The Big, Unsettling Picture Behind Shen Yun

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Shen Yun is a captivating dance and music performance staged in some of the nation’s grandest theatrical settings.

It has toured the U.S. since at least 2011, and just released its national tour schedule for 2025.

Due to the frequent exposure of Americans to Shen Yun via promotional emails, billboards, and social media advertisements, there have emerged memes and jokes suggesting that hardly anyone actually attends the performance.

On first receiving the mailing in 2013, I crumpled it up. “Commie propaganda,” I thought.

Upon coming across an online ad for Shen Yun, my thoughts wandered to the impressive acrobatics and costumes displayed, yet I found myself questioning, “How did they manage to target me specifically?

It turns out I was wrong about Shen Yun.

Shen Yun isn’t aligned with the Chinese Communist Party, but instead, it honors the culture that existed prior to Mao and serves as a critic of the current Chinese government. Its artistic performances serve as a reminder of the costs incurred under the CCP regime.

Discovering later on that the main backers of Shen Yun also endorse The Epoch Times, is associated with a group known as Falun Gong, becomes clearer.

It might be helpful to express this idea as follows: “To engage a devoted Democrat advocate, would they view Falun Gong as equally respectable as American Christianity?” This rephrasing aims to make the sentence clearer and more natural-sounding while still conveying the original intent.

In contemporary China, the spiritual discipline known as Falun Gong is prohibited. With over 70 million followers worldwide, this practice has been suppressed for 26 years. Despite these challenges, practitioners of Falun Gong acknowledge a higher spiritual entity that transcends the political position of the Chinese Communist Party’s chairman.

Despite President Xi’s shift in strategy, which now seems more focused on disparaging the founder, Li Hongzhi, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) remains vigilant and cautious regarding Falun Gong.

As a movie buff delving into the world of Chinese culture, I’d like to share some insights about Falun Gong – a practice that originated from the time-honored Qi Gong tradition within mainland China during the 1990s. From my perspective as a practitioner, this spiritual system holds the belief that divine life energy, or Qi, is accessible to all individuals regardless of political affiliations.

Following brutal government assaults, it became clear to them that a strong moral stance necessitates the emergence and growth of a cultural, social, and religious movement that refuses to align with the authoritarian perspective of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

Reports indicate that over 2,000 followers of Falun Gong may have been put to death by the Chinese government since it outlawed the practice in 1999. Accusations of torture and illegal organ harvesting against these practitioners have surfaced and some cases have come to public attention.

The current main office of Falun Gong is located in upstate New York, yet numerous practitioners continue to reside in China. Hongzhi fled China to settle in upstate N.Y., and is admired for bridging the physical spiritual practice with an organization that firmly opposes communist expansion.

One observation about The Epoch Times, which was founded by Falun Gong, is that it consistently upholds strong principles in its stance.

Another point to note about Shen Yun is that its performances showcase breathtaking agility and precision, executed with great passion.

During the Shen Yun performance season, training and rehearsals also take place at our center located in upstate New York. The main expenses for the Shen Yun Foundation include paying performers and maintaining the 427-acre facility.

In other words, that’s where your ticket price goes.

To put it straightforwardly, it’s no secret that with online availability of TV shows, movies, anime, stand-up comedy, and repeated content, a relatively minor portion of U.S. residents opt for purchasing tickets to attend live dance performances or classical orchestra concerts.

Ever since I tied the knot with a classically trained dancer, my perspective on classical music has undergone a significant transformation. At one time, I dozed off during my initial symphony experience as an adult, finding solace in the harmonies and comfortable seating. However, my appreciation for live classical performances has steadily blossomed over time.

We long for the ambiance filled with melodious music from instruments and the rhythmic tap-tap of skillful dancers’ shoes dancing harmoniously on polished wooden floors.

In Shen Yun, the dance is based on traditional Chinese styles instead of ballet. However, similar to other genuine classics, it elicits the emotional depth hidden within the capabilities of the human body, mind, and soul, which resonates deeply with our hearts.

The performer exhibits exceptional poise as they balance on their toes, seeming to glide effortlessly like they’re walking above the ground. They manage to maintain a rising center of gravity during leaps, all while adhering to a steady rhythm!

Shen Yun doesn’t harbor resentment towards the West; rather, it embodies a timeless camaraderie rooted in values like faith, divine love, and wisdom. The dance performance’s storyline illustrates how these virtues persist for 5,000 years, but are unfortunately disrupted by the ongoing atheist communist era and religious suppression in China.

It seems there’s information indicating that China has forbidden not only participation in Falun Gong, but also any public assemblies related to Qi Gong. Instead, Chinese citizens are required to perform Qi Gong within authorized residential units or buildings.

In large urban parks across China, spiritual practices are being suppressed by the government. However, American media critics are unlikely to cease their criticisms or jokes about Falun Gong, much like the Chinese Communist Party does. Some of the allegations against them are quite severe, with officials from these companies refuting the claims made.

This world as we know it won’t last eternally. Ultimately, all humanity will have the opportunity to honor the Holy Spirit and compose a fresh hymn in praise of the Creator God. People will be assessed on whether they supported the cause of freedom or maligned those striving for it.

In contrast to China’s officially published Bible which undergoes extensive editing intended to discredit Jesus Christ and exalt the state, The Epoch Times aligns itself with traditional Christian beliefs.

Shen Yun appears to be an open presentation that embodies the persistent yearning for divine spirit. By presenting a Falun Gong-inspired performance in countries with predominantly Christian populations, without any negative impact on Christian beliefs, it is acting honestly: conveying the longing for a higher power in a way that resonates with people from China.

Even the motto, “5,000 years of civilization, reborn” sounds open to the Gospel.

It appears that Hongzhi expresses a warm appreciation for the Christian era in history and its relevance today. At times, it seems like Falun Gong might be delving into Christianity while retaining essential cultural and lifestyle elements.

In the Book of Acts and other epistles, there have been deep discussions about distinguishing syncretism from living by the Holy Spirit in the places where the apostles went. Today, we might wonder if a significant spiritual revival for Christ will sweep across the Pacific Rim; it may already be happening.

Beyond just appreciating the aesthetic, spatial, and auditory charm of the production itself, you may have noticed the brief interviews with well-known figures such as celebrities and politicians, which are key promotional elements for Shen Yun.

In truth, with struggles for freedom both overseas and within America, the decision to watch and endorse a performance such as Shen Yun seems to be guided by one’s spiritual instinct. As the Gospel of Mark states:

[Original]: Frankly, amid liberty’s travails abroad and in America, “advertising” as to whether to see and support a show like Shen Yun comes from the Spirit. The Gospel of Mark says:

“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 4:9)

In other words, don’t stress about what to say when you’re brought before authorities, just let the Holy Spirit guide your words at that moment, as it won’t be you speaking, but rather the Holy Spirit.

Followers of Falun Gong, similar to many Christians, currently encounter arrests and rely heavily on their spiritual guide (the Holy Spirit). They find solace in the knowledge that they share this experience with others who also draw strength from their faith.

Instead of figuring out the right way to pray on our own, it’s the Spirit within us that prays on our behalf with unspoken pleas so profound they surpass human language. And since God understands the depths of all hearts, He recognizes the intentions of the Spirit within us.

(Romans 8:26-27)

And understanding:

It appeared beneficial according to the Holy Spirit and our judgement that we should not impose any heavier responsibilities on you than what is absolutely necessary.

(Acts 15:28)

A Shen Yun performance is searchable by city, state, or ZIP via its web site.

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2025-01-26 18:04