My Memories of Gao Rongrong

I never expected that Ms. Gao Rongrong, a fellow Falun Gong practitioner whom I knew in China would be persecuted to death.

Whilst browsing the Internet, I was shocked at seeing the photos of Gao Rongrong’s disfigurement. When I learnt that she had managed to escape from the hospital I felt happy for her as I believed that she would not be subjected to further persecution. I later learnt that she was caught again but I did not expect that the sad news of her death would come so quickly after her escape. It seems as if it were just yesterday when we were together studying the Falun Gong teachings and practising the exercises. At the end of 1997 I started to practise Falun Gong and knew Gao Rongrong from the Luxun College of Art. At first she went to practise the exercises with other practitioners in South Lake Park which is near her home; later on, because there were quite a few new practitioners attending the Luxun College of Art, a practitioner who had a solid grounding in Falun Gong needed to help them. Gao came to the practise site for the Lunxun College of Art and intuitively took on the task of being the assistant. Every morning at 5am she travelled three kilometres to the College, went to her office and took out a banner and a tape player so that she could play the exercise music for others. Gao Rongrong was dressed simply and warm-hearted so fellow practitioners called her Sister Gao.

After supper we spent time together studying the Falun Gong teachings. At first we read a paragraph of the Falun Gong teachings followed by discussion. Later, when our Master’s article ‘Melt Into the Fa’ was published, she shared her understandings with us, leading us to spend more time studying the Fa - Law or Principle, the teachings in Falun Gong. There was then an elderly practitioner who enjoyed gossipping amongst practitioners. She would gossip about how the policies of the Central Committee would be changing or some leaders were for Falun Gong or some were against Falun Gong. On hearing this, Gao Rongrong told them to study the Fa more and not to get involved in those things not related to cultivation. She was kind to everybody. The winter of 1998 was very cold. I remember that it was snowing one day, a female practitioner forgot to bring her gloves with her and so Gao selflessly lent her hers. Another time, she helped a seventy or eighty year-old practitioner in her learning of the Fa. She would help her take off her shoes when she entered the building and once they had watched the video of Master Li teaching the Fa she would help her to put her shoes back on and then walk her and her family home.

Gao Rongrong was able to look inwards to find out any faults, improving her character accordingly. One morning another practitioner and I saw Gao practising the sitting meditation. We found that Gao’s body wasn’t straight but was leaning forwards Later that practitioner kept praising Gao Rongrong, commenting that she had done well in her cultivation. Gao Rongrong replied: “Perhaps my main spirit is too weak so I’ll pay attention to this problem.” A practitioner in her fifties who attended the exercise sessions was scared of others knowing that she was now learning and practising Falun Gong. Once, she was talking with others when a student walked by, reminding her loudly not to forget to come and learn the Fa in the evening. On that evening, that practitioner came and kept complaining about that student. Gao Rongrong said: “Why are you afraid of others knowing that you are learning Falun Gong?

Gao Rongrong was serious with her work. After Falun Gong was officially outlawed on 20th July 1999, whilst speaking to us and several other students, the College leader said: “Although I can’t comment on Gao Rongrong’s work I can still say that it is not good for her to practise Falun Gong.”

When the persecution began Gao Rongrong resisted it. On the 25th of April 1999, when she knew that practitioners in Tianjing City had been arrested, she went to Beijing and appealed to the higher authorities for help. Later on some of us received the news and were prepared to leave for Beijing when Gao called us back saying: “The incident has been solved successfully.” She returned to the Luxun College of Art the same day.

After the appeal by practitioners on the 25th April in 1999, the police came to investigate the situation of Falun Gong at the Luxiun College of Art. The College leaders found Gao Rongrong and spoke to her, saying that she wasn’t allowed to practise on campus. We knew that Falun Gong was good so we went out to practise the exercises on both sides of the front door of the College. The College’s department of safety watched us and stopped us from entering the College.

We were in the Centre of the Vataran Cadres Activity Hall learning the Fa and watching the video of Master lecturing on the Fa because the head of the department of Vataran Cadre was a practitioner. Later on we were no longer allowed to study the Fa and the head of the department was also removed from his post. After that, practitioners came to my home to study the Fa. Gao Rongrong gave me a picture of Master, Lunyu -the introduction the Falun Dafa book, Zhuan Falun and the Law Wheel Emblem and put them on the walls of my house saying: “Now your house is emanating with splendour.” The College leaders thought that Gao Rongrong was the backbone for the practitioners in the area and repeatably spoke to her asking her not to organise any events that would allow students to practise Falun Gong. Gao Rongrong replied; “They are all willing to learn and practise Falun Gong and I have never forced anyone to come.” One Deputy Party Secretary told Gao Rongrong: “You’d better avoid being seen practising Falun Gong in public.” Gao Rongrong replied: “Keeping fit and freedom of belief is my right and I don’t need the College leader to worry about it.” Due to her strong thoughts Gao Rongrong lost her job in the department of Audit and went to the department of personnel which had been refusing to assign her any work. I saw Gao Rongrong once and noticed that her eye socket was swollen. Later on I got to know that she was under great pressure at home because she lost her job but she never told anybody about it.

At the end of 2001, I went to study in Germany where I could practise Falun Gong and learn the Fa freely. But the attachment of comfort has made me gradually forget about the cruel persecution that is still rampant in China and I forgot about Gao Rongrong. Her death has awoken me and reminded me to do better in my cultivation and letting more people know about the horrific persecution.