(Minghui.org) My life unfolded like a movie. There was more bitterness than happiness until I came across Falun Dafa.
Miserable Childhood
I was born on a farm near Changchun in 1953 and had six siblings. We lived in extreme poverty. We grew up eating corn buns and vegetables that grew in the wild. I only had one pair of shoes that were passed down to me. I cherished them so much that I walked to school barefoot and then put on my shoes when I stepped into the classroom.
One of my younger brothers died at a very young age and was buried near our house. Whenever I passed there, I got scared. I was able to see things that others could not, and would see ghosts wandering around. I often wondered if my younger brother was among them.
Later, I developed a strange disease. I had a fever around 11 a.m. daily. People called it “malaria.” I could not go to school since I had awful sinus headaches as soon as I stepped into the classroom. I had to drop out of school and became illiterate.
Ill-Fated Marriage
I got married at 18. My husband was just as poor. We lived in a thatched cottage. We had to stay outside whenever it rained fearing the house would collapse on us. The village of over 40 households gave us a wedding gift -- a clock. It’s taboo in Chinese culture to give a clock as a gift. It meant the final farewell. The ominous gift could have been a sign that my marriage was doomed.
My husband mistreated me all the time. He never accepted the responsibility as a father. Because I was illiterate, I could not find a job in town that was considered to be a good working environment. But, my husband got a job in a market there in 1971. Since then, he hardly came home. I often heard rumors of his affairs with one woman after another. When my daughter was one year old, he even brought his mistress to our home.
At the end of the year, he was given a bonus and would get wine and candy. He shared it with everyone else but me. I used corn stems to cook meals, and it usually took a long time to be ready. If he did not like the food, he would dump it out, despite that our child had been waiting for the meal. He even sold the pig that I raised, stole the public funds I received, and squandered it.
During the 20 year marriage, I suffered physical abuse countless times. I was timid and fearful. He took advantage of that, and beat me at will. Not only my husband but also his family members, except one of his sisters, bullied me. My mother-in-law once got mad and destroyed everything in my home.
A Foundation for the Future
His sister who never abused me practiced Falun Dafa. She tried her best to save me from the abuse inflicted by her family. I often wondered why she was different, since her entire family were so vicious and tough. She told me about the principles she followed, and also the books she read. Since I was illiterate, I did not ask further.
She was persecuted for practicing Falun Dafa. She was arrested, beaten, and sentenced to prison. She passed away one winter. I saw two swallows resting on her window sill that day. Later I wondered where did the swallows come from in the frigid winter?
I never dreamed that I also could read one day and become a Falun Dafa practitioner. I realized that all the misery and hardship I suffered was because of karma. Even though I endured a great deal, I still have a kind nature, which laid a foundation for my future cultivation.
One year, my child asked me for 5 yuan, but I only had one yuan. I stood at the door with my mother-in-law when a man in his 30's walked toward us. He approached me and asked for one yuan. My mother-in-law stared at me, I felt sorry for him, so I gave him my last yuan. Afterward, my mother-in-law along with other family members beat me.
Only when I began practicing Dafa, did I realize that it was a test! Despite such poverty, I still had a kind heart and was willing to help anyone in need.
Struggling Mother
My daughter was born when I was 19. It is a Chinese tradition that a new mother should be well taken care of for one month to avoid developing any future illnesses. But, there was no one to provide food when I was hungry. I had to pick plums in the back yard to have something to eat. I've had problems with my stomach and teeth ever since.
I delivered my second child at home on the ground with a thin layer of straw. When my husband and mother-in-law saw it was another girl, they left immediately. I had to go to the field to work three days after giving birth.
When I was in my ninth month with my third child, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) reinforced a family planning policy. I was forced to induce labor, it was a baby boy and he was alive! But, the communists killed him with a scissor!
My health was destroyed after the forced abortion. Later, when I began cultivating and my celestial eye was open, I saw my brother and my baby boy and their sad situation. They were wandering around aimlessly and had no food, drink, or shelter.
After my fourth child, a boy, was born I developed generalized pain. When my son was eight years old, my mother-in-law forced us to divorce.
We still lived together after the divorce, but my husband convinced me that we could not fool his mother. We opened a store in Changchun that sold household supplies. When I got sick and was bedridden, he re-married and abandoned me and the three children. When I asked him for money, he beat me so terribly that he busted my eardrum and put me into a coma. He sold the store, pocketed all the money, and left.
He left me nothing. I had no money. I borrowed 200 yuan from my sister and bought a stove. I also purchased five iron cooking spoons and sold them. It was amazing that I was able to sell whatever I purchased daily. I felt a little better, at least I was able to feed my children. Since my brother-in-law stole my shopping cart, I had to use a bicycle to carry the heavy-duty iron cooking spoons. I had to push the bike and walk a long distance to bring them back to town. I kept on walking with a broken heart, with tears running down my face. I had to be strong, as I had three children dependent on me.
Protected from Serious Burns
The house I rented caught on fire by firecrackers thrown by someone in 1991. I rushed into the house to save my hard-earned 10,000 yuan. The flame touched my face and I felt the skin of my face coming loose.
I was hospitalized for 20 days. My face was so swollen that my eyes were tightly shut. The money I had saved was spent in a few days. I could not afford the medicine. The pain was excruciating. I lost hope for life at age 38. I went home, and wanted to commit suicide with my children. They were crying and did not want to die.
I thought my face was ruined since I often see burn victims with disfigured faces. But I didn’t have scars from the severe burns. My hair and eyebrows grew back.
Only when I began cultivating, did I realize that Master Li (the founder of Dafa) had been protecting me. In the darkest time of my life, I always see light and find guidance.
Practicing Falun Dafa
My cultivation opportunity finally arrived. I woke up one day in 2004 and had a strong urge to learn Falun Dafa. I looked for Dafa books everywhere, eventually, I found that my neighbor upstairs is a Falun Dafa practitioner!
My current husband taught me to read the book – character by character. Now I can read! Falun Dafa granted me wisdom. I can read Minghui Weekly and also write names to help people quit the CCP and youth organizations.
My current husband is very kind. He kept my former sister-in-law at our home when she was persecuted and had nowhere to go. He also helped her hide and protect Dafa materials. He is blessed for his kind deeds. He is very healthy, and still very active although he is 80.
My body purification was a bit scary for others. I had a high fever for nine days, and I was in and out of consciousness. My family was worried. But, I survived, and found that I had recovered from all my illnesses.
I experienced the power of Dafa. My celestial eye was opened fairly early on. I was able to see that the characters in the book were three dimensional and of different colors. The handmade Dafa bookmark, and lotus flowers, had Falun (law wheels) on them. I saw celestial books in other dimensions when I meditated or send forth righteous thoughts, I noticed that our daily cultivation deeds were recorded in other dimensions.
Remembering the past, I understand now that whenever I seemed to reach a dead-end, another door opens. I know now Master has protected me all along, otherwise, I would be long gone.
After years of cultivation, I no longer feel the bitterness of the world. The compassion from Dafa resolved all my resentments, grievances, and hatred. My life was renewed by the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.
