(Minghui.org) Born in the countryside in Hebei Province, Mr. Li Youfu was an expert in Chinese martial arts and had won many martial arts championships and titles. With an M.D. degree in Chinese medicine, he had also read many historic books as well as documents on supernormal abilities trying to understand the world better. Yet he was still confused by a basic question: “What is the purpose of life?”
Like many people on a spiritual quest, he found that martial arts skills, championship titles, and medical knowledge did not answer his questions. In fact, the more he read, the less certain he was that he could ever find the answer. He looked up into the sky on countless nights, hoping a sage would descend to the human world with a true way to improve.
In 1993, Mr. Li came to the USA and taught at a Chinese medicine college. In his spare time, he visited temples and studied ancient scriptures. For a while, he went to a temple in Los Angeles to teach martial arts while he continued his search.
But he ended up even more confused. Most of the people who went to the temple wanted something—to improve their health, fix their marriage, resolve lawsuits, or overcome life’s difficulties. For them, going to the temple meant spending money for blessings, but hardly anyone learned or taught how to transcend this secular world through cultivation.
Beginning to Practice
In 1996 Mr. Li read in the newspaper that his old friend Mr. Guan Guimin, often known as the king of Chinese singers, would perform in Los Angeles. He followed up, and the two were able to meet. During their conversation, Mr. Li talked about his search and his disappointment. “No worries!” Mr. Guan said. “I have found what we have been looking for!”
That was Falun Dafa. Following Mr. Guan’s advice, Mr. Li read the main teachings, Zhuan Falun. They impressed him on a fundamental level. “There is an old saying that, ‘If a person hears The Way in the morning, there is nothing to fear even if he dies in the evening.’ That describes how I felt,” he explained.
That was because the book answered all of his questions. It also revealed many heavenly secrets and how to truly improve through cultivation (self improvement). Furthermore, he gained a deeper understanding of the human body, life, and the universe. “This knowledge was unimaginable in the past,” he said. “I was in tears as I read the book, because I’d finally found what I had only dreamed of.”
At that time, Mr. Li had practiced martial arts, qigong, and Chinese medicine for over 30 years. But he continued to suffer from chronic headaches and did not know why. In a plain language, Zhuan Falun told him how to truly elevate, and why a person suffers tribulations like illnesses. His headaches went away.
Influenced by traditional Chinese culture and an honorable spirit, Mr. Li used to risk his own life to save classmates. He saved others with acupuncture, even those who had bullied him or his family. But as he looked back, he saw his motive was not truly pure. It was as if to announce, “See? I am saving your life. How could you bully me again?”
Because of that, when he or his family were again treated unfairly, Mr. Li couldn’t get over it. One example was when he earned first place on one exam, but the student with the lowest score was admitted to the program. “These unfair incidents bothered me and prevented me from moving forward,” he recalled.
But all these questions were answered when he read Zhuan Falun. “Master Li, the founder of Falun Dafa, told us to constantly improve our xinxing. He has taught us profound things to help us achieve a higher level with no worries,” he explained.
The Importance of Virtue
Falun Dafa not only helped Mr. Li improve his mind nature but also made him more compassionate. Once when Mr. Li was hosting a martial arts contest, someone planned to challenge him. Just as that person was about to, he couldn’t move and had to be hospitalised.
Mr. Li said, “I told him that the first priority in martial arts is high moral values. After I told him about Falun Dafa, he agreed to recite ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good’. He soon recovered and thanked me.
“The idea of harmony between heaven and mankind has been known since ancient times. When a person recites the phrases above, he will be assimilated to the universal values of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and he will be blessed by the divine,” he explained.
After obtaining a license in Chinese medicine in 1999, Mr. Li earned a Master’s degree. He started studying for a Ph.D. in 2005 and finished in two years.
Master Li said,
“If the human race is able to improve its character, conduct, and thinking by grounding these in moral values, it will be possible for civilisation to endure and even for miracles to occur again in the human world.” (“On Dafa,” Zhuan Falun)
Mr. Li said his Ph.D. dissertation was on “Moral Values and Health” to highlight this idea.
In addition to teaching and treating patients, he told more people to say the phrases, and amazing things happened again and again. “One patient had lung disease, and I recommended that he recite ‘Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.’ When he did, he was able to calm down and breathe normally,” he said.
As a martial arts expert and now a Chinese medicine doctor, Mr. Li said he thinks it is very important to tell people about Falun Dafa. “Whether they are my patients, students, or friends, I think this is the most important thing I can do for them,” he added.
Traditional Values
Martial arts, which are actually something beyond superficial movements, have a long history. In fact, mental techniques are very important and they are part of traditional Chinese culture.
Many types of martial arts in the past involved supernormal abilities. “You can just touch a person and he will collapse—that is not just a physical movement. Rather, it is related to one’s mind nature,” he explained. “That means you have to pay attention to moral values and cultivate them. It requires having faith in Master, enduring hardship, and practicing diligently. Character is critical.”
After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seized power decades ago, however, many ancient martial arts were damaged or lost. The tradition of moral standards was abandoned, and the CCP added movements from boxing, gymnastics, and ballet. All the traditional values were lost and their connection with the divine was severed.
This is why Mr. Li is busy educating people and teaching students about the importance of moral values. “Falun Dafa is precious and we should cherish it,” he said. “I spent a long time searching before I found it. I am so fortunate to be a Falun Dafa practitioner. I hope you will benefit from it, too.”
Chinese version available
(Clearwisdom)