(Minghui.org) I am a teacher, and I have practiced Falun Dafa for 27 years. I am very grateful for the blessings I have received from the practice and from Master Li Hongzhi, the founder.
In honor of World Falun Dafa Day and Master Li’s birthday, I am documenting some of the events that occurred at my workplace that demonstrate how people became supportive once they learned the facts about Dafa.
I first started working at this company when the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) persecution of Falun Dafa was rampant. As a practitioner, it is my responsibility to help those around me understand what Falun Dafa is by giving them facts that counteract the Party’s negative propaganda and lies.
Several days in, I said to some of my colleagues, “I practice Falun Dafa, and the news on television has been spreading lies about the practice. Falun Dafa teaches one to be a good person by following the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. It also has amazing health benefits. I’d had several health problems in the past, including nervous exhaustion (neurasthenia), kidney disease, and sequelae from shock. All of them were healed because of Falun Dafa.” My co-workers smiled at me after I shared the facts. I had been afraid to talk to them, but they remained friendly after I did.
At that time, the Party secretary distributed several articles from higher officials defaming Falun Dafa. After every meeting, I would go visit him at home, bring him some fruit, and share facts about Dafa with him. I know Falun Dafa and Master Li are righteous, and I did not want him to do anything bad by going against them.
One time when I went to see him, he was watering his flowers. During our conversation, he talked about different types of flowers and their characteristics. It was interesting that someone who always had a stern expression at work had such a hobby. I explained to him and his wife how the CCP had been spreading slanderous lies about Falun Dafa, including the staged self-immolation. After hearing about the CCP’s brutalities and lies, both of them agreed to quit the Party. The wife said, “One of my relatives practices Falun Dafa, and she is a good person.”
“Because the Party has harmed so many people, I do not think it will last long,” I said.
“Probably another 10 years,” replied the Party secretary. I was glad to see even a Party secretary had no faith in the regime.
One time, we had a workshop to discuss curriculum reform. I included facts about Dafa and traditional culture in my presentation. There was a group discussion afterward with over 30 key teaching staff members, including people from other counties and cities. I knew that if they learned the facts, their students would also benefit. Although I didn’t feel confident, I knew it was my responsibility and Master would help me.
During the discussion, I naturally transitioned the topic to the staged self-immolation and clarified the inconsistencies. A colleague pinched me in the back in an attempt to stop me, but I continued speaking. The teachers listened attentively, and I knew they were taking in what I was saying
The co-worker said to me after the discussion, “You can tell us these things, but if you tell outsiders, they might report you.”
I reassured her, saying, “No problem. They are like you—intelligent and good people.” After the discussion, some teachers asked me for a copy of the presentation, and I knew they might share the information with their students.
The curriculum reform provided a platform for me to explain about Falun Dafa. Sometimes, I spoke with one person, at other times, to a group. When I visited a county high school, a vice principal, a director, and two teachers were at the curriculum reform meeting. Master gave me wisdom, and I shared facts about Dafa that were related to topics in the textbook. All four of them agreed to renounce their memberships in the CCP organizations and seemed pleased to do so.
I used different methods to encourage younger teachers to go beyond the prescribed teaching format. By questioning the information in the textbook, they could assist students in developing their own ideas, focusing on facts, and learning more. That year, the city’s educational department presented me with an award for my excellent work on curriculum reform. I knew Master Li was encouraging me through this.
As the curriculum reform started, many new textbooks were published. Each education department had to decide which teaching materials to use, while the publishers actively promoted their textbooks.
One time, a man from a publishing company called, asking if he could visit me at home. We had met before, and I knew that he wanted to discuss textbook selection. “There is no need to meet at my home. I have checked out the textbooks from your company, and they look good.” Then he suggested that we meet for tea. Realizing that I had not yet talked with him about Dafa, I decided to agree.
After we got there, he tried to hand me an envelope containing 10,000 yuan. I shook my head and said, “I practice Falun Dafa, and Master Li tells us to be good people and follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance.” I then explained to him what Falun Dafa is and how the CCP had defamed the practice.
He listened to what I said but continued to offer me the money. “We have a budget for this every year. Please accept it,” he said.
“I have to follow my principles,” I replied. “You know I will not lie. If you have to do this, please talk with other staff. No need to involve me.”
“I have done this for many years, and you are the only person who has refused to accept this money,” he said.
After Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party was published in November 2004, many people learned how the CCP had deceived them and began severing ties with the regime. When I discussed this with a co-worker, he said, “I have read the book. It is well-written and based on facts. There must be a lot of expertise among Falun Dafa practitioners.”
When the CCP observed the trend of members leaving the Party, it initiated a campaign in late 2005 called Bao Xian (Preserving the First) to strengthen the Party’s relevance. The department director asked me why I hadn’t paid the Party membership fee. I replied, “According to the policy, anyone who fails to pay membership fees for six months is considered to have quit the Party. I am in that category, so there is no need to worry about it.”
“I paid it for you,” said the director. “I will pay you back, but please do not do that again. The Party has nothing to do with me,” I explained.
During the Bao Xian campaign, everyone was required to write notes saying how great the Party was. When I did not write anything, the Party secretary asked why. I said I had quit the Party after failing to pay the membership fee. “You need to make an application to quit the Party,” he replied. I was surprised, but I wrote an application anyway, stating that the Party had been corrupt and that many high officials had fallen in recent years. I was so disappointed that I decided to renounce my Party membership and had not paid the membership fee for six months.
Some of my colleagues expressed concern for me after hearing what I’d done. I reassured them, saying they could use what I wrote as an example if anyone wanted to follow suit. I heard that the Party committee discussed the matter and put the application in my file, but no one followed up with me. I was thankful to Master Li for protecting me and for helping others understand the situation.
After the first Party secretary retired, his replacement was a strong advocate of Party culture. He had previously served as organization department director and county head. He paid attention to everything. Before we gave a lecture or spoke at a workshop, he asked us to submit a draft for review in advance. Just as I had with the first Party secretary, I visited him at home, brought him some fruit, and talked about Falun Dafa.
One day when I went to his office, he was chatting with someone online. I started talking about how the Party harmed innocent people during the Cultural Revolution. However, he disagreed and showed no interest in discussing Falun Dafa. Seeing that the online chat occupied him, I left his office.
When I was speaking with a co-worker about Falun Dafa, I showed her the Minghui.org website. At that moment, the Party secretary came by and saw the computer screen. He did not say anything, but a few days later, another practitioner and I were arrested. We didn’t have much experience in opposing the persecution at that time and were detained for two weeks. My bag contained some Falun Dafa flyers and stickers, but my colleagues hid them, and the 610 Office agents did not find them.
Several practitioners visited us and encouraged us to maintain righteous thoughts. A few of our co-workers also came to see us. Some expressed concern that we did not have enough food, so they deposited money into our accounts at the detention center.
One colleague, Min, was a Buddhist. I had told her and her husband about Falun Dafa in the past. The husband, a deputy director, had praised practitioners for their courage. When I was detained, she and her husband tried to help me through their connections. Min also brought me apples and some high-end daily necessities. I was very touched but only accepted the apple. Nonetheless, I thanked her and explained that high-end daily necessities were not useful in the detention center.
Some co-workers and officials at my workplace also tried to help me through their connections. A 610 Office agent asked one of them “Do you know that doing this might affect your career?” The official was not intimidated.
Fang, another colleague, cried after hearing that I’d been detained. Later, a 610 Office agent said I needed two guarantors to be released. At the time, I was divorced and had no relatives in the area. Fang and another colleague immediately stepped forward and said they would be my guarantors. “You know, that means if she (me) is in trouble again, you will be arrested and fired,” said a 610 Office agent. Both of them were associate professors, but they did not hesitate.
Their efforts to help those who are honest were rewarded. Fang’s son is very successful in the IT industry and earns over two million yuan (about $278,000) a year. Fang was promoted to full professor not long after that. Another colleague has remained very healthy. When her husband was diagnosed with colon cancer, I reminded them to recite “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” They listened, and the subsequent exam showed the colon cancer was gone without treatment. Both the co-worker and I believe these were blessings from Dafa.
The official who contacted the 610 Office requesting my release was promoted. There are many examples like this in which people were blessed for supporting innocent Falun Dafa practitioners. This shows that the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance are already deeply ingrained in their minds. I am very grateful to Master Li for arranging this.
Before I was released from the detention center, a 610 Office representative ordered my workplace to pay a “fine” of 6,000 yuan. When the department head mentioned this, my co-workers quickly took out their money without hesitation and were ready to make a donation. The 610 Office agent was impressed that Falun Gong practitioners were so well-liked in their workplaces.
The new Party secretary later received retribution and had to go to Beijing for bypass surgery. When I encountered him on the street several years later, he looked much darker and thinner than before. He seemed embarrassed to see me, so I took the initiative to greet him and tell him the facts about Dafa. He agreed to quit the CCP organizations this time, and I felt happy for him.
Two 610 Office agents came to my workplace in early 2015, claiming they had found two Falun Dafa pamphlets. Because they were found near my workplace, they argued I must be involved and needed to go to a brainwashing center. The head of the branch and the security office manager talked with them, praising my work and noting that I never sought fame or material gain. The branch head said I was too busy working every day to distribute those pamphlets. After the agents left, the security office manager told me what had happened. I had already told them about Dafa and helped them quit the CCP organizations. I was pleased that they made the right decision and assisted me that day.
After some time, the Party secretary told me that the 610 Office wanted to send me to a “study class.” “It’s up to you whether or not you want to go,” he said.
I was surprised and realized he didn’t know that it was not a “study” class. So I said, “No way! They want me to go to a brainwashing center.”
The Party secretary understood and shook his head. “I agree. You must not go to a place like that!”
Just before I retired, a team of over 10 city inspectors looked over my workplace for over a month. The inspection included a survey. As a practitioner who follows the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, I knew I could not lie if they asked me about Falun Dafa.
After the survey, selected employees were called in for one-on-one conversations. The first person interviewed said she’d been asked if any of her colleagues followed a faith system. She told them she knew of one Buddhist. Throughout that month, most of my co-workers were interviewed, and they were all asked the same question. Interestingly, very few in my office were interviewed. In fact, the inspection team leader was already aware of my situation.
I retired shortly after the inspection team left, after working at this place for 20 years.
Reflecting on the past, I am grateful that Master Li protected me once more and prevented those around me from doing bad deeds.
(Selected submission in celebration of 2025 World Falun Dafa Day)