WASHINGTON---Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs Harvey Johnson said Shen Yun’s artistry electrified his senses, while its spiritual message touched the depths of his heart.
“This experience was an uplifting experience, very energetic,” he said. “It really touched my heart.
“I always leave here inspired.”
The official and his wife Lisa, who works at the Department of Defense, are fans of the Shen Yun, having watched it many times over the years.“[I] love it every year. Seems like every year I catch something new about the act,” Johnson said.
This year, they attended the performance at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington D.C. on its opening night on April 17.Heavenly Connection
Johnson, who heads the offices of resolution management, and diversity and inclusion at the Department of Veteran Affairs, said it was Shen Yun’s portrayal of how faith in the divine can inspire people to overcome great suffering that deeply resonated with him.“When you see someone suffering and you see someone injured or killed even, and you see that spirit come down, [then] that light shines upon them and brings them back—that’s what I love.”
“I could watch that all day because I believe that’s what the world needs.”
“I think that shows like this that connect us to that light, that spirituality.”
The official was referring to the stories depicting the suppression of adherents of spiritual practice Falun Gong by the communist regime in today’s China. Falun Gong, which surged in popularity in the country in the 1990s, was banned by the regime in 1999. Since then, waves of practitioners have been harassed, imprisoned, tortured, or even killed for their faith.The stories of persecution presented by Shen Yun end in a message of hope—that of goodness overcoming evil and suffering. Johnson was moved by the beauty of this message.
“It just brought an awareness to the suffering that’s going on in China, and other places around the world,” he said.
Ripple Effect
Johnson said it wasn’t just himself who was moved by the performance.“I think [Shen Yun] touches everybody who sees it,” he said.
Thus the positive effect of the show is multiplied across many people, he said, because the people who watch it will then tell other people to come, creating a compounding effect.“That’s really the beauty of something like this,” Johnson said.
After watching the performance, Johnson said he was inspired to make positive changes in his life.“It makes you want to be a better person, to really go into yourself and to see, how can I make myself better so that when I go out into the world, I can make the world a better place, so that there’s less of the things going on that are negative.”
“So it’s definitely a ripple effect.”
With reporting by NTD Television and Sherry Dong.