MONTREAL, Que.—The culture of ancient China came alive during the performance of Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Place des Arts in the Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier on April 11.
Husband and wife Alfonzo Gonzalez and Karina Solovieva enjoyed the beauty and message of the performance. Mr. Gonzalez, who is director of sales for a construction company, bought tickets to Shen Yun for his wife’s birthday.
“There were always TV ads, and I was always curious about the show. So I’m so glad that I came. I was impressed with the music, the colors, and just the incredible athleticism that the performers have. It’s really nice. I was really, really impressed,” he said.
“[Shen Yun] was beautiful. It was beautiful to watch the culture. I actually come from the USSR, so I know what communism actually like. It’s a very, very restrictive regime,” she said. “It was beautiful to see [traditional Chinese] culture come alive.”
Ms. Solovieva found it difficult to express her appreciation of the performance. “It is just beautiful. They are extremely talented people. I have no words. It was just beautiful.”
Ms. Solovieva and Mr. Gonzalez were impressed by the stories, especially the story of the monk who cultivated himself.
She said, “Because he’s very close to the people that work, right? He’s very human in a kind of way. He’s very approachable, even though he’s divine.”
Mr. Gonzalez said, “The monk was meditating, and then he became enlightened because he was meditating for 7 days. It was a goddess who came down and wanted to [take him to the heavens.]”
This is one of the stories that gives a spiritual lesson. One’s spiritual journey through life has many tests that one must get through before reaping the reward of cultivation, according to Mr. Gonzalez.
He said the monk needed “discipline, discipline, discipline. Even though there’s some temptations, you have to stay the course. You don’t have to go straight [to heaven to become a Buddha] and actually become enlightened.”
Mr. Gonzalez said how important it is for traditional values to be part of modern society. “I think it’s very important because our society is a consumer society, and you lose your morals. Tradition is a good foundation, and it’s important not to lose it,” he said.
“I think it’s a good message myself. I’m a Christian, so it’s very similar about original sin. I understand it, so it is important,” he said.
Ms. Solovieva was touched and saddened by the story of Falun Gong practitioners persecuted for their beliefs.
“The persecution is very hard because people cannot be themselves. They’re scared of talking. They’re scared of believing—but I believe that everybody should believe in whatever they want to,” she said.
“I like the positive and the best things to grow as a human being, and to be respectful of other people. I like to be kind,” she said.
Ms. Solovieva noted the lyrics projected on the backscreen, which expressed the principles of truthfulness, compassion and forbearance.
She said those virtues are “beautiful. It’s beautiful. I saw that in the song. ... I believe that you have to be a good person. That you have to respect [others], that you have to have good values, and that you have to help somebody who is in pain or is in trouble.”
