November 25, 2003
(Clearwisdom.net) Most of us Falun Dafa practitioners living in a county in the Dabie Mountain region, of southern Anhui Province, attained the Fa in April 1999. We listened to or watched almost all of Master Li's overseas lectures that were given before July 20, 1999. This laid a solid foundation for the practitioners to have a strong, determined belief in Dafa. Therefore, when the persecution of Dafa started on July 20, 1999, most practitioners could discern the fabricated false news that was aired on television to attack Dafa. During the persecution, the genuine Dafa disciples kept cultivating solidly. In the persecution, the homes of many practitioners were ransacked, and their Dafa books and tapes were taken away. However, our determination in cultivation has not wavered at all. We continued to study the Fa and practice the exercises through borrowing and transcribing Dafa books and by making copies of the Dafa tapes. On their way to appeal for Dafa and to get Dafa materials, over a dozen practitioners were arrested. Among them, three were sentenced to two years in forced labor camps and five were illegally sentenced to prison. Many practitioners were fined, and the least fine charged was several hundred Yuan [500 Yuan is the average monthly income for an urban worker in China.], while the highest fine charged was 2,000 Yuan.
Because of this brutal persecution, in our county we were unable to get Master Li's new articles and other Dafa materials for almost a year. During this period of time, some practitioners were interrogated, and forced to hand in the books and the exercise music tapes, and even forced to fill in the "guarantee form*." Some renounced Dafa under the tremendous pressure. There were four former cancer patients who were previously diagnosed to be in the final stages of their disease by doctors and were later cured after practicing Falun Gong. However, after they gave up their cultivation under the pressure, they lost their precious lives. Among them was an 11-year old boy whose last name was Zeng. He suffered from a skin cancer, and the hospital could not cure it even after his family spent over 20,000 Yuan. It was Dafa that had cured his cancer and extended his life for four years. However, when his school threatened to expel him, he stopped his cultivation, and within one month, his illness returned, and he passed away.
After 2000, the practitioners followed Master Li's words, "Validate the Fa with rationality, clarify the truth with wisdom, spread the Fa and save people with mercy." ("Rationality") Many practitioners have re-joined the journey of cultivation, and furthermore, they have stepped forward to clarify the truth and validate Dafa. Starting from clarifying the truth to their family members, relatives, and good friends, to clarifying the truth to people in the society, they try to save everyone who can be saved. They also have taken risks distributing truth-clarification materials to the related government departments.
Since we cannot access the internet and do not have copy machines, the practitioners here take risks to go to other places to get Dafa materials, which, when brought back, will be circulated among the practitioners. Sometimes, three to five practitioners study the Fa and practice together. When some practitioners are arrested and their families are put into difficulties, other practitioners will automatically extend their help. Practitioners have truly been able to be unyielding; among the eight practitioners arrested, no one has stopped cultivating. Their parents, brothers, wives, and family members set good examples for diligent cultivation and truth-clarification, which has motivated many new practitioners. After July 20, 1999, there were about 30 new practitioners who started their cultivation. They have walked their path very well.
Since we do not have computers and copy machines, and neither do we have the equipment to access the Internet, we have great difficulty distributing the truth-clarification materials on a large scale, as Dafa practitioners in other areas have done. We are also rarely able to report the situations of our local practitioners' cultivation. We will cultivate ourselves even more diligently and overcome our attachment of fear. We believe that Dafa will give us the wisdom to solve these issues. We, the Dafa disciples in our county, will bear the hardships and cultivate more diligently so as to let all people know "Falun Dafa is good," and let "Truthfulness-Compassion-Tolerance" deeply take root in Dabie Mountain people's hearts.
* "Guarantee Statement": A statement to declare that he or she is remorseful for practicing Falun Gong and guarantees not to practice Falun Gong again, not to go to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong, and never again associate with any Falun Gong practitioners.
