(Minghui.org) When I was arrested and detained, the guards ordered six prisoners to monitor me, and I was held in a small cell. I went on a hunger strike. The guards said that they did not expect that I would do that, and that I was the first person in this prison who had not been beaten up for it.

“Beating people is a crime,” I said. “Practitioners follow the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. They would not hit back when hit and don't respond when bullied. However, when you hit such kind people, you will be punished with karmic retribution one way or another.”

They deprived me of sleep and made me stand up straight for four days and three nights. I was still on the hunger strike and had not eaten anything. My feet hurt during the first three days. After the third day they no longer hurt.

The guards began to interrogate me the fourth night. I passed out but soon recovered. The guards allowed me to sleep.

The prisoners who monitored me said that they admired Falun Gong practitioners. I told them about Falun Gong and encouraged them to recite, “Falun Gong is good!” They said they would.

“Falun Gong Is Good!” Echoes in the Dining Hall

The prisoners worked from 8:00 a.m. until around 5:00 p.m., and the work was difficult and exhausting. What's more, the meals were very bad, and sometimes there was sand in the food.

The prisoners worked like horses, but were not allowed to eat like humans. They should not be treated like that, I thought. Since I was here, I needed to change this environment to save people.

The next day when the food was brought in, the bucket that held the food was full of sand. I told the guards that I would not eat the meals until there was no sand in the food. They threatened me. They saw I was not affected by their words and offered me a separate meal as long as I did not go on a hunger strike again. I refused their offer and said that I would rather wait until the sand disappeared from the food bucket.

The guards showed me the food for lunch during the next lunch time. They said that even they could eat that meal, and that there was definitively no sand in the food.

The man who was responsible for giving out the food said that he received three big steel tubs to be used for washing the rice. Therefore, the rice was very clean. He also declared that Falun Gong is truly good and that he wanted to practice it.

Thus, the prisoners had their meals without sand in the food in the dining hall. When they saw me stepping into the hall, they smiled and said it was Falun Gong that helped them. They shouted loudly in one voice, “Falun Gong is good!” Their voices echoed throughout the hall.

Forming a Team to Oppose Persecution

A practitioner in the first team was beaten by a guard with an electric baton, and his face was disfigured. I felt the same as if it had happened to me and was determined to take action.

Master said:

“Forbearance (ren) is not cowardice, much less is it resigning oneself to adversity. Dafa disciples’ Forbearance is noble; is the manifestation of beings’ magnificent, indestructible, and diamond-like solidity; is tolerance for the purpose of upholding the truth; and is mercy toward and salvation of beings who still have human nature and righteous thoughts. Forbearance is absolutely not the limitless giving of free rein, which allows those evil beings who no longer have any human nature or righteous thoughts to do evil without limit.” (“Beyond the Limits of Forbearance” in Essentials for Further Advancement II)

I needed to stop the persecution and find the guards' supervisor. Another practitioner volunteered to come with me while fellow practitioners sent righteous thoughts.

I told the prison staff that I refused to work because a good person was persecuted to such an extent, and that it made me feel unsafe. I told them that I did not know when I would also be persecuted like that. They said they would check on the issue.

We were told about three hours later that the guard indeed hit the prisoner, but there must be some reason. I told them that the guard got drunk the night before and then beat people. If they refused to fix it, I would keep complaining until the bad guard was punished. They were shocked and said they would take care of it.

We were told in the evening that the guard apologized and asked what kind of conditions we wanted. My fellow practitioner listed three conditions: First, the guard had to publicly apologize. Second, the practitioner who was hit should receive compensation. Third, no such beatings should be allowed to happen again.

They said the last two conditions were acceptable but the first was very hard to do. The guard would be unable to do his job there if he had to publicly apologize. They suggested that the guard apologize among our practitioners.

We discussed the matter and accepted that suggestion. The guard indeed apologized to us practitioners within one-and-a-half days after we had formed the team to oppose the persecution.

We believe Master protected us and fellow practitioners outside of the jail also helped give us strength. The overseas practitioners called into the jail and put a lot of pressure on the prison personnel. Therefore, the prison environment improved.