I am Guo Yansheng, born in October 1977, a small-scale poultry farmer in Anyang, Henan.

When I was three, my father passed away from an illness. I grew up with my mother, enduring a life that was difficult and full of hardships. In June 1998, after finishing high school, I was admitted to a university, but poverty prevented me from continuing my studies. I returned home to farm, and with the help of relatives and friends, borrowed money to start a chicken farm. I managed it using scientific farming methods and strict disease prevention, and within a few months, the farm began turning a profit. Receiving that first lump sum of money filled me with a quiet joy. A prosperous life seemed within reach—yet I would soon stumble disastrously on the path of Falun Gong.

In the spring of 1999, someone came to my village to spread Falun Gong and distributed the book Zhuan Falun. As I read, my own difficult background and the hardships of life resonated deeply with the material. I was especially drawn to its “karmic release” theory: that “one’s life across cycles is spent accumulating karma,” and that “one’s karma brings further hardship, suffering, and poverty in this life or the next.” Believing that all our misfortune stemmed from “karma,” and that happiness would come only after repaying it, my mother and I began practicing Falun Gong. We studied Zhuan Falun diligently, since my mother could not read, I first read aloud to her and then guided her in recitation, and gradually, we became deeply obsessed.

The government outlawed the Falun Gong movement in 1999. While most villagers recognized the harms of Falun Gong and stopped practicing, I convinced that I had gained “benefits,” found it difficult to let go mentally. From then on, my mother and I practiced in secret, sinking ever deeper into the abyss of Falun Gong.

In the spring of 2000, a strange thought occurred to me: if practitioners should not take medicine or receive injections during cultivation, what about raising chickens? Should I also refrain from giving them medicine? Would administering medicine or injections to the chickens violate Falun Dafa’s principles of “eliminating karma and curing illness”?

I ultimately made a ridiculous decision, to rely on cultivation to “eliminate karma” for the chickens, substituting it for conventional disease prevention. Thus, I began a series of measures: I would meditate inside the chicken houses, directing “zhengnian” toward the chickens, and each chicken house would hang a portrait of Master Li Hongzhi, so his “Dharma body” would protect the chickens; amulets placed at the doors of every coop with the phrases “Falun Dafa is good” on the left and “Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance is good” on the right.

While preparing the feed, my mother and I constantly recited the “Nine-Character Mantra,” replacing the medicines we had previously mixed into the feed. At first, I was anxious and fearful of accidents, but when the farm remained safe for several months, my belief only deepened.

I shared my actions and feelings with my uncle, who keeps chickens as well, and urged him to adopt Falun Gong to replace vaccination. He strongly opposed me, urging me to face reality and continue vaccinating. But I could not listen, I felt that we were not of the same mindset, and I ignored his pleas.

Good times don't last long. In spring 2001, an outbreak of avian influenza hit. I was desperate, posting talismans all over the poultry house, neglecting meals and sleep, and praying day and night with my mother, reciting the “Nine-Character Mantra” until my mouth blistered and my voice grew hoarse. Yet the disease continued to spread. In less than three days, all the chickens, both large and small, were dead. The farm was filled with dead poultry, a scene beyond words.

Meanwhile, my uncle’s farm was spared, having adhered to conventional vaccination, while mine collapsed because I substituted vaccination with cultivation practices from Falun Gong. The avian flu caused me losses of more than 30,000 yuan, wiping out money loaned from relatives and friends as well as years of savings. My mother and I cried all day, our voices ruined and our eyes swollen from crying.

The dire situation also caused my mother’s blood pressure to spike, she suffered a stroke. We were fortunate that she survived, but she was left with hemiparesis and more than 10,000 yuan in medical debt.

But even then I did not suspect Falun Gong as the root cause. In my obsession, I did not look to reality for explanations. Instead, I blamed errors in “eliminate karma” and even pulled out Zhuan Falun again.

As we sank deeper into Falun Gong’s mire, local government officials and anti-cult volunteers learned of our situation and reached out to help. They visited repeatedly, patiently explaining Falun Gong’s cult nature and harms. With their assistance, my mother and I finally recognized Falun Gong for what it was and understood that all of this was caused by the cult. In a moment of anger, we burned Li Hongzhi’s portrait and books, smashed the recorder and practice bands, and declared that we would sever all ties with Falun Gong forever.

After leaving the cult, with the help of relatives and friends, I rebuilt a new chicken farm. This time I managed it using scientific methods and implemented appropriate, effective disease-prevention measures. Today, my farm is thriving, and I am gradually recouping the losses from before, returning to a path of wealth through technology.

Falun Gong brought our family to the brink of ruin. Here, I tell this story to warn everyone: a good life must be earned with one’s own hands, and avoid involvement with cults, or they could ruin your life.

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