A recent Open Letter from the Shen Yun Performing Arts artist Mei Xuan, wife of a detained Falun Gong practitioner.

An Open Letter to 610 Offices, Chinese Police, Procurators and Legal Systems

My name is Mei Xuan, and I am an Erhu (two-stringed bowed instrument) player in the Shen Yun Performing Arts Company. I am writing this open letter as the wife of a detained Falun Gong practitioner.

On February 18, 2010, I was waiting for my husband, Jiang Feng, at the Newark Airport. After all the passengers had left, I still didn't see him. I had been longing for this reunion for a long time, ever since he obtained a visa to visit the U.S. But suddenly, he had disappeared, which made me so sad. I finally found out the story and his whereabouts. He was ready to board a plane at Pudong Airport in Shanghai, and his luggage had even been checked through security, but the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the 610 Office, and State Security agents arrested him before he could board the airplane. He was now detained in the Luyang District Brainwashing Center in Hefei City, Anhui Province. I cannot express the pain in my heart upon learning of this.

My husband and I both practice Falun Gong. Soon after we were married, the persecution began. We were both arrested, detained, and tortured because we refused to give up our faith. My husband was arrested in 1999 and was sentenced to three years of imprisonment. On November 30, 2002, a few months before his release, I was arrested and imprisoned, serving a four-year term. I was deprived of my musical career as a State-level artist, and dismissed from my job. After my release I was still denied my rights to live normally, because I practice Falun Gong. I had to escape the country to have freedom of belief, and a new life as a performing artist.

Based on my personal experience in the persecution, I am very worried about my husband's situation. Since the persecution started in 1999, CCP has never stopped trying to brainwash Falun Gong practitioners. "Transform" them? Transform to what? We are all good people. How many Falun Gong practitioners have you arrested in the past ten years? How many transformation classes have you held? How many times have you arrested me? How much of the people's tax money have you spent on these brainwashing efforts?

Your guards first pretended to care for me, but they soon turned to torture. They beat me until I passed out, and I was covered with bruises. Other prisoners felt pity for me, and saved the only thermos full of hot water for me to wash my wounds every day. You cuffed my feet and hands for 75 days to a chair without letting me fall asleep, then took turns interrogating me around the clock, every day. The cuffs cut into my flesh, and both my feet and hands were badly swollen. All this because I refused to give up my faith. In order to "transform" me, you encouraged some prisoners to beat me until there was not a single spot of good skin left on my body. My head and face were so swollen they appeared deformed, beyond recognition.

My husband persisted in his belief during three years of imprisonment. I can imagine how much torture he endured. These tortures can be very tragic. The more severe they are the more degrading they are to human dignity. Have you thought about why, after eleven years of torture, and "strategies," nothing can change Falun Gong practitioners' firm belief?

Ever since you joined the 610 Office, you have had close and direct contact with Falun Gong. Don't you know we are a group of good people practicing Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance? Don't you know all CCP propaganda are slanderous lies? Please don't justify it by saying this is just your job. Your job should not be to persecute innocent folks, and should not be to brainwash people or kill them. Your job should be to punish the criminals and work for the kind ones.

Perhaps some of you believe Falun Gong persecution is your routine work, but CCP would never admit to assigning you this work, or accept the consequences. Please don't think CCP rule is iron solid, that it will cover your evil doings. Please take note of the people's grievances toward CCP and the mighty tide of Chinese people quitting CCP. Read the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and you will see why CCP will disintegrate soon. When that moment arrives, CCP will face a historic trial, and all who participated in the persecution will be held responsible, including you in the 610 Office system who are driving this persecution. We will bring these criminals to justice, not from hatred, but to have justice prevail.

For people who believe in God, all things flash by quickly, including life or death, glory or shame, loss or gain, happiness or sadness. We believe in the eternal happiness of heaven and the tragic retribution of hell. I am telling you this truth with a sincere wish. I don't want to see you being deceived by CCP and committing any more crimes against your conscience. You will still have to face the fate of good being rewarded with good and evil being met with retribution.

As an official, you have choices about how to treat Falun Gong. I have come into contact with several hundred officials since we have been arrested. Some of them still have sympathy and conscience. Once you cuffed me onto a chair in a hotel room. Another officer often loosened my cuffs when there were no others in the room. He said, "You are an artist, your hands need to play instruments." Another time in the interrogation room of a police department, one officer said to me, "You know the person next door, can you share your box lunch with him? You both will be taken to the detention centers soon." Later I learned that my husband was the person locked next door.

The most impressive experience happened just before my husband and I were to be taken to detention centers. One officer tried so hard to persuade his boss not to prosecute us. He told his supervisor that we were still so young. His request was denied. Before we parted, he took off the soft cotton shoes on his feet and put them on my little feet. He said, "Little sister, I know you are all good people, but your big brother's (meaning himself) rank is too low and he cannot protect you. It is freezing winter. The guards will not allow you to wear your leather shoes at the detention center. They will throw away your shoes and force you to go barefooted. My cotton shoes, you can wear as slippers..."

The police notified our parents and took our comforters from home. That officer, knowing our parents would be upset if they saw us in handcuffs, tried to avoid such a tragic scene. He intentionally arranged a route so that we would not meet them. But our parents eventually found us and witnessed the whole process. They cried so hard and chased the vehicle down the road until they could no longer see us.

Another participating officer took our Falun Gong books after the persecution began. He learned the truth of Falun Gong, and told me, "I stored 47 Falun Gong books, including the souvenir hard bound edition, which you must miss. Someday I will return them all to you. I am very respectful of your Teacher. I am afraid these books will be ruined in the police department. Storing them in my home is very safe."

In 2007, I was fortunate to come to the United States and join the Shen Yun Performing Arts Company. After one show during the tour, a young man didn't want to leave. Journalists wanted to interview him, and he said, "I can't give you an interview, because I am from CCP, sent here to collect information. My heart has been shaken from watching your show. What I learned about Falun Gong is completely different from the brainwashing of CCP in China. I will act according to my conscience upon returning to China."

From these officers' and agents' reactions, everyone can see that Falun Gong practitioners are good people--not criminals. Everyone can see how this persecution is against people's conscience.

Yet, there are still some officers who are helping the evil. Besides arresting my husband, you also arrested my mother and sent her to a brainwashing center. You tried to force my mother to persuade me to quit the Shen Yun Performing Arts Company. My 70-year-old father has developed brain cancer due to long-term pressure from threats. He is now bed-ridden, and there is no one to take care of him, since you have arrested my mother.

Those officials directing and conducting criminal acts think they can stop Shen Yun performances, but they cannot. The Shen Yun Performing Arts Company has toured 91 major cities worldwide, and performed over 300 shows, to nearly one million people, including a U.S. presidential candidate, four-star generals, congresspersons and judges. They gave the highest praise to Shen Yun.

Along with our quickly spreading performances, the marvelous and profound heritage of Chinese culture is being praised all over the world, but, also, while the persecution of Falun Gong is being widely condemned. You persecuted my family, and all those VIP guests who attended our reception saw the truth about the persecution that CCP tries to hide. Arresting my husband before boarding the plane and sending my mother to a brainwashing center will only help audiences believe that what is expressed on the stage is true and is still continuing in China.

The incident involving my husband, Jiang Feng, has caused wide concern among many governments and in the international community. The World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (WOIPFG, headquartered in NY) has established a file. This organization thoroughly investigates all criminal parties, organizations, and individuals involved in the persecution of Falun Gong. No matter how far away, no matter how long or short the time, they will bring the criminals to justice.

The United Nations missing persons investigation group and relevant organizations have also established files on my husband's case. On March 11, 2010, I joined the 13^th Human Rights Conference, and visited the UN officials. They suggested that Falun Gong human rights representatives utilize "Urgent Filing Channels" to submit cases. They pointed out even for cases happening several years ago, the UN still is responsible for investigating and demanding answers. Many overseas media have reported on my visit.

As Jiang Feng's wife, I know he is innocent. He was arrested just because he wanted to come to visit me. I can't accept such a cruel fact. Ever since my husband, Jiang, has been detained, I haven't given up my efforts to put the criminals on trial.

I know many of you don't wish to be involved in the persecution, and are passively accepting orders from supervisors, participating in the persecution against your will. You are also imprisoned, wearing uniforms that make you forget your conscience, that make you think the Party is higher than humanity. Upon returning home, you take off the uniform and become normal people who respect your parents and care for your friends and family. You live a double life. But without your participation, CCP could not conduct this persecution. You are most pitiful, because you are truly imprisoned and persecuted by CCP. Please wake up quickly, and stop helping the evil. History will quickly turn this page, and every being is positioning himself in the process. Please value this unprecedented chance.

Finally, I want to tell you to release my husband immediately. Treat all Falun Gong practitioners well, and don't miss this opportunity to give up doing evil deeds. Becoming a good person is your best choice.