GWANGJU, South Korea—In the afternoon of April 11, professor and poet Kim Han-Sik believed that he has seen a poem in Shen Yun Performing Arts’ performance. “Shen Yun put in a lot of effort in finding Chinese history, tradition, and art. It chose good stories from classic literature, such as Journey to the West and Outlaws of the Marsh. I want to call their creative work a poem, a truly aromatic work of art,” said the professor.
“I can feel from the performance that Chinese culture is full of variety. The historical heritage of ancient China is immense. Culturally and historically, the work Shen Yun presents is superb!” he said.
“The stories, either about Emperor Tang Taizong or about the Monkey King, became real on Shen Yun’s stage. The Koreans know these stories and feel emotional when seeing them. The tranquility and the subtle profoundness in Eastern culture are truly amazing and touching.”
What touched Mr. Kim is not how beautiful things are on the outside. He said, “It’s a work that touches the hearts of people and at the same time revives the traditions.”
“The authentic traditions from regions such as Yunnan, Tibet, and Mongolia, are exhibited through the art performance. Meanwhile, they represent the grand cultural magnificence of ancient China.”
“China has 5,000 years of tradition in its history and this performance is to bring it back,” he said.
“Shen Yun revived the tradition and art in the 5,000 years of history. It is very difficult to do so in a short time. Also, Shen Yun resurrects Journey to the West, Outlaws of the Marsh, and Li Bai’s poems with art. It’s an unbelievably outstanding performance!”
As for the story about the persecution of Falun Gong, Mr. Kim said, “I hope the best for them. Art should not bow to any political regime. No regimes are forever.”
Read the original Chinese article.
Reporting by Hong Mei and Hsin-Yi Lin
New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has three touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org.
