My name is Li Zhixiang (a pseudonym), born in March 1956, and I am a retired worker from a service company in Anqiu City, Shandong Province. In order to cure illness and keep fit I was once enchanted by Falun Gong cult. During that period, I was so indulged in my cultivation that I stirred the whole family into a tempest. Thanks to the timely guidance and patient help of the anti-cult volunteers, I thoroughly recognized the evil nature of Li Hongzhi and his "Falun Gong," and successfully broke free from spiritual control of the cult organization and consequently, I eventually jumped out of the trap and lived a normal life. After breaking away from "Falun Gong," I enjoyed such a happy life; but not every fellow practitioner was so lucky like me. Some of them turned against their beloved ones and as the result, leading to the breakdown of their families; some suffered from serious illness and even died with the dream of “reaching Consummation” or "ascending to heavens".
Today, I’d like to tell the story of a local assistant director of Falun Gong station. Her name was Zhang Yuelan. Born in April 1939, Ms. Zhang was actually a retired doctor from Bethune Hospital in Anqiu City, Shandong Province. Years ago, when Falun Gong at its peak, she was one of the earliest and the most diligent "Dafa disciples", and her "level" was also the highest. At that time, Zhang Yuelan was smart and capable, eloquent, and had many years of working experience as a doctor, so she had a high prestige among fellow practitioners. Moreover, she often actively transmitted "scriptures", organized "learning the Fa" activities, or exchanged her cultivation experience with others, she was soon designated as one of the leaders of local Falun Gong station. When studying the Fa together, she asked us to take "practice" as a top priority, not to think about family or routine work all the time, so as to devote ourselves wholeheartedly to "Dafa". I remember that she once suggested, in order to study Dafa well, we should stop watching TV, listening to the radio, or reading newspapers, magazines etc. She said that this was her experience, and we should always bear in mind that “Master Li” was "the only Lord Buddha of Universe".
To such a person in charge of the station who was so capable and loyal to the "Master", fellow practitioners privately called Zhang “the incarnation of Master Li in Anqiu”, and we all learned from her in everything and took her as a model. At the very beginning when she organized us to practice, she told us in a very positive tone that "Master" had written down all his experiences in books such as "Zhuan Falun" etc. As long as we earnestly "study the Fa" and "spread the Fa," we would be able to "get into a higher level," "open the heavenly eyes," and "ascend in broad day light." Some of us could even become "gods of Buddhism and Taoism."! She also called on us to "do something for Dafa." So, under her leadership, we all bought books such as "Zhuan Falun" and "Essentials for Further Advancement," as well as tape recorders, audio and video tapes, and exercise robes. We all believed that if there was one person in Anqiu who would "ascend to heavens" as an immortal, then this person must be Zhang Yuelan.
The "Master" claimed that diseases and disasters were caused by "karma" accumulated from generation to generation, and that practice Falun Gong could eliminate karma, and that taking medicine and injections could not completely cure one’s disease. As a diligent "Dafa disciple" and the person in charge of the station, Zhang Yuelan always asked us to listen to the "master", to believe in "Dafa", and not to seek help from hospital or a doctor, otherwise our “karma would never be eliminated ". She also vowed that she had suffered from severe hypertension and other disease before. Although she was a doctor, she never took medicine or injections, totally relied on her cultivation "to eliminate karma", so she recovered quickly and completely.
In July 1999, the state banned "Falun Gong" according to law. Zhang informed us, "Master Li" had said that now "Dafa" was confronted by danger, and the Master asked all "Dafa” disciples to get rid of “the last attachment" and go out to "clarify the truth." Only by getting rid of the fear in mind and bravely withstanding the test could they be called “true Dafa disciples”, and only those “true disciples” could one day "go up to a higher level" or even “reach Consummation”. She told us that being an immortal was more important than family ties or other “worldly things”. She also boasted about how well she had done in "cultivating away fame, material interest and emotion". For instance, she never really cared about her husband and children, and only "Dafa" remained in her mind. At that time, I felt that she never regarded herself as "an ordinary person", because she was so confident that she was only a step away from "reaching Consummation and ascending to heavens".
In order to “increase Gong powers” and “get into higher levels,” she secretly asked us to put up "Falun Gong" propaganda slogans hither and thither, and constantly participated in the so-called "Fa-Promoting" and "Fa-Safeguarding" activities, and spared no effort to work for "Falun Gong" organization.
In the summer of 2008, security measures in Beijing were tightened for the Olympic Games. At such a critical period, Zhang Yuelan planned to go out and "tell the truth." She hurried downstairs with a handful of "truth-clarifying materials". But as soon as she got downstairs, she saw several men in uniform not far away, so she hurried upstairs to her house. Having a guilty conscience like a thief, Zhang Yuelan broke her thigh in a panic and had to endure the severe pain to go back. At this point, Zhang Yuelan did not ask why the "Law Bodies" of her "Master" failed to protect her, but regarded the accident as another test from "Master Li" for her.
When her son and daughter-in-law came home, they found that their mother’s leg was injured and immediately prepared to take her to a hospital for treatment. However, Zhang Yuelan stubbornly insisted that the present suffering was a test on her cultivation way. It was just a process during which the "Master" was "eliminating karma" for her. So she could not take medicine, let alone go to a hospital. As long as she survived the pain, she would be able to "get into a higher level", and perhaps in the near future, she would be able to "reach Consummation," and ascend to the glittering "heavenly world". Therefore, no matter how hard her son and daughter-in-law tried to persuade her, Zhang always turned a deaf ear to them.
Her son was also a doctor, therefore, he was very clear that a treatment for the injury was absolutely necessary. Since all the pleading was turned down by his mother, he knelt down with tears, asking the mother to see a doctor for his sake, otherwise, their neighbors might criticize him and his wife of being un-filial to Zhang. But Zhang Yuelan did not listen, she was so indifferent, and even regarded her son and daughter-in-law as "demons", saying the couple were “destroying Dafa.”
Suffering from a thigh fracture but stubbornly rejecting any medical help, Zhang Yuelan’s health condition was getting worse and worse. She could no longer go out to "tell the truth" or "spread the Fa". It was said that several fellow practitioners at “a higher level” sneaked into Zhang Yuelan's house, collectively recited "Zhuan Falun" and “sent out Righteous Thoughts," in an attempt to heal her wound. She herself also read "Zhuan Falun" over and over again on sick bed, hoping that her body could be purified by the "Master" as soon as possible, and that the "Law Bodies" of the "Master" help her clear away the "karma" in her body. On the sick bed Zhang Yuelan persisted, waited and lost weight continuously, but no "miracle" happened to Zhang Yuelan. Relatives were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, pleading and then being disappointed every day. Zhang Yuelan made up her mind not to see a doctor. She shouted at family members and relatives: “Master Li will surely take care of me, and I will not go to the hospital even if I die!”
Zhang Yuelan's health was steadily deteriorating, and she became dazed all day long. As the family saw that the situation was really bad, they forcibly sent Ms. Zhang to the hospital. When the examination results came out, the whole family became desperate. Because of Zhang Yuelan's poor immune system and lack of timely medical treatment, bacteria had spread to the blood, resulting in septicemia, organ dysfunction plus failure. At this point, Zhang Yuelan kept murmuring when she was awake: "Master Li is testing me, his disciple. And he will come to save me, save me...”
Tortured by the pain like in hell, Zhang Yuelan finally ignored the will of her "Master" and repeatedly begged her son: "Give me an injection of Demerol, give me Demerol… my dear son!" So, one injection after another, it lasted for several days. In the end, Zhang Yuelan died prematurely with the dream of "reaching Consummation” and “ascending to heavens". On her deathbed, she was still muttering to herself: I trust the "Master" so much, but why didn’t the "Master" care about me a bit?
