CHANGHUA, Taiwan—With the mission of reviving traditional Chinese culture through the arts in order to upgrade social morality and make society more peaceful, every year Shen Yun Performing Arts tours the world and performs its programs that connote loyalty, filial piety, moral integrity, and righteousness.
In view of the fact that Kiwanis International’s objectives are similar to Shen Yun’s mission, Kiwanis International co-sponsored Shen Yun’s 2013 tour in Taiwan. Kiwanis International Taiwan District Governor Chien Chu-Ching said, “Shen Yun inspires compassion, while Kiwanis International advocates the increase of righteousness, justice and goodwill. As both of them share the same type of philosophy, we thus decided to co-sponsor Shen Yun performances in Taiwan.”
Marveling at Shen Yun’s magnificent performances, Mr. Chien praised the company. “Frankly, I think every program was really wonderful, and it’s hard for me to say which one touched me most,” he said. “Every piece is very touching. There are very profound meanings in the programs. What I can enlighten to is that we feel a Shen Yun program is so delightful and enjoyable, not only because these artists are wonderful, but the contents of the performances are terrific—and the costumes are very brilliant and splendid. The dances performed by Shen Yun artists can really touch the bottom of its audiences’ hearts.”
“This is my first time seeing such a wonderful dance program with such terrific music,” he added. “In particular, the seamless blend of Eastern and Western musical instruments is amazing. Shen Yun performances really touch my heart deeply.”
Mr. Chien said that he was impressed most by the last piece, Divine Mercy. “The scenes where heaven rends asunder and earth cracks in the last piece signifies that human morality has fallen to the point that a curse of heaven is approaching, namely: Heaven is going to punish the evil ones. Therefore, we should conduct good deeds, as kind-hearted people can be blessed by gods and Buddha miraculously.
“There are many phenomena that cannot be explained, and we believe that they are the will of gods. I think this program was portraying the miracles taking place tens of thousands of years ago.”
Mr. Chien also really admired Shen Yun’s spirit of promoting the five thousand years of Chinese culture across the world, saying, “In terms of humanity, what is good should be promoted. I found that seeing these dances with profound meanings can enlighten us to uplift our morality and inspire compassion.”
And he stressed, “I think these programs can also really activate our hearts, while we often feel melancholy. Many may think that society is in chaos, so conducting ourselves well would suffice. But I think this is a wrong concept, as we should promote righteousness, and spread the seeds of kindness throughout society. So the compassion advocated by our organizations can spread to every corner of society.”
In addition to joy, audiences can also feel a special kind of energy in a Shen Yun performance. In this regard, Mr. Chien agreed. “I feel a kind of energy in the performance,” he said. “For instance, when seeing lengthy ordinary performances, we may feel kind of tired. But when seeing a Shen Yun performance, that’s not the case. The more we see it, the more we feel uplifted, as it can console our spiritual fatigue. It is the demonstration of a special kind of energy.”
He also stressed, “Good performances like Shen Yun show should not only be sponsored by Kiwanis International and Lions International, but they should also be promoted by other non-profit organizations, so that the programs with pure sincerity, abundant compassion, and sheer beauty can further inspire compassion in the society.
“When Shen Yun tours Taiwan again next year, not only will we co-sponsor it again, but I will invite those who haven’t seen the performances to attend the show.”
Secretary-General: ‘The backdrop was a thing of beauty’
Local business heavyweight, Pan Yongxun, secretary-general of the International Management and Business Association in Changhua, and his wife Zhang Xue-e, member of Taiwan District of Kiwanis International, were part of the packed house at Yuanlin Performance Hall on the evening of April 1.
Mr. Pan said: “It was an enjoyment unlike any other. I am greatly honored to be here, and I welcome the return of [Shen Yun] year after year.”
Mr. and Mrs. Pan were united in their utmost appraisal for the exquisite costumes and the animated backdrops. Mr. Pan said: “[The costumes] were beaming with colors; so beautiful, and a lot of hard work went into them.
“The stage effect was likewise superb. The entire performance was a huge success. The backdrop was a thing of beauty, very dimensional and textural, something very special that I had not seen before.”
Mrs. Pan added: “What’s most unique was the radiant colors of the costumes. The design was very beautiful and dignified. The backdrop was a stunning lifelike presentation.”
Mrs. Pan also gave kudos to the two masters of ceremony, how they complimented each other so well, and how they spoke to your hearts.
As for the musical part of the performance, Mr. Pan said: “The whole production was elegant. The dancers gave an awesome performance. The dancing and the vocals were also splendid. The tandem between the Shen Yun Orchestra and the performance was a display of synchronicity.”
Together, Mr. and Mrs. Pan said the performance was well worth coming to watch. Mr. Pan then clarified: “People do feel better. I do wish the performance lasted longer. Time went by so fast.”
Finally, Mr. Pan said: “The performance itself can purify society, making people be good from their hearts.”
“To come to this earthly world, people must be good, be compassionate, and cordial among one another. This is the best. Don’t fight or be jealous of others. This is what is right,” he concluded.
Writer of Taiwanese Nursery Rhymes: ‘I love Shen Yun’
At the Yunlin Performance Hall in Changhua, Shi Fuzhen, a respected local writer of Taiwanese nursery rhymes, and his wife were on hand to see Shen Yun on the evening on April 2.
Mr. Shi said this was actually his fourth time seeing a Shen Yun Performance. The exquisite performance showcasing the ancient traditional Chinese culture immediately resonated deeply with him, which helped him become a regular attendee of Shen Yun performances whenever the company travels to Taiwan.
Mr. Shi, 78, once received a prestigious award from the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, recognizing his contribution in promoting traditional native Taiwanese language. For 40 years, Mr. has written over 400 nursery rhymes.
With a zest in his spirit, Mr. Shi said, “I love Shen Yun. After seeing it so many times, I still believe this is the best of the best. A great performance. Whether it is the music or the solo singing, each piece is truly a work of art.”
Mr. Shi said that he never gets tired of seeing Shen Yun. “I believe the performance itself is incomparably superb,” he explained. “I myself have seen many performances from China, but Shen Yun and its dancing stand out from the rest. The dancing is great and very polished.”
What also amazed Mr. Shi was how well the animated backdrop and the performers integrated together. Especially during the program Sand Monk is Blessed, when the Monkey King first chases the sank monk into the sky and then into the drifting sand river, the smooth transition made Mr. Shi feel like he was actually the one flying into the backdrop, becoming part of the story.
“Performers walked over there by the backdrop and then they just flew away. I felt like I was actually the one doing all that,” he said.
Mr. Shi came to realize that Shen Yun brings to audiences authentic values of ancient Chinese culture. He commented that he fully grasped these values during the program An Unexpected Encounter, when Falun Dafa practitioners remained calm and considerate of others during oppression. With a stern face, he said, “What the communist regime does to Falun Gong, the persecution, is simply absurd and nonsensical.”
He concluded that Shen Yun is definitely worth being cherished again and again.
Read the original Chinese article
Reporting by Meng Xianteng and Frank Fang.
Read the original Chinese article. [2] [3]
Reporting by Lee Fanru and Bill Xu, Chen Zhida and Frank Fang and Meng Xianteng
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
