Where Did Laozi’s Attendant, Xu Jia, Go Wrong?

(Minghui.org) An earlier article on Minghui.org told the story of Taoist sage Laozi being sued by his attendant, Xu Jia. Having followed Laozi for two hundred years, Xu complained that he had not received his wages. In court, Laozi explained that it was his Taoist talisman that had extended Xu’s life through those years, and that Xu would receive the promised wages–and much more–upon reaching their destination. Since Xu did not want to wait, Laozi took back his talisman, and Xu instantly turned into an aged skeleton.

The article also discussed a lawsuit filed by a former student and performer against Shen Yun Performing Arts and its conservatories, Fei Tian Academy and Fei Tian College. After leaving Shen Yun, the plaintiff started her own dance school and worked with the Beijing Dance Academy, which is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a regime that has continually interfered with Shen Yun as part of its persecution of Falun Gong. The plaintiff is now seeking compensation for the years she was affiliated with Shen Yun and Fei Tian.

Based on information from Fei Tian, in the twelve years the plaintiff was enrolled in Fei Tian Academy and, later, Fei Tian College, the schools would have given her a scholarship worth $50,000 USD a year to cover tuition, training materials, clothing, room and board, and other expenses. In total, I estimate that she would have received $550,000 to $600,000 in scholarships and stipends during that time.

Shen Yun covered these costs not because of a financial surplus but to reduce the burden on students and their families. In the two decades since its founding, Shen Yun has faced many challenges not only because of a lack of external funding but also because of the CCP’s systematic efforts to sabotage the company.

A Spiritual Belief in the Secular World

All major religions guide people to take personal interests lightly. Many religious followers volunteer their time and abilities to do good deeds and spread their faith with no expectation of worldly gain. The contributions one makes in furtherance of their faith is of an entirely different nature than ordinary work. In some cases, religious workers are treated differently under labor laws.

Mr. Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, wrote,

“It was only natural that Falun Dafa came to be designated as a religious group as its teachings became widely adopted by many people. So Falun Dafa practitioners around the world have registered their organizations as religious or as engaging in religious activities, and Falun Dafa’s main religious site, Dragon Springs, is a religious temple registered in the United States.” (“Our Practice and the Term “Religion””)

Scholars have published similar understandings. For example, Benjamin Penny from Australian National University, author of The Religion of Falun Gong, wrote that Falun Gong is “profoundly religious” and “is, in all meaningful ways, a religion.”

A Personal Choice

From childhood, our parents tell us to be good people. But at the end of the day, what one makes of one’s life is a personal choice.

Li Shutong, also known as Hong Yi, was a legendary artist and musician who lived in recent Chinese history. Unsatisfied with the secular world, he spent some time in spiritual retreat and was later ordained as a Buddhist monk.

Since ancient times, countless people have searched for the meaning of life in the secular world and in spiritual realms. Some of them found what they were looking for and achieved spiritual enlightenment, while some did not. But regardless of the outcome, few who have acquired an education and talents that set them up for success in secular life would come back to seek compensation from the institution that had given them so much.