderful. Yes, a nice, divine feeling, and its inspirational. The people are so beautiful, and they express it there so well. The talent out there! It ... gets you in your heart. It feels good to be here, to see that show.
He couldn't say enough good things about Shen Yun and continued, "I love the dancers, the talent, It's hard to imagine the talent--the way they move around. The colors, the colors of the dancers! I like the music, and the [orchestra is] great. The singers voices are so powerful, that's what I like. So I'm having a wonderful time here--I'd like to see all five shows. They did a wonderful job."
Adapted from:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27756/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27759/
(Clearwisdom.net) SACRAMENTO, California--Mr. Simon, Director of Multicultural Affairs for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau, took in the Shen Yun Performing Arts show at the Sacramento Community Center Theater on Monday, January 11.
"I've seen a lot of shows, I've produced shows myself, so production on this show was awesome," Mr. Simon said.
"The combination of dance, and then of course the computer, or the electronic components that they were able to incorporate into the show, phenomenal," he said, referring to the state-of-the art animated backdrops used throughout the show.
Mr. Simon thinks that although it is said that music is the international language, dance can also transcend language barriers and appeal to people of all cultures.
Mr. Simon, Director of Multicultural Affairs for the Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"It's music and dance [that are international languages] if you ask me, and I think they relayed that very well, and you could feel some of the pain."
"The dance showed you a piece of it that if you thought about it you could really feel what was being done to these folks and the expression through dance was awesome."
Mr. Simon organized Sacramento's first Juneteenth Festival, a celebration of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, in 2001, and has been organizing the festival each year since then. The festival draws in crowds of close to 10,000 people each year.
He commended Shen Yun's live orchestra, which combines Western and Chinese classical instruments, saying that it helped the audience "feel the dance."
"The music was a part of the dance, I think the music makes the dance, so the music you can actually feel it. I definitely felt it."
Shen Yun Performing Arts is a New York-based classical Chinese dance and music company. One of the most celebrated features of Shen Yun is storytelling through dance performances, stories ranging from ancient Chinese legends to modern tales of courage.
"I was very impressed with the show for the ability of the group to relay the oppression that some of the Chinese folks have been under in China," Mr. Simon said, referring to the two dance performances showing the persecution of Falun Gong, a peaceful spiritual practice, in today's China under the communist regime.
"To relay that message in a positive way, as well as to continue to inform others about the oppression through dance ... makes you reflect on some of the oppression."
Source:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27861/
Gary appreciated the preservation of ancient cultural values.
Gary, the president of a civil engineering company, appreciated the Chinese culture and history that is portrayed in the show. Since he is from India, he appreciates preserving ancient cultural values.
After watching the show he said, "Very well-coordinated; the music is very good, and obviously the artists are excellent. [The dancers] are synchronized very well. Synchronization is what I can say right now, because it's not just one person, you have 15 people performing at the same time. They are all coordinated with the music and very well trained--very specialized. They are coordinated with the orchestra, they go very well with the music."
Noting the state-of-the art animated backdrops, he said, the scenery "is very well coordinated with the color schemes--the costumes that they wear. Very pleasing, very pleasing to the eyes."
Adapted from:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27746/
(Clearwisdom.net) OTTAWA--Shen Yun Performing Arts offered two former diplomats a night of cultural exchange at the National Arts Centre on Monday night.
Mr. Wilson, a former diplomat to China who lived there for over a decade, during which he mostly worked for the Foreign Service, shared his thoughts in Chinese.
"The show is very good and also very useful," he said, adding that it portrays a very good balance of traditional Chinese history.
Mr. Wilson, a former diplomat to China who lived there for over a decade.
Mr. Wilson, who worked in south western China, said he particularly enjoyed the ethnic dances and those that portrayed legends from China's rich history.
Among the performances that he enjoyed were dances about the Miao ethnicity and the Dai ethnicity, and another that portrayed an incident in the life of legendary Chinese general Han Xin.
Another dance in this year's world tour portrays a scene from Journey to the West, one of China's most beloved classic novels which tells the tale of the supernatural Monkey King who helped a monk go to India so he could bring the Buddhist scriptures back to China.
Mr. Wilson said he used to read that tale to his daughter.
He was also enthusiastic about soprano Haolan Geng, one of the show's three vocal soloists.
"The soprano was quite impressive, she was extraordinary. I would like to hear her do some Western singing--I think she could make a contribution there."
"The entire show was good, the combination of all the parts together was good. I especially liked that soprano."
With Mr. Wilson was friend and fellow diplomat Mr. Jacobi, who worked in the Foreign Service for 36 years, often in Latin America.
"I enjoyed it very much. The singing, dancing, and classical traditions and backdrops--they are wonderful," Mr. Jacobi said.
He also enjoyed the latest technology used in Shen Yun's innovative animated backdrops. "On the whole, I enjoyed it very much," he said.
"The choreography, and color, and the artistry of the dancers, and the costumes impressed me most. That's the most impressive. The orchestra is pretty impressive too. Western and Chinese instruments are combined to produce the traditional music."
Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27862/
(Clearwisdom.net) Many of Ottawa's city councillors attended the Shen Yun Performing Arts show at the National Arts Centre on Sunday. All were enthusiastic about the performance.
Ottawa City Councillor Georges Bedard: 'It was awe-inspiring!'
Mr. Bedard represents Ottawa's Rideau-Vanier Ward.
"I was so excited by it last year that this year, when I heard that it was coming back, I wanted to come back and do it again," he said.
"I thought the show was phenomenal. I thought the presentation was extremely well done. The colours were ... radiant. And of course the dancers and music all blended well to give us quite a show, quite a performance. I was extremely pleased."
"To me it was awe-inspiring because what was being presented was something traditional to China and obviously we in Canada are not accustomed to the traditional Chinese presentations, so for me it was an education," he said.
"The whole show was worth seeing, enjoying, and living through, because it was, in many respects, presenting the cultural aspects and it's always good," Mr. Bedard enthused.
City Councillor Jacques Legendre: 'Different and amazing'
Ottawa City Councillor Jacques Legendre at the Shen Yun
Ottawa city councillor Jacques Legendre was among the many that fell under [the erhu's] spell.
"That was great ... It was the first time I heard that instrument [erhu] and I liked it a lot," he said, speaking in French, adding that he was deeply impressed by erhu virtuoso Mei Xuan.
Besides the erhu, Mr. Legendre said he enjoyed the show as a whole as well. "What I also liked is that we saw different cultures inside China, from different regions. Very different from one to the other--the costumes, the gestures of the dances, etc. ... two examples, before the intermission we saw Tibet and after, the Miao village. The whole show was very beautiful, well presented. The female dancers looked very young to me, well at my age, everybody looks very young."
Mr. Legendre said he was also amazed by the colors of the show and the discipline of the dancers. "You could see that they are artists ... you could see they practiced well, and when they cross the stage, they were floating--This was amazing. I also liked the technique they have with the backdrop. They were making characters come down from the sky and go up on stage. That was a well done transition."
"I really enjoyed tonight. It was different and amazing. I really liked it! Really! Bravo. Bravo to everyone!" He finished by saying he would recommend the show. "Come see the show. The opportunity is amazing."
City Councillor Glenn Brooks: Shen Yun is 'Uplifting' and 'Awesome'
Mr. Brooks serves as city councillor to the Township of Rideau
"It was uplifting. It was awesome in the true sense of 'awesome,' and it's something that is going to be very memorable. Certainly I will be back next year to see the new show. Spectacular!" said Mr. Brooks, who attended with his wife Gail Wallace.
Mr. Brooks talked at length about the dance titled 'Astounding Conviction,' where a lone man stands on Tiananmen Square, holding a banner that reads "Falun Dafa is Good." In a scene that has played out in China hundreds of times over the past decade, this peaceful appeal is quickly met with violent suppression as guards tear the banner from his hands and beat him in the process.
"That's the touching part, because you can see that although the individual that we saw in the performance, he has a sense of wellbeing, but he is not able express himself. There are consequences in expressing that sense of freedom [in China]," said Mr. Brooks.
"I think that, as a society here in Canada, we have so much of everything and we tend to forget those people who do not have what we have here and that is freedom. We have freedom of speech, freedom of action, freedom of choice, and there are countries around the world that do not have that. And I think that's a message that was clearly delivered in the performance we saw here today."
He said that message was "absolutely" good for society to be reminded of.
He said he would encourage his friends to come and see the show. When he returns, he said he will be bringing his two sons and their wives to the show with him.
Adapted from:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27801/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27798/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27799/
(Clearwisdom.net) Among the audience that attended the Saturday, January 9th Shen Yun performance at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts were business owners and leaders from the engineering community.
Business Owner: 'It takes you through the dream'
Mr. Naderi appreciated all aspects of the show.
Mr. Naderi, a business owner from Santa Clara, was impressed by the pageantry and messages that he saw portrayed in the Shen Yun performance. He said, "The show was excellent--phenomenal! Beautiful performance, everything was beautiful. As far as the music, the acting, the show was great, the [choreography] perfect. I'm in shock, and I can say each [scene] is inspiring. The color, the costumes, the music, one after the other, I cannot really [point to one scene over the others]. All of them are beautiful."
Regarding the piece, The Buddha's Teachings Spread Far and Wide, Mr. Naderi said: "Most impressive, was the one regarding the Buddhas. It's great--putting everybody together. In that final piece, nearly all the performers appear on stage. The mood is celebratory. The dance refers to the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West. I believe [the show] comes with different messages. Partly it's about humanity and human rights, about the Chinese communist government, which is jailing and torturing people. The other [message] is mostly about the hope to be free--kind of inspiring. I heard different messages from each [scene]."
"The show goes through your mind and allows you to think about it. As I say, it seems to take you through the dream. I'm sure everyone is going to think about all this. It's going to affect people, absolutely," he concluded.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27815/
(Clearwisdom.net) BOSTON--Miss Los Angeles Chinatown 2009, Lindsay Louie, took in Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Boston Opera House on Saturday, January 9 and was enthralled by the performance.
Ms. Louie, who is a student at Harvard University and is a member of the basketball team, is fourth generation Chinese. She said that the show was a great way to learn about Chinese culture and watching the different ancient legends come to life on the stage "was just amazing."
Being an athlete herself, Ms. Louie was particularly interested in the high degree of physical ability that the artists displayed. "I could really appreciate the athleticism that went into the different dance moves that they were doing," she said.
Lindsay Louie, Miss Los Angeles Chinatown 2009
The digital backdrops were another aspect of the show that she found intriguing. Ms. Louie said that she liked the way that the backdrops were incorporated into the dances and with the actual performers. She went on to add that she had never before seen a dance performance with this kind of digital backdrop.
Ms. Louie admired the talent and grace of the dancers, their techniques, the posture of their hands, and the beautiful costumes.
"Chinese culture is beautiful and there's a lot to offer," she said.
Noting Shen Yun's live orchestra playing original scores to accompany the dance performances, Ms. Louie said she thought the music was very well coordinated with the dances and that the orchestra "did a great job."
"I really love how live music is being performed."
Ms. Louie concluded that "whether you are Chinese, Chinese American, or American, it [Shen Yun] is something I think everyone should be able to experience.
"It was a beautiful show."
Lawyer: "A True Chinese Cultural Show"
Mark, a lawyer, braving the cold New England weather, was in the audience at the Boston Opera House to see the much talked about Shen Yun Performing Arts performance on Sunday, Jan. 10.
"It was very beautiful," he said.
He was amazed to see the dazzling "colors and the synchronization in the dancing."
What was so impressive in his eyes was "the discipline in everything they are doing, not only the intricate movements but the conditioning that is required to do all this."
Shen Yun Performing Arts exhibits classical Chinese dance, which includes rigorous jumps and demanding tumbling techniques.
The message Mark received from watching the show was that "the search for inner peace...the search for the right path in life is something everyone can relate to."
He is sure that if one keeps "an open mind one can learn, hopefully [from the show]."
Mark said the music was harmonious and it has a "good feeling."
He concluded that Shen Yun is "a true Chinese cultural show ... there is nothing contrived about it."
Curtain call at the end of the performance at the Boston Opera House.
Sources
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27763/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27841/
(Clearwisdom.net) SAN JOSE, California--Mr. Rogers, a professor who has taught for three years at a Chinese university, and his Chinese wife Ms. Xiao were delighted to see a true Chinese traditional show at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, performed by the New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts Company.
Ms. Xiao said that she was "very happy, very excited, very grateful," to be there to see the show.
Her husband joined into the conversation, "It's really wonderful. And, now we're seeing it [a Chinese traditional culture show] with sort of a little western production value and it's been really fun--colorful, bright--it's been awesome. I've enjoyed it a lot."
Mr. Rogers, a professor who has taught for three years at a Chinese university, and his Chinese wife Ms. Xiao.
A delighted Ms. Xiao said, "I really appreciate my husband giving me this wonderful secret gift." He surprised her by taking her to the show without telling her where they were going.
Then, she continued, "The announcers' manner of dress made me feel very awed--especially that of the lady emcee. The first [dance], Wu Song Battles the Tiger, I thought that was really realistic."
She had never seen this type of show, "Not even in China! Never before!"
The show features a state-of-the-art 3-D backdrop which she talked about, "The backdrops were really amazing. It's a great feast for the eyes."
As a Chinese she felt "Very happy. I feel a great affinity."
The artists perform story-based dances depicting ancient and today's China and Ms. Xiao's husband truly liked it.
"It's interesting because it's in different parts, so we're jumping around the country and taking a look at different styles and ethnic variety ... So, that's been really interesting. The costumes have been a lot of fun. And all the music--I really enjoy listening to music so it's been fun to listen."
Having been in China, he had heard Chinese folklore before and he said, "Yes [I'm familiar with ancient Chinese stories]. For example, stories such as Wu Song Battles the Tiger, and also folk dances--Mongolian, Tibetan dance--they're all very spectacular."
Creative Writer Impressed with Shen Yun's Message
Mr. Uzunogleu, who writes short stories and plays, was in the audience at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, January 9, when Shen Yun Performing Arts gave its second show. Mr. Uzunogleu noted the choreography and the costumes. "There was a lot of organized synchronicity in the dancing, and the outfits were really impressive with all the bright colors."
"I was really impressed with how well it was presented, because there were so many things going on at the same time. It was amazing how ... everything was perfect!"
The Shen Yun Orchestra combines both Eastern and Western instruments to provide the original music that accompanies each performance.
"I think the music was really great. It really captured the emotion of the dances and the performances in general," he said.
Mr. Uzunogleu, a writer of short stories and plays, at Shen Yun's Saturday performance in San Jose
In addition to its orchestra and performers, Shen Yun uses technology to produce digitally animated backdrops that interact with the performance. This is something Mr. Uzunogleu thought was really effective.
"The visual background--the [3-D] screen--was helpful, because it helped explain what was going on, whether it was the gods coming down on the clouds or something else."
Mr. Uzunogleu said that one of the things that impressed him was the message, "continue doing what you believe in, against adversity, and to know that whatever is behind you is powerful enough to support you."
Mr. Uzunogleu saw the show as being "very artistic," and he would definitely encourage his friends to see it.
On explaining his perspective on the show, he said: "The message was good, because the theme of the story was that you can do what people tell you you can't do ... People have really shown that life continues and that beliefs cannot be tampered with."
Sources:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27845/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27842/
(Clearwisdom.net) OTTAWA--A capacity crowd at the final Shen Yun show in Canada's capital city on Monday evening rose from their seats and applauded in appreciation before the notes of the last performance had ended.
Professor Jackson, a senior administrator at a local university, described the performers as "tremendously talented people."
"It was very exciting, very stimulating, very educational," he said. "You know you get a sense of the deep commitment of the players, the very talented artists who are there. So I feel very grateful to have come. I appreciate it very much."
Professor Jackson, a senior administrator at a local university
With a mission of reclaiming and renewing China's divinely-inspired cultural heritage, the group uses the universally understood medium of dance to tell a story, explain a legend, or to show the diverse ethnicity of China.
Mr. Jackson said it was important that the dancers and singers knew their history and their culture.
He further explained that he has travelled to China. "It's a very impressive place but there needs to be freedom of religion," he said, adding that the scenes in the show of contemporary China depicting the persecution of Falun Dafa are "a very important thing."
The Chinese regime outlawed Falun Dafa, a spiritual discipline rooted in ancient Chinese culture, in 1999 and has been carrying out a campaign of persecution against its adherents ever since.
Mr. Jackson was especially moved by the dance in which "the protester was born again, he was in touch with his beliefs and his spirituality and he drew on that to continue."
Overall, he described the show as, "Fabulous, fabulous, the orchestra was wonderful and the dancers were superb. They were disciplined; they were incredibly creative and talented. I loved the women with the ribbons and scarves. There are many, many things."
He said he and his wife would be back next year.
Source: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27867/
(Clearwisdom.net)
Art Council Executive Wants to See Shen Yun Every Year
OTTAWA-- Ms. Sau Lan Mo (Mandarin spelling: Wu Xiulan) has heard about Shen Yun Performing Arts for several years already but never had the opportunity to see the premier classical Chinese dance and music production until tonight.
She attended New York-based Shen Yun's third and final sold-out show at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on Monday night.
As an oil painter and art teacher, Ms. Mo is very sensitive to the use of colors, and the show gave her a deep impression of harmony.
"The colors of the backdrop and performers' costumes are coordinated in a very harmonious way," she said.
Not only that, but "the performers are [also] very coordinated as one body in a harmonious way," Ms. Mo added.
Ms. Mo is an oil painter and art teacher.
"Many performances typically focus on the dance itself while neglecting other artistic aspects. But in Shen Yun, the design of colors and choreography work together very well."
As well, "the combined effect of the colors, dance, and music is splendid," Ms. Mo said.
She praised soprano Chia-ning Hsu for her singing, as well as the piano accompaniment to her song. "Overall, I would rate them A+ tonight, definitely."
Ms. Mo believes that Shen Yun uses the best in visual arts to depict the storylines in its trademark story-based dances inspired by myths and legends from ancient China as well as events from modern day China.
"I am Chinese, so I know these stories, because I know Chinese history. But even for Westerners, I think that most can understand these stories. ... Westerners just have to watch the dance and they will understand," she said.
Ms. Mo also noted that behind each story, "there is a certain spirituality that it is trying to convey. And I find it is more touching with our modern life. I think a lot of our modern life these days is really too busy, and we forget about [that part] of our lives."
Common themes that run through performances by Shen Yun reflect the mission of the performing arts company--to revive the true 5,000-year-old artistic traditions of China that thrived before decades of communist rule, including the ancient Chinese people's devotion to virtue and spiritual faith.
"I would recommend [the show] to everyone. I regret that I didn't see it earlier, but I will see it every year," Ms. Mo said.
"Marvelous" Says Publisher of Influential Canadian Newspaper
OTTAWA--The publisher of one of Canada's most influential newspapers took in Shen Yun Performing Arts' third and final sold-out show at the National Arts Centre Monday night.
"It's been wonderful. I really liked the music. I loved the different styles and of course the dancing is wonderful as well," said Mr. Dickson, publisher of The Hill Times during the intermission.
The Hill Times publisher Ross Dickson
He said he was enjoying hearing the Chinese themes and musical instruments mixed in with the western instruments in Shen Yun's unique symphony orchestra. But it was the dancing he found especially captivating.
"I really liked that handkerchief dance the best, that was really cute, and it was fun. With 17 or 18 [dancers] out there they are quite extraordinary. They are young and they're very talented."
In "Handkerchiefs," one of the all-female dances in Shen Yun's 2010 world tour, the dancers twirl and toss their handkerchiefs with practiced ease.
Mr. Dickson thought the performance helped him understand Chinese culture a bit better.
"There are a billion Chinese, I am sure their culture is very diverse, and we are seeing a part of it here which is extremely enjoyable."
"I am just loving it. It's great. I think we have got some of the best seats in the house; it's just marvelous being able to see so well."
Mr. Dickson was joined by Ms. Bracegirdle, an Ottawa piano teacher who also enjoyed the performance.
"The pianist is fantastic," she said of the accompanist to the soloists, two sopranos and a tenor.
"I loved the style of some of the dancing. The women in particular seem to float along the stage ... It is quite different from our classical dance. There is a lot of leaping, but it is very delicate at the same time. It seemed extremely effortless, as if they weren't trying--and yet they were. And they all looked very happy."
"It is full of joy and happiness and it's very wonderful," she said of the performance overall, adding that she absolutely loved the music.
"It is very dramatic, very dramatic. It is always coming to a crescendo. It builds, and then it dies down, and then it builds. It is very dramatic music."
She also said the sound of Shen Yun's orchestra is very diverse and fit well with the dance. "There is the Chinese sound and scale, but there are also some very Western sounds in there. I just loved the music ... It is quite brilliant, the whole thing."
"A Fantastic Extravaganza," Says High Commissioner
OTTAWA--Shen Yun Performing Arts closed out its stop in the nation's capital with a standing ovation and curtain call on Monday night Jan. 11.
Shen Yun's classical Chinese dance performances have captivated Ottawa audiences for four years now.
"I think this has been a fantastic extravaganza that shows the richness of the Chinese culture," said Mr. Das, High Commissioner of a Southeast Asian country.
Mr. Das at Shen Yun's Ottawa performance Monday evening
He and his guest Mr. Young, director of a communications company, among other guests, were in attendance Monday night.
"I think performances like this are one way of educating people of how different cultures from different parts of the world can promote peace, goodwill, and unity," Mr. Das said.
Shen Yun's performances bring to the fore some of the ancient values of China such as tolerance and conviction in one's beliefs.
The diverse performances include large-scale dance numbers, soloists, and re-enactments of ancient legends and contemporary realities.
"There's a meaning behind each story. I think all of us will go back tonight gladly and enriched with what we've seen now," Mr. Das said.
The Shen Yun Orchestra combines Eastern and Western instruments and was a hit with Mr. Young. The emcees introduced all the instruments in the orchestra during the show.
"The orchestra was excellent. This is the true orchestra. They're very, very talented musicians," Mr. Young said.
Mr. Young talks with a reporter about Shen Yun
Mr. Young also has some familiarity with classical Chinese dance. "It's more steeped in time. It's from the old [ancient times] as I understand."
Classical Chinese dance, which forms the basis of Shen Yun's performances, has a history that is thousands of years old. Many of the flips and tumbles used in gymnastics originated from classical Chinese dance.
(Clearwisdom.net)
Retired Business Owner Touched by Shen Yun
SACRAMENTO, California--Shen Yun Performing Arts completed its first of two shows at the Sacramento Community Center Theater Monday evening as part of its 2010 World Tour. The New York-based music and dance company has already held performances in San Francisco and San Jose.
The audience was loud and enthusiastic and called for an encore after acclaimed tenor Hong Ming sang.
Mr. Hudson, a retired owner of a water purification company, was among the audience this evening, and he was touched by the show. He particularly enjoyed the dance entitled Nothing Can Block the Divine Path, which is about a mother and daughter who are persecuted by the communist regime in China because they practice a peaceful spiritual discipline called Falun Dafa.
"I liked the way that was handled--very well. Made me cry actually. The message was carried through," Mr. Hudson said.
Mr. Hudson, a retired owner of a water purification company.
In addition to vibrant dances, stunning solo performances, and a live orchestra that combines traditional Chinese and classical Western instruments, Shen Yun produces a larger-than-life, digital backdrop with images and colors that compliment each separate performance. Mr. Hudson was impressed.
"I thought it was very good. The background--I don't know how ... [they] did it. [It] looked so real. It looked so alive and three dimensional," he said.
Mr. Hudson added that the show was great and that he plans on coming again.
Publisher and CEO: "The show is absolutely phenomenal"
One of the audience members at the Sacramento show said he got an appreciation for the tremendous tradition in the Chinese culture over so many centuries. Mr. Von Kaenel is publisher of a weekly Sacramento newspaper, as well as its president and CEO. He shared his thoughts during the intermission on Monday night.
"The show is absolutely phenomenal! I mean the dancing is so innovative, and the music is really good. The scene with that style, the way they use the veils ... it just blows me away!"
Mr. Von Kaenel is publisher of a weekly Sacramento newspaper.
"[I've] never seen anything quite like it," he said.
The Shen Yun Orchestra includes traditional Chinese instruments along with classical Western instruments. Mr. Von Kaenel felt that the music was really interesting and innovative. He explained that it "has a strong complex of style that's really fun to hear." It was something he hadn't heard before and he really enjoyed.
He also found the animated backdrop exciting and innovative, and with the lyrics shown on the screen it helped him follow. "I don't ever think I've seen that used in a show like this before, it works phenomenally well," he said.
He thought the themes, coming from traditional Chinese culture, were unique and it impressed him that they reached back such a long way.
Mr. Von Kaenel's final remark was that the singing, dance, costumes, music, scenery, all went in to a unique combination, and to have that kind of very structured classical dance ... was really neat and worked very well. The whole show was "very strong visually."
Sacramento Area Arts Teacher: "A lot of heart" in Shen Yun
"The costumes were amazing. The dancing was beautiful, it was just gorgeous. The flowing costumes were fabulous. And I just thought they did a really wonderful job," said Stephanie Langley, a fine arts teacher from Rancho Cordova who drove with her mother to tonight's performance.
Having recently toured China with her husband, who sings with the Sacramento Choral Society, Ms. Langley was happy to see traditional Chinese culture right here in Sacramento.
Ms. Langley after watching Shen Yun's Sacremento performance
"The colors, the flowing movement of the costumes. The way they actually looked like flowing water. Oh, they looked like clouds and they floated in the air. ... just so amazing. And even the men's costumes were doing some of the same things, they were like flying through the air. It's just incredible!" said Ms. Langley after the show.
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts also presents solo singers, including soprano Pi-ju Huang, baritone Qu Yue and tenor Hong Ming. Ms. Langley thought the singers were both powerful and emotional, saying: "The operatic voices were gorgeous. You could tell that they were really well trained. And it was powerful, it was very, very emotional and strong and ... I felt there was a lot of passion in it."
Ms. Langley was moved by the "real heart" that comes out through Shen Yun.
"There was a lot of heart in it, and a lot about freedom of soul and freedom of the individual, that's what spoke to me. So I got a feeling that there is a real heart in this ... [dance company]," concluded Ms. Langley.
She looks forward to bringing her husband to next year's performance.
Sources:
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27869/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27868/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/27864/
(Clearwisdom.net) The World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (WOIPFG) reported on December 12, 2009 that a special investigator from the WOIPFG had a nearly 30-minute long conversation with a witness who used to work in a public security system in Liaoning Province. The man revealed how he witnessed a case of organ harvesting from a living Falun Gong practitioner. The scene he described brought one back to the year 2002. The conversation made one feel as if one were hearing the voices and watching the scene.
1. The victim, a Falun Gong practitioner
The victim in this case was a female Falun Gong practitioner in her 30s. She had been brutally tortured for a week and had been force-fed. Her body was covered with bruises and cuts. When the knife cut into her chest, she "made a loud wailing sound. She said, 'Falun Dafa is good' and also said something roughly 'you kill one person like me and how can you kill those numerous people who are mistreated because of their belief.'"
The witness said, "This practitioner was a teacher in a middle school. Her son would probably be 12 years old this year. Her husband was just a worker and didn't have much influence in society." The implication from what the witness said indicated there were certain rules in the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) organ harvesting. The rules were based on the victim's background and social status. How much risk is involved in organ harvesting? It depends on the CCP's criteria. As long as the victims are qualified according to the CCP's rules, it would be okay. Previously, it's been widely acknowledged that organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners was restricted to those from the countryside or those who refused to tell their names. However, it seems that those who practice at home, who talk to people about Falun Gong and the persecution, and who are from cities, can also become the victims of the CCP's organ harvesting.
During the Cultural Revolution in China, it was required to set up an elementary school in every village and a middle school in every township, which is still the current state of education in China. Therefore if the place this victim came from had a middle school, it wouldn't be a village or a town. Also, the victim's husband worked in a factory. Normally a factory would not be located in a remote rural area. It seems the victim was a city resident. Saying that, "her husband didn't have much influence in society," indicates that he had no special background, lived on a salary, and might be one of those workers at the lowest social level in the city, constantly facing the danger of being laid off. Thus the CCP officials wouldn't be too worried about the consequences if they removed his wife's organs. Such a person without any social background or connections wouldn't have much money to bribe different officials to appeal for his wife or to retaliate against those who were responsible. We must pay attention to this CCP's "rule" in organ harvesting because it means that organ harvesting can happen to anyone, not just Falun Gong practitioners or those awaiting the death penalty.
Many practitioners who have experienced being illegally detained in China mentioned a common phenomena: That the prison guards and cell heads of detainees were all concerned about the background of the detainees' families. This was not out of sympathy, but rather, it would determine their attitude towards the detainees. If one's family has money, power or complicated social connections, one will hardly suffer any mistreatment. Those who don't have many visitors, have no money to be extorted from them, or don't have a high social background, are subjected to more torture or other mistreatment. Beating them would not bring any serious consequences. Beating those who have relatives and friends in organized crime or with high social status could bring big trouble.
Many people may ask, "There were so many people whose organs were taken. Why don't their family members stand up for them?" One of the reason is this"rule" of the CCP. They don't care about laws or human conscience but are only looking out for their own interests or what it costs them. Therefore, they are usually afraid of those who have social resources or have the ability to expose them publicly. Not all family members or relatives of those practitioners from the countryside practice Falun Gong. They are often threatened, and told that the practitioners are "social enemies" and against the communist party. The "red terror" and the longstanding CCP policy of implication often cause them to be silent, even if they know their family members are being murdered. Local police usually deny any knowledge of the victims' whereabouts when people come to inquire where their family members are, unless they are bribed. After trying and failing again and again, many people finally can't handle it mentally and/or financially, and give up the effort to look for their family members who have been illegally detained.
2. Medical officers involved in organ harvesting
The witness described the two medical officers involved in the organ harvesting he saw. "One is from the Shenyang General Hospital of the Army and another one is a graduate from the No. 2 Military Medical University. One is older and the other is young." After opening the victim's chest, "that medical officer hesitated a little bit. He glanced at me, and then at my supervisor. My supervisor gave a nod. The officer then continued working on the blood vessels ... first taking out the heart then the kidney."
Normally, as part of his training, a junior doctor is often assigned to make the first cut in a surgery. Because he is young, he might feel uneasy when the practitioner called out, "Falun Dafa is good," which caused him to hesitate and look at others. He didn't want to take on the responsibility of murder. Military medical schools in the CCP regime are generally worse than other institutions. Since they are managed in military style and are more restricted and sealed off, bribing, flattering, emphasizing social connections and other negative aspects are much worse than elsewhere in China. This corrupt environment quickly lowers people's moral standards and leads to an insensitivity to right and wrong. An organ transplant department is a special place in the medical field. An organ transplant patient is often in poor physical condition and requires large quantities of immunity suppressants and intensive care. The organ being transplanted may be rejected at any time. A doctor there faces high risks and high pressure, and is required to be highly efficient. Usually, a junior doctor in the department will not be praised if he does things correctly, because he is expected to be correct, but he will be scolded even for a small mistake and may be shunned by the whole department if he makes a big mistake.
A young man with ideals and enthusiasm who went through the darkness of the military medical school and finally got a job in the organ transplant department, often feels disappointed when being told to do all kinds of trivial jobs such as verifying how much urine per hour a patient has after a kidney transplant. In China's military system, a person without an influential family background often goes through more hardships in climbing the social ladder and standing out among others. When he is finally able to do organ transplants but has to do it on a live body, which is the same as committing murder, he will face an incredible shock. When he makes that first cut, his conscience is already beginning to die.
The witness said, "I have been trained as an armed policeman, using guns, participating in drills with real bullets and seeing many dead bodies. I really 'admire' those medical officers. Their hands are so steady that there is no trembling at all." That older military officer was numb when facing the victim's extreme pain, wailing and bleeding, because he had been trained and gradually become numb under the CCP's system, from being uneasy of conscience, to the death of conscience, and finally becoming numb. Doing it and doing it more just for a bonus and a rise in military rank. In the organ transplant field, people compete with the number of transplants they've done. The more one has done, the more he is regarded as having richer experiences and higher surgical skills. Xia Qiang, the director of the liver transplant center of Renji Hospital, connected with the No. 2 Medical University of Shanghai, said, "I'm crazy on liver transplants and have become addicted! I don't feel peace of mind if I miss the daily visit to the wards. I will do two or five transplants per week at least. I'm not afraid if I fail. Summarizing the lesson I learned from the failure, I will do it again the next day." Such a person is just what the CCP wants. When one climbs higher and farther in the CCP's training system, he loses more and more human conscience and human nature and more and more becomes filled with demon-nature and evil.
Military officers, you were raised by parents and some of you are parents. You once had an enthusiasm and ideals to heal the wounded and rescue the dying, and therefore you became a doctor. The CCP regime has turned you into an evil tool. You are also a victim. Although you mistreated Falun Gong practitioners, they will not hate or seek revenge against you, because they follow the principles of Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance. No matter how much they suffer, their future is eternal and wonderful. However, your future will be doomed since the CCP has trained you, turning you into a demon in a white uniform. When Heaven eliminates the CCP, your crimes will be accounted for and you will be awaited in hell. However, you still have an opportunity to do right. Try to understand the truth of Falun Gong! Expose these crimes and the criminal evidence to the world! Help stop the persecution of Falun Gong! This is not for Falun Gong but for your own sake.
December 26, 2009
Name: Lu Zhiyong (陆智勇)
Gender: Male
Age: 47
Address: Farming and Herding Bureau in Heishui County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province
Occupation: Forest police officer
Date of Most Recent Arrest: September 2009
Most Recent Place of Detention: Heishui County Detention Center (黑水县看守所)
City: Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
Province: Sichuan Province
Persecution Suffered: Loss of job, illegal sentencing, detention, physical restraint, forced labor, sleep deprivation, electric shock, force-feedings, forced injections/drug administration, beatings, torture
(Clearwisdom.net) I am a mother in my 70s. In September 2009, my son, Lu Zhiyong, came to visit me in Dujiangyan City but was arrested on his way home. I have been worried about his wellbeing ever since. Recently I heard that he will be tried in Heishui County Court. 
Mr. Lu Zhiyong's elderly mother
Zhiyong graduated from a law and political science college. He used to be a Heishui County forest police officer and was well respected at work. Since he began practicing Falun Gong, he has been living his life according to the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance and trying to be a selfless person. He was a police officer who, in the line of duty, risked his life protecting both people and property. In one incident, he bravely stopped an attempt to steal lumber. At the checkpoint, when the driver of the truck was speeding to get away and other police officers were quickly getting out of the way to avoid getting hit, Zhiyong stood in the middle of the road to stop the vehicle. The driver was awed by Zhiyong's courage.
I remembered that right after Jiang Zemin launched the persecution of Falun Gong in July 1999, Zhiyong, who was recognized as a model police officer and was a candidate to succeed the deputy director of the Heishui County Public Security Department, went with his wife and daughter in his police uniform to join more than 30 other local practitioners to exercise at the Heishui County Square and show the people that Falun Dafa is a righteous practice. As a result, his supervisor confronted him and ordered him to choose between Falun Gong and his career. Zhiyong firmly replied, "I choose Falun Gong!" He was placed on administrative leave.
In June 2000, as the persecution of Falun Gong continued to escalate, Zhiyong and his wife, Ms. Rao Qun, went with their daughter to Beijing to make an appeal for Falun Gong. They were beaten in Tiananmen Square and held at the Beijing Office of Sichuan Province. Later they were escorted back to Heishui County and detained for three months. Zhiyong was dismissed from work and placed on a one-year probation at the 904 Forest Farm, with no communication facilities and limited transportation. While the average salary of the workers in the farm was between 1,700 and 1,800 yuan per month, Zhiyong received only 300 yuan per month.
In June 2001, the chief of Section One in Heishui County Public Security Department went to the Farm to promote the so-called "Tiananmen Self-Immolation" propaganda program as fabricated by the CCTV. Zhiyong exposed all the lies in the program and was severely beaten. He decided to go to Beijing again to make an appeal for Falun Gong. Without any means of transportation or money and with only the beans and pancakes he had prepared, Zhiyong walked for seven days and nights in the thick forest. But before he got beyond the Heishui County line, he was arrested by the police who had been searching for him.
One day, forest police officers Zhou Bin and Chen Aiguo and officer Chen from Section One of the County public security department went to talk to Zhiyong. Zhou Bin told Zhiyong that the organization had decided to send him for an 18-month study program, but in fact they sent him to the Xinhua Forced Labor Camp in Mianyang City for an 18-month sentence.
Zhiyong was tortured in many different ways in the forced labor camp. He was forced to stand still from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. The next day, he was beaten in the chest so brutally that he was unable to talk or even move without a great deal of pain. He was tied up with very thin ropes eight times within ten days; he was shocked with one to four electric batons at a time; he was beaten with a club covered with nails, causing his flesh to tear. Zhiyong was once beaten with the nail-covered club for over 40 minutes. He was covered with injuries. Through his pain, Zhiyong sang "Falun Dafa Is Good" loudly, and the other Falun Gong practitioners who were detained at the forced labor camp sang along with him. Many practitioners who had been "transformed" declared that their "transformation" statement was invalid and that they would continue to practice Falun Gong. In another incident, Zhiyong was forced to stand for 15 straight days.
As a result of the long-term torture, Zhiyong had an accumulation of fluid in his lungs and serious cramping in his limbs. It was very difficult for him to get out of bed. Under police orders, the hospital diagnosed him with "tuberculous pleurisy." Zhiyong's condition was very serious, so he was released on February 2, 2002. After returning home (in Xinjin County), he resumed his reading of Falun Gong books and doing the five exercises. Several days later he was able to get out of bed and walk on his own. He was fully recovered after only a month.
In the afternoon on April 16, 2002, while he was alone, officers from the Xinhua Forced Labor Camp broke into our home to take him away by force. Though Zhiyong resisted, several officers grabbed him and dragged him on the ground for more than 60 meters. He lost his shoes as he was being dragged, but he continued to shout, "Falun Dafa is good! Falun Gong is righteous!"
After being detained at the forced labor camp for 21 months, he was released on the eve of the 2004 Chinese New Year. Some of his former colleagues drove to the forced labor camp to pick him up and told him to go back to Heishui County to reunite with his wife. But as soon as he got there, he was taken to a hostel and was pressured to promise that he would give up his practice of Falun Gong. His wife went to Heishui County to pick him up but was only allowed to see him for a short period before she was forced to leave. The next morning she prepared some breakfast and went to see him again, only to be told that he had been taken to the forest farm in the mountains.
Zhiyong and his wife Rao Qun were 80 kilometers apart, and her workplace would not allow her to take time off to see her husband. They could only exchange notes through people from the mountains who came to Heishui County for groceries. To protest this inhuman treatment, Zhiyong went on a hunger strike for more than a month. Not until he was on the verge of death was his wife allowed to see him. When Rao Qun got to the 904 Forest Farm, Zhiyong, who is 1.78 meters tall, weighed only 45 kilograms. His hair was totally white. Rao Qun walked several miles of mountain road until she found a public telephone to call us and tell us what she had seen. Two of Zhiyong's nephews and I rented a minivan and went to the 904 Forest Farm.
We reasoned with the forced labor camp officials and told them, "Zhiyong is a good person. All Falun Gong practitioners are good people. He is dying, but you never notified us. You'll be responsible for any consequences." We then put Zhiyong in the minivan and left. The forced labor camp officials sent two cars to try to stop us. We went on a different road to escape them. When we got home, we found that the police had blocked our entrance. Three officers from the local 610 Office and the Forest Public Security Department tried to take Zhiyong away. We reasoned with them and they agreed to release him.
This was the first time Zhiyong's family had been together for the New Year since 1999. Soon after, Rao Qun was reported and taken to the Nanmusi Women's Forced Labor Camp in Zhizhong County.
Zhiyong returned to work at the 904 Forest Farm. Whenever he came down the mountain to buy supplies, he always tried to clarify the truth about Falun Gong to others. In 2005, he was taken to the Xinhua Forced Labor Camp again for singing "Falun Dafa Is Good." By then Rao Qun had been detained for the second year. I had to support my granddaughter on my meager pension.
Since Zhiyong was very firm with his belief, he was the key target at the forced labor camp and was transferred to the notorious Section One of the Division Seven, where he was brutally tortured. He told us during our phone conversations that he was frequently beaten.
Early October 2006, we told Zhiyong over the phone, "Your daughter is just fine. She is doing well at school. Her Chinese composition was praised by the teacher, and she is No. 1 in the class in math." The forced labor camp officials interpreted this as "passing on information" and an excuse to beat Zhiyong until he passed out and was rushed to the hospital. The forced labor camp guards often beat the practitioners while they were on the phone so that the families could hear them scream. We, too, have heard Zhiyong scream from the beatings during our phone conversations.
Besides the physical torture, Zhiyong was also subject to medical abuse. The police drugged his tea, his food, and the IV that was used when he was force-fed. Because of the drugs, he developed heart palpitations, fever, dizziness, blurred vision, weak extremities, lack of energy, difficulty walking, slow reactions, and deteriorated memory. These symptoms lasted for about a month. For several days he was forced to wear a tight uniform, which cut off circulation, causing muscle pain, heart palpitations, trembling in his limbs and insomnia. He was also being force-fed. Chife Yu of the Section and Nurse Rong pushed the tube through Zhiyong's nose into his stomach, causing him excruciating pain and nearly choking him to death.
We went to visit Zhiyong in December 2006 and found that he had become extremely thin and his face was blue. We told him to eat. Zhiyong said, "It's not because I don't eat. It's because I can't eat. I can only eat a tiny bit of food at lunchtime."
Zhiyong was tortured to the point of near death before he was released from the labor camp in February 2008. The Heishui County Public Security Department continued to send officers to monitor us. This lasted until the earthquake in Sichuan in May 2008.
Before the college entrance examination in the summer of 2009, the Heishui County authorities threatened Zhiyong's daughter, Yinghao. She courageously wrote to the authorities, saying: "I have a good father who is a faithful believer of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, but has been illegally detained."
On September 19, 2009, Zhiyong came to Dujiangye City to visit me. On the way back, he was arrested by Heishui County police who had been following him. They beat him until he was unconscious for two days. The arrest notification the police gave to Zhiyong's wife was dated several days after his arrest. Officer Zhang Zhiqiang and officer Pu were assigned to Zhiyong's case.
Zhiyong is facing trial. Like thousands of other Falun Gong practitioners, Zhiyong is a good person who believes in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. They have not done anything wrong, nor have they violated any laws. According to the current Chinese laws, Falun Gong is not a crime, nor are the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance! On the contrary, it is those law enforcers who have been persecuting Falun Gong practitioners who are violating the laws and committing crimes. It is those individuals who have sabotaged the enforcement of law and the Chinese legal system. Article 300 of the Criminal Law, which has been used specifically to persecute Falun Gong practitioners, is a vicious, groundless act that is totally unconstitutional.
For related reports, click http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2009/12/20/113246.html, http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2008/5/7/97096.html.
City: Harbin
Province: Heilongjiang
Persecution Suffered: Imprisonment, extortion
(Clearwisdom.net) In November 2002, the Jianshan Court in Shuangyashan City sentenced Ms. Wang Lihua, a practitioner from Huachuan County, Heilongjiang Province, to seven years in prison. Her term was then extended by three years because she called aloud "Falun Dafa is good!" Since then, she has been persecuted and abused for more than seven years and is now unable to take care of herself.
On December 18, 2009, Zhu Xiaojie, daughter of Ms. Wang Lihua, was notified by the police to pick up her mother at the Heilongjiang Women's Prison because she was seriously ill. On December 20, Ms. Wang's family went to the prison and had to pay 2,000 yuan for a judiciary examination. They asked the prison officials why they had mistreated Ms. Wang to that extent and then demanded money. They also refused to pay the 2,000 yuan, since they could not afford it. The examination result showed that she was paralyzed due to tuberculosis of the spine.
On December 24, 2009, two officers from the prison went to the Chengbei Police Station in Huachuan County. In the beginning, officials from the police station agreed to release her on a medical parole, but the request was turned down by upper level officials. Officials from the police station then refused to release her on a medical parole.
That afternoon, two officers from the prison went to the Chengnan Police Station, where Ms. Wang had previously registered her permanent residence. Shen Yanmin, head of the police station, met these two officers and said, "Ms. Wang's case is special. The entire police department knows she is a stubborn Falun Gong follower. I do not want to hold up your work because of no signature from me. I can report her situation to officials in both the police department and the domestic security division. But, on this sensitive issue of Falun Gong, I don't think police department officials will easily approve it. In fact, the decision has to come from the police department head, not even the deputy head. That is why I do not have the authority to sign this document. I can sign for a homicide criminal, but not for this one, unless it is approved by Liu Hongyin, the head of the police department."
Shen Yanmin, head of Chengnan Police Station, 86-13349554444 (Cell)
December 25, 2009
(Clearwisdom.net) In the past 10 years, Ms. Liu Jinying and her husband, Zhang Dongsheng, have been persecuted many times. Their daughter, who was thus raised by her grandmother, is now studying for the college entrance exam. On December 31, 2009 the electricity was shut off at the house because they could not afford to pay the bill. Their daughter had to go to a neighbor's place to study.
Ms. Liu Jinying (45 years old) is a former deputy head of Laishui County Appeals Bureau. Because of her belief, she was illegally sentenced. After being detained and tortured for 5 years, she could barely take care of herself. However, she had to look after her mother-in-law. Her mother-in-law passed away on May 18, 2009.
Before her death, Ms. Liu's mother-in-law missed her son, Mr. Zhang Dongsheng, very much since he had been detained for several years. However, she was unable to see him before her death. Mr. Zhang was a former office director in the Laishui County Taxation Bureau. Because of his belief, he was sentenced to a 15-year term of imprisonment by the Yi County court and has been detained at Shijiazhuang Fourth Prison for eight-and-a-half years.
Ms. Liu Jinying
After the persecution of Falun Gong by Jiang's regime started, this harmonious family was broken up. Zhang Dongsheng and Liu Jinying were both sentenced. Under intense pressure from their workplaces and by the Laishui Police Department, both Zhang Dongsheng's father and Liu Jinying's mother passed away. The partial paralysis in Zhang Dongsheng's mother recurred. Liu Jinying's father was also often threatened by officials that his retirement pension would be terminated.
The 10-year long persecution has virtually deprived the family of everything. Ms. Liu Jinying went several different times to her former workplace to ask for her unpaid salary. However, the former Appeals Bureau Head Liang Jinfu, together with Deputy County Head Wang Ruipo, had spent it as office expenses. The current Appeals Bureau Head Liu Zhigang cursed at Ms. Liu and still has not returned her unpaid salary.
Ms. Liu was arrested in August 2000 and sentenced to 5 years. On October 16, 2003 she was transferred from Shijiangzhuang Second Prison to Taihang Prison. In both prisons she was tortured by various means, including forced administration of toxic drugs. The persecution methods included monitoring by inmates or collaborators, solitary confinement, electric shock, her ankles being tied up tightly with nylon ropes, deprivation of sleep and use of toilet, being beaten and kicked, forced intake of toxic drugs, mental torment, brutal force-feeding, etc.
Under instruction by prison guards, inmates beat her every day and did not allow her to speak. In addition, the drugs forced upon her made her body even weaker. When other people wore only a shirt and put away their sweaters, she felt very cold, even with a heavy coat on, and she had to support herself against the wall when walking. She often vomited. In order to take it to the bathroom, every time after vomiting, she had to support herself on her arms and move the basin forward with her head little by little, for she was too weak to stand up. Prison guards instructed inmates to force-feed her many types of drugs, regardless of her health condition. After force-feeding her the drugs, the inmates did not give her one drop of water. Ms. Liu had no choice but to drink urine in the bathroom. The lengthy use of the drugs resulted in hair loss, loose teeth, and graying hair. To reduce the poisonous effects, she often went through trash cans looking for leftover food to eat.
On August 19, 2001 Mr. Zhang Dongsheng was arrested at his workplace by the regime officials. He was later sent to Yi County Detention Center and tortured there. He was once handcuffed with his feet chained for 36 days. He had scabies all over his body. Then he was sentenced to a term of 15 years and sent to Baoding First Prison. Because of his refusing to transform, he was sent to Shijiazhuang Fourth Prison and persecuted there. To cover up the torture, Shijiazhuang Fourth Prison officials did not allow any family members to visit him for a long time. At Division 8, the torture led to various problems all over Mr. Zhang's body, including loss of six teeth and a deformed mouth. The major person responsible for this was Zhao Jun, an officer in the Educational Office who instructed inmates to beat Mr. Zhang.
When the couple was sentenced, Laishui police went many times to ransack their house. They even went to the home of Mr. Zhang's sister to threaten her, and they took away articles with a value of 20,000 yuan.
(Clearwisdom.net) Today's News from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 10 cities or counties in seven provinces. In this report, 12 practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention and at least five practitioners were illegally arrested.
1. [Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province] Ms. Song Yamin Arrested
2. [Yichang, Hubei Province] Mr. Liu Cheng and Ms. Xiang Wenlan Detained for a Long Time
3. [Hebei Province] Recent Persecution of Practitioners at the Shijiazhuang Women's Forced Labor Camp
4. [Huangshan, Anhui Province] Ms. Deng Peiying's Pension Withheld
5. [Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhang Yuhua Held in Qiqihar City
6. [Yongqing County, Hebei Province] Ms. Wu Hongmei Persecuted
7. [Jiahe County, Hunan Province] Ms. Xiao Silan Still Held in Custody
8. [Jilin Province] Mr. Zhang Qingxiang and Ms. Cai Yanfen Arrested
9. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Wang Shunlian Taken to Brainwashing Center After Detention Term Expired
10. [Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province] Additional Information Regarding the Persecution of Ms. Lu Dejing
1. [Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province] Ms. Song Yamin Arrested
Ms. Song Yamin, 48, from Fenghua City was reported as she used paper money on which Falun Gong messages were written at a vegetable market on the morning of December 15, 2009. The police followed her, broke into her home and ransacked it. They confiscated many Falun Gong informational materials and books. Ms. Song was taken to the Daqiao Police Station. She is now being held in the Fenghua City Detention Center.
2. [Yichang, Hubei Province] Mr. Liu Cheng and Ms. Xiang Wenlan Detained for a Long Time
Yiling District 610 Office head Zhang Hua and others arrested Mr. Liu Cheng and Ms. Xiang Wenlan, and ransacked their homes on the morning of September 21, 2009. The two practitioners have been held in the Yiling District Detention Center for five months, and their health has been poor.
Chen Guohua, Yiling District Domestic Security Division head: 86-717-7821419-3846
Yiling District 610 Office head and deputy head: 86-717-7821355
3. [Hebei Province] Recent Persecution of Practitioners at the Shijiazhuang Women's Forced Labor Camp
Ms. Zhang Jing from Shijiazhuang, feeling unwell, was resting in bed in her cell at around 5:40 p.m. on October 21, 2009 and did not go downstairs for the evening meal. Guard Lu Yaqin rushed into her cell and physically dragged her out of her bed. Ms. Zhang's head hit the floor during the process. Two detainees then carried her to the cafeteria.
Ms. Chai Wensu from Xuanhua, Zhangjiakou refused to write words slandering Falun Gong or its founder. Guard Niu Li ordered Ms. Chai to make a phone call to her husband at midnight on October 24, 2009. As soon as Ms. Chai got through, Niu Li grabbed the phone and said to Ms. Chai's husband, "Your wife does not do as she is ordered. We will extend her term and sentence her to prison."
Ms. Wang Cuiyan from Wangdu spoke with a practitioner at 8:20 p.m. on October 30, 2009. Guard Lu Yaqin ordered Ms. Wang to go to room 321 and then physically and verbally abused her. Guard Yuan Haiying closed the door to keep others from hearing the abuse.
Practitioners refused to sing songs praising the Chinese Communist Party in November 2009. As punishment, guards frequently denied them the right to eat. They also forced the practitioners to stand for a long time and then do hard labor. On November 30, practitioner Ms. Wang Xizhen refused to lead the singing, and guard Wang threatened to extend her term by ten days. Practitioner Ms. Wang Cuiyan's term was extended by a month for talking to people about the persecution of Falun Gong.
4. [Huangshan, Anhui Province] Ms. Deng Peiying's Pension Withheld
Ms. Deng Peiying, 80, was reported and her home was ransacked two months ago. Her pension, which was valued at more than 1,000 yuan per month, was also withheld. She has been paid a total of only 260 yuan since December 2009. Ms. Deng was subjected to persecution four times in the past ten years.
5. [Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Zhang Yuhua Held in Qiqihar City
Xinhua Street Police Station officers climbed up and over the wall and broke into Ms. Zhang Yuhong and Ms. Zhang Yuhua's home on the morning of December 4, 2009. More than a dozen police officers took the two practitioners to the Xinhua Street Police Station, where they were detained overnight. They were transported to the Qiqihar City No.1 Detention Center the next day, on December 5, and have been held there until now.
Yuan Junwei, Fuyu County Police Department chief: 86-13946265666
Gao Zhen'an, Fuyu County Domestic Security Division head: 86-13199690999
Li Junsheng, Fuyu County, Xinhua Street Police Station head: 86-13946213880
6. [Yongqing County, Hebei Province] Ms. Wu Hongmei Persecuted
Ms. Wu Hongmei was not there on the afternoon of December 28, 2009 when a group of police officers broke into her home in Qutou Village, Liujie Township. Liu Guangzhi, the Yongqing Police Department Politics and Security Section head, and the 610 Office head led the group. They confiscated a computer and Falun Gong books, and also took her non-practitioner husband Mr. Niu Hegang into custody and released him in the afternoon, after having extorted 20,000 yuan from his family.
7. [Jiahe County, Hunan Province] Ms. Xiao Silan Still Held in Custody
Lanshan County Police Department officers arrested Ms. Xiao Silan on June 6, 2009, and she is still in the Lanshan County Detention Center.
Li Chengjie, 610 Office head: 86-13487466465
Huang Xiaolan, Domestic Security Division head: 86-13907467398, 86-746-2211301 (Office), 86-746-2213908
8. [Jilin Province] Mr. Zhang Qingxiang and Ms. Cai Yanfen Arrested
Mr. Zhang Qingxiang from Fu'an Township, Yushu City and Ms. Cai Yanfen from Peiying Street in Yushu City were arrested at their homes on January 4, 2010. Yushu Police Department Domestic Security Division agents and local police officers made the arrest.
Liu Hongshuang, police chief: 86-431-83618101, 86-431-82353456, 86-13904394478
Fan Hongkai, Domestic Security Division: 86-431-83618238, 86-15904409088
9. [Wuhan City, Hubei Province] Ms. Wang Shunlian Taken to Brainwashing Center After Detention Term Expired
Ms. Wang Shunlian from the Jiang'an District was reported as she handed out information about the persecution of Falun Gong. She was held in the Wuhan City No.1 Detention Center for 15 days. When her family arrived to take her home at the end of her detention term on December 29, 2009, the guards at the gate refused to let her go. The police took Ms. Wang away in a police vehicle at around 10:00 a.m. She is now in the Chenjiaji Brainwashing Center.
10. [Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province] Additional Information Regarding the Persecution of Ms. Lu Dejing
Ms. Lu Dejing, 19, from Huailai County is being held in the Fengtai Detention Center in Beijing. Officers from the Pre-trial Division took turns interrogating her and subjected her to sleep deprivation. Her family went to visit her numerous times, but was forbidden to meet her.
Yi Ming, Fengtai Detention Center Pre-Trial Division, Beijing: 86-10-83680265
January 5, 2010
Name: Wang Lihua (王丽华)
Gender: Female
Age: Unknown
Address: Unknown
Occupation: Unknown
Date of Most Recent Arrest: November 2002
Most Recent Place of Detention: Heilongjiang Women's Prison (黑龙江省女子监狱)
(Clearwisdom.net) Today's News from China includes incidents of persecution that took place in 30 cities or counties in 11 provinces. In this report, 12 practitioners were subjected to mistreatment during their detention and at least 49 practitioners were illegally arrested.
1. [Bing County, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Song Yaqin Arrested
At noon on December 24, 2009, Ms. Song Yaqin was taken to the Dayangshu District Public Security Department by some of its officers, who also confiscated two computers, her cell phone, and Falun Gong related materials from her house.
2. [Dandong City, Liaoning Province] Three Practitioners Arrested
On December 23, 2009, Ms. Li Hua, Ms. Sun Yan, and Ms. Ma were arrested. They are being held at the Baifang Detention Center in Dandong City.
3. [Dehui City, Jilin Province] Practitioner Wang Baoru Taken to Dehui City Detention Center on December 24, 2009, for Discussing the Facts about Falun Gong at Work
4. [Qianxi County, Hebei Province] Ms. Quan Shumin Arrested
Ms. Quan Shumin, in her 50s, is retired from the City Credit Union in Qianxi County. On the evening of December 23, 2009, she was arrested near her home, which was searched by the police. She is being held at the Qianxi County Detention Center (or the Administrative Detention Center).
Bai Xingyuan, secretary of the CCP Political Security Committee in Qianxi County: 86-315-612537 (Office), 86-315-5613336 (Home), 86-13582843688 (Cell)
Liu Jinying, chief of the Domestic Security Division in Qianxi County: 86-315-5086738 (Office), 86-315-5619005 (Home), 86-13832988311 (Cell)
Shan Enyu, director of the Qianxi County Detention Center: 86-315-5664509 (Office), 86-315-5689661 (Home), 86-13832983661 (Cell)
Bai Jichun, director of the Qianxi County Administrative Detention Center: 86-315-5664510 (Office), 86-315-5669010 (Home), 86-13832988293 (Cell)
5. [Fushun City, Liaoning Province] Ms. Zhang Ying Taken to Brainwashing Center
At approximately 10:30 a.m. on December 4, 2009, Ms. Zhang Ying, an employee at the Fushan City Special School, was arrested at work. Her home was searched. She is being held at the Fushun City Brainwashing Center.
6. [Chongqing City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Feng Xiaomei Taken to Chongqing Women's Prison
Ms. Feng Xiaomei was sentenced to a three-year term by the Jiangjin District Court in Chongqing City. On December 4, 2009, she was secretly taken to the Women's Prison located in Zouma Town, Jiulongpo District, Chongqing City.
7. [Wendeng City, Shandong Province] Ms. Cui Xianling Arrested
On December 22, 2009, Ms. Cui Xianling from Cuijia Village, Houjia Town, Wendeng City, was arrested. She is being held at the Wendeng City Detention Center.
Wendeng City 610 Office: 86-631- 8983935
Wendeng City Public Security Department Command Center: 86-631-8452538
Houjia Town Police Station: 86-631-8727014
Wendeng City Domestic Security Division: 86-631-8452716
8. [Zibo City, Shandong Province] Ms. Zhang Yongling from Heiwang Village, Heiwang Town, Zichuan District, Zibo City, Arrested at Approximately 6:00 a.m. on December 16, 2009
9. [Zanhuang County, Hebei Province] Ms. Guo Zhumei Arrested
At approximately 11:00 a.m. on December 24, 2009, Ms. Guo Zhumei was arrested by Xue Xinyi, director of the Zhangshiyan Township Police Station, and other officers while she was distributing truth-clarifying materials about Falun Gong in a village in Zhangshiyan Township. She is being held in Zanhuang County.
On March 6, 2009, several practitioners from Zanhuang County were reported while they were talking to people about Falun Gong. They were arrested by Xue Xinyi and other officers. Two of them are still being held at the Shijiazhuang Women's Prison.
Xue Xinyi, director of the Zhangshiyan Township Police Station: 86-13932190871 (Cell)
Chen Yinzeng, secretary of the Zanhuang County CCP Political Security Committee: 86-13933112898 (Cell)
Guo Yanli, director of the Zanhuang County Public Security Department: 86-311-84223897 (Office), 86-311-84623356 (Home), 86-13785165696 (Cell)
Li Guozeng, chief of the Domestic Security Division: 86-13933063821 (Cell)
Hao Guiyan, deputy chief of the Domestic Security Division: 86-13582187901 (Cell)
10. [Zunhua City, Hebei Province] Practitioners in Xindianzi Town Harassed
On December 8, 2009, practitioners in Xindianzi Town, Zunhua City, were harassed by people dispatched by the Xindianzi Town government. Practitioners' homes were searched and Falun Gong related materials were confiscated. Practitioners were also pressured to sign statements to quit the practice of Falun Gong.
11. [Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia] Ms. Cao Fengmei and Ms. Yang Xiuyan Arrested
On December 9, 2009, Ms. Cao Fengmei and Ms. Yang Xiuyan from Shuiquan Village, Songshan District, Chifeng City, were arrested by the Wangjiadian Police Station while they were giving out Falun Gong related materials in the area. They are being held at the Wenzhong Town Detention Center.
12. [Kunming City, Yunnan Province] Ms. Guo Lingna Detained at Xishan District Detention Center
On December 13, 2009, Ms. Guo Lingna, 48, was arrested. She is being held at the Xishan District Detention Center.
Ms. Guo lives at 102 Dongsi Street, Kunming City. She was fired from Yunnan State Funded Cement Ltd. in Kunming on November 28, 2007. On August 3, 2007, Ms. Guo was arrested by the Kunming Public Security Department Xishan District and was held at the Xishan District Detention Center. On August 13, 2007, she was sent to the Women's Forced Labor Camp in Yunnan Province for a two-year term. Her term was extended by five days, and she was not released until August 7, 2009. Her husband was forced to divorce her due to pressure from his workplace.
13. [Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia] Recent Updates on Practitioners Held at Songshan District Detention Center
Ms. Zhang Guihua from the Songshan District was sentenced and sent to a forced labor camp.
Ms. He Tao from Nuerhe Township, Jinzhou City, tried to explain the facts about Falun Gong to Zhang Xiaoming, a female officer at the detention center. Zhang called for a male officer, who slapped Ms. He three times. Ms. He's sister is being held at the same detention center.
Ms. Gao Guixia from the Songshan District was tortured during police interrogation. She was covered with wounds.
Mr. Fu Xiushan is from the Hongshan District. His situation is unclear.
Ms. Zheng Suhua is from the Hongshan District. Her situation is unclear.
Ms. Yang Xiurong from the Hongshan District was released.
Mr. Zhang Shuchun from the Songshan District was released.
14. [Changde City, Hunan Province] More Than Ten Practitioners Arrested at Home
In the evening on December 17, 2009, more than ten practitioners were arrested at home. Ms. Wang Xiaofei, Ms. Liu Huiping, Ms. Li Fangyun, Ms. Liu Xianju, Mr. Li Haijun, and Ms. Zeng Lihua are being held outside Changde City. Mr. Xu Heping, Mr. Mu, and five other practitioners are being held at the Changde City No. 1 Detention Center.
15. [Jinan City, Shandong Province] Mr. Liu Sitang Sentenced to Five and a Half Years by Lixia District Court
On December 9, 2009, the Lixia District Court in Jinan City tried Mr. Liu Sitang. Mr. Liu's family was not allowed to attend the trial. On December 18, 2009, the court issued a criminal judgment in which Mr. Liu was sentenced to four years, which was to be combined with a previous sentencing of three years, totaling five years and six months, for posting materials saying: "The Trial of Zhang Yuying Is Unfair and Wrongful." Mr. Liu's attorney pleaded not guilty for him, and his family is appealing his case to the superior court.
16. [Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province] Three Practitioners Detained at Dunhuafang Police Station
At approximately 9:00 p.m. on December 22, 2009, Mr. Jin Guoyou from the Dunhuafang Neighborhood, Xinghualing District, Taiyuan City, was arrested and taken to the Dunhuafang Police Station. At approximately 12:00 a.m. on December 23, 2009, officers went to search Mr. Jin's home and confiscated his computer, printer, DVD recorder, and materials related to Falun Gong. Mr. Jin is being held at the Dunhuafang Police Station.
On December 21, 2009, Ms. Feng, from the same area, was arrested while she was talking to people about Falun Gong and taken to the Dunhuafang Police Station. On December 23, 2009, Ms. Xing Qingyun was arrested at home and taken to the Dunhuafang Police Station. Her home was searched as well.
Zhao Junli, female, in her 30s, was the police officer in charge of the neighborhood in the Dunhuafang Police Station.
17. [Daqing City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Huang Shuhua Sent to Forced Labor Camp
At approximately 10:00 a.m. on November 11, 2009, Ms. Tian Yingchun, Ms. Huang Shuhua, Ms. Yang Hong, and Ms. Liu Fenglan were arrested by Li Guotao, Zhang Jun, and other officers from the Chengfeng Public Security Branch while the four women were shopping. Ms. Liu Fenglan was released that night. Ms. Tian Yingchun, Ms. Huang Shuhua, and Ms. Yang Hong were sent to the Daqing City No. 1 Detention Center on the same night.
On December 16, 2009, they were sent to the Heilongjiang Women's Forced Labor Camp. Ms. Tian and Ms. Yang were rejected by the forced labor camp due to failed physical exams and were released on December 18, 2009.
Ms. Huang Shuhua was sentenced to one year of forced labor. She is being held at the Fourth Division at the labor camp. Her family has not been allowed to visit her.
He Weiping, director of the Chengfeng Public Security Branch: 86-459-5680307 (Office), 86-459-6508123 (Home), 86-13394664801 (Cell)
Li Guotao, chief of Community Police Affairs at the Chengfeng Branch: 86-459-5602102 (Office), 86-459-5603342 (Home), 86-13394664929 (Cell)
Huo Xiaojie, deputy chief of Community Police Affairs at the Chengfeng Branch: 86-459-5602110 (Office), 86-459-5671606 (Home), 86-13394664901 (Cell)
Zhang Jun, officer at the Chengfeng Branch: 86-459-6862577 (Home), 86-13394664927 (Cell)
Niu Xiaoyun, chief of the Fourth Division of the Heilongjiang Women's Forced Labor Camp: 86-451-82447080 (Office), 86-13766872001 (Cell)
18. [Changting County, Fujian Province] Mr. Rao Changjin and Ms. Yuan Qixiu Sentenced
On July 10, 2009, Mr. Rao Changjin and Ms. Yuan Qixiu were reported while they were distributing truth-clarifying materials and were arrested. On December 18, 2009, Mr. Rao was sentenced to a four-year term and Ms. Yuan was sentenced to a three-year term.
19. [Chongqing City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Xie Xiaju and Ms. Cheng Jiayu Arrested
At approximately 11:00 a.m. on December 21, 2009, Li Qinghuai from the Qianjiang District 610 Office and five officers from the Chengxi Police Station in Qianjiang District broke into Ms. Xie Xiaju's home and confiscated a copy of Zhuan Falun and a laptop computer. The officers also searched Ms. Cheng Jiayu, who was in her 60s and from Shihui Town, Jianjiang District, and confiscated her purse and some Falun Gong related materials. They beat Ms. Cheng, threatened Ms. Xie, and took both of them to the public security department. Ms. Xie was released the same evening. Ms. Cheng's whereabouts remain unknown.
20. [Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province] Ms. Sun Lifeng Detained
Ms. Sun Lifeng was detained at the Qianjin Forced Labor Camp in Harbin City for one and a half years. She is being held at the Alihe Town Detention Center. She is in very poor health and was twice diagnosed with Hepatitis B in the Alihe Town Detention Center, which refused to release her and turned down her family's request to visit.
21. [Ya'an City, Sichuan Province] Ms. Li Chaofeng Held at Duoying Detention Center
On November 17, 2009, Ms. Li Chaofeng from Group 5, Qingfeng Village, Fengming Township, Yaoqiao Town, Ya'an City, was reported while she was distributing informational materials at the Ya'an Red Cross Hospital. At noon on November 18, 2009, Zhou Chaogui, the head of the village, as well as officers from the Yaoqiao Police Station went to search her home. They confiscated all of the Falun Gong books they found and took her to the Yaoqiao Police Station. She was transferred to the Duoying Detention Center in Ya'an City the next day. Her family went to the detention center numerous times to visit her but have not been allowed to see her.
Fang Hao, director of the Duoying Detention Center: 86-835-2308584 (Office), 86-0835-2308581 (Home), 86-13056568887 (Cell)
Wang Huikang, deputy director of the Duoying Detention Center: 86-835-2224162 (Home), 86-13908160331 (Cell)
Chen Xiaohong (female), deputy director of the Duoying Detention Center: 86-0835-2623284 (Home), 86-13908161937 (Cell)
Kang Hua, chief of the Domestic Security Division: 86-835-2308527 (Office), 86-835-2225456 (Home), 86-13308160453 (Cell)
Wang Qing, deputy chief of the Domestic Security Division: 86-835-2234916 (Home), 86-13908161384 (Cell)
Hu Yun, Chief of the 610 Office: 86-835-2822528 (Office), 86-835-2226176 (Home), 86-13608281285 (Cell)
Zhao Fuliang, director of the Yucheng District Public Security Department: 86-835-2308516 (Office), 86-835-2820096 (Home), 86-13908169777 (Cell)
22. [Chenzhou City, Hunan Province] Ms. Guo Boqin Arrested
On November 30, 2009, Ms. Guo Boqin was arrested at home by the Xiameiqiao Police Station in Chenzhou City. The officers intended to send her to the Baimalong Forced Labor Camp.
Di Chengxiang, secretary of the Xiameiqiao CCP Political Security Committee: 86-13907351912 (Cell)
Wu Xianping, director of the Xiameiqiao Police Station: 86-13637353759 (Cell)
Xie Weiqi, officer at the Xiameiqiao Police Station: 86-15807351508 (Cell)
Xie Wenfeng, officer at the Xiameiqiao Police Station: 86-13907351760 (Cell)
Tan Ning, instructor at the Xiameiqiao Police Station: 86-13807353631 (Cell)
23. [Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province] Mr. Liu Zhanjun Sentenced
Mr. Liu Zhanjun from Xiangfang District, Harbin City, was detained in the Xiangfang District Detention Center. It was reported that Mr. Liu was recently sentenced to a three-and-a-half-year term and is likely to be discharged from the Harbin-Electromotor Plant.
24. [Fuyuan County, Heilongjiang Province] Three Practitioners' Homes Searched
On December 17, 2009, Zhang Sidong, Cai Jinlin, Guo Jishan, and several other officers from the Fuyuan County Domestic Security Division broke into Ms. Qu's home and confiscated her Falun Gong books and an MP3 player without showing proper documents. They also extorted 3,000 yuan from Ms. Qu.
On December 23, 2009, these officers went to Mr. Ge Zhaoping's home and confiscated his Falun Gong books, an MP3 player, and other personal items. They also extorted 500 yuan from Mr. Ge.
On December 24, 2009, these officers went to Mr. Wang Chunguang's home and searched it.
Zhang Sidong, director of the Political Security Office at the Fuyuan County Public Security Department: 86-454-2135110, ext. 5972 (Office), 86-454-2131008 (Home)
Cai Jinlin, officer at the Political Security Office: 86-454-2132432 (Home)
Guo Jishan, officer at the Political Security Office: 86-454-2133402 (Home)
Wang Guanghua, director of the Fuyuan County Public Security Department: 86-454-2132538 (Office), 86-454-2131109 (Home), 86-13945400687 (Cell)
25. [Wuqing District, Tianjin City] Ms. Gao Yulan and Ms. Yao Zhifeng Detained at Yangcun Detention Center
On the morning of December 23, 2009, Ms. Gao Yulan and Ms. Yao Zhifeng, both in their 50s and from Xiaoyang Village, Hebeitun Town, Wuqing District, were arrested by the Daliang Police Station. They had been talking to people about Falun Gong at the Daliang Town Fair. They are being held at the Yangcun Detention Center in Wuqing District.
Jin Zhihui, director of the Daliang Police Station: 86-22-29561190 (Office), 86-13752522233 (Cell)
26. [Beijing] Two Elderly Practitioners Arrested
On December 14, 2009, Ms. Wang Shufeng, 74, a resident of the Xicheng District in Beijing, and Ms. Mu, 68, were reported while they were distributing informational materials about Falun Gong. They were arrested and taken to the Xinjiekou Police Station, where they were held for the night. The next day, the officers went to Ms. Wang's home and searched it. They confiscated her Falun Gong books, an MP3 player, an MP4 player, Falun Gong audio and video tapes, DVDs, and other personal items. Ms. Wang and Ms. Mu were later transferred to Jishuitan Hospital. Their current whereabouts are unknown.
27. [Qufu City, Shandong Province] Mr. Zhao Genfa Faces Trial
Mr. Zhao Genfa was scheduled to face trial at the No. 1 Court of the Jining City Intermediate Court in the afternoon on December 29, 2009. Ms. Zhao Dan, Mr. Zhao's daughter, was disqualified from teaching by the Qufu City Experiment Elementary School and was transferred to the school library. She was placed under 24-hour surveillance.
Jining City Intermediate Court: 86-537-2103042 (Telephone), 86-537-2103003 (Fax)
Guan Shengying, president of the court: 86-537-2103666 (Office), 86-537-2383438 (Home), 86-13562791666 (Cell)
Jining City Procuratorate: 86-537-3011066 (Telephone), 86-537-3011021 (Fax)
Zhang Qingjian, chief Procurator: 86-537-3011001 (Office), 86-537-2357366 (Home), 86-13675377666 (Cell)
28. [Rizhao City, Shandong Province] Mr. Wang Peili Arrested
In late November 2009, Mr. Wang Peili, in his 60s and retired from the Wulian County Water Conservancy Bureau in Rizhao City, was arrested at home and taken to the Wulian County Detention Center.
29. [Changtu County, Liaoning Province] Ms. Chen Shuxia and Ms. Cui Ningning Arrested
On the afternoon of December 19, 2009, Ms. Chen Shuxia and Ms. Cui Ningning from Changtu County were arrested by officers in Kaiyuan City and taken to the Tieling Detention Center. Their homes were searched.
30. [Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province] Ms. Liang Yening and Mr. Zhang Linyu's Detention Extended
Ms. Liang Yening and her husband, Mr. Zhang Linyu, were arrested on their way to a fellow practitioner's home last year. Ms. Liang was detained at the Shijiazhuang Women's Forced Labor Camp. Her term was due to end on December 23, 2009, but was extended for seven days as a result of her firm belief in Falun Gong.
31. [Peng'an County, Sichuan Province] Ms. Long Biqing and Mr. Wang Jiarong's Home Searched Again
On December 18, 2009, Liu Mingqiang, chief of the Peng'an Domestic Security Division, along with several others, went to Ms. Long Biqing's home to harass her. They searched her home and confiscated a copy of Minghui Weekly. They attempted to arrest Ms. Zhang Lifang but failed.
32. [Changsha City, Hunan Province] Mr. Song Fangming and Mr. Liu Muyu Arrested
Mr. Song Fangming was arrested in September 2009 and Mr. Liu Muyu was arrested in December 2009 by the Pozi Street Police Station in Changsha City. They searched Mr. Song's home while no one was there. Both Mr. Song and Mr. Liu are being held in detention centers in Changsha City.
Liu Zhimin, director of the Pozi Street Police Station: 86-13487563990 (Cell)
Zhou Yue, instructor of the Pozi Street Police Station: 86-13755055599 (Cell)
Li Xingsheng, officer at the Pozi Street Police Station: 86-13808431888 (Cell)
Liu Qiongqiong, officer at the Pozi Street Police Station: 86-13508478967 (Cell)
Pan Xiaochun, officer at the Pozi Street Police Station: 86-13975127619 (Cell)
Wu Xiangui, officer at the Pozi Street Police Station: 86-13974988692 (Cell)
Sang Shengyuan, officer at the Pozi Street Police Station who handled Mr. Song's case: 86-13017398360 (Cell)
Zhou Kaidi, officer at the Pozi Street Police Station who handled Mr. Song's case: 86-13787076101 (Cell)
33. [Yueyang City, Hunan Province] Ms. Zhao Qunlan Sentenced
Ms. Zhao Qunlan from Yueyang City was sentenced to a three-year term. On December 8, 2009, she was sent to the Hunan Province Women's Prison.
Ms. Dai Qingping, who was detained at the Miluo Detention Center, was released in early December 2009.
(Clearwisdom.net) A "Solemn Declaration" is a person's public statement to the world that whatever he or she has done or said under duress or deception that was against Falun Dafa is null and void. These statements have come from Falun Dafa practitioners in China who wish to express regret that, in the face of physical torture and brainwashing, they signed documents renouncing Dafa and guaranteeing not to practice again. Now, they hereby declare their intention to resume practicing Falun Dafa. Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations: Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
(Clearwisdom.net) More and more people in China are awakening to the truth and realizing that they were deceived by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) into participating in the persecution of Falun Gong, either directly as government officials, police, labor camp guards, etc., or indirectly as practitioners' family members, who in many cases may have cursed Dafa, burned Dafa books, or interfered in various other ways to prevent practitioners from following their beliefs. As a result of this awakening, the Minghui/ Clearwisdom website is receiving increasing numbers of heartfelt messages from non-practitioners who wish to publicly express remorse for their wrongdoing and announce their intention to rectify their words and deeds in the future. The editors will periodically choose representative messages of this type and publish them as articles entitled, "Solemn Statements from Non-Practitioners."
Here are some examples of the Solemn Declarations:
Please click here for more Solemn Declarations.
(Clearwisdom.net)
I have worked in my current company for many years.
Master told us: "Since every one of you is cultivating Zhen-Shan-Ren, you should be a good person in every circumstance." ("Teaching Fa at the Conference in Canada") In the family, at work, or in society, do we think of ourselves as cultivators at all times? When we do as required by the Fa, not only do we show how a cultivator truly cultivates and put cultivation into action, but it also relates to whether people can see Dafa's beauty in the behavior of a cultivator and thus be saved.
A colleague of mine who worked with me in the same office has always had a tough working style, and done things her own way. The department manager covered for her and she often sneaked out during work hours, which resulted in other people doing her work. One day, I went out on business. She did not go to work and it was noticed by the general manager. The department manager was questioned about her absence. However, she and the department manager blamed me.
On my way home at lunch break that day, I first recalled what Master said about looking inward in "Fa-Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners." I immediately looked inward. What was the attachment I had which caused the problem? I had anger, jealousy, and an imbalanced heart, I looked down on others, and I had many other attachments. Also, I had been unhappy about this colleague for a long time. I had not followed:
"You should always be benevolent and kind to others, and consider others when doing anything. Whenever you encounter a problem, you should first consider whether others can put up with this matter or if it will hurt anyone. In doing so, there will not be any problems." (Zhuan Falun)
So, something did happen.
When I realized my attachments, I thought I should deal with what had happened as soon as possible and make up for my mistake. I wrote a letter to the department manager to apologize because I was inconsiderate, affected the whole group, and hurt some individuals. I also hoped that we could treasure our relationships to get to know each other better and that we could work together happily. In the end, the whole situation changed dramatically. A colleague who knew about the incident told me that she did not expect that manager to shout at me and accuse me in the morning, but it was like nothing had happened in the afternoon, and there was no accusation. I knew in my heart that it was looking inward and Dafa's power that changed the outcome.
Three months after the event happened, I did not know that the company general manger was informed about the incident. When he found out, the general manager was very angry. He wanted to handle the related staff himself, including our department manager. In the investigation of the event, I described what actually happened and how I handled it. The general manager insisted on handling the people involved. I then wrote a letter to the general manager to thank him for clearly distinguishing between good and bad, and being fair. I also said that what had happened was also due to my shortcoming in cultivation, and the event would not have happened if I had selflessly considered the whole group. I hoped that he could take the interests of the whole into account, resolve the problem with benevolence, and give everyone an opportunity, given that the responsible staff members had been hard-working and could make more contributions to the company in the future.
A few days later, the general manager met with me again. He was moved by a Dafa practitioner's benevolence, kindness, tolerance, and endurance. I not only took responsibility for something not my fault, but also asked forgiveness for those responsible, which was not what he had expected. I told him that I could do that because I cultivate in Dafa. Becoming a person who follows Truthfulness-Benevolence-Forbearance is good for everyone. He honestly said he would learn that from me, and he promoted me one level. Because he trusted in me and expressed distrust in others, he gave me an important task.
As Dafa practitioners, we cultivate in ordinary society, not asking for fame or fortune, but can correct ourselves according to the Fa, and look inward in our cultivation because we do things according to the Fa's requirements. Doing so not only resolves seemingly difficult problems, but also improves our xinxing, develops a good reputation, and gets us recognized by other people. In addition, our environment can be corrected and affected positively. We influence and affect other people and validate Dafa's beauty!
The above is my personal cultivation experience. I welcome all comments.
Original article date: 11/8/2009
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently, some fellow practitioners who had wrongly been imprisoned for many years returned home. Every practitioner wanted to help them to return to a cultivation group as soon as possible. However, we encountered some problems concerning the details of these actions. By studying the Fa and sharing with each other, we recognized that it is very important to treat fellow practitioners who had been persecuted with compassion.
First, don't rush and don't provoke these fellow practitioners. Fellow practitioner A was persecuted for seven years for making information materials about the truth of Falun Gong and the persecution. Practitioner A had been "transformed" while in prison, and was very depressed after being released. Fellow practitioner B and another practitioner went to visit practitioner A, and B talked about his experience when he broke out of the devil's den by using his righteous thoughts. But surprisingly, A got very angry and drove B out of his home. Practitioner B did not say anything wrong, but by pointing out practitioner A's failure in front of others, A was not able to tolerate it. This practitioner, who had been persecuted for many years, knew that it was wrong to compromise with the evil. He already felt ashamed when he faced other fellow practitioners, but after being lectured like this, he could not handle it. Master said:
"Some students have become confused during the persecution. However, once they become clear on things, or once they find themselves in a new setting, they are able to tell right from wrong. They definitely don't side with the evil deliberately, for sure." ("Fa Teaching Given at the NTDTV Meeting")
When we help fellow practitioners we can not rush them, we have to give them the chance to understand.
Secondly, we have to understand and care for our fellow practitioners. Master said in "Fa Teaching Given at the NTDTV Meeting":
"My point is, you shouldn't push your fellow cultivators away. They are fellow cultivators, and you should try your best to have them feel the warmth with which Dafa disciples interact with one another."
We need to visit these fellow practitioners often, in addition we need to show concern for their cultivation state. We also should care for their living situation, their family and work, and let them feel the warmth of practitioners as a group. Then their confidence will gradually recover, and they will open up to other practitioners.
In addition, we have to help fellow practitioners to analyze matters logically, and help them to find their attachments and knots. Someone pointed out the reason why an elderly fellow practitioner had been persecuted, and that it was because the old forces had used her attachments. Plus she needed to look inward and eliminate these attachments and deny the arrangements of the old forces. This fellow practitioner then denied that she was persecuted because of her attachments. She said that Master mentioned: "Why are Dafa disciples ruthlessly tortured by the evil? Because they persist in their righteous faith in Dafa, and because they are particles of Dafa." ("Dafa is Indestructible" in Essentials for Further Advancement II) This practitioner was afraid to admit that she had attachments, afraid others might think that she did not cultivate well, therefore she was hiding her attachments, and was scared to think about them, nor did she want to touch and eliminate them. After we helped her to find the knots in her heart, she was able to ponder over and eliminate her attachments.
We can not look down on fellow practitioners. Most of these fellow practitioners who had been persecuted earlier operated information material production centers. They had assumed the heavy workload of making these information materials. Their persecution is actually also the persecution of all cultivators as a whole. Had we shared some of their workload at the beginning, and had the work flourished on a large scale, they very likely would not have been persecuted so severely. Their courage and sacrifice is worthy of recognition and respect. Therefore, we should understand them even more, and use compassion when we help them to return.
We must have confidence in and patience for our fellow practitioners. Don't give up if you bump into a wall a couple of times, we have to give fellow practitioners the chance to come back. Wounds need time to heal, of course it is better if the recovery time is sooner rather than later. During the past few years, some fellow practitioners who were just released from labor camps did not want to see other practitioners. They did not regain their conscience until a little more than a year later, and then took the initiative to look for other fellow practitioners. At this moment, there are only a few of the evil elements left, and it would not take them that long to recover.
We learned from experience that the most effective way is to study the Fa with these fellow practitioners. When we try our best to study the Fa with them, the Fa can resolve any problems. At the same time, we need to help our fellow practitioners to promptly issue a solemn announcement, stating that their previous actions are null and void. This is very important. We have to treat this solemn announcement seriously, and cultivate the Fa properly. Some fellow practitioners did not issue a solemn announcement after they had been released, and as a result, they were constantly harassed by evil beings. Even though some fellow practitioners did not write the "five statements" or similar things, their families had written them on their behalf. Those also should be corrected with an announcement, because we can not leave any stains on our cultivation.
At the present time, saving sentient beings is very urgent, the more practitioners involved, the more sentient beings can be saved. We have the responsibility to help fellow practitioners who have been persecuted in order to harmonize them into our bigger group as quickly as possible, and thus save sentient beings together.
(Clearwisdom.net) I was initially a poor talker. After I started practicing Falun Gong I came to understand the meaning of life and realized being slow of speech and tongue was not bad at all. I understood that the loss of personal benefit was nothing, and having the opportunity to practice Dafa was worth everything! I stopped paying attention to being slow of speech and tongue.
However, the problem arose when it came to speaking with people of the truth about Dafa and the persecution. How could I do it while being slow of speech? I thought my writing was relatively good, so I could explain the facts on the Internet. People "came to me" via computer as soon as I logged onto the Internet. Later on I could successfully persuade people to quit the evil Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The results were pretty good.
However, explaining the facts while at work remained a difficulty. Working in a municipal institution under the ruling of the evil CCP, every employee is subject to the evil Party's threat at any time. As soon as one hears the truth, he/she would become quite nervous and worry others would find out and report him/her so that he/she would be punished. Given my clumsiness with words, I have not been able to speak with large groups; I was only able to speak with a few close friends and the result was therefore limited.
During the 2009 Chinese New Year, my workplace and supervising institution sponsored a sports event attended by more than 300 people. I had planned to explain the facts during the event; however, I could not open my mouth when the time came. I found myself so petty that day and felt defeated. During the 6:00 p.m. global sending righteous thoughts, I saw in another dimension that my righteous thoughts had eliminated the evil in the entire field of the sports event, and the remaining people were shouting and jumping for joy surrounding a stage. I was on that stage. I understood that Master saw my lack of righteous thoughts and in his compassion let me see this - to encourage me and strengthen my confidence.
From then on I started to hand out Shen Yun Performing Arts DVDs among co-workers, given that I was not good with words. Normally I gave these face-to-face as a small gift, and told the recipient it was a very beautiful show to enjoy watching. Someone reported me, and an official talked to me about it. He was relatively polite, but conveyed the request that I not explain things about Dafa and the persecution, or hand out disks. He softened when I took the opportunity and calmly explained the facts to him. He reminded me to be careful, or he could not protect me if he himself was implicated. I thanked him, realizing that I had to pay more attention to others' level of acceptance, to avoid bringing them too much pressure.
These experiences and Master's guidance have changed me from being glad about being slow of speech and tongue to realizing its shortcomings, and overcoming it little by little.
I am still far from those practitioners who are good with words, but I will do better and better.
(Clearwisdom.net)
One day on my way to work, I bumped into a fellow practitioner. I laughed and said, "Finally we can go to work together." Previously, that practitioner repeatedly said to me, "We live so close and we work at the same company. We can set a time so we go to work together. Then we can share experiences or recite Fa on our way to work." However, we had never done it. Since we were almost late, I walked very fast and said, "It's almost eight o'clock. It's almost eight now."
Meanwhile, I had a wicked thought, "Didn't you claim that you always leave for work by 7:30 a.m? Liar, I caught you today!" Suddenly, the fellow practitioner criticized me, "Look at how you walk. It's so ugly. Chest out and chin up!" I thought, "You always criticize me with a reason. However, I didn't do anything today, how come you are not happy with me again?"
From my perspective, that fellow practitioner is always mean to me as if she has held hatred towards me since her previous life. She never speaks to me nicely. Whatever she says, it hurts my feelings.
A few days ago, when I was complaining about her to another fellow practitioner, I suddenly remembered the following sentence from one of Teacher's articles, "A Dialog With Time",
"...search within themselves for the things that they have been able to find in others." ( Essentials for Further Advancement)
I came to realize that I actually have all of her shortcomings! Didn't I talk to my family in such a hurtful way? Teacher made me see her shortcomings since I have them myself! I'm so ashamed that I have been unable to realize this until now.
Some practitioners have said that other practitioners are a mirror for us since we can see our own omissions and shortcomings in them. It is so true. The reason that the fellow practitioner criticized me was because of my wicked thoughts. Would that practitioner speak to me like that if my dimensions were pure without any dirty thoughts? No. Would that happen if I had removed my attachment to fighting? No. Would it happen if I took it an opportunity to improve myself instead of judging the fellow practitioner? No. It happened all because of my own issues. Simply because I hadn't reached the level to maintain a pure heart, I thought those words by the fellow practitioner were hurtful. But actually, would I realize my problems if she had not spoken to me in such a way? No. Therefore, I want to sincerely say "Thank You" to my fellow practitioners.
(Clearwisdom.net) I am a Falun Gong practitioner in the Yuanbaoshan District, Chifeng City, Neimenggu Autonomous Region. I began to practice Falun Gong several months ago. I used to suffer from tumors in my lungs but they disappeared due to my firm belief in Master and Dafa. All of my family and friends are amazed by the changes that overcame me and say, "Falun Gong is indeed miraculous!" They learned the facts about Falun Gong and no longer believe in the lies from the Chinese Communist Party.
It all started when I suddenly felt shortness of breath in early September 2009 and was unable to walk a few steps without taking a break. A hospital diagnosis revealed tumors in my lungs. They had filled my left lung. I had fluid buildup in my chest and had to have the fluid drained every few days. The doctor told me it is very difficult to cure this kind of illness. My mother, who practiced Falun Gong, said only Falun Gong could help me. She arrived with a few other practitioners. They led me to study Falun Gong books, do the exercises, and send righteous thoughts, and they also played Master's lecture tapes for me.
I experienced tangible changes after only a few days. I had bloody stool for several days, and family members who did not practice Falun Gong were worried. I firmly believed Master was taking care of me and was cleansing my body.
My health improved by the day. When I returned to the hospital about 20 days later for another x-ray, the tumors were completely gone. The doctors were speechless. I told them, "Falun Gong saved me!"
Once when I was placing incense in front of Master's portrait, I fell asleep on the bed. In my dream I saw someone bring a bowl of blood and tell me to drink it. When I woke up, I knew that Master was replenishing my blood.
My mother celebrated her birthday a few days ago. The entire family raised their glasses and said, "Falun Dafa is good! Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good!" It was a very touching scene. My son, who is a doctor, did not believe in the healing power of Falun Gong, but now he completely believes in it without a doubt and burns incense before Master's portrait on a daily basis.
I wanted to share the wonders of Dafa and hope that everyone will learn the facts and receive blessings.
The Clearwisdom Review is a weekly newsletter, which highlights current information about the persecution, practitioners' activities worldwide, and the benefits of Falun Dafa. The purpose of the newsletter is to provide current and updated information about Falun Dafa in a brief and easily accessible format. Through new articles each week, the newsletter will strive to provide a balance of coverage on a range of topics relevant to Falun Gong. The newsletter can be downloaded in PDF format for viewing or distribution.