Falun Dafa Minghui.org www.minghui.org PRINT

Defending Dafa: Participating in the 1998 Beijing Television Station Petition

June 15, 2024 |   By Li Lan, a Falun Dafa practitioner in Beijing

(Minghui.org) Beijing TV Station broadcast a false report about Falun Gong in its “Beijing Express” program on May 23, 1998, and it had a negative impact on Falun Gong. From late May to early June, many Falun Gong practitioners went to the station to tell them the true situation of Falun Gong with good intentions, hoping that the station would recognize its mistakes and correct the bad report.

My husband and I both obtained the Fa in early 1998. Soon after we started practicing, we encountered the “Beijing TV Incident.” Although we had only obtained the Fa for a few months, the kind nature deep in our hearts made us feel that protecting Dafa was the duty of true practitioners, so we went to Beijing TV station on the last day.

Some fellow practitioners had been to the station on June 1, but the problem had not yet been resolved. Fellow practitioners discussed the matter at the local Fa study group that night and decided that we should go to the TV station to tell them that their report was not correct.

On June 2, my husband and I switched a shift with coworkers and took a bus early in the morning. But when we arrived at the station, we found that we were late, because most practitioners had already left.

A few practitioners had stayed behind to inform practitioners who arrived later. They told us, “You can go back! The matter was resolved yesterday. A leader of the TV station apologized to us and said they would re-record the program and broadcast it with the problem corrected. Go back and wait to watch the new program.” We felt relieved and took the bus back.

Beijing TV did broadcast a revised program a few days later that had scenes of Falun Gong practitioners doing the exercises, but Beijing TV didn’t fulfill what they had promised and didn’t apologize sincerely. But after all, they corrected their mistake so the matter passed. We had talked to them with good intentions and believed that they would eventually understand that Falun Dafa is good.

I was in a calm mood that day, but it was different when 10,000 people petitioned peacefully at the State Council’s Appeals Office near Zhongnanhai, the Chinese Communist Party’s central government compound on April 25, 1999, because I felt that a storm was approaching. I stood on the east side of Fuyou Street with a particularly heavy heart. My legs were sore from standing, because I had come directly from a night shift with no rest.

I only know that we clapped three times that day, and I didn’t see the Prime Minister come out. Some practitioners said there was a big Falun spinning in the sky, but I didn’t see it either. My husband and I left without waiting for the result because we were afraid there would be no buses. We had not asked for leave and I had to work the night shift. I felt an aggravation and worry that night that I had never felt before, worrying that so many fellow practitioners had not yet dispersed, worrying about the future.

It rained lightly during the night, and I wept as I worked. I thought, “Why should good things be wronged?” That night, I did not feel a trace of sleepiness or fatigue, and my body felt light. Only now did I realize that Master was strengthening me.

On July 20, 1999, it was even more different. I had also come off the night shift and went to Tiananmen Square with my husband. I was anxious and worried. I thought, “Why is the government still treating Falun Gong in this way? Don’t they know that Falun Gong is good for the country and the people? What are they afraid of?”

These several instances of me defending Dafa were also a result of my nature. My heart was very pure. I didn’t have any other thoughts, since I just believed that people should be like this, good is good, and good things should be defended.

Twenty-six years have passed. My husband and I have experienced the evil persecution. I was subjected to forced labor three times, and my husband was subjected to forced labor twice and imprisonment once. Under Master’s compassionate protection, we have come this far and have become more rational and have matured.

We will treasure the opportunity to validate the Fa, cherish the extended time, do the three things well, and save more people.

Thank you, Master!