(Clearwisdom.net)

Editors' note: Throughout history, the theme that a nation's fate is closely tied to the virtue of its leaders and people has been prevalent in both Chinese and Western culture and lore. Many wise, virtuous rulers have led their nations to peace and prosperity, while conversely, moral decay in high places has led to the downfall of great empires. These articles are meant to serve as a reminder and wake-up call for those who are leading or participating in large-scale acts of violence and injustice. As Teacher Li Hongzhi said in Essentials for Further Advancement, "When people do not have virtue, natural calamities and man-made disasters will abound."

China's abnormal weather has led to various disasters. Some areas have encountered the heaviest floods in years, others are experiencing serious droughts that may lead to heavy crop shortfalls. China's natural disasters have also claimed the lives of hundreds of people.

According to an August 11 newswire from Taipei's Central News Agency, a large forest fire began on July 28 in the northern part of the Chinese Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The Chinese government gathered 5,984 policemen, forest rangers, and forest workers to clean up the area. However, according to Xinhua News Agency, the effort of cleaning up and preventing the fire from re-kindling is still extremely difficult. In addition, six people were killed and two were seriously injured in a large-scale landslide which occurred at 5 a.m. on August 10 close to Puer County, Yunnan Province.