(Minghui.org) Two summers ago, I was arrested after being reported for distributing information cards about Falun Dafa, a mind-body practice that has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) since July 1999. 

On the way to the police station in the police car, I kept talking to the police about the illegality of the persecution and the goodness of Dafa. Some quietly listened to me and others verbally abused me. I wasn’t moved and kept talking. 

As I refused to tell them my name, they tore off my mask, took a picture of me and found my address in their massive facial recognition network. At night, they ransacked my home and confiscated everything I had related to Falun Dafa. 

A police officer said to me, “I know you are a good person. If I saw you distributing materials myself, I would have pretended I didn’t see it. But you were reported to us and we must follow orders from the above (to arrest you). I hope you understand.”

Before sending me to the lockup, the police took me to the hospital for a physical checkup. Many of them were surprised to see and admired how healthy I was. “Everything looks great on your physical. You are doing even better than us younger folks.”

One officer, who was tall and skinny, said to me, “I have to take medicine every day.” The deputy police chief surnamed Li said, “I’m addicted to smoking and I always cough at night, which always interrupts my sleep. Do you have any recommendation for me?” 

I urged them to recite the phrases, “Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” I told them that if they sincerely recited the phrases, it would help them. 

The atmosphere became relaxed and I later persuaded two police officers to quit the CCP. 

On the next day, when the police chief, Liu, and deputy police chief Li took me to the lockup, Li said to me, “I followed your advice last night and I indeed stopped coughing. It has been a long time since I slept so well.” 

“Falun Dafa is truly amazing. If you keep reciting the phrases, you may be able to quit smoking.” I said to Li. 

“Sounds good! Make sure you teach me how to practice Falun Dafa when you are released.” 

As chief Liu hadn’t quit the CCP or learned the facts, I said to him, “I appreciate the opportunity to know you, even though you arrested me. I know it’s not easy for you to do your job. I hope you can all be safe and healthy. Why don’t you quit the CCP with an alias? Only by dissociating yourself from the regime will you be truly safe.” 

“No problem!” Liu said to me.

Then Li, who was driving, turned around and said to me, “My name is Li Jianping,” signaling me to help him quit the CCP with his real name as well. 

In my first two days at the lockup, the inmates watched me closely and didn’t allow me to do Falun Dafa exercises, fearing being implicated. 

To be considerate of them, I stopped doing the exercises. On the third morning, I felt extremely dizzy when I woke up. As soon as I opened my eyes, I felt like vomiting. I struggled to sit up, only to be struck down by the strong churning feel in my stomach. I rushed to the restroom and threw up. 

Some inmates accused me of feigning illness and others asked me if I was alright. As I didn’t get better after a while, they called the doctor. 

As I described my feeling to the doctor, he asked me, “You didn’t do the Falun Dafa exercises in the past two days?” 

“I didn’t. I had many problems before and they were all cured by practicing Dafa. But now you don’t allow me to do it here.”

“It wouldn’t do if you didn’t practice it. Go ahead and do the exercises then!” 

After I began to do the Dafa exercises, the inmates gathered around me and watched me. A drug addict in her 30s learned the first set of the exercises and said she felt very comfortable doing it. She said she would teach her mother after she got home. 

As I spent more time with the inmates, I found opportunities to talk to them about Falun Dafa. During the 15 days I was held at the lockup, a total of 20 people, including the police officers, agreed to quit the CCP.