China Fahui | Pressing on Through Storms and Hardships

(Minghui.org) Greetings, revered Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!

Reflecting upon my cultivation path over the last 20 or so years, I feel deeply that no matter what tribulations we have encountered, big or small, Master has always been by our side to protect us with immense compassion.

I would like to share some of my experiences to report to our benevolent Master and to share with fellow practitioners, so we can continue to treasure every step of the journey we have weathered together through all the storms and hardships, and walk even more steadily on the remaining path of Dafa cultivation.

After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched its cruel persecution of Dafa practitioners in July 1999, I was subjected to numerous harassments and intimidation every year. My husband was illegally sentenced to a forced labor camp three times, and we were forced to shut down our family business, leaving us without a source of income.

I had to take care of our two teenage children, our son and daughter, on my own while also caring for my parents-in-law, both of whom were nearly 80 years old. It was especially difficult in the autumn of 2001, after I escaped twice from brainwashing centers and was forced to live in exile, constantly moving from one place to another.

One day, when I was out, I saw farmers drying wheat under the scorching sun, sweating profusely. I felt very sorry for them, realizing how hard they had to work. But they still had their personal freedom at least. The anguish of having no home to return to drove me almost to the breaking point. How desperately I longed for freedom at that time! It was thanks to Master’s Fa teachings that I managed to pull myself together and found the strength to carry on in those most difficult years.

Going to Beijing to Validate the Fa

Leaving Tiananmen Square With an Unfulfilled Wish

In the early days of the persecution, Dafa practitioners from across China went to Tiananmen Square to appeal for Falun Gong and to validate the Fa. Many practitioners from our local area also went, but I wasn’t willing to go, thinking: “My husband is unlawfully detained, my two children are still young, and I also need to take care of my elderly parents-in-law. If I shut down our store and go to Beijing, non-practitioners will gossip about me, and may even develop misunderstandings about Dafa.”

One day, while studying Zhuan Falun, Master’s words helped change my mind. Master said,

“… When everyday people say that it is good, it may not necessarily be good. When everyday people say that it is bad, it may not necessarily be bad, either... As a cultivator, you must assess things in accordance with the characteristic of the universe. Only then can you distinguish what is genuinely good and what is truly bad.” (Lecture Four, Zhuan Falun)

All of a sudden, I realized my previous mindset was about following the norms of ordinary human society, rather than safeguarding the Fa. I must go to Beijing to appeal for justice for Falun Dafa.

To avoid the local authorities’ checkpoints set to prevent people from going to Beijing, I took a train to the neighboring county first, then another one to Beijing from there. I had no idea where to get off, or how to get to Tiananmen Square after I arrived in Beijing.

I asked people three times, and luckily they told me they were also going to Tiananmen, so I went along with them. I walked around the square for a long time, not knowing what to do. It was getting late, and I was still completely at a loss. Just then, I saw a male practitioner from our local area, so we sat down to figure out what to do.

Just then, we saw a group of plainclothes police chasing after a female practitioner. She ran toward us and threw a bag to me. We got up quickly and left as the police were coming our way.

Among other things, we found a copy of Master’s new article “Eliminate Demonic Nature (With Master's Comments).” The male practitioner asked me to go back home, print copies of the article, and pass them on to local practitioners. He took me to the train station to see me off. I knew at the time that I didn’t uphold my xinxing and achieve what I had wished on that trip. I went back home, feeling very disappointed in myself.

Back at Tiananmen, I Cried Out From My Heart

I asked myself, “Why couldn’t I follow Master, and missed the opportunity to validate and safeguard the Fa? If I don’t have the opportunity again, it would be my lifelong regret.” I made up my mind to return to Tiananmen Square and cry out what was in my heart.

I told my two children my plans, and they both wanted to come with me. I said, “You’re still young and need to go to school. I don’t know what will happen when we get there. You’d better stay home.” But they insisted on coming with me to validate the Fa, even though it meant missing school.

My son said, “Last time, you went to Beijing on July 20 to validate the Fa, and told me to stay home. I will go with you this time. Yes, I’m still young, but Dafa is deeply rooted in my heart.”

I had no reason to disagree with them, so I bought them new clothes and gave them 100 yuan each in case they needed some money. I also made a banner that night. The next morning, we set off for Beijing as if we were going to attend a sacred celebration.

Public Security officers had set checkpoints here and there to stop Dafa disciples from traveling to Beijing. There were also many plainclothes officers stopping and questioning people passing by. With two children with me, they thought we were just tourists, and we arrived at Tiananmen Square with no trouble.

The square was crowded with people, but without the slightest sense of festivity. Instead, I could feel an oppressive atmosphere hanging over the place, as though dark clouds were gathering overhead. I felt like my heart was in my throat.

Then I saw fellow practitioners stepping forward and shouting loudly, “Falun Dafa is good!” The police rushed up to them. Quickly, I took out the banner I had made, held it high, and shouted at the top of my voice, “Falun Dafa is good! Clear my Master’s name!”

Police and plainclothes officers came running toward me from all directions. They kicked and punched me, and pushed us into a police van. Many practitioners from various places were taken to the Tiananmen Police Station, where women and men were told to line up separately to wait for buses to transport us elsewhere, with 50 people on each bus.

My son was taken away first with a group of men. When my daughter was about to be taken on another bus, I grabbed her and held her tightly in my arms, and managed to keep her with me on the same bus.

We were taken to a huge courtyard, filled with Dafa practitioners. Again, we were divided into groups to be taken somewhere else. My daughter’s number and mine were together, so I thought we would be on the same bus. She was called out first, but when I got on the bus, I couldn’t see her anywhere.

Not knowing where my two young children had been taken and what might happen to them, I became extremely worried and couldn’t stop crying. I said to Master in my heart, “Master, I’ve brought my two children with me. Please take care of them.”

It was already dark when I was taken to a police substation in Beijing, where I was questioned throughout the night, but I didn’t tell them anything. Somehow, they found out my name and address. The next day, I was taken away by police from my hometown.

The police said viciously, “If you keep practicing Falun Gong, we’ll make sure your family is torn apart!” I thought in my heart: “You have no say in this!”

When I got on the bus, I saw my 11-year-old daughter, curled up in a ball in a corner. She must have been absolutely terrified.

Going on a Hunger Strike to Protest the Persecution

I had no idea where my son ended up. After my daughter and I were taken back, I was locked up in a detention center. With my husband already being detained, there was no one at home to care for my elderly parents-in-law.

I thought in my heart: “I cannot be locked up here and must go back home as soon as possible.” So I went on a hunger strike to protest the persecution. Some practitioners were released after three or five days of hunger striking. I thought it wouldn’t take long before I would be allowed to go home.

Due to my strong desire to get out early, even after seven days, the police still refused to release me. When a police officer asked if I would start eating, I said, “No.” He got very angry and said, “Then we’ll send you to a forced labor camp tomorrow!”

Lying on a cold brick bed, even though I was unsure whether these were false appearances or a test, I firmly believed that Master was protecting Dafa disciples at all times. If it’s a test, it must have been arranged based on my xinxing.

With this thought, I let go of everything and left myself in Master’s hands. Almost instantly, I felt very calm and peaceful inside. Not long after, the chief of the police station unlocked the door and said loudly, “Get up! You’re going home!”

While he was driving me home, I told him the “Tiananmen Self-immolation” was a hoax. Dafa will surely be vindicated, and the truth will eventually be revealed to the whole world. I told him not to participate in the persecution and to leave himself a way out.

He didn’t say anything. When we arrived, he said peacefully, “Your husband has already been sent to a forced labor camp. You’d better make some dumplings for your elderly parents-in-law.”

It happened to be Chinese New Year’s Eve. After I got home, I learned my 13-year-old son was beaten up by police with wooden batons in a detention center in Beijing because he refused to tell them his name and address. The police found out his address five days later, and he was brought back by local police from our area. The 200 yuan I gave my children was also taken by the police.

Repeated Persecution in Brainwashing Centers

Escaping With Righteous Thoughts and Shocking the Evil

In the autumn of 2001, brainwashing centers were established in our area. The lawless authorities were rounding people up all over the place. I was also arrested. On the way to a brainwashing center, I kept reciting Master’s teachings with strong righteous thoughts.

As I resisted the unlawful arrest, I was dirty from rolling on the ground. The head of the 610 Office mocked me, saying, “Look at the state you’re in! You have dirt all over you!”

I replied, “It’s all your fault! You did this to me when your thugs abducted me.”

He sneered, “Who would want to abduct someone like you? Do you think you’re some kind of beauty or a big spender?”

I knew that the evil elements in other dimensions were using him to interfere with my righteous thoughts, hurt my self-esteem, make me feel inferior, and discourage me. But I wouldn’t fall for their tricks.

The police brought in quite a number of former practitioners who had turned against Dafa under pressure to “transform” us. They took turns ganging up on me, taking Master’s teachings out of context, and distorting them. They also forced me to watch slanderous TV programs against Dafa and Master. They even resorted to something they called “using the Fa to undermine the Fa,” and showed me Master’s new article “Fa-Rectification Period Dafa Disciples.” What they didn’t expect was that my righteous thoughts became even stronger after reading Master’s new article.

Three days after I went on a hunger strike, I thought: “I shouldn’t be kept in this place for long. I must get out, and I should eat so I’m strong enough to escape.”

They made me a big bowl of noodles. The head of the 610 Office was very pleased that I started eating, and asked me to write down my thoughts about the “Tiananmen self-immolation.” It didn’t take me long to write two pages about that hoax. He flew into a rage after reading what I had written and shouted, “Just wait until tomorrow! I’ll show you what I’m going to do to you!”

In the brainwashing center, the room where I was detained had three beds. A young woman slept in the bed furthest inside, while an older woman took the bed nearest the door, with me sandwiched in the middle. Two police officers were in the room next door, and the lights outside were kept on throughout the night. I asked Master to strengthen me as I was determined to escape that night.

During the first half of the night, the other two women in my room didn’t dare fall asleep, and I couldn’t sleep either. I kept reciting Master’s scripture “Also in a Few Words,” which gave me a tremendous boost in confidence.

After 3 a.m., I got up to use the toilet, and thought: “I can ask the young woman to go with me, and tell her to fall asleep afterward.” When we walked out, I saw the two police officers in the next room still pacing around inside. After we came back, the young woman indeed fell asleep straight away.

Then I thought: “I could ask the older woman to use the toilet too, and stay there till I’m gone.” Just as I planned, when the older woman went to use the toilet, I got up, quickly slipped out of the room, climbed onto the wall using a heating pipe as a foothold, and made my way up.

The top of the wall was lined with broken pieces of glass. Without stopping to think, I climbed over the wall and jumped down the other side. To my surprise, I landed in an abandoned toilet block with its doors sealed shut. I even lost my shoes when I jumped down.

It was very dark and I couldn’t find my shoes. When I tried to climb up again, I could barely reach the edge of the wall and found it hard to get up. I asked Master for help in my heart. Then, grabbing the edge of the wall, I pushed myself up with all my strength, and somehow managed to scramble back over the wall.

I looked around carefully, afraid of jumping into another dead end. Spotting a light in the distance, I ran toward it. It turned out to be a guard post at the entrance of a work compound. I stepped on the horizontal bars of the iron gate and climbed over it, despite the sharp iron spikes along the top. Then, I ran straight to a fellow practitioner’s house. I knocked on the door twice and she came out straight away, saying, “I couldn’t sleep tonight and got up to do the exercises. It must be Master’s arrangement for me to wait up for you!”

The lawless thugs in the brainwashing center were searching for me everywhere, so I couldn’t go home. I found a public phone and called home to tell my children to get some coal for the winter.

To my great surprise, my husband answered the phone, saying he had been released from the forced labor camp the day before. I was deeply touched as I knew in my heart that as long as we hold strong righteous thoughts and have complete faith in Master and the Fa, Master would arrange everything for us.

After I escaped, the police ran coils of barbed wire along the top of the courtyard walls. Even so, two more practitioners managed to escape with strong righteous thoughts. Before long, that brainwashing center was shut down.

Escaping From Another Brainwashing Center

A few months later, at the beginning of 2002, I decided not to stay in exile, and that I must go back home. I might not be able to go out as much, but I could still take care of my elderly parents-in-law and cook for my children.

I didn’t know much about how to cultivate at that time, and wasn’t aware of the importance of studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts more often. I took the CCP’s persecution of Dafa disciples as nothing more than human persecution of other humans. I only knew that I must be firm and refuse to be transformed. As a result, I was unlawfully arrested again just before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

I was detained at the township government, and they called in several “transformed” former practitioners to run a brainwashing session specifically targeting me. My elder sister-in-law brought me a lot of clothes as she was worried I might be sent to a forced labor camp.

I thought to myself: “I must not acknowledge the evil persecution because Master would never make such an arrangement for me.” So I told her to take the clothes back home.

I went on a hunger strike for three days, and as it was the Mid-Autumn Festival, they tried to lure me with mooncakes and fruit. But I showed no interest, even though they were among my favorite foods.

They knew how I escaped previously, so they had four people watch over me this time, two males and two females. During the day, the “transformed” former practitioners took turns trying to persuade me to give up Dafa cultivation, and at night, I was closely watched by the two females inside the room and the two males sitting outside. It was very hard to escape from this situation.

On the third evening, a former practitioner I knew well came to ask me to start eating. I felt very sorry for her, and my heart was filled with compassion toward her. I said to her in tears, “I can understand why you gave up cultivation under such brutal persecution, but why do you help the evil do bad things? Do you know what it means for you? Do you think you can bear the burden of such an enormous sin? Listen to me, stop doing such things.”

She replied, “But if you refuse to be transformed, you will be sent to a forced labor camp.”

I said firmly, “You don’t need to worry about me. I have Master taking care of me. I’ll be fine.” She nodded her head.

On the fourth morning, those who were watching me overnight left, and another person came on duty. He was reading a newspaper in the opposite room and kept glancing at me from time to time. Suddenly, I had a feeling that this was an opportunity Master had arranged for me to get out.

I got up, opened the window, and saw a window ledge not far from the ground. Seeing the man in the opposite room still reading a newspaper, I jumped down to the ledge, then to the ground, and started running as fast as I could.

I came to a high wall which I could not possibly get over. I calmed down and realized it was the backyard of a supermarket facing the street. I managed to walk into the supermarket casually while the owner was busy dealing with customers.

Before he figured out what was going on, I had already walked through the front door out to the street. Just then, a small motorized tricycle taxi was driving toward me, so I got on and left. All this happened in just seconds. Tears of gratitude kept streaming down my face. Master had saved me once again.

Taken to a Brainwashing Center for the Third Time

After I escaped from the brainwashing center again, I could not go home and had to live in exile for a number of years. Eventually, I returned home and had to start all over again to open a new store, renovate it, and purchase stock. We borrowed 170,000 yuan to do all this. The next year, we spent nearly 100,000 yuan on my son’s wedding.

In order to pay off the debts quickly, I focused on our family business all day long and paid less attention to Fa study and xinxing cultivation. When conflicts arose, I was often trapped in ordinary people’s ways of thinking, trying to figure out who was right and who was in the wrong.

As a result, the old forces took advantage of my wrong thoughts, and both my husband and I were once again taken to a brainwashing center at the regional administration.

I felt very bad for failing to cherish the precious time to study the Fa more often. However, my true self was very clear that I must let go of all my human attachments and negate the persecution imposed on us by the old forces.

Striving to Study the Fa and Improve My Xinxing

The lawless CCP authorities tried to “transform” me by arranging a “transformed” former practitioner to talk to me. I told her in a serious tone, “I don’t want to talk to you, nor do I want you to talk to other practitioners. I won’t be moved by whatever you say. You are already being used to participate in the persecution, and you will pay for what you are doing in the end. If you still cherish and respect yourself, then just leave me alone!”

She said in a pitiful voice, “If you don’t want to talk to me, then what do you want to do?”

I said, “I just want to study the Fa.” Later, she indeed gave me a copy of Zhuan Falun, and never bothered me again.

The situation at that time was very vicious, and if practitioners refused to be “transformed,” they would be sent to forced labor camps, without exception. I started a hunger strike and was taken for force-feeding two days later.

Several thugs pushed me down, holding my arms and legs tightly, and began to force-feed me by violently shoving a tube down my throat. Feeling as though I was about to suffocate, I cried out with all my might, “Falun Dafa is good! Master, please help me!”

Indeed, Master helped me by bearing most of the suffering, and I survived the ordeal without feeling too much pain. Still, I kept coughing up blood when I was taken back.

Lying in bed, I began to look within and asked Master in my heart, “Master, what shall I do next?” Then, Master’s teaching in Zhuan Falun appeared in my mind,

“...When you are overcoming a real hardship or tribulation, you try it. When it is difficult to endure, try to endure it. When it looks impossible and is said to be impossible, give it a try and see if it is possible. If you can actually do it, you will indeed find, “After passing the shady willow trees, there will be bright flowers and another village ahead!” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)

I came to understand that as long as I stay firm in the Fa, I will be able to see bright flowers and another village ahead. I also realized my attachment to getting out sooner through hunger striking. I decided to stop the hunger strike and instead focus on improving my xinxing and shedding my attachments.

Letting Go of Human Notions and Bringing Forth Compassion

I began to adjust my mindset and kept sending righteous thoughts to clear out all kinds of human notions that emerged over and over again. But I still found it very hard to stay calm. My mind drifted from thinking about my daughter-in-law, who was heavily pregnant and nearing her due date, to my two children who had suffered a lot during the persecution, and then my husband and I who had suffered so much over the years, and we might be separated again...

I was worried I might be sent to a forced labor camp, and the more I thought this way, the more the perpetrators taunted me, saying, “If you refuse to be ‘transformed’ now, you’ll be forced to ‘transform’ anyway when you get to the forced labor camp. You might as well agree to be ‘transformed’ now, and you can go home immediately.”

I knew they were trying to trick me, but I could not stop thinking about how brutally practitioners were tortured in forced labor camps, which was exposed on Minghui.org.

I was struggling inside with fear and all kinds of other attachments. I asked myself, “How can these evils be vanquished when I’m still carrying so many human attachments? No, they can’t. Then what should I do? I must conduct myself according to Master’s teachings, be clearheaded, and not acknowledge those bad thoughts as mine.”

I tried to recite all the Fa teachings I could remember, especially what Master said in Lecture Six in Zhuan Falun “Your Main Consciousness Should Dominate.”

I kept saying to myself, “The fear of being sent to a forced labor camp is not mine, but something imposed on me by the old forces. I will clear it out, and I will get out of this place because it is not a place I should be in. Whatever attachments appear in my mind, I will try to eliminate them based on the relevant Fa principles.”

One thing I found hard to let go of was my sentimentality toward my husband. So I began to send forth righteous thoughts for a long time, till I felt an intense flow of energy above my head. Then I became very calm and peaceful inside, and my fear of being sent to a forced labor camp also vanished.

I was no longer worried about our family business, about my children or any daily trivialities. Later, as soon as I put my palm straight up to send righteous thoughts, I would feel calm and peaceful straight away—a feeling I had never experienced before. Master let me experience this wonderful feeling, a profound sense of inner peace and freedom that words could not express. Perhaps it was compassion that emerged when I let go of human emotion.

All of a sudden, I seemed to have forgotten that I was in a dark den of evil, and my faith in Master and Dafa became even stronger and indestructible. I thought: “No matter where I am, as long as I validate the Fa with dignity and clarify the truth to people to help save them, my life would be truly meaningful.”

Dafa Saved Me From the Forced Labor Camp

When Domestic Security police picked me up to send me to a forced labor camp, I had no fear at all. While doing a health checkup in the hospital, the deputy leader of the police said to the doctor, “There is no need to check her. Just fill out the form. She is pretty healthy!”

When we arrived at the forced labor camp, doctors there insisted on doing a health checkup on me. I said to the doctors and the equipment monitoring my heart, “Remember, Falun Dafa is good. Do not participate in persecuting Dafa disciples, so that you may have a bright future.”

The results showed my blood pressure, my heart rate, and my Complete Blood Counts were all abnormal. But at the brainwashing center, everything had been fine.

Still, the officers kept filling out my admission forms for the forced labor camp. I thought: “Even if you keep me here, I would...” Immediately, I realized it was wrong to think this way, and eliminated that thought straight away. I asked Master to strengthen me, thinking: “I won’t cultivate in the tribulations arranged by the evil. I will go home! We must all go home! With Master and Dafa by our side, we will be able to go home!” I kept thinking this way the whole time.

In the end, the forced labor camp refused to accept me based on my “poor health.” On the way back, the deputy leader of the police said, “Hey, you. How come you were in perfect health when we left in the morning, and suddenly everything became abnormal? Is it really true that your Dafa saved you?”

Cultivating in a Family Environment

Eliminating the Attachment of Fear

After I returned home, following my second period of exile, my son began a relationship with his future wife, Yao. When she visited our home for the first time, my husband and I shared the truth about Falun Dafa with her and helped her renounce her ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations.

They were married the following year, and then she became pregnant. Just as she was nearing her due date, I was arrested for the third time and taken to a brainwashing center. After I managed to thwart the attempt to send me to a labor camp and returned home, Yao gave birth to their first child.

From then on, in addition to managing our shop, I took care of the baby and handled all the household chores—grocery shopping, cooking, washing dishes, and so on—without ever asking her to lift a finger. I never asked them for money for daily living expenses or during the holidays; I only wanted our family to be happy together.

Yao established a strict feeding schedule for the child, specifying exact times for meals, water, and fruit. While managing the shop and attending to customers, I also kept my mind focused on clarifying the truth to people—fulfilling my mission to help save lives.

Sometimes, when the shop was busy, the scheduled feeding time passed. To ensure the child was better cared for, I even hired an assistant, yet we still sometimes failed to meet Yao’s strict punctuality requirements.

Yao got upset at the drop of a hat, often for reasons I couldn’t fathom, even though I felt like I’d been doing my absolute best! One evening, after I’d finished preparing dinner, I noticed her sitting there looking angry. I asked, “Why aren’t you eating?”

She suddenly sprang up, pointed her finger right at my nose, and snapped, “It’s all your fault! All you ever care about is making money—what’s the point of that if you can’t even look after my child properly?”

My son argued back, “Well, what’s the point of you making money, then? Why don’t you just quit your job tomorrow and stay home to take care of our kid yourself?” Seeing my son wasn’t taking her side, she flew into a rage, smashed her phone, and had a massive blowout with him.

I found myself resenting Yao and thought to myself: “How can she be so inconsiderate? She comes home every day to everything prepared for her—meals, drinks—yet she does nothing, and is always looking for reasons to pick a fight.”

When I calmed down and looked inward, I realized—wasn’t I approaching this from a non-practitioner’s perspective? Wasn’t this just resentment and a sense of injustice? There must be something I was not doing right as a cultivator.

Then I remembered on the day of my son’s wedding, some of the bride’s relatives stirred up trouble by tearing the bride and groom’s names off the wedding arch. I held certain notions and saw this as bad luck. I feared it would lead to conflict, a potential divorce, or put my son in a difficult position.

I was also worried that it might interfere with my ability to earn money. The more I feared these things and tried to accommodate Yao, the more she acted out. Wasn’t this all happening to help me let go of these human attachments—these fears of mine? After all, isn’t fear essentially a form of “seeking” an outcome one desires to avoid? Once I realized this, I made a conscious effort to let it go and did what needed to be done with dignity.

However, I still harbored a desire for personal gain. Ever since the persecution began, for over a decade, I had been facing arrests and imprisonment; consequently, I had earned almost no money and was preoccupied with the thought of making money quickly.

Before my son got married, I promised to help them buy a home after a few years, but Yao’s question came to mind: “What’s the point of earning money?” It reminded me that I had placed too much importance on this.

Master told us:

“...For a person to get something, it has to be something that’s preordained as part of his life; if it’s not preordained for him he will never have it...” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Practitioners,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World, Vol. VI)

Master’s teachings enlightened me: I shouldn’t be overly anxious about money—what is destined to be mine will come, sooner or later. If not for the persecution by the CCP, wouldn’t a properly run shop naturally yield returns? Human greed is boundless, but as a Dafa disciple, I have a greater responsibility and must not get caught up in the pursuit of gain.

From then on, I treated my business simply as a job, letting things take their natural course. Before long, we had paid off all our debts and gave the remaining money to our son. He soon bought a spacious home—over 100 square meters in size.

Shortly after, property prices soared, more than doubling within just six months. Feeling that a home worth over two million yuan was too extravagant, my son decided to sell it, netting a profit of more than a million yuan. My son and I understood this was a manifestation of our Master’s compassion—a reward that came of its own accord, without us ever seeking it.

Renting Out Our Store Was Amazingly Easy

My son rebuilt our single-story house into a small two-and-a-half-story villa. I thought that if they moved in there and lived separately from us, there would be fewer conflicts. Perhaps my desire for a peaceful, comfortable life brought this calamity upon me.

My grandson was born when my granddaughter was five. When my grandson was just over a week old, Yao unexpectedly became pregnant with her third child, and she insisted on having an abortion no matter what.

My son knew that having an abortion is taking a life; he forwent a lucrative opportunity in Shenzhen that offered double his usual salary and rushed home to stop her. I found myself under immense pressure.

My husband is involved in coordination work and other projects to validate the Fa. These commitments take up a great deal of his time and energy, leaving him little capacity to help with matters at home.

I handle several tasks on my own: ordering supplies, receiving deliveries, stocking shelves, and selling goods; taking my granddaughter to and from school; looking after my other grandson, who has just started walking; and buying groceries and cooking meals.

Being constantly occupied in this way has taken a toll: I often feel drowsy while studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts—all of which severely hinders my ability to carry out the three things well. My physical condition has also begun to deteriorate; I have lost a significant amount of weight, my mouth often feels dry and bitter, and my legs feel weak and unsteady when I climb the stairs. I discussed the situation with my husband and suggested that we rent out the shop. But then what would we do with all the stock?

A few days later, we went to our daughter’s house to celebrate our little grandson’s first birthday, so we closed the store for the day. Someone called me about renting the space and said it was okay to keep the merchandise. We had only been thinking about renting out the store for a short while—we hadn’t even put up a “For Rent” sign—yet we managed to rent it out without any trouble. Thank you, Master!

“It’s all my fault”

After we rented out our storefront, we moved back in with our son and Yao. That year, she was pregnant with her third child and was constantly upset—there were minor arguments every few days and major blowups every 10 days or so.

Just a month before her due date, she even went to the hospital on her own, insisting on having an abortion; she threatened that if she couldn’t, she would return to her parents’ home and get a divorce.

I rushed to the hospital to talk her out of it, explaining the consequences of abortion and divorce—that divorce rarely leads to true happiness, and the children would suffer immensely. I reminded her how much she loved her children and urged her to come home with me. Sensing my genuine goodwill, she agreed and returned home with me.

Learning that Yao was upset, her parents rushed over. I prepared a feast to welcome them. Her father said, “My daughter has been immature; she’s caused you no end of pain over the years. She’s nothing like your son, who is sensible and very respectful to us; he’s done an outstanding job at the company, rising from an employee to a supervisor and then to assistant manager.” He apologized on behalf of his entire family, but Yao still couldn’t bring herself to accept this.

A few days later, I was resting in the afternoon when Yao stormed upstairs, tossed her son onto me, and left without saying a word. I felt deeply wronged and humiliated, but I held my tongue.

That evening, she was chatting and laughing with the kids as if nothing had happened, so I tried to talk to her: “You just dumped the kid on me—I don’t even know why. If I did something wrong, you can tell me.”

She immediately snapped: “Didn’t I tell you to put both kids down for a nap at noon? Which one fell asleep? The older one was playing upstairs, and the younger one was being a handful downstairs!”

Before I could say a word, my son came over and asked her, “Why did you dump the kids on Mom? Why don’t you take them yourself?” Seeing her husband challenge her this way, she threw a thermos in a fit of rage. Shards of glass scattered everywhere, and she stormed out of the house.

I was worried, so I had my son drive out to look for her. He said that if she wanted, he would take her to her parents’ home.

A week later, my son told me his wife had gone back to her parents’ home. She was experiencing swelling in her hands, feet, and legs. Although we had agreed she would return after a week, she was now saying she wouldn’t be coming back.

Hearing this, I felt terrible. I realized I needed to set aside my own feelings and consider her perspective; given her strong-willed nature, she likely felt too embarrassed to come back.

Using my son’s phone, I sent her a WeChat message: “I heard that your hands, feet, and legs have become swollen since you left home. It’s all my fault—I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer like this. The baby is due soon; please come back!”

She replied, “Mom, it’s not your fault. It’s just my bad temper. I’ll be back in a couple of days.”

Eliminating Notions by Memorizing the Fa

My youngest granddaughter is eight years old now. Over the past 20-plus years of daily life, so many things have touched my heart. Although I’ve tried to look inward, I still feel I haven’t gotten to the root of the problem; I haven’t been at peace with what I’ve been through, and my cultivation has been exhausting.

Seeing me grow thinner by the day and looking unwell, my husband has repeatedly and firmly insisted that we move out. He says that since our son won’t buy a home, we should either buy or rent one ourselves—he doesn’t want me doing all this work with the children anymore.

They originally planned to buy property in a good school district by the time our eldest granddaughter started middle school; she’s in her third year of middle school now, but because housing prices keep falling, they’re worried about overpaying. My son has asked me to just endure it for one more year.

I don’t believe this is about my cultivation environment; it is a xinxing issue, something I cannot simply avoid. When my husband says I can no longer handle the work, isn’t he treating the manifestations of an incorrect state of mind as if they were real?

One morning, when I woke up, I mentioned that my mouth tasted bitter. My young grandson said, “Grandma, if you find joy in the bitterness, it won’t taste bitter anymore.” Master was using the child’s words to enlighten me. No wonder I felt unbalanced and resentful whenever I grew tired—it turns out I simply wanted to avoid hardship and seek comfort; this negative mindset was the root cause.

I began to place greater importance on studying and memorizing the Fa. Over a year and a half, I memorized the entirety of Zhuan Falun and the six volumes of Hong Yin, and came to understand many Fa principles.

I didn’t know how to turn my heart around, but now I’ve realized it’s about eliminating one’s notions. What people think is good is actually what’s truly bad; if one keeps thinking it’s good and clinging to it, how can one let it go?

For example, when I look inward unconditionally, nothing happens coincidentally. Before, I only understood this on a superficial level; when trials came, I often looked inward only if they aligned with my own notions and conditions. Now that I’ve truly understood this through the Fa, I immediately realize that nothing happens by chance.

It turned out that I hadn’t eliminated my notions. It suddenly dawned on me that the physical imbalances I was experiencing stemmed from a complacent mindset. These may seem like minor matters in daily life, but complacency keeps you from enduring hardships and from seeing various troubles as positive experiences. I finally changed my mindset about avoiding hardship, and my health quickly returned to normal.

When I was memorizing the Fa, I came across this:

“...The evil beings that persecute Dafa disciples were arranged as such by the old forces, and are being controlled. No matter what kind of ruckus they may make, or what evil they may seemingly do, they are merely doing others’ bidding. If a student [of Dafa] does poorly, however, it is not just the old forces that will not forgive you, but all gods in the cosmos...” (“To the European Fa Conference,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)

I suddenly understood another layer of meaning behind the title “Dafa disciple:” Evil beings are controlled and manipulated, so it is very difficult for them to become good; whereas Dafa disciples are chosen and arranged by Master—how could they possibly fail to do well? At that moment, from a deeper, more microscopic level of existence, I truly understood that as long as Master is here and the Fa is here, there is nothing to fear, and everything can be done well.

I am truly grateful to my daughter-in-law—over the past decade or so, she has endured so much to help me grow as a cultivator. I also told my son: “There’s no need to rush into buying a house anymore; my xinxing has improved, and I no longer feel tired when doing chores.”

When I Improved My Xinxing, They All Changed for the Better

When each of my grandchildren was born, their maternal grandmother came to help look after them for a year at a time—spending three full years living and eating with us. She witnessed how I consistently practiced tolerance and patience, often praising me for always putting others’ needs before my own—such as ensuring everyone else was served before I ate. Last year, before the Lunar New Year, she and her family brought us festive gifts to express their gratitude, acknowledging how hard we had worked throughout the year, and insisted on treating us to a meal at a restaurant.

For the past few years, my son and Yao have taken us out when our birthdays come around. She also brought me outfits and gave me cash to spend.

All three of my grandchildren frequently recite the phrases, “Falun Dafa is good; Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.” From a young age, I have taught them to memorize Hong Yin, sing Dafa songs, and watch Dafa programs tailored to young kids, as well as various videos and films that clarify the truth about Dafa. Since they were born into a family of Dafa practitioners, I feel responsible for raising them well; they all consider themselves Master’s young disciples.

Keeping Pace With the Fa-Rectification

Reflecting on the trials and tribulations I have traversed—from the events of April 25 and July 20, 1999, through the subsequent dissemination of the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and the efforts to persuade people to withdraw from the CCP, to the filing of criminal complaints against former CCP leader Jiang Zemin, who instigated the persecution—my local fellow practitioners and I have striven to closely keep pace with the process of Fa-rectification. In doing so, we have matured step by step in our cultivation while fulfilling our mission to save sentient beings.

On April 23, 1999, I went with fellow local practitioners to the Tianjin Institute of Education. We were surrounded by hundreds of Public Security special police officers who forcibly dispersed us, beating and arresting people. I was so terrified my heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest, and my entire body was trembling, yet my firm faith and conviction in Master and the Fa remained unshaken.

In my mind, I kept reciting the Fa:

“...Dafa can rectify the universe, so it certainly has the Fa’s power to repress evil, eliminate disorder, harmonize everything, and remain invincible...” (“Definitive Conclusion,” Essentials for Further Advancement)

After the brutal persecution began, faced with an overwhelming barrage of lies, our local fellow practitioners coordinated as one body. In line with the requirements of the Fa-rectification process, we assigned specific townships and towns to individual practitioners, ensuring that not a single village—and not a single household—was missed as we distributed informational materials and discs about the truth of the persecution.

I also exposed those responsible for the persecution online and compiled these cases into local informational materials, which were then distributed in the perpetrators’ hometowns and at their residences. We posted stickers that explicitly named these individuals and demanded an end to the persecution. These actions served as a powerful deterrent against evil.

In every village, we also put up large display boards and posted stickers—such as those promoting the Quit the CCP movement and declaring “Falun Dafa is good.” Even after the pandemic began, we were not blocked or confined. To help all sentient beings safely navigate this calamity, we once again blanketed the area with the truth.

Around the time of the 2019 pandemic, my fellow practitioners and I felt an urgent need to help save people, so we began going out in groups to various places to share the truth face-to-face.

I recall one midwinter day when five of us went to a rural market for this purpose. It was bitterly cold, with strong winds blowing; only about a fifth of the usual number of vendors had set up their stalls. We were frozen to the core—so much so that we could barely hold the informational calendars we were distributing—yet we didn’t want to miss a single opportunity, and each of us managed to persuade several people to renounce their ties to the CCP and its affiliated organizations.

One practitioner, moved by deep compassion, shed tears while speaking to someone; upon learning the truth, the person chose to renounce their Party affiliations and, deeply touched, urged us, “It’s so cold out—you should head home!” Overjoyed that these individuals had come to understand the truth and attained salvation, two of the practitioners embraced and wept with emotion.

Guided by Dafa, I have made it to where I am today. I am aware that there are still many areas where I have not done well or cultivated sufficiently, and that I remain far from meeting the requirements set by Master and Dafa. In the limited time that remains, I will cherish this once-in-an-eternity opportunity to be with Master and the Fa. I will continue, as always, to diligently carry out the three things that Dafa disciples are expected to do, and I remain deeply grateful for Master’s compassionate salvation.

Thank you, Master!Thank you, fellow practitioners!

(Selected submission for the 23rd China Fa Conference on Minghui.org)