(Minghui.org) Falun Gong is based on the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been persecuting Falun Gong since 1999. The CCP regime fears the three words in Falun Gong's principles and orders its security forces to incarcerate those who openly endorse them.

Incarcerated in Forced Labor Camps for Having the Three Characters Displayed on a Building Wall

Mr. Wen Yujie in Jieshou, Anhui Province, benefited a lot from practicing Falun Gong, and in 1997 wished to let more people benefit from it. He decided to have the three Chinese characters of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” displayed on the wall of his five-story building facing the main street. He talked with the Deputy Mayor Zhang who was in charge of construction in Jieshou City. Zhang thought it was a good idea and agreed to the proposal in a meeting on the same afternoon.

Three large characters “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” in golden color were carefully embedded on the wall fifty feet high. They were eye-catching and could be seen from far away. Many passers-by were pleased to see the characters.

When the CCP initiated persecution of Falun Gong in 1999, the Jieshou City government joined the persecution and sent the police to force Mr. Wen to paint over the characters. Wen kindly explained how he had personally benefited from practicing Falun Gong, but it didn't help.

His home was ransacked eight times from 1999 to 2005. He was detained four times and incarcerated in a forced labor camp for two years. He was brutally beaten. His wife Ms. Wu Cuiying was also incarcerated in a forced labor camp for two years. Mr. Wen was forced to stay away from home to avoid further persecution.

Imprisoned for Four Years for Giving Students New Year Greeting Cards with the Three Characters

Mr. Ma Qingping, an art teacher in Puyang, Henan Province, prepared 200 greeting cards before the winter break in 2009. On the cards were printed the three characters “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” He distributed them to his students.

The school principal reported him to police and ordered several students to be witnesses to frame Mr. Ma. The principal also assisted police to force over 170 students to hand over the greeting cards from their teacher Mr. Ma.

Over 50 students refused to hand over the cards and supported their teacher. Yet Mr. Ma was unlawfully sentenced to four years in prison.

Elementary School Principal Dies from Persecution for Printing the Three Characters

Mr. Nian Shaotang died at age 76 as a result of the persecution. He was the principal of Taikang Primary School, Yuanyingjie Township, Bin County, Heilongjiang Province.

Police entered his home on the morning of November 7, 2000. They claimed that they received orders to monitor him and his family. The officers saw a few pieces of printing paper with the three characters “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” on a table.

They took Mr. Nian and his son Nian Jingsheng to the No. 2 Detention Center in Bin County. Nian Jingsheng was taken to the Changlinzi Forced Labor Camp for one year. Principal Nian was detained for 56 days and tortured to near paralysis before being released.

Local police harassed the principal many times and intimidated him and his family members. He was arrested two more times and detained for 86 days. The physical and mental torture and frequent police harassment led to his health deteriorating.

He died on July 1, 2005, while his son was being held in the Sanshui Forced Labor Camp in Guangdong Province. Ten months later, the principal's wife also died.