(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1995. During the 20-year-long persecution I've experienced both joy and sorrow. I wouldn't have been able to make it without Master's protection and the Fa's guidance. There are so many things I'd like to share with you. I've written down a few of my experiences that happened during the time I was held in a forced labor camp.
“We'll execute you tonight!”
One night in December 2000, the head of the labor camp called me to his office. Four officers from the 610 Office were there. One of them said, “You have to make a choice. If you renounce Falun Dafa, you can go home today. If you refuse, we'll execute you tonight. The execution site is right outside of the labor camp. After we kill you we'll bury your body and tell your family that you escaped. No one will know whether you're alive or dead. It's your choice.”
I smiled and said, “I'm so fortunate to practice Falun Dafa. How could I give it up? Nothing will make me stop practicing.”
One policeman told the others, “Take him out and kill him.” Two of them grabbed my arms. I said, “You don't have to drag me. I can walk. I'm not afraid to die.” As I walked out I began reciting Master's poem,
“In life, nothing sought, In death, regretting naught;Washing away all wrong thought,Buddhahood, with less adversity, is wrought.”(“Nothing Kept,” Hong Yin, Translation Version A).
When we reached the gate the policeman received a phone call. His boss assigned him an urgent mission and told him to postpone killing me. I was allowed to go back to my cell. The officer guarding my cell was always kind to me and said, “I was very concerned.”
Heaven Wept
It was a sunny day on May 8, 2001. The labor camp chief brought about 30 policemen to my cell, and took 18 of us practitioners outside. They kicked us down to the concrete and started to beat and stomp on us. We were soon covered in bruises and blood. The sky outside the camp walls remained blue and the sun shone, but over the camp freezing rain fell; it became windy and it began thundering and lightening.
While they were beating us, the chief told me, “You practice Falun Dafa and try to be a good person. But, I'd rather have 100 thieves imprisoned here than a good Falun Dafa practitioner. If everybody became a good person, we wouldn't have jobs. I smoke two packs of cigarettes every day and I enjoy good liquor. Many people have mistresses. If everyone becomes a good person, won't they close the prisons? Today we just want to enjoy beating you good people.”
I later heard that the labor camp chief died of a stroke while he was talking to his mistress on the phone.
The Precious Opportunity to Read the Fa
The most difficult part of being imprisoned was that I could not read the Fa, especially Master's new lectures. In July 2001, one of the labor camp leaders who was my friend when we were both in the military, came to my cell every day. He kept telling me how many practitioners had been “transformed.”
He said, “Every day we 'transform' about 20 practitioners. So far more than 400 have been 'transformed.' Very few refused. What are you waiting for? If you 'transform,' you'll have it easier and enjoy good food. Your sentence will be reduced. If you refuse, your diet will be horrible, worse than the death row inmates', and you'll be tortured. You're not young. Why do you want to suffer?”
I said, “I'd like to talk to those who were 'transformed.' Can you arrange it?” He was happy and said, “This is good. You should listen to them. I'll put you with them for seven days. After seven days you must decide.” I agreed, but asked not to be bothered during those seven days.
On my way to their cell I met the deputy chief of the labor camp. He said, “I respect you very much. But if you agree to 'transform,' I'll look down on you.” I told him not to worry.
They let me talk to two men who had been “transformed.” Since they had very bad attitudes it was hard to talk to them. I quietly asked Master for help: “Master, I want to study the Fa and read your new lectures. Please arrange for other people to talk to me. It's important to read the Fa to enhance my righteous thoughts. Please help me, Master.”
I talked to two women that afternoon. I asked if they had Master's new lectures and they brought what they had. I read the new articles and Zhuan Falun. After seven days, my heart was full of Fa. I knew that I could pass any test.
That night, my former friend asked if I were ready to 'transform.' I said, “I practice such a great Fa. What do you want me to 'transform' to?” He was very angry and said, “Get ready for 'the little stool.'” (Editor's note: Being forced to sit on a little stool for a long time is a common physical torture in Chinese labor camps.)
The next day they put me in a solitary confinement cell, and forced me to sit on a 5-inch tall stool with a surface area of 5 by 1 inches. Two people watched me from 6 a.m. to midnight. For 18 days, I was forced to sit on the stool for 18 hours a day.
On the 18th morning, my old friend stopped by and said, “Don't sit on it.” He repeated this several times, but I ignored him. After the guards carried me to a bed, he asked, “Are you ready to 'transform' yet?” I said, “Let me recite a poem I wrote.”
I stood up and said, “Dafa disciples peacefully resist against the persecution, and cultivate in the suffering. We are not afraid of violence, because we seek the truth. For several years, we have eliminated the evil with righteous thoughts. We keep Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance in our minds. Besides saving people we don't have any other pursuit. We completely deny the old forces. Our righteousness will stay in the universe forever. We thank Master for his salvation. His benevolence will resonate throughout the universe forever.”
My old friend was speechless. He stood there quietly for a while and then left.
Everyone knows that the little stool is torture. Most people could not endure it for more than two hours. Some may hold out for one or two days. The longest I heard was three days. But I was forced to sit on the little stool for 18 days. Some people asked me how painful it was. I told them I didn't feel any pain because the entire time I sat there I kept reciting all of Master's articles and poems that I'd memorized. I recited them more than 2,000 times in 18 days, and every day I sent forth righteous thoughts a dozen times. I felt immersed in the Fa. I have 100% solid belief in Master and the Fa. Although my body is in the human world, my heart is not. How could I feel pain? Actually it was Master who endured all the pain for us.
“When disciples have ample righteous thoughts, Master has the power to turn back the tide.” (“The Master-Disciple Bond,” Hong Yin Vol. II, Translation version A)
I Refuse to Give In
In fall 2002, I was badly tortured. My body was covered in bruises. I couldn't move; I could only lie in bed. One day, the chief and twelve policemen came to my room. He said, “My old friend I've come to see you. Look at you, tortured like this. Out of all the practitioners in this camp, you've been tortured the most. Tell me why you want to suffer so much. If you listen to me, I can let you go home tomorrow.”
I raised my head and said, “You want me to listen to you? You persecute practitioners. If I follow you, wouldn't I stop practicing?”
He didn't know what to say. After a long time, he said, “You go ahead and practice. I won't interfere with you.” He told his subordinates, “From now on, don't interfere with him. Let him practice Falun Dafa.” They left.
My environment became less stressful and I was allowed to freely walk around.
“How Could I Hate You?”
One day in winter 2002, the head of the Education Department came to my cell. He said, “You have good reputation in your workplace. Why do you practice that Falun Dafa?” I said, “Although you are a department head, you are below those inmates. They didn't undermine Dafa or persecute practitioners. Even though they've made some mistakes, they can still be saved. You slander Dafa, and persecute practitioners. You've committed heavy crimes.” His face turned red and he left.
That night he called me to his office. I refused to stand the way that inmates are required to. He angrily punched me down. I stood up and started to send forth righteous thoughts. He continued punching me for 10 minutes until he was exhausted. He told a policeman to lock me up, and then he went to the clinic for an injection because he felt sick after beating me so hard.
After he left, his subordinate unlocked me and carried me back to my cell. While the head of the Education Department was beating me, I saw through my third eye that he was actually a six-foot-long lizard. In another dimension my righteous thoughts injured him, so he ran away.
He became very sick. He told the doctor that he was wrong, and would apologize to me later. He stayed in the clinic for three days. After he left the hospital he told me that he didn't intend to beat me that hard. He asked if I hated him. I said, “Why would I hate you? If I hate you, won't I be the same as an everyday person? Practitioners don't have enemies. We treat everyone with compassion, and our mission is to save people.”
Everything Changes with Just One Thought
In August 2003, I had a fever of 104 for 18 days. I couldn't eat or drink and I lost a lot of weight. The labor camp was worried that I would die, so they decided to release me. The officers from my local police station and the local government office didn't want to pick me up. My wife was angry with me and refused to pick me up. Finally my daughter came. My apartment was on the six floor. She found two young men to carry me. My wife called all the relatives and asked them to come over. After they assembled, my wife said, “Look at him. If we don't send him to the hospital, he may die.” They all agreed that I should be taken to the hospital, and some gave her money for the hospital fees.
At that moment, I woke up. I said loudly, “Please listen to me. Do you want me to die or to live? If you want me to die, then take me to the hospital. If you want me to live, then give me three days and I'll recover. In that evil camp I wasn't allowed to bathe or shower for three years. I need to take a bath and have a good meal. I'll completely recover. Two weeks from today I'll visit my oldest daughter in Guangzhou.”
They all agreed. On the fourth morning I got out of bed. I walked outside by myself and went to a public shower. The neighbors were surprised to see me walking around. I tried to wash off all the filth from the labor camp. I wanted to read the Fa and do the exercises; I wanted my friends, relatives, and neighbors to see the amazing power of Dafa, witness Master's boundless compassion, and Dafa disciples' solid belief and will
On the 15th day after my release, I took the train to Guangzhou.
"You cause us trouble because you refuse to 'transform!'"
In May 2004, I was arrested again, and imprisoned in a detention center for two weeks. I used every opportunity to clarify the truth every day. Four people from our cell, including me, did not have to do the heavy labor. When the inmates asked why, the policeman said, “A has money, B has connection with our boss, and C has political power. Although Mr. Wu (talking about me) has nothing, he practices Falun Dafa. He won't give up practicing even if someone threatens to cut his head off. If you are as good as him, you won't have to do the heavy labor either.”
On the 15th day, they sentenced me to three years in a forced labor camp. I quietly asked Master for help. I said, “Master, I don't want to go back to that evil place. I've heard that there aren't any practitioners in my parents' hometown. I should go there and clarify the truth. Please help me get out of this.”
When I was taken to the labor camp, the new chief refused to take me. The new chief said, “You! Go away, the farther the better. You cause us trouble because you refuse to 'transform.'”
Just like that I left home, and started to pass out truth-clarifying materials in the southern area of Liaoning Province.
These are just some of my experiences. I cannot repay Master for his benevolent salvation. I can only walk well the rest of my cultivation journey and save more sentient beings.
Master said,
“As long as you learn Dafa thoroughly, be attentive to and learn from what you experience, mind your character at every moment, cultivate diligently, endure the toughest hardships of all, and tolerate the insufferable, I believe you will surely succeed at cultivation.
The mind is the path to cultivating gongHardship is the ferry across the boundless sea of Dafa.”(Chapter III, Falun Gong, 2016 version)
I will cultivate diligently and fulfill my historic vow.
