Attending Falun Gong Lectures in China, 1994

My mother's belief in Buddhism planted the seeds in me for the growth of my belief in Buddha's, Gods and the heavens. When my husband passed away, I decided to begin my spiritual journey. I paid homage to and burned incense at temples everywhere, and learned many different kinds of qigong - exercises for cultivating energy in the body. I also applied for a membership card in the Qigong Research Association.

On a day in May of 1994, the Qigong Research Association notified me that a Falun Gong lecture was to be held in Chengdu and so I immediately registered.

The address of the conference was Eight-Two Mailbox. That morning, I asked people the direction to the Eight-Two Mailbox along the way. I saw many people from out of town, with luggage on their backs, doing the same thing. Among them was an elderly couple in their fifties from Chongqing, who had arrived the previous day by train and stayed in a hotel overnight. There were over a hundred people from Guiyang who took days off from their work. Some of them had just arrived at 6 o'clock that morning; some had arrived the previous day. There was even someone who had travelled all the way from Hong Kong.

The auditorium at Eight-Two Mailbox was very big, with a seating capacity of over three thousand people. In front of it was a square, where several activities were held later on to promote Falun Gong to more people. After the video tape of Teacher's lecture was published, the head office held an eight-day study class here showing the lecture video.

Teacher was already there when I walked into the auditorium. Teacher appeared very young. He spoke for two hours of things which were different from those in all other qigong masters' talks. All the other qigong masters I had met throughout my life always boasted about how great they were, while all Teacher talked about in the two hours was how to become a better person. Becoming aware of the meaning of being a human being, I was strongly shaken. I felt a powerful energy swirling on my palm when Teacher asked us to stretch out our hand to feel the Falun (Law Wheel) rotating. Not until after the lecture ended did I learn that there was to be an eight-day lecture series. Having listened to the lecture and experienced what I had how could I not immediately sign up.

On May 29th, 1994, a Falun Gong lecture series was held in Chengdu in the auditorium of the visitor's quarters of the Electricity Bureau located in Niuwangmiao. Over one thousand people attended. To make it easy for those who worked during the day, Teacher arranged to have the class held in the evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Teacher always arrived at the auditorium early and after the lecture, Teacher would patiently answer practitioners' questions. I saw that Teacher was very nice and pleasant, dressed in a white shirt. He never wasted time talking about useless things. Without a single introductory sentence he would say, "Now let's begin." He would not take even a single sip of water throughout the lecture. Teacher taught us the most profound principles in the simplest language. I was enthralled by the vast and profound principles; I finally understood the purpose of life. My philosophy toward life and my views of the cosmos all underwent dramatic changes.

After the lecture, the exercises were taught. A disciple who had been travelling around with Teacher demonstrated the exercises while Teacher circled around in the auditorium correcting practitioners' movements, not leaving any practitioner behind, including those in the corners of the room. When I was learning to do the hand gestures in the sitting exercise, Teacher walked over to me and personally corrected my movements. I immediately felt a warm current circulating through my whole body. I was filled with immeasurable happiness and a warmth of heart.

I saw that everyone in the lecture hall had a shadow both in the front and in the back, and a light-column over their heads. The shadows moved with him or her when he or she moved. I could only see it in the lecture hall, but not outside or at other places. When Teacher asked who saw things at the time when he was opening everyone's celestial eye, I raised my hand. I learned only then that those shadows were scenes from other dimensions.

Some practitioners requested to have pictures taken with Teacher to which he agreed. It was a big crowd, so we divided into a score of groups, and took turns having our pictures taken with Teacher. It was a very hot day. Teacher wore a kind smile and patiently had pictures taken with each group.

On the eighth and last day, Teacher spent half a day answering questions, and also performed special hand gestures for the practitioners. After the lecture, many practitioners gathered around the podium and asked Teacher questions. At that time I really wanted to go up and heshi to Teacher and thank Teacher. But seeing that he was so tied-up and worked so hard I felt that I should not disturb him. I could not help weeping while I watched Teacher from a distance and silently thanked him for saving me.

Recalling this experience, I feel that it was just too precious and fortunate for me to be able to see Teacher and listen to his lectures for eight consecutive days.

Later, like thousands and thousands of other Falun Gong practitioners, I passed through a very difficult period of time while under attack for refusing to give up my practice. After being illegally put in a forced labour camp for two-and-a-half years, I was illegally detained in a brainwashing centre where I was subjected to different kinds of savage tortures. But even in those darkest days, I was able to feel Teacher's immense benevolence and felt the immeasurable honour of being able to become a Falun Gong practitioner during this very special period of time.