Earthquake Survivor Becomes a Messenger of Falun Dafa

(Minghui.org) I was born in 1944 in the countryside of Changchun, Jilin Province. My grandfather had some land and a grain processing plant. After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seized power in 1949, he was classified as both a landlord and a capitalist. All of our family property was seized by the government. To make a living, my family was forced to move away and we settled in Hebei Province.

Because we were so poor, I could not afford to go to school. Other children often made fun of me since my lifestyle and accent were different from theirs. I was upset and did not speak much. My parents could not understand it and called me a “little fool.” To make things worse, I had a medical condition the locals dubbed “bloated neck.” Later on I learned the disease was actually called hyperthyroidism. After I got married, the illness got worse and affected my heart, causing shock from time to time. An operation did not help and, in fact, almost ended my life. But I did survive.

Then the Tangshan Earthquake hit in 1976. Although scientists had detected signals two weeks in advance, officials at various levels chose to ignore it following an order from Beijing. About 240,000 people lost their lives, including my husband. I survived but ended up with bone fractures in my lower back, left pelvis, arm, and neck. I also became blind in my right eye.

A Living Example

Although the earthquake left me semi-disabled, all the illnesses were gone after I began to practice Falun Dafa in 1997.

Now at 78, I am as fit and healthy as can be. People often mistake me for someone only 60 years old because of my agile walking. When I ride a bike, it seems so easy, as if someone is pushing me from behind.

I still practice the Falun Dafa exercises early in the morning, go out to raise awareness of the CCP’s persecution of the practice after breakfast, prepare materials for distribution after lunch, and study Dafa teachings in the afternoon, to better align myself with the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Life is simple and productive.

When talking to people, I often explain what Falun Dafa is and how the CCP made up lies to defame the practice. People are often surprised by my age since I look much younger. I tell them how Falun Dafa turned me from a semi-disabled person to someone who is fully healthy.

For instance, the practice cured my hyperthyroidism and I have never needed medication in the past 25 years. Moreover, the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance help people become better citizens and our society a better place.

Over the years, no one said bad words to me or reported me to the police. Of course, there were some who did not believe what I said. But I was not deterred in my efforts to raise awareness of the persecution.

Every time I go out and talk to people, I always dress nicely and neatly and act like what Master Li (founder of Falun Dafa) said, “You should always maintain a compassionate and calm heart. Then, when you run into a problem, you will be able to do well because it gives you some room as a buffer.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun) This way, I have no fear and speak with people softly as if we are good friends. Starting from everyday life matters, I can usually figure out things they are interested in to talk about and then gradually lead to the topic of Falun Dafa. The effect has been good.

Positive Feedback

One day I talked with a woman in a supermarket. Learning of the CCP’s brutality and lies, she decided to renounce her membership in the regime’s organizations.

We ran into each other again later and she was very happy to see me.

“After I talked to you last time, the more I thought about what you told me, the more they made sense to me,” she said, “I have also discussed what you told me with my son, a pilot and a CCP member. Could you help him quit the CCP too?”

Another time fellow practitioner Ling and I came out of a department store. I was in the front and she was talking with a shopper about Falun Dafa and the persecution.

“I already quit the CCP a long time ago,” the shopper pointed at me and said. “She [me] told me about it and explained things very well.”

One day this January I saw a man choosing some apples to buy at a supermarket. I went up to him and struck a conversation. At that time, a young woman also came next to us. After she selected some apples, she gave them to me and said, “these are good.” She then walked away.

After chatting with the man, I found the woman in the store and thanked her for picking apples for me.

Right as I was about to mention Falun Dafa and the CCP, the woman smiled and said, “Auntie, remember we have discussed this before and you gave me a pseudonym of Xin Yu to quit the CCP organizations?”

“That's why I chose the apples for you,” she added. “I know you were focusing on talking with the man and weren't paying much attention to apples...”

“Oh, by the way, did he quit the CCP organizations?” she asked.

“Yes, he did,” I replied.

We looked at each other and both of us laughed – life is so sweet.

There are many such stories. When I explain what the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance mean to me, people can identify with them and see that the CCP should not persecute a peaceful group like Falun Dafa. Some of them asked for my contact information to keep in touch.

“Remember the phrases ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’ then you will be blessed for health and safety,” I often told them.

“You bet! I will keep it in my heart for sure,” many people responded.