Good Is Rewarded: From Dou Yanshan to a Modern Day Tale

(Minghui.org) There’s an old Chinese saying: “Good deeds are rewarded but evil deeds are punished.” For thousands of years, people cherished virtue and were blessed.

After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took power decades ago, this ancient wisdom was ridiculed. Especially during the 27-year suppression of Falun Gong, many CCP officials blindly followed the persecution policy and abused practitioners because they live by Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. These officials have in turn met with consequences for their actions.

The following are some examples.

Dou Yanshan and His Change of Fate

Dou Yanshan was official during the Later Jin Dynasty of the Five Dynasties period. Despite his wealth, he had no children even though he was in his 30s. One night, he dreamed that his ancestors and his deceased father told him, “You are destined to have no children and your lifespan is short. Please improve yourself and do good deeds!” Dou followed their instructions and devoted himself to doing good deeds from then on.

One of his servants stole 200,000 coins. Fearing punishment, the servant wrote a note and tied it to the arm of his 12-year-old daughter, which read, “I will sell this daughter to repay the debt.” He then fled.

Seeing the note on the girl’s arm, Dou felt great pity for the child. He immediately removed and burned it, and took the girl in. He told his wife, “Raise this girl well. When she grows up, please find her a good family and marry her off.” When the girl came of age, Dou prepared a dowry and chose a fine husband for her. When he heard this, the girl’s father was deeply moved and immediately returned home, weeping and confessing his theft to his master. But Dou did not pursue the matter. The father and daughter commissioned a portrait of Dou, and prayed every morning and night to wish him a long and healthy life.

Many of Dou’s relatives were poor. If one of them died and the family could not afford the funeral, Dou paid for it. He handled the funerals of 27 families. For relatives and friends with orphaned children, or girls who were unable to marry because they were poor, Dou gave them dowries. Twenty-eight orphaned girls were able to marry thanks to Dou’s help. Whether acquaintances or casual friends, Dou always lent a helping hand to those in financial difficulty.

Dou carefully managed his annual income. After deducting summer and winter sacrifices and necessary living expenses, he gave the remainder to help those in need. Even though he was a high-ranking official, Dou owned no gold, silver, or jade, and his wife did not wear luxurious clothing; their household was simple and frugal. He also built an academy south of his residence with forty rooms, purchased thousands of books, and hired talented and virtuous scholars to teach students. He provided financial assistance to all students from impoverished families who were eager to learn, regardless of whether he knew them or not. Scholars who rose to prominence thanks to Dou’s help expressed their gratitude. When Dou passed away, the people he helped observed a three-year period of mourning to repay his great kindness and virtue.

After Dou diligently performed good deeds for 10 years, he dreamed that his deceased grandfather and father told him, “You were originally destined to be childless and short-lived. Over the past few years, because of your good deeds and accumulated merit, the divine has increased your lifespan by 36 years and bestowed upon you five sons, each of whom will hold a prominent and noble position. You will enjoy both blessings and longevity.”

From then on, Dou devoted himself even more to good deeds. He later had five sons. Under their father’s tutelage, these five sons developed good character and they were knowledgeable. The eldest son, Yi, later rose to the position of Minister of Rites. The second son, Yan, became Vice Minister of Rites. Both were Hanlin Academicians. All five sons passed the imperial examinations and became highly respected officials. Dou’s effective parenting was praised both in his lifetime and by later generations.

What Goes Around Comes Around

Upholding virtuous behavior was lost after the CCP took power in 1949. Especially after the CCP began to persecute Falun Gong in 1999, many officials ignored the practice’s physical and mental benefits and harassed, arrested, detained, tortured, and killed practitioners. Wang Wenpo, the former head of the security brigade in the development zone of Linyi City, Shandong Province, was heavily involved in the persecution.

Wang, around fifty years old, was originally from Dongwangzhuang Village in Linyi City. After leaving the military, he entered the CCP’s public security system through connections and became a police officer. When the suppression of Falun Gong started in 1999, Wang worked at the Jiuqu Police Station in Hedong District. Sensing the political direction, he volunteered to participate in the persecution for personal gain.

In 2000, many local practitioners went to Beijing to appeal for Falun Gong. They were abducted by Wang and other officials, illegally detained, and then taken to the Comprehensive Management Office for forced brainwashing and torture for as long as four months. Many of them were sent to labor camps.

Wang often verbally abused and physically assaulted Falun Gong practitioners. Dozens of male and female practitioners were detained together, subjected to brainwashing, and tortured to make them renounce their faith. After drinking, Wang often went to these practitioners, verbally abusing and threatening them with vulgar language. He severely beat a female Falun Gong practitioner, causing her face to swell up so badly that she could no longer see and her eyes could not close properly.

Even worse, he brandished a gun in the street and threatened Falun Gong practitioners, saying, “Are you still going to practice? If you continue, I’ll kill you." His arrogance was extreme. His aggressive words and behavior reminded many of the bloody scenes of the CCP’s past political movements—people were terrified. It also caused serious psychological trauma to Falun Gong practitioners and their families.

Because he actively persecuted Falun Gong, Wang gained the CCP’s favor and was promoted to the head of the security brigade in the development zone. He became even more hostile towards practitioners and persecuted them even more vigorously—he no seemed to have a conscience.

Wang Wenpo had many opportunities to wake up because of what happened to his superiors, colleagues, and local perpetrators who were involved in the persecution:

* Zhu Zhongshun (60 years old) and Zhao Peie (53 years old), the masterminds behind the 610 Office in Linyi City, suddenly became ill and died in 2008.* The eldest son of Sun Peiqun, deputy secretary of the Linyi Municipal Party Committee and head of the 610 Office, suddenly passed away at a relatively young age.* Geng Wenlian, the former Party Secretary of Hedong District, died in a car accident along with his wife and daughter. The couple was survived by their son who was attending college.

Wang knew what had happened, but he didn’t believe in karmic retribution and said all these tragedies were coincidental. He also ignored the letters Falun Gong practitioners sent him, in which they explained why these things happened. When people tried to persuade him to change his behavior he refused to listen—instead he mocked, ridiculed, and threatened them.

Wang Wenpo experienced three tragedies:* Misfortune to relatives: When he heard that his 18-year-old only son suddenly drowned, he collapsed.* Family breakdown: His wife has been constantly threatening divorce, leading to extremely tense family relations.* Career collapse: He was disciplined after a subordinate shot and killed another policeman, which worsened his relationship with his superiors and caused his career to plummet.

Wang Wenpo committed suicide on March 23, 2015.

The ancient Chinese sage Laozi said,, “The divine is impartial; it constantly sides with the virtuous.” I hope these stories remind people to distance themselves from the vicious CCP and uphold virtue.