My father was called Li Zhicheng. He was a retired teacher, who had been rated as an “Outstanding Person” more than once by the cultural and educational system of Suining City, Sichuan Province. After he retired in 1987, he went back to his hometown, Anjou Township, where he did farm work for some time and helped my elder sister take care of her two children before returning to Suining city.
Straying into the Falun Gong evil cult
One morning in April 1997, my father went to exercise in the Suining City Park, where he saw some people practicing Falun Gong and then was persuaded by Uncle Long to practice it with them. Uncle Long said, “Practicing Falun Gong can build up your health, helping you eliminate “karma” and dispel diseases without you taking any medicines or injections. Since you have retired and have nothing else to do, you should practice Falun Gong, which will benefit both you and your family and bless your whole family with peace and safety..." Being a kind-hearted man and also one of Uncle Long’s old colleagues, my father naturally believed in Uncle Long's words. So he agreed to practice Falun Gong with Uncle Long in Suining Chuanshan Park. From then on, my father gradually strayed into the evil cult.
Photo of Li Zhicheng
Appointed as the head of a Falun Gong assistance center
My father had many colleagues living in Anju Township, and because he related well to people and was always ready to help them, he was able to mobilize some of the retired teachers from the cultural and educational system to practice Falun Gong. At the end of 1998, my father bought Falun Gong training materials with his own retirement pension and distributed them to his old friends and colleagues for reading. So, my father was highly respected by them and was also very enthusiastic in helping them to practice Falun Gong. Shortly afterward, he was appointed by the Falun Gong organization as the head of the Anju Township Assistance Center.
As my father had been so obsessed with practicing Falun Gong that he had never had a rest, he suffered from headaches and colds from time to time in February 2003. I advised him to go to Suining Central Hospital for examination and treatment, but he said, "I am a Dafa disciple, and I should follow Master's teaching. If I went to the hospital for medical treatment, it would reduce my potency rather than cure my diseases, and ‘Master’ would say that I wasn’t sincere in practicing Falun Gong, thus my karma would rebound..." My father looked somewhat mysterious when speaking. As my mother and I were very worried about the unexpected consequences of my father continuing to practice Falun Gong, I tried hard to persuade him to quit his practice and accept medical treatment since there was no need for him, who was covered by public medical insurance, to suffer the pain of diseases. However, my father was very stubborn, refusing to follow my family's advice, and he even told us to stop interfering with his practice. He proposed by saying, "I want to go to practice Gong in Mount Emei of Chengdu. It is very quiet there with no interferes." I persuaded my father not to go there, as our whole family would be worried in case something unexpected happened to him outside. But my persuasion didn’t work with my father, who went to Mount Emei alone only a few days later.
In 2007, my father had been so addicted to Falun Gong that he read its books and practiced it day and night, sometimes until very late at night, which resulted in his body getting thinner and thinner. One morning, I saw my father going to a nearby restaurant to buy breakfast, walking breathlessly and with great difficulty. As my mother was in poor health and we as children were burdened with both work and life responsibilities, we feared that there would be no one available to take care of my father if he fell ill. Therefore, I repeatedly urged my father to go to Suining First People's Hospital for examination and treatment so that he could enjoy a happy life at his old age. Nevertheless, my father was still very stubborn, determined not to go to the hospital. He said, "My condition has worsened because I haven’t practiced well enough. My 'karma' is very heavy and ‘Master’ is 'eliminating karma' for me now, so I must stand the test of my illness. I believe that ‘Master’ will spread the Fa to eliminate karma and dispel disease for me." My father insisted that we should not persuade him or interfere with his practice.
Passing away suddenly while preparing to practice Falun Gong
At noon on February 27, 2009, my father went to his room to practice Falun Gong as usual after having lunch my mother cooked and served to him. He walked just a few steps before collapsing suddenly on the floor, unconscious. I immediately dialed the 120 emergency number for ambulance service and then accompanied my father to Suining No. 1 People's Hospital for rescue and treatment. However, it was too late. Before the ambulance arrived at the hospital, my father had already stopped breathing and passed away forever.
