(Minghui.org) Looking back on my years of cultivation practice, I realize that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is really afraid of Falun Dafa practitioners writing articles that expose the persecution.
Practitioner Ling and I used online chat tools to clarify the truth before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. However, we didn’t pay much attention to sending forth righteous thoughts, nor to Internet and cell phone security.
We had been monitored by the Internet police and were arrested at home at the same time. Our homes were ransacked. Several out-of-town practitioners were also arrested. After being illegally detained for six months, I was sentenced to five years in prison. Six other practitioners were also sentenced. Three of them have passed away due to the persecution. At that time, practitioners would usually be sentenced to a minimum of three years in prison if they said they would not stop practicing Falun Dafa.
I was taken to the provincial prison. A short, plump, middle-aged female guard reprimanded the newcomers and ordered us to throw away all our clothes. The fear in my heart grew. I was taken to a small cell. Four people surrounded me and took turns trying to “transform” me. I knew I had to expose whoever persecuted me.
Chinese prisons are hell on earth. The CCP uses all kinds of criminals to persecute kind and innocent Dafa practitioners. Especially those so-called helpers and collaborators who were assigned to “transform” practitioners.
Steadfast practitioners suffered inhuman treatment, including insults, resulting in exhaustion, sadness, depression, and fear. Without the Fa of Master Li [the founder of Falun Dafa], it would be extremely hard for one to get through it. I recited Master’s Lunyu and poems from Hong Yin every day. Another practitioner later passed me a hand-copied version of Zhuan Falun. With the Fa to strengthen me, my righteous thoughts came out. I no longer felt sad and fearful. My mind gradually calmed down, and I started to clarify the truth to the inmates.
Nine months after I was imprisoned, I started to write a diary to better expose the persecution. I recorded what I had witnessed and learned. I was sad seeing practitioners being persecuted in the prison. A practitioner named Mei encouraged me to write down the persecution cases, and said that she would help to get them out of the prison. I wrote some articles and passed them to her. After I was released, I saw that they had been published on Minghui.org.
My diary recorded true events in the cell and reflected how Dafa practitioners were mistreated, which even helped to alleviate the guards’ persecution of me. My diary was found during a search. The guards read it, and their attitude changed.
Another time, just past the Chinese New Year, a hand-copied article by Master Li, a letter to the prison head, and my diary were found during a search. The female guard read the letter. She called me over and, after confirming it was I who wrote it, told me not to tell others. She also talked to the inmate in charge of watching me. She then just took away the items and acted like nothing had happened, which angered the inmate in charge.
I blamed myself for not protecting Master’s article enough, and I couldn’t eat well for three days. Being caught with one of Master’s articles could result in solitary confinement. Practitioner Zhou was put in solitary confinement for 15 days after she was found to have a copy of one of Master’s articles. She was placed in solitary confinement twice before for the same reason. Practitioner Xia was put in solitary confinement just because she got up at midnight to send righteous thoughts. Winter in northeast China is very cold, and there was no heating in the cell. She was made to sit on the concrete floor wearing only thin clothing. Practitioner Ying, over 70, was punished after shouting out “Falun Dafa is good!” She was forced to sit for long periods while being verbally abused by the inmates.
I wrote three diaries during my time in prison. A kindhearted person helped me to get some of the papers out of the prison, and I brought the rest out myself. When a person is released from prison, the inspection process is very strict and even phone numbers are not allowed to be taken out. When I was going to be released, I kept sending righteous thoughts, and the other practitioners did the same. The impossible then became possible. I brought out my diaries, the name list of those who quit the CCP and its youth organizations, and the persecution articles. It’s a pity that one of the diaries was torn up by my husband. I had to carefully glue it together. My husband would not allow me to practice Falun Dafa. I was released from a big prison and seemingly sent to a smaller one. So I decided to leave home for awhile.
With other practitioners’ help, I sorted out my diaries and published some of them on the Minghui website. I later helped to sort out the local practitioners’ persecution cases, including those who had died due to the persecution. I also wrote some articles on how practitioners protested against the mistreatment in the prison, such as holding hunger strikes. These articles helped to expose the evildoers and lessen the persecution. I also wrote some letters to those who worked in the judicial system and police departments. During the process, Master bestowed wisdom upon me and helped me get rid of many fears. I’m grateful for Master’s protection during those difficult days.
In recent years, on so-called sensitive dates, practitioners would be harassed. I exposed these incidents as well. I know those involved are afraid of being exposed. They know they are doing wrong in persecuting good people. I’m not afraid of them. When they come to my place, I clarify the truth to them. I don’t hate them, because they have been deceived by the CCP.
When the CCP started the “Zero-Out” campaign, trying to force practitioners to sign so-called “guarantee statements,” my husband and I went to visit my younger sister’s family in another city during my husband’s vacation. A few days later, he received a call from his work unit, asking where I was and when we would be back home. The Political and Legal Affairs Committee was behind the call. They called again the following day. My husband decided to shorten the trip. I originally wanted to stay a little longer, and my sister and her husband also encouraged us to stay. I then realized that I should not try to avoid the police but face them. We shortened the trip and returned home.
I thought things were settled after we returned home. However, the harassing calls kept coming. My husband was pressured to get me to sign the “guarantee statement.” They promised to give us money and solve any problems if I did. The harassing calls disturbed our normal lives and both of us were depressed. My husband was anxious and my heart was heavy. A shadow of fear shrouded my mind again. I became impetuous, and my tone rose. My husband also started to find fault with me and scolded me. We then started to argue. The more we argued, the more anxious he got. I then remembered I was a practitioner and started to calm down, regardless of how badly he verbally abused me.
Master has repeatedly taught us to look inward whenever encountering conflicts. I realized that I had become too relaxed with my Fa study and sending righteous thoughts. As a result, many human thoughts filled my mind, such as fear of being persecuted again, fear of bringing harm to our family, a strong desire for comfort, showing off, and self-interest. I said to myself: with Master and Dafa, what am I afraid of? How can I be afraid of everyday people? If the police come, I’ll just clarify the truth to them.
I strengthened my sending forth righteous thoughts to eliminate all evil factors in the area that hindered the salvation of sentient beings, as well as all dark minions, rotten ghosts, and the communist specter behind the Political and Legal Affairs Committee.
As I kept sending righteous thoughts, my husband calmed down, and we got along in harmony again. My husband promised that he would not sign any statement on my behalf. With Master’s blessing, the righteous thoughts eliminated the evil’s harassment. No matter how they harassed me, no one could shake my steadfast heart for Master and Dafa.
My husband often watches NTD TV. He understands the truth and often tells others what he’s learned. My cultivation environment is very good, which makes me realize what Master said, “Pacify the external by cultivating the internal” (Essentials for Further Advancement).
As long as we have the Fa in our minds, no matter what we encounter, we should first think of ourselves as practitioners. If we have righteous thoughts in mind, our surroundings will become right as well.