The Friends I Made During the Persecution

(Minghui.org) After the persecution began on July 20, 1999, I was brutally persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for practicing Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong). I was the highest-ranking government official of all the practitioners in my area. During this time, I met many people who, out of a sense of justice and conscience, helped and encouraged me. I would like to tell you their stories, to show the tremendous power of Falun Dafa and how unpopular the CCP’s persecution truly is.

Domestic Security Officer Stands Up for Falun Dafa 

As soon as I arrived at my office on the morning of July 20, 1999, I was taken away by the police and brought to a room in a nearby hotel. An older policeman, who was watching TV, introduced himself as Officer Dong [alias] of the Domestic Security Division.

He said, “The police department sent me to talk to you and tell you the news that the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security have banned Falun Gong. I don’t know why it hasn’t been broadcast yet.” He asked me some questions. When he learned that I was two years older than him and was about to retire, he said, “You’re a Party member at the deputy department level; why do you practice Falun Gong and cause yourself this trouble?” I said, “Falun Gong teaches people to practice Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, so that people not only can elevate their moral level, but also be free from illness. How good is that! Why can’t I practice? We need freedom of belief!” He immediately responded, “Freedom of belief is stipulated in China’s Constitution.” I asked, “Then why is Falun Gong not allowed?” 

He thought for a moment and said, “After 80 years, the CCP has only 60 million members according to the statistics of the Ministry of Public Security, but more than 70 million people have taken up Falun Gong in just seven years.” He added, “These 70 million are not all old men and women in the countryside. More than half of them are high-level intellectuals and high-ranking Party, government, and military members; More than half of them are members of the Communist Party. So many elites don’t study the CCP’s documents anymore but now practice Falun Gong.”

I smiled and said, “What’s so bad about that? The more good people there are, the better society will be. This is the first time I’ve heard these numbers. So, many high-level intellectuals and high-ranking CCP members practice Falun Gong, which shows that Falun Gong is not ‘superstitious,’ as the CCP claims. The fact that so many Party members practice shows that Falun Gong is absolutely not anti-CCP. So why do they ban it?”

Officer Dong looked at me in surprise and said, “That’s right!” Then he said, “There’s something you guys didn’t do right.” I asked, “What?” He said, “You shouldn’t have laid seize to Zhongnanhai—the central government office. Have you heard about the letter from the General Secretary to the Politburo which was sent by the provincial Party committee to the officials at the department and bureau level?” I nodded. He continued, “Over ten thousand practitioners surrounded Zhongnanhai.” 

Because he didn’t know what really happened, I recounted the whole process of the “April 25” peaceful appeal, and he listened attentively.

I said, “The CCP originally had a ‘three-no’s’ policy toward Falun Gong (no arguments, no promotion, and no criticism), but some government-hired scientists wanted to go against this official policy and stir up trouble by publishing untruthful things about Falun Gong. When practitioners in Tianjin tried to peacefully explain the situation to the magazine that published this false information, the Tianjin police arrested people and allowed the situation to expand. Jiang Zemin, as the CCP General Secretary, blamed the Falun Gong practitioners who peacefully petitioned.” Officer Dong seemed to understand and said, “I see!”

On July 24, when I and other practitioners traveled to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Gong, we were intercepted by police in Shijiazhuang City. Officer Dong was ordered to investigate the “appeal incident.” Later, thanks to the efforts of my workplace and Officer Dong, I was not prosecuted. In order to thank him, the head of my workplace invited him to a banquet, and the director and I also attended. The director toasted Officer Dong and said, “So-and-so (referring to me) is a very good person!” Officer Dong said, “If you weren’t a good person, you wouldn’t practice Falun Gong!” The crowd applauded and exclaimed: “Well said!” 

I gave Officer Dong a thumbs up. He said loudly, “I don’t understand—why don’t we arrest those involved in corruption and underworld forces, but we are told to arrest these good people who practice Falun Gong? It doesn’t make sense! Even if Jiang Zemin were here, I would question him!” His words shocked everyone. I realized he’d drank a little too much, so he was truly expressing himself. His words represented the voice of the political and law enforcement officials who know the truth and have a conscience.

Officer Dong’s integrity and kindness made us friends, and we always exchanged greetings on New Year’s holidays. At the end of 2018, we met in person. Seeing that he was still healthy even though he was in his seventies, I said happily, “You are still so energetic!” He smiled and said, “After I retired, I recited ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ every day, and I read Zhuan Falun every day. Dafa has given me good fortune!” 

I gave him a thumbs up and said, “You’re awesome!” I suggested he quit the CCP, and he happily thanked me.

Accountant: “I Met a Noble Man!” 

I was illegally arrested in the fall of 2002. While I was detained, I developed high blood pressure and heart problems. I was sent to the Medical University Hospital. In early 2003, my arrest was approved and I was taken to a small ward in a prison hospital by the city’s 610 Office. A 610 Office section chief said this was “special treatment,” but I knew this was forced quarantine. They sent a young inmate, Lei [alias], who said that he was there to “take care” of me, but in fact he was ordered to keep me under full surveillance.

Lei was very respectful and wanted to know why someone who had a high government rank like me was imprisoned. I thought we were predestined to meet, and I should tell him about Falun Dafa. I talked about my own cultivation process and how I benefited from Dafa. I also told him the truth about the persecution of Falun Dafa, and that the persecution was unconstitutional and illegal. I explained that the so-called Tiananmen Square self-immolation was staged by the CCP to frame Falun Gong.

He listened carefully and asked many questions. He said, “So, what the CCP says on television, radio, and newspapers is all lies!” I told him that Falun Dafa and practitioners do not engage in politics, but wish to save people. I explained how humanity is facing a catastrophe because of moral decay. Then I told him, “Falun Dafa is good” and “Truthfulness-Compassion- Forbearance is good,” and he nodded in agreement.

Lei explained why he was in prison. As an accountant, he just carried out the leadership’s orders, but he was implicated when the leader embezzled money, and was given a heavy sentence. With tears in his eyes, he said, “I’ve been locked up for three years, and it will be at least ten years before I can go home. How can my wife and children survive!” I comforted him, and said, “Heaven is always with good people! As long as you believe in Falun Dafa, miracles will happen.” He smiled and said, “I hope a miracle will happen.” 

The next morning, Lei said excitedly, “In a dream an old man told me, ‘If a noble man preaches the gospel to you, you’ll be able to go home in three years.’ Isn’t that you?” I said, “Is the gospel he referred to, ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good?’” He said yes.

He said happily, “What can I do for you?” I said, “I want to practice the Falun Dafa exercises.” He said, “Good. From today on, when the ward director finishes his rounds, I will close the door, sit in the big ward opposite, and keep watch. No one will be allowed to come in, and you can do whatever you want.”

The next day, I started to recite the Fa and practice the exercises. Lei went downstairs every day to get hot water for me to drink and fetch food. He helped me buy things, took me downstairs for a walk after dinner, and took me to the shower every week. I was well taken care of.

I had a dream in which I was lecturing to many people; I realized that as a Dafa disciple, no matter what environment we’re in, we should fulfill our historic mission of saving sentient beings and clarifying the truth to more people. I told Lei what I thought, and he was happy to help. So, he brought people from the other wards to my small room one after another so I could tell them about Falun Dafa.

Six months later, Lei and I were moved to different rooms, but he helped me until I left the prison hospital. We became friends, and he also chose a bright future for himself. I hoped that his dream of returning home in three years would come true.

Procuratorate Chief: “We All Admire You!” 

Soon after I was sent to the prison hospital, the case against me was transferred to the district’s procuratorate. I realized that I should clarify the truth to the prosecutors, so I wrote a detailed letter. A month later, a group of people from the prosecution department came to me in the prison division to “verify the case,” and I handed the letter to a section chief.

They returned two weeks later. After we talked, a section chief had the others leave first, and then he whispered to me, “We all admire you very much.”

This sudden “admiration” surprised me. I said “thank you,” and he left. I thought, maybe he said this after reading the letter of persuasion I wrote—he not only understood the truth, but also confirmed two stories about me that were hotly discussed in the district public security system.

One is about an accidental discovery during a raid on my house. When I was arrested in September 2002, a group of officers from the District Police Department’s Domestic Security Division came and ransacked my home. They saw that the furnishings were not as fancy as they thought a department-level official would have, and instead, they were very simple. They were surprised. When they found out that my family’s savings totaled only 6,800 yuan [US $939], the police said, “We found an honest official!” Before they left, the police folded the clothes that had been tossed around during the search and put them back in the closet.

The second thing happened the day I was taken to the prison hospital. It was a snowy night, and a section chief of the city’s 610 Office and several policemen deceived me into going to the prison hospital, where they took out an arrest warrant and a pen and told me to sign. 

I signed and wrote, “I am not guilty. Those who suppress Falun Dafa are the real criminals!” They were angry and told me to cross out those two sentences. I refused. The director of the Party office was afraid that the authorities would retaliate against me, so he advised me to keep the first sentence and erase the second one, but I again refused. 

The stalemate lasted for more than ten minutes, and then the director shouted angrily, “Forget it; I haven’t seen such an unwavering person!” He reluctantly put away the “arrest warrant” and I was wheeled into the prison hospital. The prosecutor must have been surprised to see what I wrote on the “arrest warrant.”

I understood that the “admiration” from the hearts of the procurators after learning the truth was actually their admiration for Falun Dafa and their admiration for our great Master. I was glad the prosecutors understood the truth and I believe they will make the right choices for the future of their lives.

That section chief prosecuted me when I was secretly tried, but at the same time kept saying good things about me. 

Lead Prisoner Helps Me 

After I was illegally sentenced, I was transferred to a large ward and shared a room with Mu, who was a lead prisoner. He was young and cheerful, and wanted to know about me, so he took me downstairs to sit in the sun one afternoon. As we walked and talked, and he said, “Everyone knows that you were imprisoned and sentenced for refusing to renounce Falun Dafa. Is this true?”

I replied yes. He looked at me in amazement and said, “You are so stupid. I would say anything they told me to say to avoid being sentenced.” I smiled at him and said, “I could never do that!” 

The leader of the city’s 610 Office had come to my ward with two people. After we greeted each other, he said, “Considering your contribution to the Party and to China, I can be lenient and let you go home; however, you have to promise not to practice Falun Dafa.” When I refused, he said, “I’ll give you three days to think about it.” My arrest was approved and I was sentenced. This was why Mu called me stupid.

I took the opportunity to tell Mu the truth about Falun Dafa and the persecution. Because he was imprisoned for theft, I talked about how people should follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. I encouraged him to reform and reshape his life. I advised him to be kind to others, and not bully or beat others, nor waste food. This way, he could accumulate virtue. He thanked me. He continued to take care of me and help me, and allowed me to practice the exercises. He also helped go to various wards so I could talk to the prisoners about Falun Dafa.

Christian: “The Communist Party Is Not Reasonable at All!” 

Chen [alias] was the operational director of the ward and a police officer. He put on a cold face all day long, which may be a professional necessity, because he was dealing with prisoners. When he came to the wards, he only asked about their illnesses, and did not mention anything else, which showed that he was very cautious.

One day in August, Chen called me into his office. He closed the door and said, “Please sit.” He smiled and said, “You are different from the other prisoners. You’ve been here for more than six months, and I want to talk to you.” He asked me about my cultivation and the spread of Falun Dafa, and quietly listened when I told him about the April 25 appeal by 10,000 practitioners and the CCP-staged Tiananmen self-immolation.

Chen said, “I heard that you’re the elected people’s representative?” I replied yes. He then asked, “I heard that after you practiced Falun Dafa, you didn’t use the workplace-owned cars to do personal things, and you paid 100 yuan to the office for using a workplace-owned car when you needed a vehicle under short notice.” 

I said, “Yes. I insisted on not using the workplace-owned car for personal use after I started cultivation. One night, I received a call from my hometown saying there was an emergency, and I asked the office to send a workplace-owned car to pick me up. The next day, I sent 100 yuan to the office, but the head of the office refused to accept it. He said, ‘These cars are for your use.’ I said, ‘That’s for office work, but I used it for a private matter.’ He said, ‘What about the other leaders?’ I said, ‘I’m a Falun Dafa practitioner.’”

Chen said, “Now, I can tell you my true identity. I’m a devout Christian, and my family is Christian.” Then he exclaimed, “What freedom of belief? It’s all a lie! Why aren’t you allowed to practice Falun Dafa? The Communist Party is not reasonable!” I saw his righteousness.

I took the opportunity to ask, “How did you know about me paying for using a workplace-owned car?” He said, “It was told by a director of the city’s 610 Office. He read the letters your school wrote to try to secure your release.” He continued, “I heard him say: the 610 Office is thinking about your medical parole. The diagnosis from the Affiliated Hospital of the Medical University determined that you had coronary heart disease and high blood pressure, and the 610 Office was afraid that you might die.” Then he said, “From now on, you have to lie in bed and take oxygen for two hours every day.” 

Twenty days later, Chen came to the ward and whispered to me, “The director of the 610 Office and your child have come to pick you up and take you home. I told them that you had to take oxygen for two hours to get home safely, and left them waiting outside the prison. Now lie down quickly.” 

Two hours later, I said goodbye to the other patients, and with the help of Chen, Lei, and Mu, I walked out of the prison door. Director Chen helped me into the car, told the driver to drive carefully, and then waved goodbye to me. I looked at him affectionately, deeply grateful to him, and silently wished him good fortune.

Postscript

When I returned home, my relatives and friends were worried about my health, and the 610 Office also thought I was about to die. The director of the city’s 610 Office cursed me and said, “He better die!” I read the Fa, practiced the exercises, and recovered in two months.

After 2003, before every Chinese New Year, I went to the prison with some gifts and visited Lei and Mu. However, when I visited before the New Year in 2006, I was told that Lei had been released and returned home. The wish was really fulfilled.

Just after the New Year of 2006, Lei came to visit me, and I was overjoyed to see my old friend. I asked him about his early release from prison. He said, “It’s amazing! It’s been almost three years since I met you. The case was retried and my sentence was commuted.” I said, “It’s all Dafa’s blessings.” He said, “If I hadn’t met you, without the protection of Dafa, this early release would not have been possible.”

I told him about quitting the CCP, and helped him quit with a pseudonym. He said to me solemnly, “I have come today to tell you two things. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you the truth until you left.” I was surprised and asked, “What’s the matter?” He said, “They didn’t send me to take care of you, but to keep an eye on you.” I smiled, “I knew that. I don’t blame you.” He said, “They told me to record your words and deeds and I had to report to the instructor every day. When I knew you were a good person, I didn’t write or say a bad word about you.” I told him, “You are a sincere friend and I thank you.” 

Then I asked, “What’s the second thing?” He continued, “Since you left the prison division that day, for two or three days the ward was quiet.” I was surprised and asked, “What was wrong?” He said, “Because of you. You were the first Falun Gong to come to the Eighth Ward, and you have such a high government ranking. However, your simplicity, kindness, and easy-going demeanor touched everyone. From you, we learned what Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is. We learned that Falun Dafa is good. Your departure made everyone feel lost and empty, so people were silent.”

I was moved to tears, thinking that I just got along with everyone with the mentality of a Dafa practitioner, and I didn’t want to be praised. I know very well that this is the power of Dafa and Master’s compassion. As long as you believe in Master and the Fa, and think and act righteously, you’ll be able to help Master in the Fa-rectification.

As I write this article, I shed tears when I think of how Master endured so much for us, and protects us. Great and compassionate Master helped me maintain righteous thoughts and gave me courage, wisdom and strength, and arranged for so many destined people to help and encourage me, so that I could overcome difficulties, get out of the prison, and endure tribulations. The only thing I can say is “Thank you, Master!”