(Minghui.org) I went to Tiananmen Square on October 1, 2000 to appeal for justice for Falun Gong with fellow practitioners. We shouted: “Falun Dafa is good!” Uniformed and plainclothed police stormed in and tried to stop us, but the shouting could be heard for some time. Finally, the police arrested and took us to the Xicheng District Detention Center.

“Is there life after death?”

I shared the cell with 14 inmates who wanted to hear me talk about Falun Gong instead listen to the China Central Television news casts. They asked many questions. One man wore heavy duty handcuffs and foot shackles. His name was Jiao Wenjun, and he had committed several dozen robberies in Beijing in 2000. He and his accomplices attacked their victims with heavy metal bars and killed or injured them.

I slept next to Jiao. He gently nudged me with his hand and whispered: “Is there life after death?” I said yes.

Jiao asked many questions and showed great interest in Falun Gong. I told him that if one hits, curses at and bullies others one loses virtue and accumulates karma. I also explained that virtue brings fortune and karma begets trouble.

Jiao felt deep remorse for his crimes, cursed the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and told me his story and his regrets about the crimes he committed.

He said: “Falun Gong practitioners are good people. We are the real criminals. I have committed unpardonable murders. I wish I met people like you earlier. My father was a police officer, but was persecuted by the Communist regime during its political movements and taken to a forced labor camp. My parents divorced when I was little.”

“As a victim of societal discrimination, I lost out on education. While serving a seven-year sentence, I escaped and became homeless. I committed crimes to survive. I am deeply sorry for the victims and their families. But I hate the CCP. While I blame myself for what I have done, I cannot pardon the CCP for causing this situation.”

He knew he would be executed soon, so he began to do a lot of soul searching. He wondered if he could have the opportunity to become a good person in his next life. I told him: “For thousands of years, Chinese people believed in Buddhism or Daoism, and they believed in reincarnation. They understood the principle, good would be rewarded, while doing evil would be met with retribution.”

“Falun Gong believes in Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. Although you did the crimes, no one could stop you from becoming a good person in the next life. It is your choice to become a good person now. If you truly show your remorse and want to be good, divine beings will help you and arrange your reincarnation.”

He deeply regretted that he heard about Falun Gong too late. Over the next several days, I recited Master’s poems from Hong Yin for him. He listened carefully and wrote them on his shirt. He managed to write and memorize more than 20 poems from Hong Yin. He also learned the Falun Gong exercises.

He said: “I will use every minute of my remaining life to learn Falun Gong.”