News and Events Around the World
Shen Yun Performing Arts
Special Report
Accounts of Persecution
Health Benefits
Practitioners Exchange Insights and Experiences
(Clearwisdom.net) Chen Yunlin, the director of the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was scheduled to leave Kaohsiung and go to Chiayi to attend a meeting at Nice Prince Hotel on February 25, 2011. Falun Gong practitioners held banners on Chung-Hsiao Road and Shi-Hsian Road in front of the hotel to call for justice and an end to the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.
Falun Gong practitioners hold banners in front of Nice Prince Hotel, where Chen Yunlin attends a meeting
Cheng Chi-mei of the Falun Dafa Association of the South Taiwan Region said, “We hope that Chen Yunlin takes our message to mainland China after seeing and hearing our requests calling for an end to the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.”
In recent years, when CCP officials have visited Taiwan in the name of economic trade or cultural exchange, Falun Gong practitioners have held peaceful protests against the CCP’s persecution and called for justice. Chen Yunlin arrived in Taiwan on February 23. On the same evening, nearly 100 Falun Gong practitioners held banners in front of his hotel. The banners read, “Immediately stop the persecution of Falun Gong,” “Falun Dafa is great,” “US Congress passed Resolution 605 calling on the CCP to stop the persecution of Falun Gong” and “Spanish National Court indicted Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Bo Xilai, Jia Qinglin, and Wu Guanzheng for their active participation in the persecution of Falun Gong in China.”
Falun Gong practitioners’ banners on Shi-hsian Road
On February 24, Chen Yunlin arrived in Kaohsiung. Falun Gong practitioners held banners along the roads where he passed. One practitioner said that they wanted Chen and his delegation to see the banners with “Falun Dafa is great” and “Stop the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.” Ms. Cheng said that the police also understood the practitioners’ peaceful petition after the activity.
Falun Gong practitioner Hong Chi-hong said, “Falun Gong is a cultivation practice system that benefits any country, society and people. The CCP harvests vital organs from living Falun Gong practitioners. We call on the people of the world to stop the CCP’s persecution of Falun Gong.”
On February 25, a practitioner held up a poster, on which he had written, “Director Chen Yunlin, show your conscience.” He said, “The CCP’s atrocities in persecuting Falun Gong are inhumane. Those CCP officials visiting Taiwan should check their conscience and stand on the side of justice to stop the persecution.”
Falun Gong practitioners held banners beside the entrance and exit of the Nice Prince Hotel and on Chung-Hsiao Road. Their activity won praise from passers-by. One business owner rolled down his car window and encouraged the practitioners.
The event in front of Nice Prince Hotel ended at 7 pm.
(Clearwisdom.net) Shen Yun Performing Arts International Company played at the Sydney Capitol Theatre in Sydney, Australia, on February 8-23, 2011, to exuberant and appreciative audiences. Many distinguished guests were full of praise for the world-class performance and its unique presentation of China's ancient stories and legends.
The audience enthusiastically applauds the Shen Yun Performing Arts performance on February 10, 2011 at the Sydney Capitol Theatre
Renowned musicians impressed by precision of Shen Yun
Susan Collins, a violinist, with her husband Johannes Fritzsch, a conductor, at Shen Yun Performing Arts in Sydney, on Feb. 8.
Johannes Fritzsch, a renowned, German-born conductor attended the show with his wife, Susan Collins, a violinist and an Australian Centenary Medal recipient. The couple were very impressed by Shen Yun, especially the precision of the performers.
Maestro Fritzsch has been a conductor for 25 years and is the chief conductor of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. He is also the chief conductor of the Philharmonisches Orchester Graz and Grazer Oper in Austria.
“It was lovely, it was beautiful,” Mr. Fritzsch said of the show. “Very well paced and very well put together. I found the flow of the show very good.”
He particularly liked the digital backdrops and the two dance sets, Plum Blossom, and Herding on the Grasslands, which he said were his favorites.
Mr. Fritzsch thought the Shen Yun Orchestra was “excellent.”
“It was very, very good playing,” he said, adding, “It was extremely well timed, so precise with the stage and with the music.”
“We have three daughters and they would have loved this show, the costumes, the color,” he said.
Susan Collins, who performed as recitalist throughout Australia, USA, and Europe, currently lectures at the University of Newcastle Conservatorium.
“The sound of the orchestra was wonderful,” Ms. Collins said. “Even the sound of the strings wasn’t what you would expect for a normal Western orchestra. It was so immaculate.”
“I have heard Chinese instruments, but never mixed with Western instruments before.
“It was very precise, we were really taken by the timing of everything. Everything was put together so well.
“They had incredible strength—these dancers were leaping so high then landing with no noise.”
They were surprised how little they knew about some of the show’s contemporary themes, such as the courage of practitioners of the meditation discipline Falun Dafa in mainland China.
“What was extraordinary to us is that we knew so little about it before,” Ms. Collins said.
“I actually read up quite a bit before the show. I think it was very beautiful, with a very simple message, and it was beautiful.”
Regional arts CEO: Shen Yun is “very beautiful”
Meg Larken, chair of Regional Arts New South Wales, and Elizabeth Rogers, CEO of Regional Arts of NSW.
Also in the audience was Meg Larken, chair of Regional Arts New South Wales, and Elizabeth Rogers, CEO of Regional Arts of NSW.
"Great music and wonderful dancing," Ms. Larken said of Shen Yun Performing Arts' performance.
"We are very grateful to have tickets tonight to come and see this, because it’s very new to us and quite different from the things we’ve done.
“I’m learning about the wonderful movement … the movements are different, the music is different and the dancing is just amazing."
Ms. Rogers agreed, “It’s very beautiful, and the full orchestra in the pit and the dance company it’s amazing."
Ms. Larken added, "It is beautiful dancing and very skilled. It is a large company, there must be twenty or so people on stage at any given time. We will tell our friends [to see the show], we will most definitely tell our friends."
One of the performances Recalling the Great Qin, brings to life the terracotta army which is currently on exhibition at the NSW Art Gallery, and which Ms. Larken had seen earlier that morning.
She also talked about the performance depicting present day China’s human rights abuses, saying, “I do know what’s happening in China. What we believe in here [in Australia] is everybody having their family life and the freedom to choose their religion and the freedom to choose their expressions."
Actress Judy McBurney says Shen Yun “a very deep journey”
Australian actress Judy McBurney at the Capitol Theatre, after her first visit to see Shen Yun Performing Arts
Australian actress Judy McBurney, was aglow after seeing Shen Yun with two of her friends.
“I'm glowing; I had such a beautiful time,” Ms. McBurney said.
“I actually saw this last week; this is my second time—I had to come along this week with my friends, and it was even better. It is just magical,” she added.
Ms. McBurney loved everything about the show.
“I love the message, I love the dancing, I love the music, I love the backdrop, all the technological stuff—the way they had angels coming down [off the screen] and then appearing on stage. I have never seen that before,” she enthused. “That is absolutely completely new to me and it is wonderful. They are extremely talented and very special people.”
One message that she took from the show was the need to be perennially aware.
“There is so much deceit going on in this world, and the message to me was, ‘Trust in God, trust in yourself and most importantly, be aware. Only with awareness can we survive and have a beautiful life.’ That is the message that I got that is most important, to be aware, and to trust your heart and to love.”
Ms. McBurney said that she also loved the Shen Yun Orchestra.
“It was incredible with the Eastern and Western instruments. They were a beautiful blend. I had to keep looking down to remind myself that is was a live orchestra. I thought it was just beautiful with the Chinese instruments and the Western instruments. Fantastic!”
Each of the solo vocalists' songs seemed to pack a lot of meaning for Ms. McBurney.
“Amazing, they sang from their heart, and because I couldn’t understand what they were singing, I loved the way they had it on the backdrop, they had it written in English, as well. You could really get what they were singing, and it was extremely important to understand, because it was very deep, very spiritual, very beautiful.”
Ms. McBurney thought the pianist was also wonderful, accentuating the beauty of the female performers.
“She just sat there. She had music, but she didn’t look at the music. She was just playing and I thought, ‘amazing, just amazing and extremely beautiful.’ All the women were so beautiful and the men were so beautiful and strong, and I loved the costumes … they were fabulous, everything was perfect. I have never seen a show like this before—except for last week!”
Ms. McBurney also teaches deportment, costumes and wardrobe for the renowned model and beauty agency, June Dally-Watkins.
“I just thought they were so feminine, so elegant, so regal,” she said. “I think a lot of the ladies around today aren’t like that, especially in the West. A lot of us aren’t like that. The ladies, the dancers on stage, they were so beautiful and feminine. I think a lot of us should think about that and remember that we are not boys.”
Ms. McBurney was clearly moved by her experience of Shen Yun, as evidenced by her concluding remarks.
“I would say, it's the most amazing experience I’ve ever had, and I'm an actress, I have seen a lot of shows, and you really can’t explain it. I said to the people I brought along tonight, just come along and see it, I really can’t explain. It is a real journey and it is a very deep journey, and come along.”
Musician and entertainer absolutely recommends Shen Yun
Accomplished musician and entertainer Margaret Britt saw the show at Sydney's Capitol Theatre on Feb. 10.
Margaret Britt, an accomplished musician and international entertainer, said that she was not impressed by any particular part or section of the show, rather, she was impressed by “all of it, all of it."
"I was just blown away by the whole lot, it was fantastic," she said.
“We really enjoyed this tonight. I came with another lady who is a dancer. We thought the costuming and everything was fantastic.”
Ms. Britt can play six different instruments, and says she currently plays lead guitar, harmonica, plus lead vocals as a duo or band.
Having a developed, critical eye for musical quality, Ms. Britt thought the Shen Yun Orchestra was “awesome—the orchestra was just fantastic ... love it, love it.”
Shen Yun a wonderful cultural experience says writer
Rosalind Bradley with her friend, Julie Tregarthen, at Shen Yun Performing Arts.
Rosalind Bradley, a writer from Sydney, said Shen Yun was "a wonderful Chinese cultural experience," and that she was "very impressed" by the show.
She also learned a bit about China and its deep spiritual past.
"You know, you have got the history of China in dance ... and that was wonderful," she said.
Ms. Bradley described the dance set, Little Mischievous Monks, as “very fine, very precise ... as you'd expect.”
"It was certainly very beautiful … the female dancers were very genteel. I thought generally the level of skill was absolutely beautiful—it was fantastic. It was quite a spectacle, it's like nothing I’ve ever seen before," she said
Ms. Bradley said that she will definitely come back next year and will share her experience of Shen Yun with others.
Richard Neville: “There’s a great heart at the soul of this performance”
Richard Neville with Linda Jackson at Shen Yun Performing Arts on Friday evening.
Richard Neville, author, social commentator, and champion of free speech, said that he found the show to be “fascinating.”
“I was intrigued by the mixture of entertainment, spirituality ... It’s unusual,” he said.
Mr. Neville described some dance scenes as “absolutely exciting and unexpected. The images were terrific,” adding that he had found the production “courageous and interesting. I enjoyed it.”
The opera singers also impressed him.
“I was very moved by some of the individual performers,” he said. "The baritone, the concert conductor, the pianist, and the people singing to microphone with spectacular voices. It was very moving, so I know there’s a great heart at the soul of this performance.”
Although not an expert on China, Falun Gong, or the “discrimination” that is occurring in China, Mr. Neville said, “I’m very sympathetic to people who explore outside the mainstream, who are looking for more than just capitalism and material success. So I found it a really interesting mixture and I look forward to getting to understand some of the issues in a deeper way.”
Elaborating further, Mr. Neville said, “I think that even in Australia, which is quite a material country, people are eager to explore issues beyond just shopping, acquiring, vanity, and wealth.”
Mr. Neville concluded, “I think a whole generation of people is exploring consciousness issues and, of course, this program touches on those consciousness issues, so I think ... it adds to the general kind of curiosity of individuals to find out more than just what goes on in the mainstream; to extend the boundaries of our curiosity and interest.”
(Clearwisdom.net) The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has fabricated many false pretenses to seemingly "justify" the persecution of Falun Gong and to keep the world's people from learning the extent and severity of the persecution. The intense and pervasive propaganda campaign has been cleverly orchestrated right from the start, more than eleven years ago. The CCP has since moved the persecution itself more underground, misleading people with its propaganda on the surface, while broadly employing the legal system, under the guise of "law and order," to persecute Falun Gong.
According to the “Report on the Imprisonment and Forced Labor of Falun Gong Practitioners Since the 2008 Olympics” issued by the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong on July 15, 2010 (available in Chinese only at http://www.zhuichaguoji.org/node/3111), at least 1,361 practitioners were sentenced to prison from January 2008 to February 2010, with the longest term of 18 years and an average term of five years and one month.
In 2010, at least 557 practitioners were sentenced to prison, with 65 in Liaoning Province, and 51 in Heilongjiang Province. The persecution was also very severe in Shandong, Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.
The terms of imprisonment were mostly longer than three years, with 94 practitioners handed sentences ranging from seven to thirteen years. The practitioners sentenced are from all walks of life and include teachers, government officials, executives, factory workers and farmers.
Persecution Escalated
In the early years of the persecution, the CCP used mostly forced labor camps to detain Falun Gong practitioners. This was likely done to avoid the need for legal procedures. In China, the police can sentence people to forced labor without benefit of a trial or any due process of law. In the early years, for the most part, only practitioners who were Falun Gong coordinators were sentenced to prison. In recent years, however, while the widespread propaganda designed to turn public opinion against Falun Gong has slowed, the persecution has continued in a different way, with many more practitioners now being "tried" in the court system and being sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
As an example, in Jianyang City, Sichuan Province, there was only one practitioner sentenced and imprisoned in 2006; there were four in 2007; and six in 2009, with Ms. Lei Jinxiang sentenced to a nine-and-a-half-year term, Ms. Jia Zhengfen to an eight-and-a-half-year term, Mr. Zhang Shixiang to a six-year term, Ms. Liu Dehui to a four-year term, and Ms. Peng Xiuqiong to a three-year term.
Further examples are presented below:
Starting from July 16, 2009, Dandong City and Donggang City in Liaoning Province combined together, followed Falun Gong practitioners for five months, and then arrested 14 practitioners and their families on December 22, 2009. Among these 14 practitioners, five were heavily sentenced, with Mr. Zou Jiling sentenced to 10 years, Ms. Wang Chunhua to seven and half years, and Ms. Wang Fuhua to seven years.
During the 2010 World Expo, several dozen Falun Gong practitioners were arrested in Shanghai, and among these, seven were sentenced and imprisoned.
The Louxing District Court in Loudi City, Hunan Province heavily sentenced nine Falun Gong practitioners during a secret trial on August 3, 2010. Mr. Cao Gongxun was sentenced to a ten-year term; Mr. Liu Xinping to nine years; Mr. Zhou Qingfeng to five and a half years; Mr. Ouyang Zhong to three and a half years; Mr. He Jinlin to two years; Ms. Deng Lianzhen, Ms. Xie Guirong, Ms. Li Zaiying and Ms. Yuan Qiudi each received three years, with probation for four years.
Under the command of the Changde City, Hunan Province authorities, 610 Office Chair Wang Yongkang and several hundred officers ransacked the homes of over 30 Falun Gong practitioners, arrested them, and heavily sentenced eight practitioners on November 4, 2010. Ms. Liu Xianju was sentenced to ten years; Ms. Li Yunfang to nine and a half years; Mr. Wang Xiaohui to nine years; Mr. Li Haijun to eight and a half years; Ms. Liu Huiping to seven and a half years; Ms. Zeng Lihua to seven years; Mr. Man Sanqing to five years; and Ms. Chen Lingci was sentenced to three years.
The Xichang City Court in Sichuan Province issued the heaviest local sentencing since the persecution of Falun Gong began, in September 2010. Ms. Gao Deyu, 72, was sentenced to 12 years; Ms. He Xianzhen was sentenced to 10 years; Ms. Cheng Donglan to 10 years; and Ms. He Zhengqiong, who is a new practitioner, was sentenced to seven years.
Evidence of Darkness in the Chinese Legal System
Throughout all cases on the Clearwisdom website, the darkness of the CCP legal system is clearly evident. The 610 Office is an extra-judicial organization that acts outside the Chinese Constitution. It was specifically created to direct the persecution at all levels of the police, the Procuratorate, and justice bureaus. We see police-fabricated evidence, Procuratorate arrests and illegal lawsuits, and the courts issuing sentences in secret. Many judges, procurators, and police department directors have said that they cannot truly be in charge of these cases, as they must follow the directives of the 610 Office at every step. Some lawyers who uphold justice pointed out that using the law enforcement system to sentence Falun Gong practitioners is a blasphemy of the Constitution, because Falun Gong is not illegal and practitioners are not engaged in breaking the law. The persecution of Falun Gong is a persecution of a peaceful spiritual practice and is a major human rights disaster.
1. Police Violently Arrest and Rob Practitioners
Case 1.
Mr. He Yixing and his wife Ms. Zhang Yueqin lives in Tangshan City, Hebei Province. Mr. He retired from the Tanshan City Power Plant. On the morning of July 10, 2008, Tangshan City officials dispatched officers from the Diaoyutai Police Station to arrest Mr. He Yixing and Ms. Zhang Yueqin without any legal procedures. At 10:00 a.m. many police cars arrived. The police tried to pry open the lock on her residence but were unsuccessful. They later sent two fire engine ladder trucks and climbed up and broke into the south and north windows of Mr. He's sixth-floor home. They barged in through the windows and seized Ms. Zhang Yueqin and her husband. They stole more than 600,000 yuan that their daughter He Dan had borrowed for a business venture, and her business van. In January 2009, Lubei District Court sentenced Mr. He to seven years in prison, and Ms. Zhang Yueqin to five years in prison.
Mr. He Yixing and his wife Ms. Zhang Yueqin
Case 2.
Mr. Bai Sanyuan, 47, lives in Jinxia Village, Pingbao Township, Jingyuan County, Baiyin City, Gansu Province. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment in 2000 because he went to Beijing to appeal on behalf of Falun Gong. He was inhumanly tortured, several times his life was in danger, and twice people thought he died in prison. Upon his release, his body was covered with injuries. He had to leave home to escape from repeatedly being arrested.
At 7:00 p.m. on May 16, 2010, led by Jingyuan County Police Department Deputy Director Chen Mingyue and Domestic Security Division Head Pan Qianrui, eight plainclothes officers drove to Mr. Bai's home. Since the gate was locked, these officers climbed over the wall, then forcibly opened their house door. Mr. Bai was hid in the grain storage. The officers called the Baiyin City Police Department for help. Nearly 30 uniformed police officers arrived. By 10:00 p.m., officers threw tear-gas bombs into the grain storage, causing Mr. Bai to pass out. The police took him directly to the Jingyuan County Detention Center. On May 20, 2010, two officers came to Mr. Bai's home, and ordered his wife to sign a document, but she refused. Mr. Bai was sentenced to six years in prison and locked in the Sixth Ward of Lanzhou City Prison on July 20, 2010.
Mr. Bai Sanyuan's wife's front tooth was knocked out as a result of police brutality
2. Use of Torture to Extract False Confessions
Case 1.
Mr. Guo Xiaojun is a lecturer employed by the Computer Department of Shanghai Jiaotong University. In January 2010, officers from the Baoshan District Police Department arrested him without any reason, detained him in solitary confinement at the Baoshan District Detention Center, and tortured him with long-term sleep deprivation. This torture resulted in high blood pressure, losing his eyesight, and other physical problems. Despite the fact that he declared in court that “all evidence was obtained through torture,” prosecutor Chen Weidong and Judge Xu Minfang sentenced him to four years in prison.
Mr. Guo Xiaojun
Case 2.
On April 15, 2010, Mr. He Binggang, the owner and general manager of computer operations at Yuwen Technology in the Changning District of Shanghai and also a Falun Gong practitioner, was trapped by secret agents from the 610 Office in the Changning District and taken away. His case has received a lot of outside attention, and the authorities' underhanded tactics have been extensively reported. Although their names and job titles were publicized, the Changning Procuratorate still brought Mr. He to trial recently.
Mr. He Binggang, about 35 years old, graduated with a Master's degree from Fudan University in Shanghai. At 10:00 a.m. on April 15, 2010, Wang Jue from the Domestic Security Brigade (affiliated with the Changning Police Sub-Bureau) sent a secret agent to Mr. He's company under the guise of selling them his second-hand computer at a low price. A staff member in the computer operations department purchased the computer. Wang Jue was in plainclothes and had been waiting by the stairs of the Changning Technology Building for two hours where Mr. He's company is located. After the secret agent exited the building, Wang changed into his police uniform and, with several others, barged into the computer operations department, announcing that they were officers from the Tianshanlu Police Station in the Changning District, and had received a phone call saying that there were stolen items hidden in Mr. He's company. After they searched, they located a box of Falun Gong books that were planted there by the secret agent, as well as Shen Yun Performing Arts DVDs, in the cabinet. Wang Jue took Mr. He to the Tianshan Police Station, where he was beaten and tortured to force him to admit that the books and the Shen Yun DVD's were his.
In January 2011, Procuratorator Zhu Liqun, who is the Manager of the Appeals Department of Changning, and Gao Xun, brought Mr. He to trial in the Changning District Court. She also ordered the Changning Court to give Mr. He a heavy sentence, because Mr. He had Falun Gong books and he gave a DVD that contained information about the persecution of Falun Gong to a manager in his company.
3. Withholding Information from Family Members as to the Whereabouts of Incarcerated Practitioners
The authorities intentionally withhold information and do not inform practitioners' families of where practitioners are detained, when the cases are filed at the Procuratorate, when the lawsuit is filed in the court, or when the trials are scheduled. The families are thus unable to hire lawyers. The “open” trials are mostly held in secret.
For example, after detaining Mr. Mo Jiaxing for nine months, the Ji County 610 Office in Henan Province secretly sentenced him to five years in prison without notifying his family; Ms. Wang Sulan from Tangshan City, Hebei Province was arrested in Beijing in February 2009, but her family was never allowed to visit her until one year later, and the court mailed a sentencing statement telling her family she had been sentenced to nine years of imprisonment.
Another case is Ms. Yan Congzhi, 62, who lives in Dazhong Township, Baiquan County, Heilongjiang Province. The Dazhong Township Police Station director Wang Xugang deceived her into going to the County government on September 30, 2010, but they arrested and detained her in the Qiqihar City First Detention Center. Ms. Yan's family requested to visit her many times, but were refused every time. It wasn't until January 2011, that her son found out she was sentenced to four years in prison. He asked why the family wasn't notified during the trial, and the CCP official lied, saying that they could not find her family.
4. Making a Mockery of the Legal System
Ms. Shao Changfen and Ms. Shao Changhua are sisters who live in the Zhenxing District, Dandong City, Liaoning Province. They were arrested on September 6, 2010. The Zhenxing District police first decided to detain them for 15 days, but then sentenced them each to 18 months of forced labor on September 12 and 14, 2010. The police issued an arrest warrant, and planned to file a lawsuit and sentence the sisters to prison. These three decisions contradicted each other, since no one can serve detention, forced labor or be on trial simultaneously. The defense lawyer showed how the court disrespects the law, how the defendants had committed no crimes, and declared that they should be released unconditionally. Judge Tao Zhenhua declared the court in recess, but notified the family of Ms. Shao Changhua that she was sentenced to seven years in prison, while ten days later, Ms. Shao Changfen was sentenced to four years in prison.
5. Issuing Prison Sentences during Forced Labor
Ms. Ding Lu, 60, a retired doctor from Dalian City Boat Manufacture, was arrested in March 2009, and locked in the notorious Masanjia Forced Labor Camp in Shenyang City, with an 18-month term. After being tortured more than a dozen days and deprived of sleep, she was forced to accept the brainwashing when she was in a confused state of mind. At the end of 2009, the guards told her to report to all detained Falun Gong practitioners about how she was “reformed”. With a clear mind, she took the opportunity to expose the brainwashing tactics that had been used on her. The guards quickly dragged her down, and tortured her until she couldn't think straight again. They took her back to the Yaojia Detention Center in Dalian City, and secretly sentenced her to five years in prison between February and March of 2010.
6. Blocking the Lawyers Who Uphold Justice
The CCP is extremely frightened of lawyers who uphold justice and defend the innocence of Falun Gong practitioners, and they try to block these lawyers from meeting their clients, reading their files, and threaten their families that they will fire these lawyers or force them to drop the case. They hold secret trials without notifying the lawyers, and unreasonably limit or stop lawyers from speaking in court, and even beat them up like the mafia. Lawyer Wang Yonghang was hired by the Ganjun Law Firm in Liaoning Province multiple times to defend Falun Gong practitioners, which offended the CCP. The police arrested him, and beat him until his leg was fractured. He was sentenced to seven years in prison on November 27, 2009 by the Shahekou District Court in Dalian City. In 2009, at least 21 lawyers who uphold justice have had their law practice certificates revoked, or their registration was delayed. Among these, 17 were those who defended Falun Gong practitioners.
Case 1: Mr. Guo Xiaojun's family hired five lawyers to defend him, but they were all threatened by the CCP and had to quit in fear that defending them would threaten their lives. Without any legal assistance, Mr. Guo Xiaojun was sentenced to four years in prison on July 7, 2010 (see Case 2 in 2. Use of Torture to Extract False Confessions).
Case 2: The second trial of Mr. Gong Shunhui was held in the Miyi County Court by the Panzhihua City Middle Court on January 12, 2010. Lawyers Li Jinglin and Li Subin from Beijing defended Mr. Gong Shunhui. The police did not allow the defense witnesses and family to enter the court, and suddenly denied Lawyer Li Subin's right to defend his client. Mr. Gong Shunhui argued his right to use two lawyers, and the judge immediately stopped him from talking, and said he had to listen to the judge, otherwise he would leave without a trial. Thus, Mr. Li Subin gave up his right to defend his client for the sake of having the trial on time, and he sat in the audience.
Mr. Li Jinglin defended Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Gong Shunhui's innocence. He stated: “Miyi County Domestic Security Division Chief Yang Zihua and Deputy Chief Li Xuesong, led officer Zhou Sen to illegally intrude on Mr. Gong Shunhui's home which is in violation of the constitution. It is impossible that Mr. Gong violated the law like the prosecutor accused, because that crime does not exist. Falun Gong believers practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and this conforms to the constitutional right of freedom of belief, and no one has the right to interfere with an individual's belief.” The judge threatened him, saying, “You are not a Chinese, but Falun Gong sent you from the U.S. The police and State Security agents are waiting for you outside if you continue.”
Case 3: In November 2010, Ms. Teng Yingfen was issued an arrest warrant, which meant she would be sent to trial. Her husband hired a lawyer from Beijing to defend her. The trial was held secretly in December 2010, not allowing the family or lawyer to enter the detention center where the secret trial was held. In addition, the police arrested Ms. Teng' husband Sun Guo, and sentenced Ms. Teng to four years in prison.
Case 4: Ms. Ye Qiaoming is an employee of the Fujian Province Normal University. The Cangshan District Court formerly decided to hold a trial on March 4, 2010, but instantly canceled the trial upon hearing that her son hired two lawyers from Beijing, and requested to allow witnesses to appear at the trial on March 3, 2010. The Fuzhou City Domestic Security agents forced Ms. Ye's young son, a college freshman, to quit hiring the lawyers, and threatened him in the Police Department. He had to sign the paperwork under enormous pressure. Ms. Ye was sentenced to three years of imprisonment without a defense lawyer, with four years' probation.
Case 5: Mr. Jiang Xiqing, 66, was a retired employee of the Jiangjin District Tax Bureau in Chongqing. He was tortured to death in the Xishanping Forced Labor Camp on January 28, 2009. On the afternoon of May 13, 2009, Mr. Jiang's son hired lawyers Zhang Kai and Li Chunfu (both from Beijing), who tried to investigate his death case, but they were beaten and injured by more than 20 officers. They were thrown down on the floor, handcuffed with their arms behind their back, hung up in a metal cage, and interrogated for over five hours while being hung up and beaten.
7. Secret Sentencing after Trial Recessed
Case 1: The Donggang City Court in Liaoning Province held trials for Mr. Zou Jiling, Mr. Wang Fuhua and Mr. Wang Chunhua on July 1, 2, and 22, 2010. Six lawyers defended their innocence. The judge and prosecutors had no words to say, and announced a court recess, but still sentenced these three practitioners to 10 years, seven years, and seven years in prison, respectively.
Case 2: Seven practitioners from the Bayuquan District, Yingkou City, Liaoning Province were arrested and their homes ransacked on September 23, 2009. They are Ms. Dong Bing, Mr. Bi Shijun, Ms. Sun Li, Mr. Shen Guanghai, Mr. Yu Zhihong, Mr. Wang Zhiyuan, Mr. Teng Wenmin. The Bayuquan District Court held the first trial on March 23, 2010. These families hired four lawyers to defend their innocence, and requested their release in court since no evidence supported the charges. The judge announced a “recess.”
On June 1, 2010, the second trial was held, but the court intentionally did not notify the lawyers. These seven practitioners defended themselves, and one practitioner revealed how he was tortured during interrogation. The judge announced a “recess” again.
The court held secret trials after one month, without notifying their families or lawyers. Ms. Sun Li refused to attend when she saw that no family members or lawyers had arrived. The police officers beat and injured her. They sentenced each with a heavy term: Ms. Dong Bing and Mr. Bi Shijun each received seven years; Mr. Shen Guanghai and Ms. Sun Li each got five years; Ms. Wang Zhihong three and half years; Mr. Wang Zhiyuan was sentenced to 18 months; and Ms. Teng Wenmin was sentenced to three years with five years' probation.
8. Middle Court Upholds the First Trial's Sentence Without a Court Session
The Middle Court is also controlled by the 610 Office system. Before the 2008 Olympics, seven practitioners from Tangshan City, Hebei Province were arrested and detained. They are Ms. Jiao Xuemei, Mr. Luo Zhijian, Ms. Sun Cuiqing, Ms. Zhao Yabin, Mr. Sun Fengli, Ms. Zhang Yueqin, Mr. He Yixing. Some of them had their home ransacked and were sentenced, and they appealed. Before the second trial by the Middle Court, the families hired lawyers who requested an open trial by the Middle Court for Ms. Jiao Xuemei, Mr. Luo Zhijian, Ms. Sun Cuiqing, and Ms. Zhao Yabing. The judge of the Middle Court said he would uphold the first trial's sentencing, and he would not hold an open trial.
Name: Jiao Xuemei (焦雪梅)
Gender: Female
Age: Unknown
Address: Unknown
Occupation: Employee of Tangshan Thermal Power Company
Date of most recent arrest: June 16, 2008
Most recent place of detention: Hebei Province Women's Prison (河北省女子监狱)
City: Tangshan
Province: Hebei
Persecution suffered: Illegal sentencing, imprisonment, extortion, home ransacked, detention
Defense Attorney: Tang Jitian (唐吉田)
(Clearwisdom.net) Ms. Jiao Xuemei learned Falun Gong so that she could improve her health. Soon after she began the practice, her sinus infection and vitiligo were healed. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has persecuted her for the past 10 years for her belief in Falun Gong and the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Ms. Jiao was arrested for her belief four times between 1999 and 2009. She has been detained at the Hebei Provincial Women's Prison since April 1, 2009.
On June 16, 2008, right before the Beijing Olympics, Ms. Jiao was illegally arrested at her workplace by officers from the Xishandao Police Station in Tangshan. In September 2008, the Lubei District Court held a trial and sentenced her to three years in prison on charges of “obstructing justice and utilizing cult organizations.” The sentence was based entirely on the prosecutor’s statement and no physical evidence was provided. Ms. Jiao immediately appealed the ruling after the hearing.
When Ms. Jiao's attorney, Tang Jitian, went to meet with Ms. Jiao in the Tangshan First Detention Center, he was told to use visitation room No. 3, which had faulty lighting. When he asked the officer on duty (badge No. 083306) for a room change, the officer replied: “Do you want to meet with her or not? If you do, do it here. I have the authority to not let you meet with her at all.” Mr. Tang repeatedly explained to the officer that the right for the defendant to meet with her lawyer is protected by law. The officer, however, demanded the attorney's registration from the case.
The presiding judge of the appeals court, Li Fuqiang, asked Mr. Tang to submit the defense argument, but then avoided meeting with him under all sorts of excuses. He also made the decision that the case would not be tried in an open trial, which Mr. Tang protested. Mr. Tang indicated that the trial in the lower court had “confused the facts and lacked evidence,” that the “evidence” had all been destroyed in the investigation phase and was not examined by the prosecutor, and that no cross-examination took place during the trial. He stated that because the trial seriously violated the legal process and the law, the superior court must try the case in an open trial. The judge in the Tangshan Superior Court, however, disregarded the law and upheld the lower court's verdict.
Partial Summary of Prior Persecution
Ms. Jiao was sentenced to one year of forced labor in September 2004. The CCP authorities pressured her family and workplace to spend significant amounts of money for her medical treatment outside of the labor camp.
The company she worked for succumbed to the pressure and deducted her salary and benefits. Between 2001 and 2008, Ms. Jiao was denied a salary raise three times. Between June 2007 and June 2008, she was paid only 580 yuan, the minimum welfare amount in Hebei Province. (Her monthly salary was 1,700 yuan.)
Police ransacked Ms. Jiao's home on April 30, 2007, arrested her on May 2, and detained her in the Tangshan First Detention Center. She was released on May 9, 2007. She, her family, and her employer were constantly harassed by the authorities. Out of fear, her family gave the officer handling Ms. Jiao's case 5,000 yuan with the hope that the harassment would cease, but authorities continued to harass them after taking the money.
Earlier reports:
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2009/5/11/107205.html
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2009/3/1/105219.html
http://www.clearwisdom.net/emh/articles/2009/2/1/104450.html
(Clearwisdom.net) Mr. Lei Jingxiong's family was recently informed that he lost consciousness and was sent to the emergency room for treatment after being severely tortured in Dujun Prison in Guizhou Province. A prison official surnamed Wang informed the family to take him home. However, when Mr. Lei's family went to the hospital, they weren't allowed to see him or take him home.
Lei Jingxiong before the persecution | 
Lei Jingxiong after the persecution | 
Lei Jingxiong after the persecution |
Mr. Lei Jingxiong (also called Lei Lan), 39 years old, is from Jiamu County, Hunan Province. He was illegally arrested on his way to work at the Baiyun Airport in Guangzhou on June 28, 2009. In 2010, His family received a notice from Dujun Prison in Guizhou Province, stating that he had been sentenced to eight years in prison and was sent to the prison on January 14, 2010.
More information about Mr. Lei Jingxiong
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/4/14/116090.html
In early December of 2010, someone from Dujun Prison called Mr. Lei's father, Lei Yuanjun, and told him to come to the prison with another person to sign a temporary release for medical treatment form for Mr. Lei. Mr. Lei's father and sister quickly went to Dujun Prison. However, when they arrived at the prison, they couldn't find the person who had called them or get through to the phone number that was used to call Mr. Lei's father.
Related articles:
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/10/25/121014.html
http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/6/21/117969.html
(Clearwisdom.net) Guards in the No. 2 District Panjin Prison (formerly No. 5 District), in Liaoning Province tortured and seriously injured Falun Gong practitioner Mr. Lu Kaili(吕开利), using electric shock batons on him for several consecutive days, and several hours per day. Mr. Lu Kaili couldn't bear the pain and fell from the building, severely injuring his back and pelvis. He is currently being detained in the patient cell of Panjin Prison.
Guards in the No. 5 District Panjin Prison were informed on April 5, 2010 by prisoners that Mr. Lu had an e-book. At 9:00 a.m. on April 6, Li Feng, the No. 5 District director at Panjin Prison, ordered Mr. Lu to the “education room,” where Wang Jinglin from the Investigation Section and Wang Jianjun, the No. 5 District commander, used several high-voltage electric batons to torture him until 11:00 p.m. They held Mr. Lu in a small isolated cell after his body was completely scorched.
Mr. Lu was subjected to the cruel torture in the small isolated cell for 15 days. His entire body was covered with wounds from the electric batons and handcuffs.
In early June 2010, Liu Wenzhen, a No. 5 District squadron leader, made things difficult for Mr. Lu because he didn't finish his forced labor work on time. Liu replaced Mr. Lu's fine grain food with coarse corn bread. Mr. Lu was forced to perform hard labor for 11 hours daily. At the end of June 2010, Mr. Lu began a hunger strike to protest the hard labor and maltreatment. Three days later, newly-appointed commander Guan Fengchun ordered Mr. Lu Kaili to the “education room,” where Guan Fengchun, Wang Hui, head of the “education section,” along with jail guard Qin Fei tortured Mr. Lu with electric batons from 1:00-4:00 p.m. that day. They continued torturing Mr. Lu from July 9 to July 14. He was force-fed, and made to perform hard labor.
On August 24, 2010, guards found an e-book. On August 29, Guan Fengchun used this as an excuse to torture Mr. Lu Kaili again with electric batons, this time for four hours. At approximately 6:40 a.m. on August 30, Mr. Lu fell from the second floor of the workshop building, seriously injuring his back and pelvis. Later, guards tried desperately to cover up the truth about the persecution. They prevented a news report and didn't allow his family to visit him, stating that Mr. Lu had violated the prison rules.
More information about Mr. Lu Kaili can be found at http://www.clearwisdom.net/html/articles/2010/10/4/120414.html
 Office building, Panjin Prison |  Views outside of office building, Panjin Prison |  Front door, No. 2 District (formerly No. 5 District), Panjin Prison |  Office area, No. 2 District (formerly No. 5 District), Panjin Prison |
(The white building on the right is the office building for the head of several districts of Panjin Prison.)
Relevant contacts and addresses:
Panjin Prison, Liaoning Province: 86-427-5637777 (fax), 86-427-5637552, 86-427-5637554, 86-427-5637379, website: http://www.yard.com.cn
Song Wanzong, Panjin Prison warden: 86-427-5632100 (office), 86-15694270001(cell), 86-13390270001, 86-13842746666
No. 2 District
Song Bo, head of No. 2 District (formerly No. 5 District):86-427-5637888 (home), 86-427-5637128, 86-13390270501
Guan Fengchun, deputy head, No. 2 District: 86-427-5638131, 86-427-5638132, 86-427-5639163, 86-427-5639357, 86-427-5632568 (home), 86-13390270712
(Clearwisdom.net) Tangshan practitioners Ms. Jia Shuxiang, Ms. Zhang Yalin, Ms. Liu Xiuyun, Ms. Zhen Deyun, and Ms. Li Xiufeng were arrested at Yuhuzhai Village, Qianxi County, by the Qianxi Domestic Security Division on the afternoon of December 10, 2010. They were taken to Qianxi Detention Center and Qianxi Lockup. Jia Shuxiang and Liu Xiuyun went on hunger strike to protest their illegal detention. Jia Shuxiang was forced to wear heavy torture instruments that immobilized her upper body and foot shackles. She was viciously force-fed by Tian Guilu, Fu Jianjun and others. Jia Shuxiang is now very skinny, and is in critical condition.
Chen Hongli, who had been detained at Qianxi Detention Center for more than eight months, was sentenced to four years in prison and was taken to Hebei Women's Prison on January 17, 2011. The detained practitioners at Qianxi Detention Center vehemently requested to meet the detention center director Tian Guilu and demanded their unconditional release. Tian Guilu denied their request. Jia Shuxiang and Liu Xiuyun started a hunger strike to protest their illegal detention.
On the morning of December 24, director Tian Guilu, political director Fu Jianjun, and prison doctor Zhen Yuan force-fed Jia Shuxiang, who had been on a hunger strike for eight days and was very weak. Jia Shuxiang was forced to wear the same torture instruments and foot shackles. The prison police said they would unlock the shackles only when she agreed to eat and improved her attitude. Fu Jianjun once again dragged the very weak Jia Shuxiang out and barbarically force-fed her on the afternoon on December 25. Fu Jianjun said that if Jia did not willingly eat, she would be force-fed every day, and she would have to pay 25 yuan each time.
After the torturous force-feeding, Jia Shuxiang had little strength left. She threw up blood and had trouble breathing. Her stomach was also in a great deal of pain. At present, Jia Shuxiang has become very skinny and is in critical condition. Liu Xiuyun suffered two heart attacks as a result of the persecution. Zhen Deiyun threw up every day and is also very weak.
This is the second time that Jia Shuxiang has suffered brutal persecution at Qianxi Detention Center. At the end of 1999 and beginning of 2000, Ms. Jia was also detained at Qianxi Detention Center. One day, it was extremely cold. The prison police intentionally opened the window and handcuffed Ms. Jia and a few other practitioners high up on the window. The practitioners were cuffed to the front of the window, with their toes barely touching the ground. Some could not even touch the ground. After a long time, Ms. Jia's face turned pale and she fainted.
Qianxi Detention Center was located behind the Qianxi Police Station at that time. It was one of the most notorious detention centers in Tangshan. The short and small cells had not been repaired for years. Blocks of ceiling fell down sometimes. The prison cells were very cold and damp in the winter. Once, Jia Shuxiang and a few other practitioners sat together and just crossed their legs to begin doing the Falun Gong meditation. When they were found by prison police, they were immediately handcuffed and stayed cuffed for several days. With their hands behind their backs, they could not take in food or use the restroom. They could not lie down when they slept. It was even difficult to rest against a wall. After an extended period of being handcuffed, their arms and hands became badly swollen, to the point of being painful to the touch. Someone in the cell wanted to help them to put on clothes, but even the weight of the clothes caused terrible pain.
Offices and individuals responsible for the persecution:
Area code: 86-315
Qianxi Detention Center
Tian Guilu, director: 5664509, 13832985086 (office)
Li Yuanyi, assistant director: 5615826, 13832983687 (office)
Fu Jianjun, assistant director: 5665386, 13184798035 (office)
(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) Since as far back as I can remember, my mother has suffered from various diseases. Later she suffered from comprehensive traumatic brain injury syndrome as a result of a car accident. Tortured by her diseases, she was irritable and often cursed at people and threw things. My father and I had to be very careful and tried not to irritate her. My father would rather drink alcohol than go home. After school, I preferred to wander around with classmates than go home. We had very few friends and relatives and my classmates were all afraid of coming to my home because they were all scared of my mother. If my mother smiled a little bit, my father and I would be happy for several days. I wished I could be a doctor when I grew up to help all mothers who suffer from diseases; I wanted to see smiles on their faces.
I will never forget the day when my mother revealed her long-lost smile. She put me in her arms and told me gladly that her best friend Aunt Zhang told her some great news. There is a cultivation practice that can cure all her diseases. My mother had been in bed for more than half a year due to a lumbar disc protrusion. It was very painful for her to go to the restroom and put on clothes. I knew that Aunt Zhang had been very weak after her uterine cancer surgery. We were worried that she might die very soon, but she is now a totally new person with a ruddy complexion, high spirits and all her diseases gone. Hearing mother's description, my father and I fully supported my mother's wish to practice.
It was this day that I learned there is such a wonderful practice as Falun Dafa. When I first heard the exercise music, I felt it brought me a totally different feeling and made me feel cleansed. It was the happiest I had ever seen my mother. She and her fellow practitioners are all kind people. They help my mother enthusiastically, explain the principles to my mother patiently and encourage my mother. My mother also notices changes in herself every day. She has become happier and speaks more softly. One day, my mother told my father and I with tears that she regretted what she had done before. She said that she only cared about herself and didn't pay attention to our feelings. “I am so selfish and I lose virtue every day. Therefore I have suffered so many hardships. I realized that I was wrong after reading Master's book. I finally found my way home.”
My dear mother has truly renewed her maternal place in the family and has experienced a new life from practicing Falun Dafa cultivation. Dafa saved my mother from various diseases and also saved a family that was about to break up. That was my happiest time in my life. My mother and other practitioners practiced Falun Gong, sharing experiences together. They promoted the Fa together and helped those people who need it. My family atmosphere is full of happiness and harmony. A lot of people came to ask my mother what caused the huge change. My mother told them that there is such a wonderful Dafa that saves hundreds and thousands people. My mother also said that she would tell everyone such wonderful things so more people would benefit. Many people have joined my mother to practice after witnessing the amazing changes in her.
I am so proud of my new mother. I love Dafa and my mother's smile from cultivating Dafa. I hope all the children in this world can have their mothers cultivate Dafa. Master gave us all of them and he is the great benefactor of our family.
This is my first submission. It is also my wish to write down the story of my family to let more people know the wonder of Falun Dafa.
(Clearwisdom.net) I'm close to 70 years old, and have never attended school or received any education. From the day I began practicing Falun Gong, I have felt that Dafa was wonderful and extraordinary. I feel that I have been walking on the path of the divine, that Teacher has been protecting me all along, and that I have been walking better and better on my true path. Thinking back, there have been so many miraculous stories that have happened during my cultivation journey. The following are a few examples:
1. Obtaining the Fa
In Spring 1996, I was fortunate to obtain a copy of the book Zhuan Falun from a fellow practitioner. I heard from other practitioners that for the purpose of cultivation, I had to read the book, but I was illiterate. I held the precious book without knowing a word that it contained. I was so worried. I had a dream that evening, where there was a white-haired elderly person who was holding a whisk, and had bound hair. He came over and talked to me. He waved the whisk on top of the precious book I was holding, to let me know that I could read. He then waved the whisk up, to signify that I could go up to the sky, so I flew. In the sky, I saw a boundless forest, and it was very quiet. At the time, I thought to myself that this is not a place where I should stay. Right away, this elderly person who was under me waved the whisk down, and I dropped down. After that, he disappeared, and I woke up. I was holding the book, and oh my goodness! I could read every single word in the book! From every line that I was reading, all the words were extruding out. From then on, I began studying the Fa and doing the exercises. Miraculously enough, even now I can read only Dafa books and Teacher's new articles. When I try to read books written by everyday people, it is the same as before, I can't read a word.
2. Enlightenment
After I obtained the Fa, I kept running into xinxing tests. One time, on my way to a supermarket, I saw someone selling plums by the road, so I grabbed one and tasted it. It tasted sour, so I didn't offer to buy any. Seeing that, the person who was selling the plums began cursing at me. Upon hearing the very bad cursing, I left with him 50 cents and was ready to leave. He didn't take my money, but he kept swearing at me. I became angry at him, and began arguing with him quite vigorously. On my way home, I fell to the ground really hard. The corner of my pants ripped, the bone in the joint of my left arm was smashed, and my lower arm was fractured. The bone had fractured and completely dislocated, and the muscle contracted. As a result, my left arm became shorter than the right one. However, I felt no pain. When I arrived home, my children were in a big panic. I said to them that I was fine, and asked them to take it easy. From this lesson, I enlightened about the practitioner who was hit by a car and was fine, as mentioned in Zhuan Falun. In contradiction, I had such a big fall and was wounded so badly because I didn't listen to Teacher. I failed to maintain my xinxing well and I ended up fighting with others. I thought to myself, "Teacher, your disciple knew what she did was wrong." Because I didn't feel any pain, I still did everything that I could, and in a few days, the bone re-connected without my noticing. I understood that it was Teacher who was undertaking the suffering for me and protecting me. One day, a practitioner asked me to carry a very heavy stone with her. Apparently, she didn't know the tribulation I had run into. I didn't refuse her, but walked up and gave her a hand. Because I was using a lot of force, my bone became dislocated again. I didn't mind, and still did whatever I could do. In a few days, it got connected again. Now everything is back to normal. I enlightened that it was Teacher who was safeguarding me.
3. Listening to the Fa
After the persecution began on July 20, a few practitioners and I went to Beijing a few times to validate the Fa. Even though we had no education, at the National Appeals Office, I could clarify the beauty of Dafa along with fellow practitioners in an dignified manner. Moreover, people there thought that I was the leader. After I returned, one day I received a new article "The Knowing Heart." At first, out of habit I thought that I was illiterate, so I began asking around for help, but the people I asked were all illiterate as well. I became so worried. Right then, Teacher's voice came into my ears,
The Knowing Heart
With Teacher guiding the voyage, the Fa saves all beings,
One sail is hoisted, one hundred million sails follow.
With attachments left behind, the lightened boats sail swiftly,
With a preoccupied human heart, crossing the ocean proves arduous.
The wind and clouds suddenly change, and the heavens seem to crumble,
The mountains shake, the seas churn, and the ferocious waves billow.
Follow Teacher closely, steadfastly cultivating Dafa,
With attachments too strong, bearings are lost.
Some flee for their lives, deserting capsized boats and torn sails,
As the mud and sand are completely sifted, gold shines forth.
Grand talk counts for naught when it comes to life and death,
Actions reveal what is true.
When the day of Consummation arrives,
The great disclosure of the truth will leave the world in amazement.
(Essentials for Further Advancement II)
It was resonate, clear, and at a fast speed. After that, I could read Teacher's new article. After reading it a few times, I was able to recite it. This new article got into my heart. I thought to myself, "Teacher, you have been taking care of illiterate me, on my cultivation path guided by you, I must strive forward vigorously." This experience moved me to tears.
4. Handcuffs Opened
One day in 2002, I went to my hometown in the countryside to hand out truth-clarification materials. Unfortunately I was reported by someone. Police officers arrested me and handcuffed me to a chair very tightly. Initially, I treated this persecution with a human heart, so I was shouting, "Let me go! Let me go!" The more I tried to get out of the handcuffs, the tighter they became, and as a result they cut into my flesh. The scar can still be clearly seen to this day. Police officer A sarcastically shouted at me, "Call your Teacher for help! Let Falun help you get out of it!" I immediately thought about Teacher mentioning in his Guangzhou lectures to ask for Teacher's help amidst tribulations, so I began asking for Teacher's help in my heart, "Teacher, please help me! please help me!" Then the miracle happened. The handcuffs opened! This scene shocked all the police officers, especially officer A, who was dumbfounded. At noon, they all came back from lunch, except for officer A. From their conversation, I gathered that he was hit by a motorcycle on the street. For that, I recited Teacher's article to them.
When the Fa is Right
When people do not have virtue, natural calamities and man-made disasters will abound. When the earth does not have virtue, everything will wither and fall. When heaven deviates from the Dao, the ground will crack, the sky will collapse, and the whole universe will be empty. When the Fa is right, the universe will be right. Life will flourish, heaven and earth will be stable, and the Fa will exist forever. (Essentials for Further Advancement)
After hearing that, they all became quiet and lowered their heads.
5. Righteous Thoughts
A few years after the persecution began, because I had been to Beijing to validate the Fa, local police officers were monitoring me, yet I wasn't afraid of them at all. Because I was walking the most righteous path, and had only Dafa in my heart. I still went out to hand out materials and clarify the truth, and never stayed home for a day. One day, two police officers came to my home and knocked very hard on my security door. I knew that they had came to harass me, so I sat down in the lotus position and erected my hand. I stared at them through the security door while sending forth strong righteous thoughts. I only had one thought in my mind, which was, "This is a practitioner's home. Teacher looks after his disciples, no evil can break into it!" At that time, both of the officers turned around and left, and from then on, the police no longer came to harass me. So, once again I truly came to enlighten on Teacher's words, "Dafa Disciples’ Righteous Thoughts are Powerful."
Article Chosen from Call for Papers, "Divine Occurrences in the Human World"
(Clearwisdom.net) I am writing this article today to share the lesson from a very serious incident. I hope this sharing can help other practitioners walking the divine path. In my opinion, being responsible to the Fa is being responsible to one’s cultivation and one’s own life.
The Superficial Appearance
Prior to the Chinese Communist Party’s 16th Congress at the end of October 2002, the persecution in China was severe. The news of practitioners being arrested and persecuted kept coming. Some of them even died as a result of torture. At that time I was responsible for distributing informational materials about Falun Dafa in a small area. Because other practitioners were followed, they could no longer distribute materials. The materials accumulated at my place, and I was quite fearful.
One night at around 8:00 p.m., a group of police broke into my home. Fifteen minutes later they dragged me off and took me to a hotel. In the hotel I could clearly feel that Master was near. But Master could not help me. What was the reason?
That time, the persecution was very severe. Due to the severity of the persecution, few practitioners would walk out of incarceration with dignity. My life was tested to the limit. I did not give up on my belief, no matter how hard it was. I did not give up on my life, either. I knew I could walk out with dignity.
Reflection
We practitioners know that severe persecution is due to one’s attachments and loopholes. However, what was the old forces' excuse for persecuting me?
The worst part of being in the detention center was that I could not study the Fa. I lacked the companionship of any practitioners to discuss my issues and I had a hard time finding my own loopholes. I was trying to look for my attachments while negating the persecution. What were the attachments? I was merely trying my best to let go of everything I had. My environment was improving slowly and painfully. My physical condition improved gradually. I was released seven months later. Their plot to make me die from “sickness” was foiled. After I returned home I recovered quickly, but I still could not understand the reasons for being persecuted.
Finding the True Reason
Several months later, I finally understood. Prior to that persecution, Master taught the Fa in Washington D.C. in July 2002. The lecture was not published on the Minghui website right away. Many practitioners were looking forward to its publication.
When I went to visit practitioner B, she asked, “Have you seen Master’s new lecture?” She had received a CD mailed by an overseas practitioner. Who would not want to watch Master’s lecture? She turned on the VCD and we watched it. She had gone to her coworker to make a copy and did not initially succeed, but was eventually successful; however, the copy was not clear. She said, “We can make more copies, so everybody can watch it.” I felt it was inappropriate. Although this was Master’s lecture, it had not been publicly published yet. I felt that it was not right to spread it. But she said Master asked for the tapes to be destroyed after the actual lecture is out, but did not say that we should not spread it prior to the actual lecture’s publication. What she said seemed reasonable. I wanted to watch it myself. Other practitioners would want to watch it, too. Not allowing them to make copies seemed selfish. Although I felt it was inappropriate, I did not say much after that.
Several days later I heard that practitioner L was making copies of the CD. If I could have shared with practitioner B and L from the Fa's perspective at that time, perhaps we would not have had such a huge tribulation later. Practitioner L is a student, very kind and always willing to help others. He never turned down anyone who asked for help. After several rounds of persecution he was always able to walk out with dignity. I have never heard him complain about anyone, even those who betrayed him. I shared my thoughts with him. He agreed that it was inappropriate to copy and spread the CD, but did it anyway.
After Master’s lecture was published on the Minghui website, I met with practitioner B again and said, “Now that Master’s lecture has been published, those CDs should be destroyed.” Her reply was, “Many practitioners could not bring themselves to destroy the CDs.” I did not know what else to say. I thought, “I did not bring this CD here and did not distribute it to others. I did not make copies. I tried to stop it. If you do not listen to me, I will not ask any more.”
Later on, when the evildoers arrested me, they planted this very CD in my home and used it as evidence against me. I felt miserable in the hotel when the evildoers showed me the CD. I thought, “Master said that as soon as the lecture is published, the CDs/tapes should be destroyed right away. Why did we practitioners not listen to Master? This CD has become ‘evidence’ for the evildoers to persecute practitioners.” They kept showing me the CD and attempted to use it as the reason to sentence me to several years in prison. I have always thought that it was other practitioners who did not listen to Master. I did not realize that this matter did have something to do with me.
Lessons Learned
After I returned home, I thought more about this matter and that it did have something to do with me. I knew it when I first saw the CD. Until the last stage of this incident, I had always known what was “accidentally” happening. How could it not have anything to do with me? My understanding of the Fa principles was unclear. I had selfish thoughts and I was not being responsible to the Fa. I should have initially insisted that the CD be destroyed. Had I done so, we would not have had to face this severe consequence.
I almost lost my life. The other practitioners also faced severe persecution. Practitioner B was sentenced to five years in prison. Practitioner L revealed nothing to the evildoers during an interrogation. He was sentenced to four and a half years of imprisonment. B and L were brutally tortured. I almost lost my life in the detention center. The consequences are not limited to these matters alone. The persecution made once diligent practitioner L unable to get out of prison. This is a most painful result.
Being Involved in Damaging the Fa Was Due to Being Self-Centered
A year later I was reading Master’s lecture,
“If someone carelessly records them for other people, plays them, spreads them, or wantonly has publishing houses or factories mass-produce them, he would be committing the worst deed. I’d say that this person doesn’t meet the criteria for being a Dafa disciple.” (“Lecture at the First Conference in North America,” 1998)
I was shocked. Master has clearly taught us this.
“When I taught the Fa I told you before about all the problems that might occur during this malicious and destructive examination.” (“Drive Out Interference,” from Essentials for Further Advancement II)
In addition to my ego, I was unclear on the Fa principles and initially thought, “I did not do it, so it has nothing to do with me.”
If I were now asked to make copies of that CD, I absolutely would not do it. I would not do anything that I felt was inappropriate. However, my selfish thinking made me feel that if it is not something I did directly, it should not have anything to do with me. Not clearly understanding the Fa principles made me more likely to have selfish thinking. This selfish thought contains a huge attachment, which is that the damage to the Fa has nothing to do with me.
As I wrote this sharing, the seriousness of that event and why the old forces wanted to torture me to death became clear. Although the police did not know about the events leading up to my arrest, we all suffered from such severe persecution.
Although it was several months later when I got to know the true reason for this round of persecution, I regret that I did not clearly understand the Fa principles. The persecution has put a blight on me for many years since. I have not broken through that state for a long time because of my ego. I still have not returned home in order to avoid further persecution.
Protecting and being responsible to the Fa is protecting one’s life. Master’s benevolence has given me the opportunity to fully understand the Fa principles. Master’s tremendous endurance has given me the ability to recognize my mistakes.
I think our overseas practitioners have become mature and will no longer mail these kinds of CDs to China. I also sincerely hope that the overseas practitioner who did the mailing realizes his/her own mistake and will do better in the new environment to carry out a disciple's responsibilities, and follow Master’s requirements and the Fa’s standards. I also hope practitioner L, who suffered from this persecution, will soon step back onto the path of cultivation again.
I would like to share my lessons learned, hoping that this is helpful to fellow practitioners who are walking on the divine path.
If there is anything inappropriate, please kindly point it out.
(Clearwisdom.net) I am so fortunate to have obtained the Fa in 1999. The following is my cultivation experience sharing. Please kindly point out anything improper.
Dafa has brought health benefits to my whole family
When qigong was at its peak in popularity, many people suggested that I practice Falun Dafa, but I refused. Then when I accompanied my husband to a practice site one time, I was deeply moved when I saw the video of Master teaching the Fa in Jinan City. It was then that I decided to practice.
Master cleansed my body, and all of my illnesses soon disappeared. After about four months of practicing, my eyesight improved tremendously and I no longer needed to wear presbyopic glasses, which I had worn for the past four years. My husband's coronary heart problem, lower back pain and high cholesterol levels all returned to normal. My grandson also benefited from our practicing Falun Dafa, as his doctor said that he had fully recovered from congenital heart disease and no longer needed to have an operation. The miracles were truly amazing!
Another grandson of mine was hit by a motorcycle while he was playing on the road. However, he was not hurt at all. Both my grandsons liked reading Zhuan Falun, reciting Hong Yin and watching videos of Master teaching the Fa. They could also see Falun rotating around them. My husband and I always taught them to follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance to be good children.
I know how precious the Fa is and the importance of Fa study. So I carefully study the Fa every day. Every word in Zhuan Falun looks very colorful, golden and shiny.
I continually gain wisdom with Master’s help. Some people didn’t believe the importance of quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but after I explained the facts about Falun Dafa to them, they agreed to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Some people were very stubborn and did not want to listen, but I maintained a compassionate heart and persisted in clarifying the facts to them. Master has created all kinds of opportunities to bring predestined people to me. As long as we have the heart to save people, Master will help us.
Clarifying the facts to the people I meet
I have clarified the facts to my relatives and friends, old acquaintances and people with predestined relationships. I smile to all that I meet, and through conversation, I let them know the facts about Falun Dafa. When I tell people that I am in my 70s, they are surprised at how energetic I am. I tell them how I have benefited from the practice, and how widely Dafa has spread around the world. I am often moved to tears when I see sentient beings longing to be saved.
Master said:
“The power of true compassion can dissolve all deviant factors, and when you talk with a person you will be emitting energy outwardly that dissolves evil things, and the evil in other dimensions will not dare to approach or control that person anymore. When you then reason with that person, he will listen, and you will be able to purge the lies infused into him by the wicked CCP, thus removing the block in his mind.” (“Fa Teaching Given in Manhattan”)
I spoke to a middle-aged woman on a bus about Falun Dafa. At first she didn’t want to listen. After I explained the facts in detail, she understood that Falun Dafa is good, but still did not want to quit the CCP. I calmed down and sent forth righteous thoughts. I said to her, “I am telling you this for your own good; I want to save you. It is my benevolent Master that is helping me to save you. Please do not miss this chance. Just quit.” She immediately replied, “Okay, I will do as you ask. Please also help my family members to quit.” As she began to thank me, I said, “My Master teaches me to be good and to save you. If you want to express thanks, please thank my Master!”
An 85-year-old distant relative who suffered from emphysema and heart disease could not walk without the aid of a walking stick. I asked him to recite every day: “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” The next time I met him, he was moving around without any support. The third time I met him, his wife said, “Let me tell you something wonderful! For several days he had severe pains in his abdomen. I asked him to see the doctor, but he refused to go and continued to recite 'Falun Dafa is good.' That night, he had a dream. Someone came to him. It must have been Master Li. Master opened his abdomen and pulled out a few stones. Then Master sewed him back up again. When he woke up the next day, there was no pain in his abdomen. He cried out, ‘Master Li Hongzhi really is good and great. Thank you, Master!’”
When I clarified the facts to a 52-year-old woman who suffered with severe heart disease, she recited “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good” every day. Two months later, she went to the hospital for a check-up. The doctor asked her son, “What special medicine did your mom take? Her illness has disappeared.” The woman respected Dafa and Master very much. When I met her two years later, I asked, “Do you still recite those two sentences?” She said, “Yes! I will never forget them!”
I once attended a relative’s party, and we all sat around two big tables for dinner. When I spoke to the people around my table about Falun Dafa, the people on the other table stopped eating and started to listen to me. I then stood up and explained the facts to everyone at the party. They all agreed to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. When I met a couple from the party a few days later, the man said, “Dafa is really good. I’d like to study Dafa.”
My husband and I get up at 3:30 a.m. every day to do the five sets of exercises, and we never miss any of the times for sending forth righteous thoughts. We go out to clarify the facts every morning, and we study the Fa in the afternoon. We try to do the three things well that Master has asked us to do. Every day we feel fulfilled and know that we are following the path Master has arranged for us.
Be more diligent in cultivation
I had a severe pain in my left leg in July 2010, and could hardly cross my legs to do the sitting meditation. Even when I walked up or down stairs, I had to stop after every step. I sent forth righteous thoughts and looked inward. I wondered, “What loophole do I have that the old forces are taking advantage of?” Then I enlightened that there’s no limit for saving sentient beings. When I first began to clarify the facts, I set a number for myself, thinking about just trying to save that many people. However, I need to save more people, and should continue saving as many sentient beings as possible. I recalled Master’s teaching: “I'm Li Hongzhi's disciple, I don't want other arrangements or acknowledge them.” (“Explaining the Fa During the 2003 Lantern Festival at the U.S. West Fa Conference”) With this righteous thought, the pain in my leg soon disappeared and I devoted myself to doing the three things well.
I had a dream where I was lying on a bed. A voice said, “Hurry and climb up. If you can climb up, you can reach the sky.” I took a look and found that the sky was indeed very close to me. I thought that I should climb up and touch the sky. So I tried my best to climb up. When I was almost up, the mountains suddenly shook and the ground became unsteady. I was not afraid, and continued climbing. I felt gigantic and incomparably tall. Looking down, I couldn’t see the ground. I reached out and touched the sky. My heart was not moved and I continued raising my arms, making a hole in the sky. I could then see a clearer, more beautiful sky at a higher level. I thought, “There are higher-level skies above. Master, I need to continue upgrading myself and be more diligent! I won’t let Master worry about me.” When I woke up, I was very excited. I knew that Master was encouraging me to move forward in cultivation. Master has given us a lot, but in comparison I have done so little.
Master said,
“Study the Fa and gain the Fa,
Focus on how you study and cultivate,
Let each and every thing
be measured against the Fa.
Only then, with that,
is it actually cultivation.”
(“Solid Cultivation,” in Hong Yin)
My husband studies the Fa very carefully. He has transcribed the book Zhuan Falun six times and recited it once. He only used to talk to friends and relatives about Falun Dafa, but we have now formed one body, and every time we go out he sends forth righteous thoughts while I clarify the facts to people. By working together, the number of people we have helped to quit the CCP has greatly increased.
Studying the Fa and cultivating myself well has helped my family environment. My husband and I were attached to human emotions. My oldest son often fought with his wife, and they wanted to get divorced. After studying Master’s “Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners,” we realized that the troubles in their marriage were caused by our attachments. We improved our cultivation, and asked my son and his wife to look inward and care for each other. We also gave them Zhuan Falun to read. The environment soon changed, and both of them said that the other had become a much better person. I very much appreciated Master for saving my son’s family.
(Clearwisdom.net) One day in late August 2010, officials from the Shanghai 610 Office called and informed me that they were coming to my home to ask some questions. I immediately declined, but they insisted on making an appointment, negotiating in a mild tone. I thought that this was a good opportunity to clarify the truth in person, and agreed to meet them at 3:00 p.m. at the residential community office. As I hung up the phone, I realized that I still had over two hours before the meeting. I sat in tranquility and watched Teacher's Fa lecture in Dalian. Later, I sent righteous thoughts and felt very comfortable, fully strengthened with energy. I knew that Teacher was protecting and encouraging me.
I went to the residential community office as scheduled, with a heart dedicated to saving sentient beings. The secretary spoke some polite words, then took me to a room. As soon as I entered the room, a 610 Office official came in and asked, “What were you doing in the community next to yours on the evening of XX (date)?” I asked her in reply, “Am I not a resident in this community? If I go to do something in another community, is it necessary to report it to you? Is there no personal freedom? Who gives you the right to interfere with the rights of residents?” She said, “We are not interfering with your freedom. I'm asking this question because on the following day, Falun Gong flyers were posted everywhere in the community.” I replied fearlessly, “I don't know who did that, but isn't the information on the flyers the truth? Is there anything to feel guilty about for encouraging people to be good? You are setting bad people free, yet framing people who are following the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion and Forbearance. Is that correct?” Then, she asked me if I'd distributed the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party, or persuaded people to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). It seemed that she was trying to get more information about me. I didn't reply to this question directly, but asked, “What's in the Nine Commentaries?” She said that the book described all the CCP's crimes committed during its power. I said ironically, “Isn't the CCP always great, glorious and correct?” She didn't reply, so I listed the facts about the Chinese people who have been killed by the CCP during its rule, outnumbering those who had been killed in wars. I asked her, “Is this normal? This regime has killed so many innocent people for its own interests.” She said, surprised, “How do you know so many things?” I said, “The best way to hide a misdeed is not to commit it. Divine beings will settle accounts with whoever performs bad deeds.”
At that moment, the air seemed to have stopped circulating. We were both silent for several minutes. Suddenly, she asked me if my granddaughter-in-law's diabetes had disappeared. Perhaps the officers who worked in the residential community had mentioned that to her. I didn't know her intentions, and replied, “She feels better or worse, from time to time.” She asked, “Didn't your Teacher say, 'If one person practices cultivation, then his whole family will benefit.?'” I quickly replied, “If I borrow 100,000 yuan from you but never repay it, would you like that?” She said, “Of course not.” I said, “That's correct. Everyone should repay the debts they owe to others. You can't quote my Teacher's Fa out of context to suit your purposes. You are committing sins by doing so.” Later, I told her some stories about the principle of good being rewarded with good, and evil being rewarded with evil, as well as stories about karma and reincarnation. She listened quietly. Finally, she seemed to have understood something. She smiled and said, “If you think that Falun Gong is good, then continue practicing. You can also read your Teacher's books, but you must protect yourself.” I said, “You should also protect me.” She said, “I will definitely protect you as well.”
We ended the conversation after one hour. On my way back home, I was very gratified because one more life had understood the truth and attained the hope of being saved.
(Clearwisdom.net) My family lives in Hebei Province. We earn our living with a retail business, and everyone practices Falun Dafa.
One day in September 2010, our five-year-old son suddenly started crying and yelling, saying that he had a pain in his abdomen. We didn’t pay attention to it at first, thinking that he might just have an upset stomach. Four days later, however, he was still suffering and crying. We had to send him to a county hospital. The doctors at the hospital couldn’t find anything and therefore, our son was transferred to a city hospital for further examination. The results showed that he suffered from appendicitis, which was already suppurated and swollen, thus he had to stay in the hospital. Eight days later, he was able to leave the hospital and return home. However, his illness recurred the following day, and we had to take him to the hospital again, where he stayed nine additional days. One month later, our son had pain in his abdomen again. This time, his grandmother enlightened and said that we should have him study the Fa and recite “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” We also had him recite poems from Hong Yin and Lunyu. While our son watched Master’s video, “Fa Teaching Given to the Australian Practitioners,” his pain was unbearable and he knelt down in front of the television, and asked Master to save him. He also asked his grandmother to carry him to Master’s photo, where he bowed his head and asked Master for help.
After we returned home that evening, his grandmother said, “We all need to consider this based on the Fa. If the child continues to feel like this, it must be evil interference to affect and stop us from validating the Fa. We should study the Fa more and send forth righteous thoughts. We cannot allow evil to persecute us.” Not until this moment did my wife and I think of the Fa; we realized that we must look within. Before that, we were busy with our business for the Mid-autumn Festival, and only thought about using this opportunity to earn a lot of money. We didn’t put the Fa first. Moreover, we studied the Fa less, did the exercises less, and only did a little for validating the Fa. As a result, the evil took advantage of our loopholes. We lost quite a bit of money in the business, and our son's hospital expenses were over ten thousand yuan. It turned out that the evil had persecuted us from the aspect of our attachments.
During the following days, my family seized the time to study the Fa and send forth righteous thoughts. While doing our retail business during the day, we also sent forth righteous thoughts whenever we had a chance. In the evening, our entire family studied the Fa and sent righteous thoughts together every hour. When our son had unbearable pain, we asked him, “Do you want to continue studying the Fa or go to the hospital?” He replied firmly, “Study the Fa. I don’t want to go to the hospital.” Five days later, he had recovered completely. During those five days, he defecated and urinated purulence every day. Master helped him to pass a big test. The doctors had told us when our son’s abscesses disappeared, they needed to cut out his vermiform appendix, without which my son couldn’t completely recover. However, our son fully recovered simply because the whole family studied the Fa and sent forth righteous thoughts. Thus, he became happy and active again.
Dafa really is miraculous and great! From this lesson, my wife and I improved in the Fa. I enlightened that I can no longer be attached to ordinary people’s things, and should put the Fa first at every moment. Facing our son’s pain, we truly believed in Master and the Fa. We were not attached to our love for our son, and firmly sent forth righteous thoughts, and were thus able to break through this test. I really experienced the solemnity and holiness of Dafa. My wife also enlightened that Dafa is sacred, holy and omnipotent and as long as we walk righteously and truly practice cultivation, nothing can interfere with us.
On our future cultivation path, we will strive forward diligently and live up to Master’s compassionate salvation.
The above is my current understanding. Please kindly point out anything improper.