“When rheumatoid arthritis flares up, the joint pain is truly intense! I would find myself drenched in cold sweat, tears flowing uncontrollably, and at times, writhing on the floor in unbearable agony. In moments of excruciating pain, I even begged my husband to take a knife and sever my arm below the elbow … I have contemplated suicide on multiple occasions.”
Wong Chunmei (pseudonym), now 80 years old, shared her experiences during a telephone interview with The Epoch Times on Nov. 16.
Even though she has been cured of severe rheumatoid arthritis for more than 20 years now, whenever she recalls the excruciating pain during episodes of the illness, it still sends shivers down her spine.
At the age of 50, after experiencing heavy bleeding caused by uterine fibroids, Ms. Wong noticed an escalation of pain and swelling in her hands and feet joints, which had previously only been mildly uncomfortable. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic joint erosion, resulting in impaired or even complete loss of function. Patients with this condition often experience psychological issues such as depression and anxiety. Currently, modern medicine has no cure for rheumatoid arthritis.
So how did Ms. Wong manage to overcome this seemingly incurable torment? Here is a true and miraculous story.
Ms. Wong’s Story
Back in May 1998, Ms. Wong had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for six years. Despite trying various Chinese and Western medications, her symptoms worsened, and the attacks became more frequent, spreading from the joints of her hands and feet to wrists, elbows, ankles, and knees. Additionally, the swollen joints gradually deformed.
To make matters worse, her coronary heart disease suddenly worsened.
In her forties, Ms. Wong developed coronary heart disease, often experiencing symptoms such as chest pain, tightness, and palpitations. During episodes, she needed fast-acting nitroglycerin tablets for relief. Coronary heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis narrowing the coronary arteries, leading to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle and resulting in a range of clinical symptoms, including angina (chest pain), heart attack, heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden death. This is a serious condition, and modern medicine currently cannot cure it.
At that time, she was hospitalized in Jilin City, Jilin Province, for treatment. After 11 days, her condition showed slight improvement but still required continued hospitalization for observation and treatment.
However, she insisted on being discharged early due to financial difficulties, as they had to rely on borrowing to make ends meet.
In addition to rheumatoid arthritis and coronary heart disease, since her twenties and thirties, she has also suffered from recurring pyelonephritis, chronic hepatitis, gallbladder inflammation, gallstones, and lumbar disc herniation. Later, due to stomach irritation caused by various medications, she developed stomach ulcers and gastritis. As a frequent visitor to the hospital, not only did she exhaust her family’s savings, but she also accumulated a significant amount of debt.
Eventually, she was allowed to be discharged early.
Desperate Illness Calls for Desperate Measures
“Rheumatoid arthritis, coupled with the incurable coronary heart disease, tormented me to the point where life seemed unbearable. My husband’s meager income could not cover the constant medical bills, not to mention the burden it placed on our three children. Why is my life so difficult? What should I do?”
The night before her discharge, Ms. Wong lay in her hospital bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Anxieties flooded her mind, casting a shadow of uncertainty over her future.
Suddenly, an idea crossed her mind, “Perhaps I should go to the temple and seek out that nun …” Earlier, her sister-in-law had suggested that she visit the temple and consult an “extraordinary old nun” for help.
On the day of her discharge, she found the nun. However, the nun, feeling helpless, explained that she could not do anything for her condition. She added, “Maybe you will encounter an exceptionally skilled master—you could follow and learn from him.”
On the way home, Ms. Wong, recalling the nun’s mention of a “master,” remembered a clinic she used to visit for treatment. A male doctor there had once recommended Falun Gong—a qigong practice based on the fundamental principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. At that time, she doubted the effectiveness of any practice in curing such serious illnesses.
However, the advice from the old nun prompted her to give this practice a try. Upon returning from the temple, she immediately went to see that doctor.
Zhuan Falun Brings Comfort to Body and Mind
The doctor gave her a brief introduction to Falun Gong and lent her a book titled “Zhuan Falun.” He suggested she read the book before deciding whether to practice Falun Gong. According to the doctor, the book was not readily available locally at that time.
Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a qigong practice introduced by Mr. Li Hongzhi from China in 1992. Following the principles of “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance,” Falun Gong consists of five sets of exercises, including meditation, and emphasizes maintaining virtuous and righteous thoughts in daily life. “Zhuan Falun” is the core book of Falun Gong.
In the afternoon, after Ms. Wong returned home, she began reading “Zhuan Falun.” To her amazement, she exclaimed, “This book is truly extraordinary. While reading, I understood many life lessons, and I felt a special sense of ease in my heart. Miraculously, without realizing it, my body no longer felt any pain.”
Considering the unavailability of such a valuable book locally, she decided to copy it by hand.
In the evening, when her husband returned home from work, he was surprised to find his wife writing. “Didn’t you have pain in your hands that prevented you from writing?”
“My hands did not seem to hurt when I was copying the book,” she replied. That day, she continued writing until well past 1 a.m.
Despite not having read much of the book, she could not wait to go to the doctor the next day to learn the exercises of Falun Gong.
Initially, due to joint pain and limited mobility, she found practicing the exercises quite challenging. Nonetheless, she persevered and tried her best to complete each movement.
Later on, whenever she had time, she would either read or copy “Zhuan Falun.” “From the book, I came to understand the reasons for my illness and why I had such a difficult life. I became very optimistic, and the suicidal thoughts that haunted me before completely vanished.”
“After just under two months, my joint pain symptoms had significantly improved,” she said. “I stopped taking all the rheumatoid arthritis medications and returned them to the hospital because these drugs are expensive. I hoped they could help those in need.”
The doctor who introduced her to Falun Gong was very understanding, considering that Ms. Wong’s condition had shown little improvement despite undergoing various treatments.
By 1999, Ms. Wong’s joint pain symptoms had significantly reduced, and the frequency of attacks for other illnesses had also decreased.
She mentioned that in the past, due to prolonged illness, she often felt depressed, irritable, and prone to anger. As her health improved, her personality became more cheerful.
She stated that she has rigorously adhered to the principles of “truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance” since she started practicing.
During that time, relatives and friends around her would comment on the positive changes in her personality, saying, “Her temper has improved. She does not dwell on things and always maintains a cheerful disposition.”
Under her influence, her husband and their three children began practicing as well.
However, in July 1999, the Chinese authorities began to defame and suppress Falun Gong. Many practitioners were under surveillance, abducted, cruelly persecuted, and even lost their lives. Even then, Ms. Wong did not yield to the persecution and continued to practice. To avoid persecution, she and her family had to move to different places at times.
All Ailments Healed After 4 Years of Practice
“By 2001, my symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint pain and swelling, had completely disappeared, and there have been no relapses since then,” she said.
Not only that, but during the same period, her symptoms of coronary heart disease had significantly alleviated, and the occurrence of attacks had become exceedingly rare. Even if an attack occurs, a brief period of rest is usually sufficient to alleviate it. Additionally, the onset of other illnesses was also extremely rare.
“In 2002, my body had already fully recovered, which was definitely a cause for celebration. I then decided to work at a hotel in South Korea to earn some money,” she said. At that time, she was already 60 years old. Due to various illnesses, she had been resting at home for years without any employment experience.
Working at a hotel in South Korea was a demanding job, and she had to come into contact with cold water while washing dishes. Since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, she had avoided letting her hands touch even a drop of cold water for years, fearing it might trigger a painful episode. However, during her employment at the hotel, she had no choice but to use cold water. Surprisingly, her rheumatoid arthritis did not relapse during her time there. After working in Korea for almost two years, she returned to China.
At that time, the Chinese Communist authorities were continuing to suppress Falun Gong, and she could not stand idly by. After returning to China, she purchased a printing machine, and together with her husband, they printed materials revealing the truth about Falun Gong. At night, the two of them would tirelessly carry these materials on their shoulders, distributing them to the public.
Ms. Wong said that none of her illnesses had recurred, and she had not taken any medication for over twenty years. “The once-threatening coronary heart disease is long gone. Previously, my knees were deformed, causing my feet to turn outward when walking. Now, my posture is normal. All joint deformities are no longer visible, and everything is back to normal.”
I am very grateful to Falun Gong and the master who taught me the practice. My only wish now is for the persecution happening in China to cease soon, allowing Chinese people to practice freely,” she said.
(Given that the Chinese Communist Party continues to persecute Falun Gong to this day, this interview was conducted under a pseudonym to protect Ms. Wong and her family.)
Research: Meditation Can Effectively Improve Chronic Conditions
Meditation is a practice that emphasizes the integration of the mind and body, aiming to calm the mind and enhance overall well-being. Numerous studies have found that meditation not only alleviates symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression but also mitigates the detrimental impact of stress on the immune system. It provides a substantial relieving effect on immune system-related conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease (immune system dysfunction) characterized by an overly active immune response that attacks healthy joint tissues. Symptoms of the disease can worsen due to triggering factors such as stress.
A study published in the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases in 2014 found that mindfulness training and meditation can reduce the activity of rheumatoid arthritis by enhancing the immune function of patients. Additionally, it significantly decreases joint pain and stiffness in these patients.
A study conducted by Lili Feng and a team from Microarray Core, Center for Immunology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2005, revealed that, through genomic profiling of neutrophil transcripts in Falun Gong practitioners, they discovered that, compared to a normal healthy control group, Falun Gong practitioners (with 1 to 5 years of practice) exhibited enhanced immunity and changes in apoptotic genes conducive to the rapid resolution of inflammation.
In 2002, a study conducted by a group of South Korean researchers also found that, compared to the normal group, Falun Gong practice can enhance the immune system of practitioners.
The Efficacy of Falun Gong in Treating a Range of Chronic Illnesses
A survey study published in the Health Behavior and Policy Review in 2020, involving over a thousand practitioners of Falun Gong in Taiwan, revealed that individuals with chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and hypertension experienced a 70 to 89 percent improvement or complete recovery after practicing Falun Gong.
In May 1998, the General Administration of Sport of China conducted a sampling survey among Falun Gong practitioners. Of the 12,553 practitioners surveyed, 10,475 individuals, or 83.4 percent, reported having one or more illnesses before practicing Falun Gong. After practicing for several months to several years, these individuals experienced significant improvements in their health conditions. The recovery rate reached 77.5 percent, with an additional 20.4 percent showing improvement, resulting in an overall effective rate of 97.9 percent.
The book Zhuan Falun can be purchased here. and is also available to read for free online here.