PORTLAND, Ore.—“There are some eternal truths that [are] shared in there,” said John Kenneth Johnson after seeing Shen Yun Performing Arts at Portland’s Keller Auditorium on Jan. 18.

“Very important truths,” he said.

Mr. Johnson works as a program manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was struck deeply by Shen Yun’s message of family, divinity, and eternal wisdom.

Mr. Johnson, who has worked in water systems engineering for over 30 years, is a highly regarded engineer for his problem-solving abilities, knowledge, and industry recognition. He is currently appointed as the President-Elect of the Bioengineering Section of the American Fisheries Society.

He found Shen Yun to contain so much more than he expected.

Seeking to revive 5,000 years of divinely imparted culture, Shen Yun reflects the ancient principles of “propriety and wisdom, respect for the heavens, and divine retribution,” according to Shen Yun’s website.

For Mr. Johnson, the performance only cemented his understanding of why mankind came “from heaven to down here, and why we’re here.”

“What I saw in there is that [there is] a very strong belief of the heavenly creator [and] families. Families were here to be tested, to grow and to learn, and go back home to be with our families. I believe that, totally.”

A Shen Yun performance features classical Chinese dance, vocalists who sing in the highly technical bel canto style, and a state-of-the-art digital backdrop, together creating one spectacular performance.

As a presentation containing both basic and technical elements of dance, music, and structure, the performance uplifted Mr. Johnson from beginning to end.

“The precision, and the spacing, and everything was flawless,” he said.

“I was very, very moved by it.”

Reporting by Fany Qiu and Michael Fitzgerald

New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts has four touring companies that perform simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit Shen Yun Performing Arts.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yun’s inception in 2006.